Recruiting Updates

Tuesday, January 31st, 2017

This is the time of year when college coaches return to the recruiting trail in full swing. Yes, the college season is barely past the midpoint but for many programs, the win-loss record already paints a telling story and so the priority becomes adding reinforcements for next season.

Even those programs that are succesful thus far look to be proactive, if not for the coming season then for the coming recruiting class. In other words, while some programs are fighting for what's left in the class of 2017, others are getting an early jump on 2018.

Collectively, those two conditions have led to several recent scholarship offers:

• ​Putnam Science Academy post-graduate Malik Ondigo has been a popular name in recent weeks as he's dramatically elevated his level of play since the beginning of the season and intrigued high-major programs still in search of size in the process. Minnesota became the first such program to offer following his performance at the HoopHall Classic while Pittsburgh and Grand Canyon, his father's alma mater, both did so following this weekend's National Prep School Invitational.
• Ondigo isn't the only Putnam Science big man to be adding offers in recent weeks. In fact, the Mustangs are truly unique in that they currently have three available big men who currently hold high-major offers. DePaul has offered the entire trio - Ondigo, Alexis Yetna, and Isaac Kante. Yetna had added an offer from Iowa State in late December while Kante picked up a Kansas State offer in the fall. All three have a plethora of options should they opt for a chance to make an immediate impact at the mid-major level.
• Gould Academy post-graduate Skyler Nash is one of the most sought after perimeter prospects left on the board in New England. He held offers from the likes of Detroit, Vermont, and Maine coming out of the fall and is in the midst of visiting some of those campuses Recent weeks, and specifically a 40 point performance at the NEPSAC AA Showcase, have brought about additional offers from the likes of Robert Morris, Albany, Siena, and Rice.
• Robert Morris head coach Andy Toole was on hand for the AA Showcase and offered not just Nash, but also Cheshire Academy post-graduate Jairus Stevens, following the event.
• South Kent guard Kevin Smith, who has been one of the most improved players in New England this year, picked up his first division I offer from the University of Maine earlier this month.
• Cushing Academy junior guard David Duke has been one of the fastest risers in the class of 2018 and while an ankle injury kept him out of the line-up, his return at this weekend's NTSI was welcomed by his latest offer. The University of Florida joined a list that now includes VCU, Northwestern, Rutgers, Rhode Island, Providence, and UMass among others while UConn and Cincinnati were also on hand to see him this weekend.
• Westminster post-graduate Devonte McCall recently added his first full scholarship offer, coming from division II Dominican,