Richardson commits to IPFW; Stanback chooses IUPUI

Two area boys basketball players made their college choice in the past week, and both are headed to the Summit League.

Former Lafayette Jeff guard Rashad Richardson verbally committed to Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne last week. On Tuesday night, West Lafayette center Justus Stanback committed to Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

They are the second and third area players to make Division I commitments in the past month. Delphi’s Cole Murray verballed to Northern Kentucky.

Richardson graduated from Lafayette Jeff last spring and currently attends The Kiski School, a prep school in Saltsburg, Pa. IPFW was the first Division I program to offer him a scholarship, but the 6-foot-5 Richardson didn’t feel the need to wait for more interest.

“I felt like the best opportunity for me presented itself with IPFW,” said Richardson, who expects to redshirt one season with the Mastodons. “They fit my playing style. It’s close to home. The level of competition they play is the best, which is what I want to play. Everything lined up correctly and I couldn’t say no.”

Richardson averaged 23.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.4 steals to earn Journal & Courier Big School Player of the Year honors last season. He expects to play a combo guard in IPFW’s four-out, one-in system.

“If everything goes as planned, then I have a really bright future ahead,” Richardson said. “It’s a really good opportunity to follow my dreams and achieve my ultimate goal, which is playing professionally.”

The 6-foot-8 Stanback also jumped on his lone official Division I offer, rather than waiting to see if more schools showed interest during the season. But the Jaguars showed immediate interest as Stanback raised his profile with a strong summer for the Indiana Ice, coached by former Central Catholic player Daniel Schukraft.

“They were showing the most interest, and I really thought I could make a big impact my first year there and help them,” Stanback said. “They expressed that to me, too.”

Stanback averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds for the Red Devils as a junior, but received more exposure over the summer by playing AAU basketball for the first time.

“They see he’s got a huge upside when you try to project him two or three years down the road,” WL coach David Wood said. “He’s just an infant in the game.”