Central Michigan's 2020 recruiting class: Get to know the newest men's basketball players
Men's Basketball head coach Keno Davis addresses the media after the Maroon and Gold Scrimmage Oct. 22 at McGuirk Arena.
Central Michigan coach Keno Davis has brought in three new faces for the 2020-21 season.
Ralph Bissainthe, DeMarcus Demonia and Rashad Weekly-McDaniels each signed their letter of intent to play for the Chippewas on Nov. 13.
Bissainthe and Demonia are NJCAA transfers and will be juniors upon their arrival in Mount Pleasant, while Weekly-McDaniels comes in as a true freshman.
The Chippewas will lose six seniors following the culmination of the current season, including senior guard Kevin McKay and forwards David DiLeo and Rob Montgomery.
Here are the players who will look to fill their roles:
Rashad Weekly-McDaniels
Position: Point Guard
Previous School: Trinity Catholic High School
Height: 5-foot-10
Year (2020): Freshman
Weekly-McDaniels, a St. Louis native, comes to Central Michigan from Trinity Catholic as a self-described "true point guard." Although he also held offers from Western Illinois, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, McDaniels ultimately chose the Chippewas because of Davis' interest in him.
"Coach Keno, he took his time," Weekly-McDaniels said. "He showed up to almost every event, and he showed me that he wanted me."
When Weekly-McDaniels took his visit in early August, he was given an opportunity to immerse himself in the campus as well as within the culture of the Chippewa program. He cherished the opportunity and elected to commit to Central Michigan soon after.
"I fit in with the guys," Weekly-McDaniels said. "It was perfect."
Weekly-McDaniels looks forward to sharing the backcourt with current redshirt freshman PJ Mitchell and believes his style of play will mesh well with the current Chippewa roster.
When it comes to his time with the Chippewas, Weekly-McDaniels is eager to make his mark.
"I want to be one of the best players in Central Michigan history," Weekly-McDaniels said. "I want my name to be in the history books."
For Davis, the point guard checked all the boxes.
"With our first commitment of the 2020 class, our staff was looking for a student-athlete with high character combined with great ability," Davis said. "We believe we succeeded with the signing of Rashad Weekly-McDaniels. He is a playmaking guard with great leadership qualities and he should immediately fit in with our team."
Ralph Bissainthe
Position: Guard/Forward
Previous School: Florida Southwestern College
Height: 6-foot-7
Year (2020): Junior
Bissainthe is a lanky guard who can also defend the forward spot. The Miami native spent his first two seasons, one of which was a redshirt year, at the University of Illinois-Chicago. He transferred before the start of this season to Florida Southwestern.
When courted by the Chippewas, Bissainthe felt right at home.
"The staff really expressed how much they wanted me and what they believe I can do for the program over the next two years," Bissainthe said. "Their recruiting over the years has been (bringing in) guys with stories similar to mine."
He's a player who attacks the basket well and defends consistently in passing lanes but hopes to develop a more consistent 3-point shot.
"(I want) to win the conference and not just make March Madness but also make some noise in it," Bissainthe said. "I want to be newcomer of the year and make an all-conference team."
Davis sees Bissainthe as an instant contributor on both sides of the floor.
"Ralph comes to us with a unique combination of size, ability and athleticism," Davis said. "Ralph is a very versatile player who can play multiple positions on both ends of the court. We feel that his skill level and experience will help him make an immediate impact at CMU."
Bissainthe is currently averaging nine points per game at FSW College, shooting 47% from the floor and grabbing 3.4 rebounds.
Demarcus Demonia
Position: Forward
Previous School: Allegany College of Maryland
Height: 6-foot-7
Year (2020): Junior
Demonia has already exercised his two years of eligibility at the junior college level, so he will sit out this season as a redshirt before being able to play immediately with the Chippewas as a junior next season.
"When I came for a visit, there was nothing not to like about it," Demonia said. "Everyone made me feel as though it was my home already."
The Fort Washington, Maryland native has the most history of the three incoming recruits, as Demonia was named a JUCO First Team All-American a season ago, averaging 18.2 points and 8.1 rebounds.
Demonia is eager to bring that production to Mount Pleasant. When asked what fans should expect from him, his reply was likely enough to bring one to the edge of their seat.
"There will be nice highlight plays on dunks," Demonia said. "I will bring anything I possibly can to help my team win."
Demonia is excited to share the court with current juniors Travon Broadway Jr., Devontae Lane and Romelo Burrell next season. He hopes to help the team compete for a conference title while continuing to assert himself individually.
"(Demonia) is an explosive talent with great potential," Davis said. "Demarcus can impact the game in all areas; offensively, defensively and on the boards. It is easy to see why he is a First Team Junior College All-American."
