NEWARK, NJ—Kherel Silcott, a forward from Brooklyn Technical High School in Brooklyn, NY, is set to continue his academic and basketball career at NJIT, head coach Jim Engles announced.
Silcott, 6-8, 195, averaged 15.2 points and 10.6 rebounds as a senior for Brooklyn Tech, which finished 17-9 and advanced to the semifinals of the New York City Public Schools Athletic League Class A grouping. The Engineers, who were seeded 18th in the tournament, won three playoff games before finally falling in the semis. Silcott averaged 15 points and 13 rebounds in his team's four-game playoff run.
He reached double-figure scoring in 22 games as a senior and double-figure rebounding in 13 games. According to maxpreps.com, he led the PSAL Brooklyn A East in both points and rebounds.
His scoring high was 30 points against Prospect Heights High School and his rebound high was 19 in the same game. Indeed, those totals were part of a triple-double in that contest with 30 points, 19 rebounds, and 11 blocked shots in a game his team won by six points (66-60).
“He's a high-level athlete, very explosive,” said Engles of the player who is expected to see work at both forward spots for the Highlanders. “He has the makings of an all-around skilled player for his size.”
Although he will be a freshman at NJIT, Silcott has experienced a high school academic environment steeped in science and technology. Brooklyn Tech is the largest specialized high school for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the United States, with an enrollment of more than 4,900 students. Admission, open only to residents of the City of New York, is by competitive examination.
At NJIT, he joins a basketball program on the rise.
The Highlanders, who began facing Division I competition in 2006-07 and achieved full Division I status in 2009-10, a season that saw them post a program-best 10 wins at the highest level.
The Highlanders, who will enter their third year under Engles' leadership, hope to continue the strides they made last season, when they improved to 10 wins from one in 2008-09 and stepped up their scoring to 61.5 ppg to 49.5 ppg.
Looking ahead, Silcott and his fellow newcomers will join returning players who accounted for 1710 of last season's 1905 points scored (90 percent). Returnees for 2010-11 also accounted for 882 of last season's 1064 rebounds (83 percent).
