University of Memphis Athletics

Coach Penny Hardaway keeps adding to a nationally regarded recruiting class.
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Men's basketball adds four-star shooting guard to 2019 class
May 13, 2019 | Men's Basketball
Lester Quinones becomes fifth member of Coach Hardaway's highly regarded class
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Lester Quinones, the nation's No. 9-ranked shooting guard, has joined the University of Memphis 2019 recruiting class.
The 6-foot-5 Quinones signed a National Letter of Intent, the UofM announced Monday. He becomes the fifth member of what is projected to be a Top 10 nationally ranked class.
Quinones joins Tennessee Prep's Damion Baugh as a signee during the late period, which began April 17 and runs through May 15. Baugh is a 6-foot-4 point guard. Quinones and Baugh are in a class that includes 7-foot James Wiseman, the nation's No. 1 recruit, 6-foot-7 forward D.J. Jeffries and 6-foot-9 forward Malcolm Dandridge.
Wiseman and Dandridge played for Penny Hardaway when he directed Memphis East High to the 2018 state title before Hardaway accepted the Tigers coaching job in March 2018.
As for Quinones, he attended IMG Academy in Florida and was rated as a four-star prospect. Before enrolling at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., last season, Quinones played for St. Benedict's Prep in New Jersey. At IMG Academy, he averaged 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists and shot 38 percent from 3-point range.
At St. Benedict's Prep, Quinones, from Brentwood, N.Y., excelled. In a key victory over the Newark, New Jersey area's top-ranked team – Hudson Catholic – in January 2018, Quinones scored 23 points. He also helped lead St. Benedict's to the Prep A Tournament Championship in 2018.
Playing on the summer grassroots basketball circuit in 2018, Quinones averaged 15.2 points and 4.7 rebounds for New Heights, a New York-based AAU program.
According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Quinones is the nation's No. 64 prospect.
The 6-foot-5 Quinones signed a National Letter of Intent, the UofM announced Monday. He becomes the fifth member of what is projected to be a Top 10 nationally ranked class.
Quinones joins Tennessee Prep's Damion Baugh as a signee during the late period, which began April 17 and runs through May 15. Baugh is a 6-foot-4 point guard. Quinones and Baugh are in a class that includes 7-foot James Wiseman, the nation's No. 1 recruit, 6-foot-7 forward D.J. Jeffries and 6-foot-9 forward Malcolm Dandridge.
Wiseman and Dandridge played for Penny Hardaway when he directed Memphis East High to the 2018 state title before Hardaway accepted the Tigers coaching job in March 2018.
As for Quinones, he attended IMG Academy in Florida and was rated as a four-star prospect. Before enrolling at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., last season, Quinones played for St. Benedict's Prep in New Jersey. At IMG Academy, he averaged 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists and shot 38 percent from 3-point range.
At St. Benedict's Prep, Quinones, from Brentwood, N.Y., excelled. In a key victory over the Newark, New Jersey area's top-ranked team – Hudson Catholic – in January 2018, Quinones scored 23 points. He also helped lead St. Benedict's to the Prep A Tournament Championship in 2018.
Playing on the summer grassroots basketball circuit in 2018, Quinones averaged 15.2 points and 4.7 rebounds for New Heights, a New York-based AAU program.
According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Quinones is the nation's No. 64 prospect.
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