Seton Hall basketball adds Assane Mbaye, 7-foot-3 center from Patrick School

Shaheen Holloway has gone back to his alma mater to help fill out Seton Hall basketball’s frontcourt for the 2024-25 season.

Assane Mbaye, a senior center from The Patrick School who stands 7-foot-3, committed to the Pirates late Thursday.

Here are three things to know about him.

1. He’s a shot-blocker

The Patrick School’s national team went 27-4 this past winter. Mbaye appeared in about half the games, averaging 2.2 points, 6.4 boards and 3.4 blocks. New Jersey’s top talent evaluator Jay Gomes, publisher of the authoritative NJHoops.com, ranked Mbaye as the state’s No. 18 senior in the Class of 2024.

“He’s very intriguing," Gomes said by phone Friday. "He’s definitely raw, but you don’t find many 7-foot-3 kids who are that long and that agile walking around. He’s long as can be and he runs the floor pretty well. So I was a little surprised he wasn’t getting that much recruiting interest."

Gomes said Mbaye was part of the Patrick School's rotation this past season and got noticeably better from his junior year, which was his first at the school.

"I like his upside a lot," Gomes said. "He’s not a finished product by any means, but there’s something there to work with for sure. Seton Hall’s had luck with (finding and developing) rim protectors before – big guys who don’t have to score much, so I think he’s got a chance to help them out.”

2. He’s had a multinational journey

Mbaye, who is 19 and will turn 20 in December, hails from the Canary Islands. He played on the under-18 club circuit in Spain in 2021-22, winning a title with the City of Badajoz Academy. He arrived in the U.S. two years ago after a stop in Senegal.

"His dedication and work ethic are throwbacks, and it's clear that he has a bright future ahead in basketball," Patrick School coach Chris Chavannes said. "It's wonderful to see how far he has come since arrival from the Canary Islands."

3. The Patrick School pipeline continues

In addition to Holloway, the long list of St. Pat’s/Patrick School alums to play for the Hall include Sam Dalembert, Grant Billmeier, Jeff Robinson, Angel Delgado, Jordan Walker, Bryce Aiken, Jamir Harris, and Al-Amir Dawes. Holloway remains close Chavannes, a longtime mentor.

Chavannes said Mbaye's recent workout with Holloway, his assistants, and outgoing postgrads Dawes and Jaden Bediako left a strong impression as they went over skill development, team strategies and offensive and defensive concepts.

"Assane and I discussed the potential for him to further his game at Seton Hall, emphasizing the importance of ongoing skill enhancement and physical strength in determining his contribution timeline," Chavannes said. "Overall, the pro-level workout showcased Assane's capabilities and highlighted his potential for growth and success at Seton Hall."

Mbaye is the third high-school senior headed to the Hall in the fall, joining guard Jahseem Felton and forward/center Godswill Erheriene.

Seton Hall’s projected 2024-25 depth chart

Guards (4): Chaunce Jenkins, Dylan Addae-Wusu, Scotty Middleton, Jahseem Felton.

Wings (1): Isaiah Coleman.

Bigs (5): Prince Aligbe, Gus Yalden, David Tubek, Godswill Erheriene, Assane Mbaye.

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Seton Hall basketball adds Assane Mbaye, Patrick School 7-footer