Commitment Catch-Up – June 24th

NewEnglandRecruitingReport.com | Saturday, June 23rd, 2007

MCI Update  
Four commitments have been announced from the NEPSAC’s most northern point, while two of their most talented players this year remain unsigned.  Rory Spencer, David Slezak, Robert Webb, and Nafis Ricks have all finalized their plans for next year while 6’7 forward Hakim McCullar and one time Wichita State commit Evann Baker are both still available. 

Spencer, the 6’8 big man who held down the starting power forward spot for most of the year, is headed to South Carolina Upstate.  Spencer is one of 7 recruits to join the Spartans’ first division I recruiting class as they transition into the Atlantic Sun Conference.  Spencer is a long and athletic player who averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds at MCI this year. 

6’7 forward David Slezak is headed to Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.  Slezak is a skilled combo forward who should be able to make an immediate impact for the Badgers with his ability to make shots from deep range. 

Robert Webb and Nafis Ricks are two players that did not complete their seasons at MCI and are now likely suffering the consequences as neither one was able to secure a scholarship.  Webb is said to be attending Colorado State University where he is hoping to earn a walk-on spot in hopes of eventually challenging for a scholarship.  Meanwhile, Ricks will attend Johnson County Community College in Kansas. 

McCullar and Baker, two of the main staples of this year’s team, remain qualified and unsigned at the moment.  Both players are from the greater Cincinnati area and would be very valuable late season additions for a variety of programs.  McCullar was once said to be considering repeating his post-graduate year next season but is now very much looking for a scholarship, which he should be able to find given the lack of quality big men left on the board.  Baker is an explosive dribble drive player who committed to Wichita State after a terrific summer in 2006.  However, after Head Coach Mark Turgeon left WSU to take the reigns at Texas A & M and new coach Gregg Marshall came on board, Baker was once again looking for a home next year. 

Garvin McAlister Headed Division II
Garvin McAlister, the 5’10 point guard who led Norwich Free Academy to a 19-1 regular season record, will attend Post University next year.  McAlister is practically a one man fast break as he pushes the ball faster from baseline to baseline than almost any player in the region.  He was also being recruited by Assumption College and a host of the northeast’s top division III programs. 

Salisbury School Announces Commitments
5’8 point guard Mitch McDonald will play for Army next year.  McDonald was Salisbury’s floor general (no pun intended) for most of the regular season before going down with a back injury with 12 games remaining.  While his biggest value may be in the intangibles he brings to the court he did average 12 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals on the year. 

Matt Butler, a 6’2 shooting guard, will play for Rhodes College in Tennessee next year.  Butler is a three-point specialist who averaged more than two three-pointers and ten points per game this year. 

Two New Hampshire Schools Still Competing for Local Point Guard
Josh Last, the 6’3 point guard who starred for Manchester Central High School, appears to not be heading to prep school next year as originally planned.  That means unless a division II school makes a late push, then either Keene State or Plymouth State will be getting a major steal.  Last is a point guard with great size and exceptional floor vision.  Although he has said to be competing with players from PSU in a local summer league his ability to find teammates in transition would be an ideal fit with Keene’s fast paced style of play.