Colorado University Athletics
Colorado Adds Five For 2025
November 13, 2024 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – The University of Colorado men's basketball program has added five nationally acclaimed prospects for the 2025-26 season Colorado head coach Tad Boyle announced on Wednesday.
Jalin Holland (Los Lunas, New Mexico), Fawaz "Tacko" Ifaola (Lagos, Nigeria), Ian Inman (The Woodlands, Texas), Isaiah Johnson (Valley Village, Calif.) and Josiah Sanders (Denver, Colo.) have signed Financial Aid Agreements to join the Buffaloes next winter, a group that is currently ranked No. 23 in the country by Rivals and No. 32 by 247Sports.
Following a year of piecing together a roster with a mix of graduate transfer and high school signees, Boyle is pleased to bring in a solid five-man high school class that the Buffaloes can develop.
"They are five young men that come from great families that care about, to me, the right things," Boyle said. "They care about a college education. They care about development. They care about winning. And to me those guys are fun to coach. They're fun to help grow and help development, and that's what I want to do for the remaining years I am here to coach. I want to help develop young men and I don't want to get into bidding wars for them. I just want to help them."
Coach Boyle: "Jalin was the first to commit to us and helped us to recruit (Fawaz "Tacko" Ifaola). We've been recruiting Jalin for a couple years now. He's a big guard, strong, physical and tough. I think he can be an elite defender, but he's a very good offensive player as well. He can shoot the three and put it on the floor. Jalin has the ability to come in and make an impact right away because physically he's ready to go and we're really excited about him and his future."
Ifaola on signing with Colorado: "I picked Colorado because first of all they've got a good coaching staff. I want to be around good people of course, so when I went there, I got a read of people in Colorado and doing that pushed me forward…that this would be a good school for me. It's a good place, it's a good environment. The facilities are good, they've got good people, good coaching staff, everything about Colorado, it's a nice home for me."
Ifaola on his game: "As a big, my footwork is getting better every day. My shooting percentage is kind of good, but I want to work on my shooting more and my post moves so I can get better at it. I love setting a screen and then roll, helping up my teammates to win games and just do my job."
Coach Boyle: "Tacko is a big body – 6-foot-11, he's got a big wingspan. He's got broad shoulders and is strong. Tacko is a guy I think defensively can help us immediately because of his presence physically and he's ready, much like Jalin, to make the transition from prep school basketball to Division I basketball. He's going to be a work in progress on offense with his skill set but he can run the floor, he can really move his feet, so I think defensively he's going to help us right out of the gate."
Inman on signing with Colorado: "I felt really comfortable with the coaching staff, and they've got a bunch of great guys coming in with me and I just feel like our recruit class can be one of the best in the country for sure. What stood out to me most is the academics are great, the basketball program was always pretty good and it was a no brainer for me. I love coach Boyle, love the coaching staff, love the kids on the team. It's a perfect spot for me."
Inman on his game: "Last year in high school I wasn't as confident, comfortable with the ball, but over the summer I stayed the course, grinded and really worked on my ball handling and always shooting; I was always a good shooter, but I just needed the extra intangibles. I feel I can stretch the floor for sure, coming off ball screens. I shoot a lot of middies and make them all very efficiently. I'm going to show a lot of good efficiency. I feel like a great 'slept' part of my games is my passing. I can see the floor very well, see all the angles. I feel like I'm a well-rounded player."
Coach Boyle: "Ian is a guy we saw this summer and is the epitome of what the summer is all about. You have a list of prospects you're looking at – 15 to 20 guys – and some rise to the top. Ian was that guy that rose to the top for me because of his ability to shoot the ball. I saw him with his high school team in June, now he's more than just a shooter, he's got good size and can put the ball on the floor. He can do a lot of different things, but he's an elite shooter, which we need. With his AAU team, his role was completely different and sometimes people recruit kids based on what they do with their AAU teams. I like to see them with their high school teams so you can see the difference, and with his high school team, he impacts the games in a lot of different ways."
Johnson on signing with Colorado: "It felt like the right place in my heart to commit there. Coach Boyle and the rest of the coaching staff they're a family-oriented program and I know they're going to push me and get me to where I want to be in the future."
Johnson on his game: "I think my shooting and play making ability at the point guard spot and even off the ball is something I can bring to Colorado. I think the main thing I need to focus and work on is the physical stature and just becoming stronger and able to compete with those guys on the defensive end at that level."
Coach Boyle: Isaiah comes from a great family and goes to a terrific school in L.A., Campbell Hall, which is highly academic. Isaiah is a throwback, and by that I mean he's played at the same high school, the same AAU program, he hasn't bounced around so that tells me he's going to try and finish what he starts. He's young for his grade, still 17-years old. He's got unbelievable skill and he's got the ability to shoot the ball from deep. He has a great feel for the game. I think as his career progresses, you're going to see a big jump in Isaiah. He's mentally going to be ready to play, no doubt about that, the question will be the physical jump he's going to make, and I've got confidence that he'll do ok."
