In Big 4, verbal deals rule
Published: November 12, 2009, 12:14 am
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For the Big 4 men's basketball programs Wednesday, the first day for signing national letters of intent was about playing the waiting game.
The Veteran's Day holiday also meant that school was out so some of the programs probably won't receive signed letters of intent until today or Friday.
But the University at Buffalo, Canisius, Niagara and St. Bonaventure all received verbal commitments from several key players over the last few months.
At UB, Newark N.Y.'s Javon McCrea, a 6-foot-6½ forward, officially signed his letter Wednesday. The 220-pound McCrea averaged 20 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots last season for Newark, in Wayne County about 100 miles from Buffalo.
"I'm relieved right about now," McCrea told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "No more thinking about where I want to go. I think I've made a really good decision."
The Bulls are awaiting word from Cameron Downing, a 6-9 senior power forward-center from Tulsa (Okla.) Memorial High School, and 6-5 swingman Trevis Simpson from Coffee High School in Douglas, Ga. There are reports, however, that Simpson visited UNC-Greensboro last weekend and gave them a verbal commitment.
Canisius received a verbal from Chris Manhertz, a 6-5 power forward from Cardinal Spellman High in the Bronx who is the 174th-ranked power forward in the country, according to ESPN.com. The Golden Griffins are also still in the running for Freddy Asprilla, the 6-foot-10, 280-pound center from Miami Dade College.
Asprilla was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2009 at Florida International, and currently is one of the top junior college prospects in the country. Asprilla has narrowed his choices to Canisius, Kansas State, Miami (Fla.) and Hofstra. He was also offered a scholarship by Connecticut.
Niagara received verbals from 6-3 swingman Skylar Jones from Mount Vernon High in Virginia and 6-7 power forward-center Shaquille Duncan, from Frankford High School in Philadelphia, who is the 20th-rated center by ESPN.com.
Elijah Carter, a 6-1 point guard from St. Anthony's in Jersey City, N.J., gave a verbal commitment to St. Bonaventure last month. Carter plays for the legendary Bob Hurley.
"The deciding factor was that I wanted to go to a school at the highest level that was recruiting me so I can be challenged," Carter said. "Another deciding factor was that there's a lot of [St. Bonaventure] alumni in the New York and New Jersey area so this will help me get a good job when I come back."
Carter attended the Five Star camp last June and was named MVP of a camp at Fordham that included more than 400 players. Carter also attended the Eastern Invitational Camp in Pennsylvania and made the top 25 all-star team out of a group of more than 700 players. Hurley estimates there were 50-75 Division I prospects at the camp.
Hurley said Carter should lead St. Anthony's in scoring on what should be a nationally ranked team.
"I have three other kids, one is being recruited by the ACC, the other by the Big East and one committed to Richmond, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if Elijah led us in scoring this year," Hurley said. "He's going to put some big numbers up. He could have wound up making the recruiting process very complicated. He is a good get for them in the early period."
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