(Kalif Young Photo Courtesy of Canada Basketball)
By Chuckie Maggio @chuckiemaggio
With two roster spots open for next season, St. Bonaventure’s coaching staff is hot on the recruiting trail.
Redshirt freshman center Jordan Tyson’s transfer wasn’t officially announced until last Thursday, but it was reported a couple weeks ago by the Bona Blog and Verbal Commits. After guard Tareq Coburn committed on March 30 and gave next year’s squad its sixth guard, it was clear that going big was the objective anyway.
Here’s a look at three players Schmidt and co. are looking at to potentially sign for 2016-17:
Kalif Young- 6-foot-9, 220-pound power forward, Vaughan, Canada. Young, a three-star recruit who attends Orangeville Prep in Canada, has received offers from Bona, VCU, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Marquette, Loyola Marymount, Pittsburgh and Providence. He told madehoops.com in February that he wouldn’t be making a decision until April or May, but that factors in his choice would be “fit, coaching, and who has had the most professionals that have played my position.”
With a Canadian assistant coach in Jerome Robinson and pros like Andrew Nicholson and Youssou Ndoye, the Bonnies certainly have a shot to land Young.
Ivor Baric- 6-foot-9 power forward, Cape Fear Christian Academy in Erwin, N.C. Phenom Hoop Report reported that Baric missed the start of the season due to a high ankle sprain, but MaxPreps’ stats show he averaged 8.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in 12 games. Head coach Dwight Miller told Phenom Hoop Report that the Croatian is a “special player with a high basketball IQ” who has “adapted very well to the speed of the game in the USA.”
The site went on to say that Baric is a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions and is a mobile, face up four man.
Clint Robinson- 6-foot-8, 235-pound power forward, Montego Bay, Jamaica and State Fair Community College. Schmidt was in Missouri on April 9 to watch Robinson work out, per AAU assistant coach Shawn Harmon’s Twitter. Robinson averaged 13.9 points and 8.6 rebounds a game at State Fair this past season. Verbal Commits lists Texas-San Antonio and Texas-Rio Grande Valley as schools who have offered him a scholarship.
The guard group is set, but the need for at least one more post player to join signee Amadi Ikpeze and returnees Derrick Woods, Dave Andoh, and LaDarien Griffin still looms large.
While Schmidt has been known to save a scholarship for future use, at least one more incoming freshman will be coming aboard for next season.
intrepidsbu.com 