Sanders on signing with Colorado: "I started building a relationship with coach Rohn about a year and a half go and from there just coming to games, seeing him around and then going to practices, hanging out with the players and then building a relationship with coach Boyle, so the relationships really stood out. I had good relationships with a lot of schools, but for Colorado it was just how consistent and the longevity of it and was getting a consistent message. CU was one of my dream schools growing up. I went to look at other schools to build relationships and I think it validated by decision in the end because playing as a freshman and going into a good situation in terms of the point guard position, CU had the best situation to offer for me."
Sanders on representing Colorado: "It's a big deal for me just kind of representing myself in the best way possible. There's really good players that came through Colorado that are from Colorado, so just to have my name hopefully being one of those great names to come through that program is something I'm super excited about and look forward to. I think Colorado is definitely underrated as a state in terms of basketball, so to be able to continue to play the game I love at the next level, at the highest level, is a really good opportunity for me."
Coach Boyle: "Josiah's got unbelievable character. He's about the right things and the right reasons. He's taken a unique route to get to where he's gotten in that he stayed with his high school academically but played prep basketball the last couple years. He's made a tremendous commitment to do that. Josiah is going to be a really good player out of the gate because, much like Jalin, he's go the ability to impact the game physically at this level. Left-handed, strong, shifty, a good player."
Jalin Holland (Los Lunas, New Mexico), Fawaz "Tacko" Ifaola (Lagos, Nigeria), Ian Inman (The Woodlands, Texas), Isaiah Johnson (Valley Village, Calif.) and Josiah Sanders (Denver, Colo.) have signed Financial Aid Agreements to join the Buffaloes next winter, a group that is currently ranked No. 23 in the country by Rivals and No. 32 by 247Sports.
Following a year of piecing together a roster with a mix of graduate transfer and high school signees, Boyle is pleased to bring in a solid five-man high school class that the Buffaloes can develop.
"They are five young men that come from great families that care about, to me, the right things," Boyle said. "They care about a college education. They care about development. They care about winning. And to me those guys are fun to coach. They're fun to help grow and help development, and that's what I want to do for the remaining years I am here to coach. I want to help develop young men and I don't want to get into bidding wars for them. I just want to help them."
Jalin Holland, 6-4, 190, G, Los Lunas, New Mexico (Dream City Christian [Ariz.])
Jalin Holland is a four-star prospect rated as the 130th best player in the nation and the seventh-best in Arizona by 247Sports. He scored over 2,000 points in three seasons at Los Lunas (N.M.) High School before opting to join Dream City Christian in Arizona for his final season of prep basketball. Holland was a three-time New Mexico Class 5A All-State First Team pick. He averaged 25.4 points as a junior leading Los Lunas to a 20-10 record and a spot in the Class 5A state quarterfinals.Coach Boyle: "Jalin was the first to commit to us and helped us to recruit (Fawaz "Tacko" Ifaola). We've been recruiting Jalin for a couple years now. He's a big guard, strong, physical and tough. I think he can be an elite defender, but he's a very good offensive player as well. He can shoot the three and put it on the floor. Jalin has the ability to come in and make an impact right away because physically he's ready to go and we're really excited about him and his future."
Fawaz "Tacko" Ifaola, 6-11, 245, C, Lagos, Nigeria (Dream City Christian [Ariz.])
Fawaz "Tacko" Ifaola came to the United States from his native Nigeria in the ninth grade, spending two years at the Patrick School in New Jersey before transferring to Dream City Christian in 2023. 247Sports rates him as a three-star prospect and the 15th best player in the state of Arizona. He attended the Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas in June and was ranked one of the top 60 players in attendance. Ifaola played club ball with the Utah Prospects on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit, winning the Summer Championship in Rock Hill, S.C.Ifaola on signing with Colorado: "I picked Colorado because first of all they've got a good coaching staff. I want to be around good people of course, so when I went there, I got a read of people in Colorado and doing that pushed me forward…that this would be a good school for me. It's a good place, it's a good environment. The facilities are good, they've got good people, good coaching staff, everything about Colorado, it's a nice home for me."
Ifaola on his game: "As a big, my footwork is getting better every day. My shooting percentage is kind of good, but I want to work on my shooting more and my post moves so I can get better at it. I love setting a screen and then roll, helping up my teammates to win games and just do my job."
Coach Boyle: "Tacko is a big body – 6-foot-11, he's got a big wingspan. He's got broad shoulders and is strong. Tacko is a guy I think defensively can help us immediately because of his presence physically and he's ready, much like Jalin, to make the transition from prep school basketball to Division I basketball. He's going to be a work in progress on offense with his skill set but he can run the floor, he can really move his feet, so I think defensively he's going to help us right out of the gate."
