University of Akron men’s basketball head coach Keith Dambrot announced on Wednesday that Carmelo Betancourt (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Jake Kretzer (Waverly, Ohio) and Reggie McAdams (Elida, Ohio) have signed national letters of intent to play for the Zips in the 2012-13 season.
 
“We fulfilled our immediate needs by signing two big wing players and a true point guard,” Dambrot said.  “Our goal was to continue to get bigger on the wing and maintain a solid skill level at the point.”
 
Betancourt, a 5-11 point guard, was a starter on the U19 Puerto Rican National Team at the 2011 Nike Global Challenge and represented his native country at the 2010 Jordan Brand Classic International Game.  He helped Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) to a 24-1 record and a victory over Oak Hill Academy in the 2011 ESPN Rise National High School Championship this past April. He currently attends Central Jersey Each One Teach One Academy, the same academy sophomore point guard Alex Abreu attended before joining Akron last season.
 
“Carmelo has a good feel and knowledge for the game of basketball and has a great work ethic,” Dambrot stated.  “He is a true point guard that has played a lot of basketball against a high level of competition.”
 
Kretzer, a 6-7 small forward, comes to Akron as one of the top-ranked players in the state of Ohio. A senior at Waverly High School, he averaged 21.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game as a junior while earning All-Ohio honorable mention honors for the second-consecutive season.  Waverly won its second-consecutive sectional title last season.  He also helped his All Ohio RED AAU team win the state and national championships in 2011, one year removed from a runner-up finish in the 2010 AAU national championship event.
 
“Jake is a big wing that can play multiple positions and has a great shooting touch,” Dambrot said.  “He is a strong, hard-nosed player that comes into the program with a winning mentality.”
 
McAdams, a 6-6 guard, will join Akron as the No. 5 recruit on the 2012 ESPNU Top Ohio Recruits list.  The senior at Elida High School averaged 19.5 points per game during his junior season and went over the 1,000-points mark for his career.  He was named second-team All-Ohio after being selected as the Western Buckeye League Player of the Year.  Last fall, he was also named first-team All-Ohio in football as a quarterback.
 
“Reggie is a outstanding all around athlete and is a very diversified player with the ability to catch and shoot or create his own shot off the dribble,” Dambrot stated. “He has a fantastic resume and was recruited at a high level.”
 
The signing of all three players concludes Akron’s commitments during the early signing period, which ends today.
 
The Zips return to action on Friday, Nov. 18, when they travel to Valparaiso, Ind., to conclude the 2K Sports Classic. Akron will face Valpo at 8:30 p.m. ET and will close out the weekend against Duquesne on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. ET.