Elmhurst men's basketball coach John Baines has announced the first of his 2019 class that have made a commitment to attend Elmhurst College and also play basketball for the Bluejays.
 
"We have a large group of returners and these new additions strengthen a solid core group of players that are coming back," said Baines. "I'm impressed with the character level in this group as much as the talent present. We are ecstatic with our recruiting class this year."

Additional recruit profiles may be added as they become available. 

 
Jeremy Durdan - Flanagan, Ill./Flanagan-Cornell (6-3, 190 lbs. Guard/Forward)
Earned four varsity letters at Flanagan-Cornell High School...named to all-conference team for three seasons and earned all-area accolades from The Times for all four-years...selected as his team's MVP for three seasons...earned IBCA Honorable mention all-state honors as a junior and third-team all-state accolades as a senior...named an Associate Press all-state honorable mention selection as a senior...averaged over 20 points per game during his junior and senior years...finished his career with 1,908 points and 947 career rebounds.
Baines on Durdan: "Jeremy was a very good small high school player. He genuinely wants to be at Elmhurst and he has the work ethic and character to be a solid part of our program."
 
Marko Filipovic - Carol Stream, Ill./West Chicago H.S. (6-6, 185 lbs. Forward)
Earned a varsity letter at West Chicago High School...also an all-conference football players. 
Baines on Filipovic: "Marko is coming to Elmhurst for both football and basketball. He has a long, athletic frame and has worked at his game quite a bit over the past year."

Dominic Genco - Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville/Bethel University (Ind.) (6-3, 170 lbs. Guard)
Played one and a half seasons at Bethel University (Ind.)...appeared in 17 games and averaged 2.4 points per game during the 2017-18 season...played in 16 games and averaged 5.2 points per game during the 2018-19 season before transferring to Elmhurst...averaged 13.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during his junior year at Zionsville...
Baines on Genco: "Dom transferred to Elmhurst for the spring semester but was not in uniform for our program. What a huge piece for our program to add!  Dom is a natural playmaker with scoring ability. He is crafty and has the length to be a plus defender. As Dom's confidence makes a large jump, fans are going to be very impressed with his game and impact in our program."

Wes Hooker - Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South (6-2, 160 lbs. Guard)
Earned three varsity letters from Downers Grove South High School...led his team in assists, rebounds and steals while earning all-conference honors during his junior year...named to all-conference team while leading his team in assists, rebounds and steals and helping the team win a conference title as a senior...named his team's MVP during his junior year.
Baines on Hooker: "Wes is a significant addition for our Bluejay family. He has a game that immediately translates to the college level. He is outstanding in transition, can defend multiple positions, and has a scorer's mentality on the perimeter. The minute Wes got on campus for a visit, he immediately fit right in with our team. He is just scratching the surface of his abilities and we expect Wes to be a major factor for us sooner rather than later."
 
Ebrahim Jobe - Coon Rapids, Minn./Blaine/St. Cloud State (6-10, 207 lbs. Center)
Attended St. Cloud State University for two seasons...played soccer at Blaine High School in Minnesota. 
Baines on Jobe:  "Ebrahim just exudes talent.  He is a long, rangy athlete and has the tools to be an awesome shot blocking, transition post. Eb is very smart, thoughtful person and has a desire to become very good. He did not grow up playing basketball and he is still learning the game. He has the work ethic and natural ability to really make a huge jump this coming year."
 
Nikola Koute - Alymoros, Greece (6-6, 230 lbs., Forward/Center) 
Played club basketball for Ionikos Nikaias Basketball Club in Pireaus, Greece.
Baines on Koute:  "Nikos is a mature player that is extremely big and strong. We have been able to watch film on Nikos and we expect him to help bolster our frontcourt in the coming years."

Colin Mergen - Ashland, Wis./Drummond/St. Cloud State (6-5, 212 lbs. Forward)
Attended St. Cloud State University for the past two seasons...Earned four varsity letters at Drummond High School...named to second-team all-conference squad as a sophomore and junior...named to first-team all-conference squad and selected as his team's MVP during his senior year...finished his career with 1,078 points, the third-highest total in school history. 
Baines on Mergen: "Colin is a transfer that has not had huge court time in college since graduating from high school. He is a bright, tough minded player that is in love with the game and plays extremely hard. Colin has really developed his body since high school and he gives us some strength on the frontline. As he continues to mature and get comfortable in the program, Colin will make a big difference to our team."

Myles Thomas - Chicago, Ill./Leo (6-0, 180 lbs. Guard)
Earned four varsity letters from Leo High School...served as team captain...named his team's Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior...led his conference in steals as a senior...earned his team's Sixth Man of the Year award as a junior. 
Baines on Thomas: "Myles has a junk yard dog mentality and we love his tenacity. He has effectively guarded some premier high school players in Chicagoland and has played on an extremely successful team in his career. He is a big guard that is going to work for everything he gets. His approach fits right in with our program."

Jonathan Zapinski - Southlake, Texas/Carroll (6-6, 205 lbs. Center)
Earned a pair of varsity letters at Carroll Senior High School in Texas...earned honorable mention all-district honors as a junior...named a first-team all-district selection during his senior year...set a school record for blocked shots in a season (135) and career (207) during his senior season...served as team captain as a senior. 
Baines on Zapinski: "Jonathan is a smart, active, skilled big that should contribute instantly. Jonathan has a knack for making players around him better and I see that continuing at Elmhurst. Additionally, Jonathan can shoot the three well for a big, is a very good rebounder, and has the intangible leadership skills so hard to find today. He is exactly the type of person and player that excels here. I personally can't wait to watch his development in a Bluejay uniform."