Ian Inman, 6-5, 180, F, The Woodlands Texas (College Park)
Ian Inman averaged 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a junior in 2023-24, helping College Park to a 33-5 record and the Class 6A Region 1 & 2 quarterfinals. His team won the Region II District 13 regular season title with a 15-1 record. 247Sports lists Inman as a three-star prospect and the 23rd best player in the state of Texas. Inman came into his own on the club circuit playing for Cooze Elite in the Houston area, where he shot 50 percent from 3-point range this last season. Cooze Elite is coached by PJ Couisnard, a former Wichita State standout (2004-08) coached by both Boyle and associate head coach Mike Rohn.Inman on signing with Colorado: "I felt really comfortable with the coaching staff, and they've got a bunch of great guys coming in with me and I just feel like our recruit class can be one of the best in the country for sure. What stood out to me most is the academics are great, the basketball program was always pretty good and it was a no brainer for me. I love coach Boyle, love the coaching staff, love the kids on the team. It's a perfect spot for me."
Inman on his game: "Last year in high school I wasn't as confident, comfortable with the ball, but over the summer I stayed the course, grinded and really worked on my ball handling and always shooting; I was always a good shooter, but I just needed the extra intangibles. I feel I can stretch the floor for sure, coming off ball screens. I shoot a lot of middies and make them all very efficiently. I'm going to show a lot of good efficiency. I feel like a great 'slept' part of my games is my passing. I can see the floor very well, see all the angles. I feel like I'm a well-rounded player."
Coach Boyle: "Ian is a guy we saw this summer and is the epitome of what the summer is all about. You have a list of prospects you're looking at – 15 to 20 guys – and some rise to the top. Ian was that guy that rose to the top for me because of his ability to shoot the ball. I saw him with his high school team in June, now he's more than just a shooter, he's got good size and can put the ball on the floor. He can do a lot of different things, but he's an elite shooter, which we need. With his AAU team, his role was completely different and sometimes people recruit kids based on what they do with their AAU teams. I like to see them with their high school teams so you can see the difference, and with his high school team, he impacts the games in a lot of different ways."
Isaiah Johnson, 6-1, 170, G, Valley Village, Calif. (Campbell Hall School)
Isaiah Johnson is rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, the 38th best point guard in the nation and overall, the 31st rated player in the state of California. On3.com has him listed as the 29th best player in the state of California while coming in as the 37th best nationally at the point guard position. He helped Campell Hall reach the CIF-Southern Section 2AA quarterfinals in 2023-24.Johnson on signing with Colorado: "It felt like the right place in my heart to commit there. Coach Boyle and the rest of the coaching staff they're a family-oriented program and I know they're going to push me and get me to where I want to be in the future."
Johnson on his game: "I think my shooting and play making ability at the point guard spot and even off the ball is something I can bring to Colorado. I think the main thing I need to focus and work on is the physical stature and just becoming stronger and able to compete with those guys on the defensive end at that level."
Coach Boyle: Isaiah comes from a great family and goes to a terrific school in L.A., Campbell Hall, which is highly academic. Isaiah is a throwback, and by that I mean he's played at the same high school, the same AAU program, he hasn't bounced around so that tells me he's going to try and finish what he starts. He's young for his grade, still 17-years old. He's got unbelievable skill and he's got the ability to shoot the ball from deep. He has a great feel for the game. I think as his career progresses, you're going to see a big jump in Isaiah. He's mentally going to be ready to play, no doubt about that, the question will be the physical jump he's going to make, and I've got confidence that he'll do ok."
Josiah Sanders, 6-4, 185, G, Denver, Colo. (Colorado Prep)
The top-ranked player in the state of Colorado according to 247Sports, On3.com and ESPN. Sanders is a four-star prospect, ranked 122nd in the nation overall by 247Sports and the 16th best at the combo guard spot. On3 tabs him as the 11th best combo guard in the country and 158th overall nationally. He's in his third year playing in the Grind Session, helping Colorado Prep advance to the quarterfinals last season. While playing for Colorado Prep, academically he is in his senior year at Cherokee Trail High School.Sanders on signing with Colorado: "I started building a relationship with coach Rohn about a year and a half go and from there just coming to games, seeing him around and then going to practices, hanging out with the players and then building a relationship with coach Boyle, so the relationships really stood out. I had good relationships with a lot of schools, but for Colorado it was just how consistent and the longevity of it and was getting a consistent message. CU was one of my dream schools growing up. I went to look at other schools to build relationships and I think it validated by decision in the end because playing as a freshman and going into a good situation in terms of the point guard position, CU had the best situation to offer for me."
Sanders on representing Colorado: "It's a big deal for me just kind of representing myself in the best way possible. There's really good players that came through Colorado that are from Colorado, so just to have my name hopefully being one of those great names to come through that program is something I'm super excited about and look forward to. I think Colorado is definitely underrated as a state in terms of basketball, so to be able to continue to play the game I love at the next level, at the highest level, is a really good opportunity for me."
Coach Boyle: "Josiah's got unbelievable character. He's about the right things and the right reasons. He's taken a unique route to get to where he's gotten in that he stayed with his high school academically but played prep basketball the last couple years. He's made a tremendous commitment to do that. Josiah is going to be a really good player out of the gate because, much like Jalin, he's go the ability to impact the game physically at this level. Left-handed, strong, shifty, a good player."
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