Manhattan picks up promising forward Jermaine Lawrence

After one season playing basketball at the University of Cincinnati, Queens native Jermaine Lawrence has decided to transfer to Manhattan College, The New York Post reported last week.

The 6-foot-9 forward was a five-star recruit coming out of Pope John XXIII High School in New Jersey, and was the 26th-ranked player in the nation in the class of 2013, according to rankings site Rivals.com. He averaged 2.8 points per game in limited action last season for the Bearcats, who, like Manhattan, lost in the round of 64 in the NCAA tournament.

Lawrence chose Manhattan over Hofstra and Iona. He reportedly wanted to play closer to home because his father, Bobby, has been battling cancer the last year.

Jaspers coach Steve Masiello was not able to communicate with Lawrence because Masiello is still on leave while completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Kentucky. Assistant Rasheen Davis reportedly played a key role in recruiting Lawrence, as he has a strong relationship with the athlete’s family.