A pair players from last year's squad - Rakim Lesane and Kyle Taylor-Mcleggan - have accepted NCAA Division II scholarships, according to JCC coach George Sisson.

Lesane, a Region 3 first-team selection, and Mcleggan, a second-team choice, have signed letters-of-intent to attend the University of Bridgeport and Long Island University Post respectively. Both schools are members of the East Coast Conference.

''It's going to be a great story,'' Sisson said of Lesane, a 6-foot-5 forward from Brooklyn, "because I really believe he's gong to be a high-level performer at Bridgeport. Five years from now we're going to be talking about this kid.''

Lesane will be joining former Jayhawk Samuel Joseph, who signed with the Connecticut school in the spring.

''The unique thing about Rakim ... is he's got three years of eligibility (remaining),'' Sisson said. ''When you start breaking it down like that, you're talking about $150,000 worth of free education.''

In his only season as a Jayhawk, Lesane averaged 20.9 points (on 52 percent shooting) and 7.4 rebounds per game in just under 21 minutes of playing time.

''Rakim can play the game,'' Sisson said. ''He had some really nice strides with his maturation off the court and in the classroom. ... I'm really proud of him.''

The second-year men's coach feels the same way about Taylor-Mcleggan, a guard who hails from Harlem.

''As I told the coach (at LIU Post), 'Congratulations, you won.' They got a complete guy, a complete basketball player with a high IQ, with a good body and good skill sets, and he's a really good student.''

In earning second-team All-Region 3 honors, the 6-1 Taylor-Mcleggan averaged 15.9 points and shot 45 percent from beyond the arc. He'll have an opportunity to his face Joseph and Lesane twice during the ECC regular season.

''We'll have to have a 'watch party,'' Sisson laughed. ''Kyle is going to be outmanned with the (trash-talking) that night.''

In addition to Lesane and Taylor-Mcleggan's signing news, Sisson announced that Cody Johnson of Sinclairville has decided to attend Houghton College and will also play basketball there.

The former Cassadaga Valley Central School star played one year for the Jayhawks, but had enough credits to graduate and transfer to the Empire 8 Conference school.

''The progress he made last year was terrific,'' Sisson said of the Johnson. ''I'll be very disappointed if he isn't a major contributor down at Houghton.''

Last year, the Jayhawks finished 23-7 and advanced to the NJCAA Region 3 championship game where they fell to Monroe CC in a game that wasn't decided until the final minute. Meanwhile, in NCAA Division II action, LIU Post was 18-12 in 2015-16, while Bridgeport checked out at 15-14.

For more great Jamestown area sports articles, visit the Jamestown Post Journal

www.http//:post-journal.com