Iona Prep High School 2019-20 Season Preview

By Robert Pena,


Late last winter Iona Prep basketball connections were riding high as their alum, Ty Jerome led his University of Virginia Cavaliers to a very dramatic and thrilling run to the NCAA Mens’ Basketball Championship. This season the Gaels will be tapping into that karma and hope to make their own thrilling run to the final Sunday of the CHSAA season next March. “I’m hopeful we will finish in the top four of our division. Teams are good in our division and is not so simple at all, since you can lose or win on any given night. The end goal is to get to Fordham, and if we can learn our lessons, we can get there,” said head coach Steve Alvarado. Last year, the Gaels made it to the quarterfinals. “Some of our better players are young, so we hope to get on the right trajectory and be improving.” per Coach Alvarado.


The Gaels backcourt players are Isaac Gonzalez and Keeshawn Jones. Gonzalez is a 6’0 guard who averaged 10 ppg as a freshman last year, and spent the off season running with the high level PSA Cardinals AAU program. He will be ready to featured more this season. Jones a 6’3 senior guard who averaged 7 ppg last year, and has gone to land a number of showcase Top Performer notices since then.


Aidan Hilderbrand, Dylan Farley, Ronald “RJ” Greene and Orlando Wallace are also going to be key guys in the rotation this season. Hilderbrand a 6’2 senior and returning starter averaged 10 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season. Farley is a 6’5 transfer and will be a key new player. He previously made a strong name for himself in the New England prep school circuit. Greene is a 6’4 sophomore, returning starter who averaged 11 ppg as a freshman, and has since been racking up a lot notice for excellent play in the offseason. Wallace is a 6’8 sophomore center and will be the size in the middle for the Gaels.


Aidan Hilderbrand, Keeshawn Jones are currently Division 2 recruits. “They are looking forward to evolving into Division 1 recruits,” said coach Alvarado. Farley has high academic D3’s on his trail.