One Recruit's Decision Impacts Another
Lone Peak High's Josh Sharp probably has never heard of Jordan Cyphers, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Southeast High in Wichita, Kansas.
But a decision Cyphers makes in the next few weeks could very well determine where Sharp plays his college basketball. That, in turn, could determine where Sharp's teammate, Justin Hamilton, ends up. And so on and so forth.
Welcome to the wacky world of college basketball recruiting, where one player's decision can create a domino effect that reaches four or five others.
Here is how this one is unfolding, with information gleaned from sources close to several coaching staffs and pieced together bit by bit. As noted previously, college coaches cannot publicly comment on recruits until they have signed, so there is always some guesswork involved in these things.
But that's what blogs are for, aren't they?
Cyphers has been offered a scholarship by the University of Utah. He is scheduled to visit the campus on Sept. 15. Sharp, who has not yet been offered, is scheduled to visit Utah on Sept. 29.
If Cyphers commits to Utah, it is unlikely that Sharp will be offered (although he could be asked to walk on).
Then again, the Utes are not 100 percent sure Brighton's Jace Tavita, who committed to them two weeks ago, will qualify academically, so maybe they will ask Sharp to wait until the spring. Then, his future hinges on what Tavita does in the classroom.
It's a cruel game, isn't it?
First, there's the Cyphers decision.
He also has offers from Arkansas and Wichita State, schools comparable to Utah in the basketball universe.
He also likes high-majors Michigan and Illinois, although neither have offered. He has said those are his favorites, and he would jump at the chance to play for either. Supposedly, George Mason and TCU are also in the mix, according to Scouthoops.com.
Cyphers told the Web site he's willing to wait "until the end of September" for the Big Ten schools to offer before he takes another deal.
Funny, that's about the same time Sharp will be visiting Utah.
MORE UTAH OFFERS?
Although they've technically run out of scholarships, the Utes are still active in the recruiting game for players from the class of 2008, as noted above. Over-recruiting is common in college basketball, because players transfer, quit, enter the NBA Draft, etc.
One player the Utes are keeping a close eye on is Oscar Bellfield, a 6-1 point guard from Westchester High in Los Angeles whom some say has Andre Miller characteristics. Bellfield injured his groin and didn't get to show what he could do in the AAU summer basketball season.
Bellfield told Scouthoops.com he has received offers from San Diego State, UNLV, Oregon State and Utah, and heavy interest from Washington State and Nevada. He doesn't have any visits scheduled, however, which probably means the schools are waiting to see him play in November and December.
The Utes have also reportedly offered Jared Swopshire, a 6-7 small forward from the IMG Academy in Florida, and point guard Demetri Goodson of Klein, Texas (a player that Utah State is also supposedly interested in). However, the likes of Cincinnati, Louisville, Oklahoma and Gonzaga are also honing in on those two, so the Utes are probably a long shot for both.
But a decision Cyphers makes in the next few weeks could very well determine where Sharp plays his college basketball. That, in turn, could determine where Sharp's teammate, Justin Hamilton, ends up. And so on and so forth.
Welcome to the wacky world of college basketball recruiting, where one player's decision can create a domino effect that reaches four or five others.
Here is how this one is unfolding, with information gleaned from sources close to several coaching staffs and pieced together bit by bit. As noted previously, college coaches cannot publicly comment on recruits until they have signed, so there is always some guesswork involved in these things.
But that's what blogs are for, aren't they?
Cyphers has been offered a scholarship by the University of Utah. He is scheduled to visit the campus on Sept. 15. Sharp, who has not yet been offered, is scheduled to visit Utah on Sept. 29.
If Cyphers commits to Utah, it is unlikely that Sharp will be offered (although he could be asked to walk on).
Then again, the Utes are not 100 percent sure Brighton's Jace Tavita, who committed to them two weeks ago, will qualify academically, so maybe they will ask Sharp to wait until the spring. Then, his future hinges on what Tavita does in the classroom.
It's a cruel game, isn't it?
First, there's the Cyphers decision.
He also has offers from Arkansas and Wichita State, schools comparable to Utah in the basketball universe.
He also likes high-majors Michigan and Illinois, although neither have offered. He has said those are his favorites, and he would jump at the chance to play for either. Supposedly, George Mason and TCU are also in the mix, according to Scouthoops.com.
Cyphers told the Web site he's willing to wait "until the end of September" for the Big Ten schools to offer before he takes another deal.
Funny, that's about the same time Sharp will be visiting Utah.
MORE UTAH OFFERS?
Although they've technically run out of scholarships, the Utes are still active in the recruiting game for players from the class of 2008, as noted above. Over-recruiting is common in college basketball, because players transfer, quit, enter the NBA Draft, etc.
One player the Utes are keeping a close eye on is Oscar Bellfield, a 6-1 point guard from Westchester High in Los Angeles whom some say has Andre Miller characteristics. Bellfield injured his groin and didn't get to show what he could do in the AAU summer basketball season.
Bellfield told Scouthoops.com he has received offers from San Diego State, UNLV, Oregon State and Utah, and heavy interest from Washington State and Nevada. He doesn't have any visits scheduled, however, which probably means the schools are waiting to see him play in November and December.
The Utes have also reportedly offered Jared Swopshire, a 6-7 small forward from the IMG Academy in Florida, and point guard Demetri Goodson of Klein, Texas (a player that Utah State is also supposedly interested in). However, the likes of Cincinnati, Louisville, Oklahoma and Gonzaga are also honing in on those two, so the Utes are probably a long shot for both.
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