Rutgers basketball had a resurgence in 2020 and put together one of the best years in program history. The Scarlet Knight took that momentum onto the recruiting trail and landed one of the biggest prospects to ever walk into the RAC — literally.

Roselle Catholic center Cliff Omoruyi, who was recently named New Jersey’s Gatorade Player of the Year, took to social media Sunday afternoon to announce his commitment to play for head coach Steve Pikiell at Rutgers University.


Watch Cliff Omoruyi’s JSZ Highlight Reel HERE


Omoruyi is a 6-11, 230-pound nightmare in the paint. Anyone who saw the Lions play over the last two seasons caught a glimpse of what college coaches fell in love with.

Omoruyi was a threat to jam home a vicious dunk on any possession and was the most dominant defensive player in the Garden State. He averaged 14.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.6 blocks during a senior season that cemented him as a Top 50 nationally ranked player in the country.

Known around the state as “Big Cliff,” he received major Power 5 interest leading into his senior season. Omoruyi chose Rutgers over programs like Auburn, Arizona State, Kentucky, Memphis, NC State, UConn and Miami.

Omoruyi is a finalist for Jersey Sports Zone’s Mr. Hoop Zone Player of the Year and it the latest New Jersey talent to stay home and play at Rutgers. Former Gill St. Bernard’s star Paul Mulcahy and Ron Harper Jr., a product from Don Bosco Prep, both saw major minutes this season at the RAC.

Roselle Catholic head coach Dave Boff has produced numerous high recruits like Isaiah Briscoe, Naz Reid and Kahlil Whitney in recent years, yet Omoruyi is the first player in school to win the state Gatorade Player of the Year.


** Stay tuned with JerseySportsZone.com in the coming months for the latest recruiting news on top athletes from the Garden State. **