Notre Dame - West Haven senior forward Alec Kinder elevates to the hoop as Cheshire Aidan Godfrey defends, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, in the first-round of the SCC tournament at Notre Dame High School in West Haven. Notre Dame won, 63-34.
Catherine Avalone / Hearst Connecticut Media
Aidan Godfrey has left Cheshire High and enrolled at Cheshire Academy, where he will play basketball for the program. The move became official on Tuesday.
Godfrey, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound center, will reclassify and repeat his junior year. He averaged 17.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.2 blocked shots per game for the Rams last season.
“I had a great time at CHS,” Godfrey said. “I weighed the pros and cons in what was best for me to pursue my dream of playing at the next level at a high level. And that was to play at Cheshire Academy.”
Godfrey, 17, said he made his decision “three or four days ago.” There has been some interest from Ivy League schools like Cornell and Brown, Godfrey said, but repeating his junior year he felt would help his recruitment.
“He’s an exceptional student and a strong athlete,” Cheshire Academy coach Jim McCarthy said. “I’m really looking forward to working with him on the court. He’s a very skilled frontcourt player, very versatile. Offensively, Aidan gives us size, skill, athleticism. He can impact the game in a variety of ways.”
Cheshire High coach boys basketball coach Dan Lee said he spoke with Godfrey on Tuesday.
“That was probably a tough call to make,” Lee said. “Obviously, he had a great all-state season last year and a great career for us. He made a decision based on what he thinks is best for his future and we support him. We wish the best for him for success in the future.”
Godfrey was a Register All-Area selection last season for both basketball and volleyball. He finished with 243 kills, 79 digs and 32 aces for the SCC tournament champions and Class M state finalists last spring. He will no longer play volleyball.
Godfrey is 2½ weeks removed from Tommy John surgery on his right shoulder. He had previously played baseball and plans to play the sport at Cheshire Academy. He won’t be able to pitch next spring, but could play first base, he said.
“I got the injury last fall. I was able to play basketball and volleyball with a torn UCL ligament,” Godfrey said.
Godfrey said he would be out of his brace in about five weeks and should be cleared for basketball shortly thereafter.
Godfrey did play with his former teammates in the Wallingford Summer League. The team won the league championship.
“I’ve been playing with them since third grade travel (ball). That’s one of the reasons it was very hard to make this decision. They have been some of my best friends for a long time. It was very tough to leave that. But I had to do what’s best for me. This is what’s best for me.”
Godfrey becomes the second player from the Southern Connecticut Conference to transfer to Cheshire Academy in the off-season. Sophomore guard Cole Wissink decided in the spring to transfer in from Amity and also reclassify.
Wissink was one of three Amity players to head to prep schools. Tanner Thomas transferred to Williston Northampton in Massachusetts after his junior season, while James Van Hise is taking a post-graduate year at brand-new Notre Dame Prep in West Haven.
In other SCC basketball news, Justin Covington has departed Notre Dame-West Haven and is now at St. Luke’s in New Canaan.
