A trio of gifted high school standouts have officially signed financial aid agreements to attend Villanova. Guards Chris Jeffrey and Acaden Lewis along with forward Nico Onyekwere will enter Villanova as freshmen this fall.
Jeffrey, 6-3, attends Mount Zion Prep in Lanham, Md. The guard originally made a pledge to play for head coach Kevin Willard during his tenure at Maryland. The native of Brooklyn, N.Y., is listed as the nation’s No. 70 recruit in the Class of 2025 by 247 Sports.
“Chris is a point guard who plays both ends of the floor,” said Willard. “He brings a physical presence and strength to the backcourt. Offensively, Chris scores the ball at all levels – strong and quick enough to get by the defender to score at the basket, pull up, draw a foul or to distribute to his teammates. At the defensive end he is a pest on the ball in both full court and half court settings. Chris is terrific fit for our system and the Big East.”
Lewis, 6-2, comes to Villanova from Sidwell Friends School in Maryland, the alma mater of Wildcats’ legends Josh Hart and Saddiq Bey, both of whom now play in the National Basketball Association. The 2024 Washington, D.C., Gatorade Player of the Year is listed as the No. 31 recruit in the Class of 2025 by ESPN.
“Acaden is a true point guard, a quality 3-point shooter who plays with excellent pace,” stated Willard. “He is an elite passer who has exceptional court vision. As he gains experience, Acaden will provide stability and leadership at the point guard position. We’re excited to welcome Acaden to the Nova Nation.”
Onyekwere, 7-1, hails from Abuja, Nigeria. After playing in Europe earlier in his high school career, he spent the 2024-25 season at Long Island Lutheran High School. He originally signed with Florida State in November 2024 before reopening his recruitment this spring following a coaching change.
Kevin Willard: “Nico is a space-eater, an old-school style center with the kind of tools needed to compete inside in the Big East. He has range to 17-feet, can shoot the hook shot with both hands, and does a good job on screen and rolls. We’re eager to get to work to help Nico transition to the speed of the college game and continue to develop his skills.”
(Release via Villanova)
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