Jeff Capel adds three prospects to Pitt basketball program

Pitt basketball coach Jeff Capel received signed letters of intent Tuesday from three high school prospects who are due to enroll next year. The common thread among Max Amadasun, Noah Collier and John Hugley is no one is shorter than 6-foot-8.

“We are adding three high-level talents with a great mix of size, athleticism and skill,” Capel said in a statement. “Each of these players has shown outstanding work ethic, toughness, selflessness and winning attitudes throughout their high school careers. All three of them are outstanding additions to the University of Pittsburgh family and we look forward to helping them develop on and off the court here in Oakland.”

Amadasun, a 6-10, 230-pound center from Dublin, Ireland, brings with him a 7-1 wingspan. He averaged 6.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting 57.0 percent from the field for the New York Lightning on the Nike EYBL circuit this summer. Amadasun attended Colaiste Bride in Clonalkin, Ireland, and played for the Dublin Lions before moving to the United States in 2016.

“Max is a fast rising post prospect with a great combination of size and athleticism,” Capel said. “He has the ability to be a high level shot blocker and rebounder. We have been impressed with how quickly his offensive skills have developed in the past year and like the energy and effort he plays with. Max has the opportunity to be another outstanding Pitt Panther to come out New York City.”

Collier, a 6-8, 210-pound forward from the Westtown School in West Chester, is ranked among the top 150 players in the nation, according to Rivals.com. He can play multiple positions, and he averaged 8.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game in 17 Nike EYBL games with Team Final this summer. As a junior, he earned second team Chester County All-Area honors after helping Westtown to a 22-10 record, including a 10-0 mark in the Friends School League.

“We are excited about the versatility and explosiveness in Noah’s game,” Capel said. “He has the ability to guard multiple positions on the floor and possesses a balanced offensive skill set. Noah comes from a terrific program at the Westtown School and has developed winning habits throughout his high school career.”

Hugley, a 6-9, 240-pound forward, is the top rated player in Pitt’s class and the second top 100 player signed by Capel and his staff within the past two years. He is a consensus four-star prospect and ranked 95th overall by Rivals. Hugley, a first team all-district and honorable mention All-Ohio selection as a junior, averaged 16.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while leading Brush to 21 victories and a district finals appearance. This summer, he averaged 9.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while splitting time between All-Ohio Red and Indy Heat on the Nike EYBL circuit.

“John is a skilled forward with excellent size and a well-rounded offensive game,” Capel said. “He has very good footwork on the block as well as a nice shooting touch from the perimeter. We really like the work ethic, toughness and commitment to the game John has shown since we began recruiting him. He has the opportunity to make an immediate impact in our program.”

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