Rutgers Basketball Gets Two for 2009

Danny Breslauer with a Signing Day breakdown for RU:

Fred Hill’s recruiting prowess continues to bring highly-acclaimed players to the Rutgers men’s basketball program. That trend continued yesterday as RU inked two to 2009 letters of intent.

6-foot-7 forwards Dane Miller of Henrietta, N.Y. and Austin Johnson of Cheltenham, Pa. followed up on their verbal commitments from the first few months of the 2008 calendar year.

Miller averaged 22 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks as a junior at Rush-Henrietta HS and Rivals ranks him as the nation’s 94th-best player. He was the All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year in 2007-2008 and is considered a versatile swing option.

Johnson is currently enrolled at Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. and gave Rutgers his verbal on the same night that current Scarlet Knight forward Gregory Echenique announced his intentions to play for Fred Hill. He averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds as a junior and has a high basketball IQ to go along with crafty post moves.

Notable Blair alums include Luol Deng and Charlie Villanueva.

Rutgers opens up its 2008-2009 campaign on Friday night at 8:00pm, when Marist visits the RAC for the opening game of the Garden State Challenge.