Two weeks after Archbishop Stepinac High School‘s “twin towers,” Adonis and Darius Ratliff, committed to play at the University of Southern California, their teammate and fellow senior, Jasiah Jervis, announced on Wednesday that he would be taking his game to Michigan State University. 

The announcement came on the same day that high school sports website MaxPreps ranked Stepinac as the number one boys’ basketball team in the country, led by Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Coach of the Year, Patrick Massaroni. 

Jervis opened his Stepinac varsity jacket to reveal his choice, wearing a Michigan State T-shirt and then donning a cap to complete the look. 

“I want to thank God for guiding, protecting, and leading me through this process. I would like to thank Stepinac and the coaching staff…for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to succeed here, and pushing me to succeed each day here,” Jervis said during an emotional statement. He thanked his parents and family members for their support and sacrifices on his behalf.  

The six-foot-four shooting guard chose Michigan State over the Universities of Tennessee, Pittsburgh, North Carolina State, and Illinois. Jervis is ranked 39th on the 247Sports 2026 rankings and 50th on the ESPN SportsCenter NEXT 2026 Top 100. He is the second-highest-ranked New York prospect in the 2026 class, trailing only Long Island Lutheran High School’s Dylan Mingo, who ranks ninth. 

Jervis averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.8 steals per game during the 2024-25 season. 

Michigan State’s championship pedigree 

Coached by Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo, Michigan State represents one of college basketball’s most storied programs. Izzo, entering his 31st season with the Spartans, has led the program to eight Final Fours, including a national championship in 2000, and has made 27 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances—the longest active streak in the country. 

The Spartans enjoyed a resurgent 2024-25 season, finishing 30-7 overall and 17-3 in Big Ten Conference play. Michigan State won its 11th Big Ten regular season championship under Izzo—tied for the most in conference history—and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, finishing the year ranked seventh in the Associated Press Top 25. 

Izzo, who was named the 2024-25 Big Ten Coach of the Year, has built his reputation on defensive tenacity, rebounding prowess, and developing guards. He became the first Big Ten coach to reach 700 career wins at one school and currently holds the conference record for the most conference wins in history with 354. 

Following in successful footsteps 

Jervis becomes the fifth Stepinac senior to commit to a Division I program this year. The Ratliff twins committed to USC, guard Hassan Koureissi pledged to Fordham University, and forward Dylan Perry chose New Jersey’s Monmouth University. More commitments are expected from the Crusaders’ roster ahead of the November 12 National Signing Day for NCAA Division I and II sports, namely forward Josh Rivera. 

During the 2024-25 season, Stepinac won the archdiocesan, intersectional, and CHSAA vs. PSAL championships, along with a second Coach of the Year award for Massaroni. The 2025-26 CHSAA “AA” boys’ basketball season begins in mid-November. Stepinac opens the season away at Xavier High School in Manhattan.