Men's Basketball | 11/15/2017 11:25:00 AM

    WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The state of Ohio has been a happy hunting ground for West Liberty basketball in recent years and first-year head coach Ben Howlett will be adding two more standouts from the Ohio Division I ranks to his nationally-ranked Hilltopper roster.
    Sincere Carry, a 5-11 point guard from Solon High School, and Jon Alessandro, a 6-6 forward from Beavercreek High School, took advantage of the NCAA's November early signing period to officially join the WLU program.
    "Both of these guys come from areas where we have enjoyed a great deal of recruiting success in the past," Howlett said, "and they're both great fits for the way we play. We're extremely pleased and excited to welcome Sin and Jon to the West Liberty program and are really looking forward to seeing them in the Black and Gold next season."
    Carry is an explosive point guard who is equally adept at attacking the basket for himself or creating opportunities for his teammates. The talented backcourter was a third-team All-Ohio Division I selection last season after leading Solon to an 18-8 record and a second straight District title game. He also collected first-team All-Ohio Division I Northeast District and second-team All-Cleveland Metro laurels.
    Despite battling through two offseason surgeries, Carry averaged 19.4 ppg. as a junior and was at his best when the spotlight shined brightest. Going up against Cleveland St. Ignatius – the top-ranked team in the Cleveland Metro Area – on Feb. 11, Carry not only poured in a career-high 38 points, he stuffed the stat sheet with 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals.
    "Sin is an ultra-quick, shifty guard who can score and create," Howlett said, "but he's also a great defender who gives 100 percent effort at both ends of the court. He could be a serious guard in our system for four years."
    Alessandro heads into his final season at Beavercreek as a rare 3-year regular in a highly-competitive Great Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) stuffed with talented Ohio Division I programs.
    A prototypical WLU recruit, the 6-6 forward has the size and skills to score on the blocks but is also a threat to step outside and knock down a series of 3-pointers.
    Alessandro has charted multiple double-doubles during his three varsity seasons, including a 21-point, 15-rebound outing in a season-opening 47-32 win against Xenia last year. He also pumped in a team-high 19 points to key a 70-69 overtime upset of state-ranked Springfield.
    The talented frontliner averaged nearly 12 points and 7 rebounds a night for Beavercreek as a junior despite missing the last month of the season due to injury. Even so, Dalessandro still earned All-Ohio Division I honorable mention recognition and received special mention from the All-GWOC voters.
    "Jon's an extremely versatile player, which makes him a great fit for our system," Howlett said. "He can catch and shoot from the perimeter or put the ball on the floor and attack the rim. He also has great length, which will allow him to guard multiple positions at our level."
    The unbeaten and No. 17-ranked Hilltoppers (3-0) open their Mountain East Conference schedule on the road Saturday with a 4 p.m. game at Glenville State.