God’s Gift’s Interest in St. John’s Rises on Easter

With Phil Greene signing on April 20th to become the 8th recruit for Steve Lavin in 2011, St. John’s 2nd-ranked recruiting class is one piece away from completion. So far, this is a group heavy with athletic wingmen, and the final scholarship is expected to be given to a player whose size can bolster the front court, moving into next season.

Recently, all attention has been focused on JUCO All-American God’s Gift Achiuwa. The 6’9″ big man visited the St. John’s campus this weekend and walked away with heightened interest. “The visit went great. He liked it a lot and really connected with the coaches,” his coach at Erie Community College, Alex Nwora, said in a phone interview.

“He’s a good leader who leads by example. The first one in the gym and the last one out,” Coach Nwora said, praising Achiuwa. “He’s a good kid, always makes eye contact, [and] he’s very coach-able.”

Achiuwa’s leadership and experience would be beneficial for this young Red Storm team next season, a team that will feature eight first-year players, including seven true freshman. Achiuwa was named to the NJCAA Division II All-American First Team, averaging a double-double, with 13 points and 13 rebounds per game.

Achiuwa wants to put the recruiting process behind him, according to his coach. He is expected to announce his decision within the week.