Nerlens Noel, PC Recruiting Update

Nerlens Noel, PC Recruiting Update

With the 2012 National Prep Invitational taking place Thursday-Sunday at Rhode Island College, many of the nation’s top college basketball programs are being represented with either assistant or head coaches in attendance.

In the opening hours of the tournament on Thursday afternoon, among those in attendance were PC’s Ed Cooley, URI assistant Preston Murphy, former Friar and current Hofstra assistant Steve DeMeo, American University assistant Lamar Barrett and many more.

There were also coaches from Maryland, Utah, LSU and other top programs in attendance all on hand to see the collection of some of the nation’s best high school talent on display.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

As is always the case when these coaches get together, there are many great stories to be told and many rumors floating around the gym. The difficult part is to decipher what it true and what isn’t.

One of the big stories being talked about at the Murray Gymnasium was our exclusive on the Tilton School’s Nerlens Noel “leaning” towards PC.

Here are some of the comments from those in attendance:

-“There’s no way that Calipari loses out on this guy!”

-“PC can’t afford the price tag for him.”

-“Noel goes down there (PC) a lot and may have a girl down there.”

-“A person close to him claims that it will come down to UConn and Kentucky.”

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Here’s what you need to know. If the recruitment of Nerlens Noel comes strictly down to which head coach he and his family are impressed with the most, then it would be hard to believe that Ed Cooley isn’t at the top of that list.

It has been written here before that all Cooley needs is a chance to get into a recruit’s living room because once he’s there, he’ll make the sale.

Cooley is a charismatic man and is very real. In the sometimes slimy world of recruiting, there is nothing fake or deceptive about Cooley. He’s honest, sincere and stern which are all qualities that any parent would love to see in a man who is going to mentor their son during his formative years.

Cooley also has a real story to tell. He was not born into money. He didn’t live the easiest life. Yet he worked hard and persevered and is a true success story and should be a role model for many of the young men he recruits.

If AAU coaches or “handlers” get involved where unreasonable demands are made, then other programs may have a better shot.

Other programs may have greater traditions than PC. Other programs may be perennial top-25 programs unlike PC. But Cooley has some things to sell to a recruit like Nerlens Noel that those other programs don’t. Things like instant playing time, being part of building a national power, a small, family-type atmosphere at PC and a campus much closer to Everett, Massachusetts that Lexington, Kentucky or Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

No one knows for sure exactly what Nerlens Noel will do. But the fact that PC is in the picture with the likes of those other programs should tell you all you need to know.

NOTES:

-Noel’s Tilton School (NH) takes on REDA (Ontario) in the National Prep Invitational Sunday at 1:30pm at RIC.

-GoLocalProv.com also talked with another PC recruit at the tournament Thursday. Brewster Academy’s Jakarr Sampson scored 22 points in his team’s win over St. John’s Northwest Military Academy (Wisconsin) Thursday afternoon.

Sampson was the best player on the floor which included the likes of Michigan-bound big man Mitch McGary (#21 on ESPNU’s Top 100), NC State committee TJ Warren (#28 on ESPNU’s Top 100) and guard Aaron Thomas who is headed to Florida State.

Sampson told GoLocalProv.com that he is being heavily recruited by many top schools such as Kansas, Louisville and Providence among others. He did say that he has plans for an upcoming visit to Kansas in the coming weeks and wants to visit Providence as well.

Sampson is 6’-8” and 210 pounds. The senior is long and very athletic with decent range. His Brewster Academy Bobcats are now (21-0) on the season.