A near-miss on the recruiting trail?
Sunday, August 18, 2013
One out of two thus far rates as a pretty good batting average - if this were about baseball.
Of course, it isn't. But in college basketball recruiting...sometimes all you need is one player to put a team over the top, or lead a team to new heights. Providence College coach Ed Cooley might have a player like that already with the verbal commitment PC received from 6-7 wing Jalen Lindsey earlier this summer, a player ranked in most national Top 50 groups. However, with up to five scholarships available for the 2014-15 school year, Cooley and the Friars have had their sights set on something (or someone) more.
Several reports Saturday afternoon indicate Friar target Kaleb Joseph, a 6-3 point guard from Nashua, NH and ranked 51st nationally in the ESPN Top 100, has given a verbal commitment to attend Syracuse during his visit to the school over the weekend. If Joseph's pledge holds true, his decision for the Orange won't come as a surprise to many as he has previously called Syracuse his "dream school." However, Joseph had spent a lot of time in and around the PC campus - including last weekend during the Friars' Elite Camp for high school and prep prospects - and was known to have enjoyed the possibilities surrounding the potential incoming recruits as teammates.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThose potential incoming recruits are where the Friars will now focus all of their attention, in the hope of receiving a commitment in the near future. 6-8 forward Abdul Malik-Abu and 6-2 guard Jared Terrell are expected to make a joint announcement as to their futures somewhere around September 7th. Abu has recently visited Florida and North Carolina State, and is considering UConn in addition to PC. Terrell is also a top target of URI's Dan Hurley, and is also considering Oklahoma State in addition to the Friars. But it is also known the two have discussed the possibility of playing together in college, following their time together in AAU play.
Additionally, 7-2 center Pascal Chukwu (out of Fairfield, CT) remains a top target of Cooley and the Friar staff. UConn and St. Joseph's are also thought to be in the mix for his services, and a decision doesn't yet appear to be imminent.
However, this is college basketball recruiting, where "decisions" change all the time, just like baseball batting averages. In other words, stay tuned.
