After focusing on post players in last year’s recruiting class, the NIU basketball team signed two combo guards.

Naperville Central’s Ryan Paradise and Evanston’s Michael McKinney signed national letters of intent on Wednesday.

“We’re real happy that they decided to come and join us,” NIU coach Rob Judson said. “They’re right out of our recruiting base in Naperville Central and Evanston. Not too many people heard about Mike last year. He’s sort of a hidden gem. He’ll have a good year this year and Ryan had an excellent year last year. He’ll be one of the best players in the Chicagoland area.”

The 6-foot-2 Paradise averaged a team-high 19.2 points per game for the Redhawks along with 4.1 boards and 3.3 assists. He was known as one of the best shooters in the DuPage Valley Conference, making 67 three-pointers on the season. He also set a league record with a career-high 38 points against Glenbard North.

While Paradise brings long-range shooting to the Huskies, McKinney brings athleticism.

The 6-foot-3 guard was a finalist in the Illinois High School Association’s Slam Dunk championship. He averaged 11.7 points a game and 7.2 rebounds for the Wildkits.

McKinney missed the first part of last season due to academic reasons. This helped NIU recruit him, decreasing his exposure.

“It ended up being good for us because not many people saw him because of Evanston’s eligibility rule,” Judson said.

While Paradise played AAU summer basketball with the Chicago-based team Ferrari – former team of the NBA’s Juwan Howard – McKinney stayed on the low end of the recruiting spectrum not playing on an exposure team.

“We wanted to recruit two perimeter players,” Judson said. “They’re both combination guards with different strengths. Ryan is a real heady player who can shoot and Mike is a real explosive player. He also has a real good handle and is an excellent athlete.”