<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=20ez91_0mtFenGi00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=20ez91_0mtFenGi00" width="1280" height="902" ></figure><a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/">Rutgers basketball</a> added much-needed front-court depth to next season’s roster via the junior college ranks.Emmanuel Ogbole, a class of 2023 center out of Monroe Community College in New Rochelle, New York, signed with the <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgers/">Scarlet Knights</a> last week and will be part of their roster this winter, he told NJ Advance Media. The school officially announced his addition on Monday.“I loved the chemistry of the coaches, I felt comfortable with them,” Ogbole told NJ Advance Media in a phone conversation. “They are all good, nice people. And the program is going to be a very good one with the recruits coming in. With the facilities and everything, I found it very nice, so I gave a verbal commitment to (head) coach (Steve) Pikiell (during an official visit).”Ogbole is the third class of 2023 prospect to sign with the Scarlet Knights, joining <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2022/11/rutgers-basketball-officially-adds-gavin-griffiths-as-top-50-prospect-signs-nli.html">four-star forward Gavin Griffiths</a> and <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2022/12/rutgers-basketball-lands-commit-from-unranked-2023-guard.html">three-star guard JaMichael Davis</a>. Ogbole chose Rutgers over local rival <a href="https://www.nj.com/setonhall/">Seton Hall,</a> which extended an offer around the same time as the Scarlet Knights last November.The trio joins <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2023/04/rutgers-basketball-lands-umass-transfer-noah-fernandes.html">UMass transfer Noah Fernandes</a> as new faces on the 2023-24 roster for Rutgers.Standing at 6-foot-11 and weighing 242 pounds, the under-the-radar prospect — he is <a href="https://n.rivals.com/content/athletes/emmanuel-ogbole-300661?view=pv">a three-star recruit on Rivals</a> and <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Emmanuel-Ogbole-46142371/">unranked on 247Sports</a> — has three more years of eligibility remaining. He began playing basketball at 18 years old in his native Nigeria, so he is still in the beginning stages of his development, but his size is a significant asset in the paint.Ogbole took an official visit to campus on the first Friday of June, the same day <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2023/06/rutgers-basketball-4-star-2024-recruit-bryce-dortch-recaps-official-visit.html">class of 2024 prospect Bryce Dortch took his own official visit to Piscataway</a>. The trip marked his second visit to Piscataway; he took an unofficial in January, sitting behind the Rutgers bench as it <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2023/01/rutgers-mauls-maryland-avoids-post-purdue-letdown-behind-dominant-defense.html">demolished Maryland at Jersey Mike’s Arena.</a>Ogbole verbally committed to the Scarlet Knights at the end of the visit, which included the usual routine of meetings with Pikiell’s staff and academic advisor Randi Larson, along with a dinner and tours of the program’s facilities.“It was a good visit,” Ogbole said. “They were very happy, everyone on the coaching staff (when I committed). ... Everyone was very excited. It felt like family.”Ogbole becomes the fourth junior college transfer that Pikiell signed at Rutgers, joining <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2020/03/special-guests-fuel-rutgers-akwasi-yeboah-shaq-carter-in-crucial-senior-day-tilt-with-maryland.html">Shaq Carter</a> (2018), <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2018/01/shots_hit_round_the_world_inside_story_of_rutgers.html">Souf Mensah</a> (2017) and <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2018/01/shots_hit_round_the_world_inside_story_of_rutgers.html">Candido Sa</a> (2016).“We have added another high-character individual to our program who is humble, appreciative, and hard-working,” Pikiell said in a statement. “He has great hands, terrific athleticism, great size and his best basketball ahead of him.”Ogbole played in 24 games last season for Monroe, starting 22 of them. He averaged 12.3 points on 69.6% shooting on twos (124-of-178) — good for <a href="https://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2022-23/div1/players?pos=all&amp;sort=fgpt">sixth nationally among junior college players</a> — and 49.5% shooting on free throws (48-of-97), as well as 8.2 rebounds, 2.04 blocks, 2.04 turnovers, 0.8 steals, 0.6 assists and 2.6 fouls in 20.7 minutes per game.Ogbole provides key depth behind <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2023/05/rutgers-basketballs-cliff-omoruyi-announces-nba-draft-decision.html">starting center Cliff Omoruyi</a>, who <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2023/05/rutgers-basketballs-cliff-omoruyi-announces-nba-draft-decision.html">elected to return to Rutgers</a> for his fourth collegiate season after testing the NBA Draft waters in the offseason. He is projected to take the bulk of the back-up minutes at the position, while rising sophomore <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2022/11/rutgers-centers-shine-in-romp-of-rider-including-promising-freshman-who-is-ahead-of-schedule.html">Antwone Woolfolk</a> — who showed <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2023/03/big-ten-tournament-rutgers-derek-simpson-rewards-steve-pikiells-faith-steps-up-in-big-spot.html">glimpses of his potential</a> throughout the latter half of his freshman season — is expected to play a larger role than a season ago, splitting his time between power forward and center depending on the team’s needs.“(Ogbole’s) stature alone is going to provide a lot of things for Rutgers defensively,” Monroe College head coach Jeff Brustad said. “He’s physical and he can run the floor north-to-south. He’s a great athlete that is improving in all areas, especially offensively. He’s got a great work ethic so I’m sure that Rutgers is going to take him to the next level. The Big Ten is a physical conference and I think that plays into his hands a little bit. Experience is going to key for him at the next level.”Rutgers now has three open scholarships for the 2023-24 season. The Scarlet Knights will look to fill at least one more, preferably with a guard or wing who can shoot from outside, a quality they can certainly use after guards <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2023/06/rutgers-transfer-cam-spencer-finds-landing-spot.html">Cam Spencer</a> and <a href="https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2023/06/rutgers-loses-another-star-to-transfer-portal-as-nightmare-offseason-continues.html">Paul Mulcahy</a> transferred out of the program in stunning fashion over the past month.Here is Rutgers’ current projected roster makeup entering the 2023-24 season (labeled by years of eligibility remaining):1 year - Noah Fernandes (G), Aundre Hyatt (F).2 years - Cliff Omoruyi (C), Mawot Mag (F).3 years - Derek Simpson (G), Antwone Woolfolk (F), Emmanuel Ogbole (C).4 years - Gavin Griffiths (F), Jamichael Davis (G), Antonio Chol (F).---Guards (3): Noah Fernandes; Derek Simpson; Jamichael Davis.Wings (4): Aundre Hyatt; Mawot Mag; Antonio Chol; Gavin Griffiths.Forwards/Centers (3): Cliff Omoruyi; Emmanuel Ogbole, Antwone Woolfolk.Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.Brian Fonseca may be reached at <a href="mailto:bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com">bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com</a>.</div></body>

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Rutgers basketball bolsters front-court depth with addition of junior college center

Rutgers basketball added much-needed front-court depth to next season’s roster via the junior college ranks. Emmanuel Ogbole, a class of 2023 center out of Monroe Community College in New Rochelle, New York, signed with the Scarlet Knights last week and will be part of their roster this winter, he told NJ Advance Media. The school officially announced his addition on Monday.