CINCINNATI — Taft High School senior forward Eian Elmer put pen to paper and quickly put on his Miami University hat to applause Wednesday afternoon in the school gymnasium.
Elmer, wearing his state championship ring he earned with his teammates in March, signed with the RedHawks, becoming one of the first signees for new head coach Travis Steele's 2023 class in Oxford.
"Eian is going to provide us with a ton of athleticism and versatility on both ends of the floor," Steele said in a statement. "He is another young man that is on the upswing of his development. He has a terrific basketball IQ and can really see things develop on the floor."
Elmer, who has a 3.7 grade-point average, was an integral part of the Senators' Division III state title in March. He averaged nine points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 blocks and shot 60.2% from the field his junior year.
"The thing I like most about Miami is I love the coaching staff," Elmer said. "They made basketball seem really fun. The community there - they feel real welcome and real energetic."
Taft coach Demarco Bradley said Elmer has significant upside at the next level. Taft, which is a Division II program this winter, opens the season against Harvest Prep in the Ohio Valley Hoops Classic Nov. 25 in Mason.
"I'm very proud of him," Bradley said. "Eian comes from a good family. He has natural God-given ability. Eian is truly a great kid."
Elmer was one of five basketball players to join the RedHawks' 2023 class. Covington Catholic point guard Evan Ipsaro signed with Miami after he averaged 21.7 points, 7.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals his junior year.
"The first thing that comes to mind with Evan is toughness," said Steele. "He is a competitor and a winner. He is a terrific passer and really makes his teammates better."
Wednesday was the first day high school seniors could sign their national letters of intent in NCAA Division I basketball along with other sports in Divisions I and II.
The early signing period for Division I football occurs Dec. 21.
HOBBS COMMITS TO NOTRE DAME: Moeller 2024 defensive back Karson Hobbs announced his verbal commitment to Notre Dame on Wednesday morning. Hobbs had previously been verbally committed to South Carolina.
"I'm extremely excited and I'm blessed to be able to move on to another chapter in life," Hobbs told Moeller High School director of alumni Barrett Cohen.
Moeller (11-1) plays Mason (10-2) in a Division I regional semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday at Barnitz Stadium in Middletown.
LLOYD STAR SIGNS WITH NKU: Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball coach Darrin Horn has inked one of NKU’s first signings of the Class of 2023 as the Norse announced the addition of local high school star Jeramiah Israel by way of Lloyd Memorial High School on National Signing Day on Wednesday.
Israel just wrapped up a junior year that saw him named to the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association All-Division II team as he helped his Lloyd Memorial squad to the Region 9 semifinals for the first time since 2012. Lloyd Memorial knocked off defending state champion Highlands High School on their way to the semis, where Israel dropped in 16 points, two rebounds and four assists.
"Jeramiah brings us good versatility and athleticism on the perimeter,” Horn said. “He is an excellent three-point shooter and terrific defender and rebounder. In addition, he is also a local product who comes from an excellent high school program in Lloyd Memorial.”
