CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois men’s basketball coach Scott Nagy announced Thursday that the program has officially signed 6-foot-10 transfer Jorge Moreno. The big man comes to Carbondale rated as the No. 48 best player in the JUCO division by JUCORecruiting.com.

Moreno will join forwards Jaheem Webber and Rolyns Aligbe as well as guards Drew Steffe, Damien Mayo Jr., Davion Sykes and Tyler Bey in the recruiting cycle.

“We’re thrilled to have Jorge at Southern Illinois,” Nagy said. “He gives us experience at the five and he is a skilled big man with good hands. His ability to pass the ball and finish at the basket will help us immediately.”

The Cananea, Mexico native initially signed with New Mexico State for his freshman season in 2021-22 but did not see action with the Aggies. He spent the last two seasons at Lee College where he increased his scoring from 8.7 points to 10.6 points from his freshman to sophomore season. Moreno also helped the Navigators to a combined 54-11 record over the two years. Moreno scored in double-digits in 17 games last season with a season-high 20 points against Southwest Mississippi.

Lee has finished in the Top-15 in the NJCAA polls in each of his seasons with the program while helping the team to a Region 14 semifinal appearance. He earned Region 14 All-Conference honors and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Moreno spent time at Strength ‘N Motion International in San Antonio, Texas in prep. He played just three years of basketball prior to college after spending most of his prep career as a soccer goalie. He averaged 14 points, 13 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 blocks per game for Strength ‘N Motion. Moreno played in 20 games for the Texas-based college basketball prep academy and spent time with the Mexican U18 national team under head coach Enrique Zuñiga Castro.