Standout Point Guard Jaheam Cornwall Signs NLI With Gardner-Webb
April 21, 2017 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb men's basketball added a significant piece to its roster Friday morning, signing New York City point guard Jaheam Cornwall to a National Letter of Intent.
The Brooklyn, N.Y., native played a postgraduate season at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut – running the show for one of the top prep school programs in the country. PSA's high-powered roster featured at least seven high major Division I recruits on its 2016-2017 roster, including the nation's top shooting guard in Kentucky signee Hamidou Diallo.
Cornwall led the Mustangs to a 37-5 record and the semifinals of the National Prep Championships this past season, averaging 11.2 points and 4.6 assists per game.
He had 14 points and 10 assists in a narrow loss to eventual national champion Brewster Academy in the semifinals and scored a season-high 33 points in a win over Rock Top Academy. He shot an even 40.0 percent from long range (60-of-149) and 73.3 percent from the free throw line on the season.
Cornwall earned third-team All-New England honors following the season, was an All-Power 5 Conference selection and was rated as the No. 13 prospect in the state of Connecticut for the Class of 2017.
"We are thrilled about the addition of a guard with the ability and character of Jaheam Cornwall," said Gardner-Webb head coach Tim Craft. "He has been coached at an extremely high level at Putnam Science and has been very successful playing against outstanding competition. Jaheam is a great fit for our program and will be an important piece to the puzzle for us next season. Jeremy Luther did a tremendous job spearheading his recruitment."
On the travel circuit, Cornwall played with a very strong NY Jayhawks squad. He led that team to the 2016 adidas Gauntlet Silver championship in 2016.
Prior to his time in New England, Cornwall starred for three seasons at Francis Lewis (N.Y.) High in Queens. As a sophomore he averaged 19.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He raised his level of play much higher as a junior, earning honorable mention All-Queens honors from the New York Daily News after pouring in 26.2 points, 6.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game for one of the top teams in the city. Cornwall also earned Class A All-State honors following his junior season.
Cornwall cut his teeth on the legendary public courts at Rucker Park in Harlem and the West 4th Street Courts (The Cage) in Greenwich Village.
He garnered a heavy list of offers before deciding on Gardner-Webb, including St. Bonaventure, LaSalle, Maine, Wagner, Sacred Heart, Robert Morris, LIU Brooklyn and St. Francis (NY).
Cornwell joins a Gardner-Webb team in 2017-2018 that returns three starters and five men with starting experience from a 19-14 season. The Runnin' Bulldogs advanced to the Big South Conference semifinals for the third-straight season before falling in overtime to eventual tournament champion Winthrop.
