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Avon Post-Grad Makes Pick

New England Recruiting Report | Monday, April 26th, 2010

Avon Post-Grad Makes Pick

Avon Old Farms’ post-graduate guard Latif Rivers became one of the first two players to commit to new Wagner head coach Danny Hurley on Monday according to SNY’s Adam Zagoria

Hurley recently arrived at Wagner after serving as the head coach at St. Benedict’s Prep for the last nine years.  His older brother Danny Hurley, the former Duke point guard and NBA player, joined his staff as an assistant.  Bobby and Danny Hurley are the sons of legendary high school coach Bob Hurley Sr. of St. Anthony’s High School in New Jersey. 

Rivers wasn’t the only player to commit to Wagner on Monday as the Hurleys also landed six-foot-eight big man Orlando Parker from Florida.

“I’ve known Coach Hurley for some time and I know how he operates,” Rivers told. “I know the coaching staff that they have has a lot of experience. If they can help me get better, I’m hoping I can help get their program to the next level. I checked out the school and I liked the school. I thought that Wagner would be the best fit for me.”

Committing to Wagner also provides Rivers with an opportunity to play in front of his family and friends as his hometown of Elizabeth, New Jersey is just 20 minutes away from Wagner’s Staten Island campus. 

Rivers told Zagoria he also had offers from Illinois State, Central Connecticut, Northeastern and Bryant.

A scoring guard who can take the ball to the basket as well as get hot from behind the arc, Rivers began to make a name for himself this summer as he stood out on the camp circuit during the July Live period. 

He didn’t fail to live up to his newfound reputation during his post-graduate season at Avon Old Farms as he established himself as one of the top scorers and most talented overall players in the Western New England Conference and was a first team all conference selection.