KENOSHA, Wis. --- The University of Wisconsin-Parkside men's basketball program and head coach
Luke Reigel are happy to announce the signing of three student-athletes into the class of 2023. Jake Dunham, Matas Castillo and Rokas Catillo all bring multiple skillsets to the Rangers, and will look to make an impact in 2023-24.
"The first thing that comes to mind when talking about all three of our early signees is how hard they play," remarked Reigel. "We really enjoyed following them this summer because they wouldn't back down from anyone. We look forward to watching them this winter with their high school teams and cannot wait until we get them on campus next fall. This is a great start to our 2023 recruiting class. Coach Miller has really made a huge impact on our recruiting process right from the get-go. Most importantly, these are outstanding young men who also excel in the classroom. They are great additions to our program and the University."
Jake Dunham will come to Parkside from South Milwaukee high school. Dunham currently averages 21.2 points per game and 9.5 rebounds per year for the Rockets. The first team All-Woodland member enters his senior year with 1,098 points and 57 made threes.
"We believe that Jake is one of the most underrated players coming out of Wisconsin this year," said Reigel. "He is a big guard who handles the ball well, never stops moving when he doesn't have it, and can score in a variety of ways. His all-around competitiveness and effort stood out every time we saw him play. He is positioned to have an outstanding senior year at South Milwaukee and we look forward to him impacting our program very early in his career."
Matas and Rokas Castillo are products of Lemont High School. The twins were part of a Lemont varsity program that set a single-season school record with 27 wins. The team also captured its first IHSA Regional title since 1991, and won its first sectional crown since 1975.
"The first thing that stood out with both Matas and Rokas was how hard they compete," said Reigel. "Their motors are unbelievable. They are hard-nosed guards and when they played against the best teams in Chicago this summer, they played their best."
Matas posted career-best averages of 11.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game as a junior during the 2021-22 season. He led the team in assists (157) and steals (91). Additionally, he was near the team lead in scoring and average and three-point field goals (31).
"Matas has the ability to play both guard positions while being a more natural point guard," said Reigel. "He pushes the tempo all the time and does a very nice job of always being on the attack while being under control. He has a very good feel about running a team and getting others involved. He is an outstanding addition to our backcourt going forward."
Rokas posted career-best averages of 12.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game as a junior during the 2021-22 season. He serves as a team captain and earned All-Conference honors. Additionally, he led the team in three-point field goal percentage (44.2) and three-point field goals. He finished the season near the team lead in points per game and assists (37).
"Rokas can also play both guard positions but has a more shooting guard mentality," said Reigel. "His ability to stretch the floor from deep while also being able to drive to the basket will make him difficult to guard in our offense. We really like the fact that he has an all-round game."
