Recruiting Roundup - 8/6/12
Visits, commitments and general recruiting news
This weekend saw a lot of developments in the recruiting landscape. Prized recruits received new offers, others took visits, and some finally decided where they will play their college basketball.
Pitt Lands a Post-Presence
The first commitment of the weekend was that of Mike Young (St. Benedict's Prep) to the University of Pittsburgh. Young is a Pittsburgh-native and will remain close to home to compete on the college level. Young is an exciting prospect for the Panthers, who desperately need a strong inside-presence. Young will provide all of that and more due to his work ethic and competitive spirit. The 6-9, versatile forward chose the Panthers over offers from UConn, Baylor, Florida, Memphis, and Miami.
West Coast Developments
On the west coast, USC received a commitment from Class of 2013 PG Kendal Harris (Berkner H.S.). Harris should be able to contribute from the get-go at USC due to his excellent athleticism and explosive scoring ability. Kendal ultimately signed with USC after mulling over offers from programs such as: Kansas State, Missouri, Virginia, Marquette, and Gonzaga.
USC-rival UCLA hosted a trio of stars from the Class of 2014 in: Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young H.S.), Justise Winslow (St. John's H.S.), and Isaiah Whitehead (Lincoln H.S.). All three currently have offers from UCLA as well as a litany of other high-majors.
North Carolina Thickens the Plot
UCLA wasn’t the only school to make moves this weekend- North Carolina extended an offer to Five-Star 2014 PG Tyus Jones. Roy Williams’ offer should only further elevate the competition for the talented guard, who is currently fielding offers from schools such as: Kentucky, Duke, Michigan State, and Arizona.
The Tar Heels also made an offer to another 2014 PG in Joel Berry (Lake Highland Prep). Berry is a very talented guard that has received more and more attention after his stellar performance at Nike Peach Jam this summer. Berry is also considering offers from: Kansas, Florida, Marquette, Ohio State, and Maryland.
Sports U. Backcourt on the Move
The Sports U. 17U backcourt cut down their list of suitors this past weekend, as well as planned future visits. Josh Brown, a former Temple-commit, has expanded his list to include: Penn State, Rhode Island, Providence, Nebraska, and Xavier. Teammate Hallice Cooke cut his list down to include: Oregon State, Penn State, Richmond, Dayton, St. Joe’s, and Rhode Island. The two guards will visit Penn State together this upcoming Wednesday, August 8th.
