A late surge brought Georgia Tech another freshman signee. Senegalese power forward Abdoulaye Gueye signed a letter of intent with Tech Thursday. Gueye, rated a three-star prospect by Rivals and the No. 7 player in Alabama by 247 Sports, is an exchange student at Central Park Christian in Birmingham.
“He’s the new prototype power forward,” said his coach Donovan Broadnax. He called him long and athletic with shot-blocking and rebounding ability. “Just a tough all-around kid, always going, very high motor.”
He is Tech’s third signee for the incoming freshman class, following guard Tadric Jackson from Tifton and center Ben Lammers from San Antonio. Texas Tech, Mississippi State and Minnesota were also recruiting him. Gueye, 6-foot-10 and 215 pounds, is an exchange student from Senegal who came to the school as a junior.
“I just want to play in the ACC, a great conference,” Gueye said. “I like the coach and I like the campus.”
Gueye first began playing in 2008 when an uncle, noting his height, suggested to his mother that he give up soccer for basketball. Gueye said he knew about Georgia Tech through a former Jackets player from Senegal, Mouhammad Faye. They are both from Dakar. Gueye said he wants to study mechanical engineering.
Georgia Tech was able to win Gueye’s signature despite a late start. Broadnax said he got a call from assistant coach Chad Dollar about a month ago.
“He called me and he asked about coming over and I said, ‘Yeah, come on over and watch a workout,’” Broadnax said. “He came and he was like, Wow.”
With the recent commitment of South Florida transfer Josh Heath, coach Brian Gregory now has 12 players on scholarship for 2014-15, one shy of the maximum.
Gueye said Gregory told him he wants him to put on about 25 pounds.
Said Gueye, “I’m a good eater.”
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