SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Mountain West: New Mexico Signs
Ashanti Cook & David Chiotti--(Nov. 15, 2001)

New Mexico was one of the very lucky schools yesterday, picking up two of our favorite players, Ashanti Cook (6'-2" Sr. PG) from Westchester, which will be named in a few days the No. 1 team in America (preseason) by several prominent national newspapers, as well as David Chiotti  from San Jose, St. Francis HS.  Both are excellent players, good students and will make terrific additions to the Lobos.  Here's the official press release: 

Men's Basketball: Lobos Ink Two Recruits
Thursday, November 15 2001

The University of New Mexico men's basketball program has received letters of intent from two recruits head coach Fran Fraschilla announced today. Ashanti Cook, a guard out of Inglewood, Calif., and David Chiotti, a forward out of San Jose, Calif., have agreed to play for the Lobos beginning in the 2002-03 season. Both players are currently seniors in high school, although each is only 17 years old, meaning they will be 18-year olds as freshmen next year. New Mexico has two more scholarships available. The fall period ends November 21. 

Ashanti Cook 6-2 165 Inglewood, Calif. (Westchester HS)

Cook comes to UNM from the same high school as current freshman forward Chad Bell... Cook and Bell were teammates in 1999-2000 and 2000-01... Cook averaged 13 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 7.0 apg and 2.0 spg as a junior last year for coach Ed Azzam... team finished 28-2, ranked 10th nationally... WHS won the city championship before losing in the sectional playoffs... Cook was named second team all-city and first team all-conference in 2000-01... has a 3.3 cumulative GPA... rated the No. 3 point guard on the West Coast by Pacwesthoops.com... named honorable mention All-America by Street & Smith's... Westchester HS rated preseason #1 in the nation by USA Today and no. 3 by Street & Smith's for 2001-02... top prep game came as a sophomore when he scored 29 points against Erie Prep in a tournament in Las Vegas... prep teammates Brandon Bowman (Georgetown) and Hasaan Adams (Arizona) also signed with Division I schools... also considered Minnesota, San Diego State and Oregon... Personal... son of Acquinetta and George Cook... has one brother, Ahmad (13)... possible major at UNM is communications or business. 

Fraschilla on Cook: "Ashanti is a terrific player who we hope will eventually become our point guard down the road. He does a lot well. He played in a quality high school program, which is important because he knows how to win." 

David Chiotti 6-9 250 San Jose, Calif. (St. Francis HS)

Chiotti comes to UNM from the same high school as current sophomore Patrick Dennehy and junior Senque Carey... he played with Dennehy two years ago, when Chiotti was a sophomore and Dennehy was a senior... name is pronounced KEY-oh-tee... averaged 17 ppg, 10 rpg and 3.3 bpg as a junior last year for coach Steve Filios... team went to the Division 2 state championship game before losing to Dominguez HS... squad won Central Coast Section and NorCal Championship in the process... named first team all-conference and was the Division II NorCal player of the year... top game was against Foothill in the NorCal tournament: scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked 8 shots... underwent wrist surgery at the beginning of his sophomore year and missed first half of the season... Personal... son of Madeline and Gerry Chiotti... has three older sisters: Tracy, Melissa and Anna... possible major at UNM is business management. 

Fraschilla on Chiotti: "David is a very versatile big guy. He is physical enough to play around the hoop and he possesses a feathery touch." 

 
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