The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball team announced the signing of Silas Xia (G, 5-11 170, Guangzhou, China/Santa Ana College), and Chandler Reeck (G, 6-1 180, Edina, Minn./Edina H.S.) as the ninth and 10th signings for the 2020-21 season.
Chandler Reeck, G, 6-1 180, Edina, Minn./Edina H.S.
Reeck averaged 6.5 points, 4.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game in 18 games played as a senior for Edina H.S. in Edina, Minn. He had 10 points against Osseo H.S., and Wayzata H.S. Reeck played for a squad that went 18-8 during the regular season during his junior season. He averaged 2.6 points per game during his junior slate, appearing in 11 games during the regular season. Reeck had varsity letters in basketball and football. He was the Edina Star of the Week after his 17-point performance in the win over Chanhassen H.S., which also included six assists, five rebounds, and two steals. Reeck was 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. He had 13 first-half points including 3 three-pointers to build a 20-point lead at half vs. sixth-ranked Chaska H.S. He finished with 16 points, four three-pointers, five assists, four rebounds, and one steal.
“Chandler is a guy that has hit a few roadblocks in his high school career with injuries,” Weisse said. “He has done the best he can to push through them. You can tell after talking with him that he is a high character guy. Chandler is looking for an opportunity to learn and grow, to get a high-level degree and play high-level basketball. I think this is a win-win. Chandler is a tough kid, and a high IQ guy that can really shoot it.”
He was born July 9, 2001. Reeck plans to major in marketing. He is the son of Chris and Jennifer Reeck. He is a Feed My Starving Children volunteer, and a Toys for Tots volunteer. His sister Haley Reeck is a U.S. Lacrosse All-American, and a three-time All-State player who is verbally committed to play Division I Lacrosse for the University of Louisville. His late step-grandfather Sherwyn Thorson was a two-sport All-American at the University of Iowa. He won the 1962 NCAA Wrestling National Championship at heavyweight and placed second in 1960. In addition, Thorson played football for the Hawkeyes. He went on to play in the Canadian Football League and won a Grey Cup in 1962 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, under legendary Head Coach Bud Grant. Reeck has endured 21 months of injuries and rehab since November of 2016.
Silas Xia (G, 5-11 170, Guangzhou, Utah/Santa Ana College)
Xia appeared in 10 games during the 2019-20 season for Santa Ana College. He notched 0.7 points and 0.4 rebounds per game. He had previously played for Impact Academy and prior to that competed for St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, Wis., where he was coached by Minnesota Crookston Assistant Coach Krayton Nash. Xia had three points in a win over Orange Coast College. He had an assist versus Saddleback College. He had 10 points for Impact Academy against College of Southern Idaho during the 2016-17 season. At St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, Xia averaged 12 points and two assists per game. He played club basketball back in China. In junior college, he was an Academic All-Orange Empire Conference selection. He has also been named Academic Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
“I was made aware of Silas because Coach (Krayton) Nash coached him back at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy prep school,” Weisse said. “Coach Nash talked about his character and how he would do anything to better the team. And after talking with Silas it was easy to see what he was talking about. Silas has had many experiences at different places, and he knows that the people that you surround yourself with will define how you do as a team and in life. And this is an opportunity for him to impact our program on the court and off. Silas will be able to push guys to be their best and be leaned on to bring it every day in practice. Silas makes our team better and our program stronger. I’m looking forward to coaching Silas over the next few years.”
Given name is Xianjue Xia, but he goes by Silas. His older brother Yang Yue plays professionally in the Chinese Basketball Association. Xia was born Nov. 3, 1998. He plans to major in software engineering at Minnesota Crookston. His father is George Xia and mother is Miranda Zhang. His uncle Qiang played semi-professional basketball in China. One of his uncles runs one of the largest sports agency groups in China, where he has worked alongside former NBA player Yao Ming as a sports agent.
