Oswego East star RayJ Dennis commits to Boise State

Since the conclusion of his junior season at Oswego East this past March, RayJ Dennis became one of the more coveted prospects in Illinois in the Class of 2019.

The scholarship offers were proof of that as the 6-2 combo guard picked up a few in the spring and then watched his recruitment explode over the course of the summer. In all, Dennis sported 20-plus offers from Division I programs across the country.

After taking his first official visit this past weekend to Boise State, Dennis had seen and learned enough. He committed to coach Leon Rice on Tuesday. He chose the Broncos over a surplus of offers, including Toledo, Colorado State, Southern Illinois, Northeastern, Bradley, Vermont, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and others.

While Dennis said the mountains grabbed his attention looking down from his flight to Boise, it was the coaching staff and players who helped turn the decision into an easy and quick one.

“I fit in with the guys there and really meshed with the players well,” says Dennis. “The way the players treated me, the way the coaches treated me –– it’s just a perfect fit for me. I love coach Rice and the entire coaching staff.”

Even with other official visits planned, Dennis felt no need to take any others, saying “I have already taken unofficial visits to the remaining schools on my list. I knew what I had with Boise after that visit.”

Dennis, a noted gym rat, was especially impressed with how the coaching staff laid out the player development aspect of their program.

“They really sold me on the player development part of it,” Dennis said. “I love getting in the gym and working, so that was important to me. They showed how they would develop me as a player. They expressed they needed a point guard for the future and that there would be an opportunity to play early on.”

The Mountain West Conference school has been to the NIT in each of the last two seasons and won 25 games and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2015.

In addition to the basketball and university, Dennis was impressed with Boise and the surrounding area.

“Boise is just a great place and I loved everything about it,” says Dennis. “It’s a great school, a great community and some really friendly people. The landscape, the trees, the trails, the nature and a campus that’s right there in a great city.”

The Mountain West Conference school has been to the NIT in each of the last two seasons and won 25 games and reached the NCAA Tournament in 2015.

Last season during a breakout junior campaign, Dennis averaged 17.2 points, 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds a game in leading Oswego East to a 20-win season.

Dennis brings poise and instinctive passing ability to the point guard position while also showcasing scoring and shooting prowess. The smooth shooter made 66 of 171 from beyond the arc (39 percent).

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