Xavier

Looks like Sean Miller and Norm are going after the same players. I think Miller is a great young coach but why would a kid want to go to Xavier over St Johns? Why would a local kid want to go play in the Atlantic 10 rather than the Big East?


http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/weiss/2008/08/lincolns-stephenson-battling-a.html
Speaking of the Musketeers, Xavier is continuing to scour the tri-state area for talent, although they have yet to net a commitment for the incoming class of 2009. They’re aggressively chasing Parrom, as well as Connecticut forward Tevin Baskin and Rice guard Durand Scott.

They’re also hotly pursuing a collection of the area’s 2010 players, having offered scholarships to Loughlin’s Jayvaughn Pinkston, Doron Lamb (Oak Hill Academy, formerly Loughlin) and Long Island’s Tobias Harris.

It’s been up-and-down recruiting for Xavier, though. They have the resume of a major-conference team, including last year’s 30-7 record and Elite Eight appearance, and they have stability in head coach Sean Miller, who just got a 10-year extension. But they don’t play in a power conference (Atlantic 10).

That shouldn’t affect all players, though. Scott, for one, thinks very highly of the Musketeers. “They’re definitely on the list,” he said.

Scott lists the Musketeers along with a half-dozen other programs, including UCLA, Pitt, UConn and Miami, but this recruiting battle could finish up soon. Scott wants to make a decision “before my season starts.”

“I thought it would be hard,” he said. “But when I actually started trimming my list, it doesn’t seem that bad. I know what I want.”

Scott said his priority is finding somewhere where he’s “comfortable” and can get a good education. He also wants playing time.

“I want a decent amount of minutes,” he said. “And I want to win.”

Expect a battle between UConn and Xavier in the end. Scott took an unofficial trip to Xavier a few months back and loved the campus. The Musketeers also offer plenty of early playing time with B.J. Raymond and C.J. Anderson graduating after this year.

UConn, meanwhile, offered a scholarship to Scott during the CHSAA playoffs, and they have a talented lead recruiter of sorts: Scott’s former Rice teammate Kemba Walker

Book Richardson, the former Director of Basketball Ops and head coach of the Gauchos 17U team is an assistant at Xavier.  He coached Durand Scott, Kevin Parrom and others over the past few seasons.