Gold Rush add 3 more to 2018-19 recruiting class

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana’s 2018-19 men’s basketball recruiting class has increased to four with the Thursday announcement of three signees.

Joining coach Alfred Williams’s Gold Rush this fall will be:

•  Breshaun Delpit, a 6-foot-7 forward from New Orleans and Landry-Walker High School. He’ll major in biology at XULA.
•  William Loyd, a 6-5 forward from Baton Rouge, La., and Madison Preparatory Academy. A transfer from Spring Hill College (Mobile, Ala.), Loyd is majoring in business management.
•  Donovan Saine, a 6-4 guard from Detroit and Oak Hill (Va.) Academy. His XULA major will be sports medicine.

Delpit averaged 10 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots per game last season, made the All-District 8-5A team and helped Landry-Walker finish second in the Class 5A state playoffs. He helped the Charging Buccaneers win the 5A state championship his junior season, and he made the honor roll multiple times.

“After losing seniors Joseph Williams and Elex Carter from last season, we wanted to address our toughness during recruiting,” Williams said. “Breshaun has a strong motor and is a very athletic forward. He rebounds and blocks shots at a high level. He is just scratching the surface as to how good he can be offensively. Right now his calling card is on the defensive side.”

Loyd averaged 10 points, 6.6 rebounds and shot 56.7 percent from the floor as a sophomore last season for NCAA Division II Spring Hill. He helped Madison Prep win state championships his senior (Class 2A) and junior (1A) seasons.

“William will be our Swiss Army Knife,” Williams said. “He can guard every position on the floor. He brings a level of versatility at the 4-position that we haven’t had in a long time. He’s really good 18 feet in. He will be a mismatch problem because of his ability to score inside and outside. He’s a smart defender. He came from a winning high school program. His toughness and craftiness will be instrumental for us this year.”

Loyd’s father, Khris (1987-90, 1991-92), and uncles Kenny (1982-86) and Kraig (1995-99) all played for the Gold Rush.

Saine averaged 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals this past season for an Oak Hill team that won a National Association of Christian Athletes national championship. He was a two-year starter for the Warriors and averaged 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals as a junior. He transferred to Oak Hill from Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in his home state.

Saine was all-tournament at nationals as a senior.

The other XULA newcomer is 6-3 guard Jevon Berry of Arnaudville, La., and Cecilia High School. Berry signed in February.

XULA was 24-9 last season, earned a share of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championship and — for the 11th time in the last 14 seasons — qualified for the NAIA Division I National Championship.