Hoops Roundup: Washington lands Nigel Williams-Goss; more news
The college basketball recruiting circuit is in full swing, and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down soon. As AAU tournaments abound, here's a recap of the latest Division-I happenings.
It's easy to predict that the No. 39 prospect in the class of 2013 will be a high-impact player on a college roster. However, the commitment of Nigel Williams-Goss to Washington on Wednesday should benefit the program in more ways than one. A Portland-area native who attends high school at Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep, Williams-Goss is a versatile perimeter threat. He can run the point, play off the ball and serve as a wing scorer, boasting both the size and toughness to play forward in a three-guard lineup. But his biggest draw may be his attitude. Williams-Goss has been lauded as the heart and soul of the Pilots, and though he's only a junior, was voted the Findlay MVP by his high school coaches and teammates.
Lorenzo Romar and the Huskies have never had issues landing talent, but they've occasionally suffered from a dearth of vocal and emotional leaders. In addition to making an on-court impact, Williams-Goss seems equipped to fill that role.
During his junior season at Piney Woods (Miss.), Dwight Coleby started attracting the attention of high-major programs. However, the 6-foot-9, 220-pound power forward was unable to play during April's open evaluation period. A native of the Bahamas, Coleby hadn't completed a full year of schooling in the U.S. He was forced to sit idly -- and became a bit of a forgotten man in the process.
As the calendar turns to June, look for Coleby to make a comeback. He is expected to participate at the NBPA Top 100 camp, and his high school coach, Lemuel Jones, hopes it immediately boosts his stock.
"He's gotten off to kind of a slow start this spring because of the rule for foreign kids in April," Jones said. "That's why a lot of people don't know much about him."
While the three-star big man remains a relatively low-profile player, he's not an unknown quantity among several major-conference programs. Coleby has already received offers from Ole Miss, Memphis, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, UTEP and Southern Miss, according to Jones, and others, including Arkansas, have expressed interest. Coleby's blend of size, ability and low-post skill should help his reputation grow in June and July.
"His strength is that he's a 6-foot-9 high energy guy who can hit a 17-foot jump shot but doesn't settle for that," said Jones. "His best game is that on-the-block-with-his-back-to-the-basket game."
At the 16-and-under level, few AAU teams have been as consistently successful as Team Thad. The Memphis-based crew played in the 17-and-under division in Chicago over the weekend, and they went undefeated before falling to the nationally ranked Florida Rams. The result served two purposes: It continued to increase the profile of Team Thad, and it helped showcase the potential of many of its young recruits.
Among the notables: Leron Black, a 6-foot-7 rising junior who plans to attend both the NBPA Top 100 Camp and the Nike Elite 100; Anton Beard, a four-star point guard who will try out for USA Basketball's U17 national team; C.J. Anderson, a combo guard who is being courted by LSU, Ole Miss, VCU, Arizona State and UMass, among others. Point guard Chris Chiozza and small forward Marcanvis Hymon -- two more class of 2014 standouts -- also hold handfuls of local D-I offers.
One of the breakout players of the spring evaluation players has been Dayshon Smith. Nicknamed "Scoochie", the 6-foot-1 point guard has transformed from a fringe prospect into a highly touted talent heading into the summer.
Smith said that he has offers from Towson, Quinnipiac, Duquesne, Richmond, Fairfield, St. Peter's, Robert Morris, Manhattan and UAB. He's also on the verge of landing high-major offers, and feels that Penn State, Wichita State, VCU, Syracuse, South Carolina and Miami could extend scholarships by the end of their July scouting sessions. His recruitment is certainly one to monitor.
• The recruitment of Devonta Pollard should finally come to a resolution. Ranked as the No. 22 player in the class of 2012, the Porterville (Miss.) Kemper County small forward is expected to choose between Alabama, Texas, Georgetown and Missouri on Friday. The Crimson Tide and Longhorns have emerged as the two clear favorites.
• Over the past few weeks, there's been speculation that Jalen James and Illinois could head in different directions. On Wednesday night, James' summer coach Mike Mullins of the Illinois Wolves confirmed that, admitting that the 6-foot-2 point guard decommitted. Tennessee, Nebraska, Colorado, SMU, Marquette and Florida State were among the first to inquire about the newfound availability of the La Porte (Ind.) La Lumiere floor general.
• Another player who had a big spring was 6-foot-5 wing Tim Quarterman out of Savannah (Ga.) Johnson. The three-star prospect has proven to be a versatile backcourt performer with the Atlanta Celtics and has likely earned a spot in the next Rivals150. More importantly, he's earned an outpouring of scholarship opportunities. According to Celtics coach Emory Walton, Quarterman has now been offered by Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Georgia, Miami, George Mason, UMass, SMU, Seton Hall, Cincinnati, South Carolina, Memphis and Mississippi State.
• Duke will host Semi Ojeleye on an unofficial visit over the weekend. The powerful 6-foot-6 small forward from Ottawa (Kan.) High has yet to receive an offer from the Blue Devils, but could receive one during his upcoming trip to Durham.
• Class of 2014 big man Gavin Skelly of Cleveland (Ohio) Westlake took an unofficial visit to Cleveland State on Wednesday. According to his father, Skelly left with a scholarship offer.
