Why Asheville School basketball center Ryan Soulis committed to Richmond
Asheville School center Ryan Soulis announced his commitment to Richmond and his intention to reclassify to the class of 2023 on Sunday via Instagram.
Soulis committed to the Spiders over St. John's, Wyoming and St. Mary's.
Soulis played for the Blues for one season. He transferred to Asheville School from Greece, where he played for its under-15 national team. Soulis averaged 12 points per game for the Blues last season.
The 6-foot-10, 205-pound post chose Richmond because of how much coach Chris Mooney and his coaching staff believed in him. The Spiders also were the only school that wanted him to reclassify.
"But when thinking about the class of '23 and getting there early, I was just thinking about how much I can develop this year," Soulis said in a telephone interview. "And the position I can put myself not only for this year but next year as well to get a step ahead."
He said Richmond loved everything about his game from how he can dribble, pass and shoot to being able to guard multiple positions.
The Spiders also stood out to him because of their program stability. Mooney is entering his 20th season. Richmond has reached the NCAA Tournament three times during his tenure.
"He's just a great head coach overall," Soulis said. "The play style is quite similar to what I played at Asheville School. It translates easily, which is something I'm comfortable in."
MOUNTAIN 7 PREVIEW: WNC high school football 2023: Mountain 7 preview, bold predictions, top games
MAC PREVIEW: WNC high school football 2023: Mountain Athletic Conference preview, bold predictions, top games
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Asheville School basketball star Ryan Soulis commits to Richmond
