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Due to excessive community complaining lobbying, I'm pleased to announce the return of the recruiting big boards. The 2014 board will occur on the first weekday of the month, and the 2015 board will be posted on roughly the 15th of the month. We're moving to monthly editions because we're going to be posting more articles as news occurs.
As you're all hopefully aware, we opened the books on 2015 on June 19th with the commitment of forward Tim Delaney. Delaney is the AAU teammate of 2014 target Ben Bentil and 2015 target Derrick Jones, so hopefully he's in their ear.
Also thanks to Mike, we've got a nice graphic of the roster outlook, so you can get a good feel for how the next few years will play out. In this cycle, we've still got a maximum of 2 scholarships open (assuming no transfers).
Point Guards
Ryan Arcidiacono and Dylan Ennis will have 2 years of eligibility remaining, and we're still targeting at least one handler in the class of 2014, so this doesn't appear to be a huge priority for Wright (unless he whiffs on 2014).
| Target | Hometown (HS & AAU) | Height/Weight | Recruiting Profiles | Also Considering | Trending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah Briscoe |
Newark, NJ ( |
6'4", 205 lbs. |
|
Briscoe picked up a 'Nova offer in September, and even though he attended Hoops Mania last year, is probably out of Jay Wright's range. Arizona is thought to be leading. He's on his way out of St. Benedict's and could land at national powers Findlay, Huntington, Oak Hill or Our Savior New American. |
|
| Shawn Alston |
Haverford, PA (Haverford School & Team Final) |
6'3", 170 lbs. |
|
Alston took an unofficial visit to 'Nova in early June, but 'Nova has yet to offer like some of the other local schools. Jay Wright may be waiting to see how 2014 plays out first. Alston was described as a "good combo guard who is long, controls tempo, and must be aggressive" by Alex Kline at the 2013 PeachJam. |
|
| Cheyenne Nettleton |
New York, NY (Brooklyn Collegiate) |
5'10", 155 lbs. |
|
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Nettleton is definitely plan B for 'Nova right now while they continue to evaluate other options, but he's on here because he got an invite to Hoops Mania last year. |
Shooting Guards
Much will depend on what happens with Newton, Booth and Robert Johnson in 2014, but there are some attractive options for Jay Wright as Darrun Hilliard will be graduating.
| Target | Hometown (HS) | Height/Weight | Recruiting Profiles | Also Considering | Trending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin Howard |
Fairfax, VA (Paul VI Catholic & Team Takeover) |
6'4", 175 lbs. |
|
Villanova has offered Howard, who is much like fellow Takeover product Phil Booth in that he can play either on or off the ball. He's seen his stock soar this spring/summer and many of the big boys will be involved soon. Jay Wright was watching Howard at the 16U Peach Jam this past weekend. |
|
| Malachi Richardson |
Roselle, NJ (Roselle Catholic & Team Final) |
6'5", 195 lbs. |
|
Richardson is the elite shooter that we crave, but he's probably a tad too elite and is likely to land at a Top-5 program. He's planning visits for August, and Villanova isn't currently on the list. He offered a mixed bag of results playing a year up with Team Final at the Peach Jam. |
Small Forwards
The commitment of Mikal Bridges added a nice piece to the wing for Villanova, and they look really good here in the coming years with Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins added to the fold in 2013.
| Target |
Hometown (HS) | Height/Weight | Rankings | Also Considering | Trending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Jones |
Radnor, PA (Archbishop Carroll & WE-R-1) |
6'6", 180 lbs. |
|
'Nova did the right thing offering early, as Jones is just seeing his stock explode following a strong spring with WE-R-1. He was offered by both Kentucky and Kansas at the Reebok Breakout and his father has said Kentucky and Syracuse lead. |
|
| Josh Reaves |
Fairfax, VA (Paul VI Catholic & Team Takeover) |
6'4", 185 lbs. |
|
|
The second member of Paul VI's three-headed monster in 2015, Reaves is a smooth lefty with a nice shot from the outside. Recently picked up an offer from Villanova and says that VCU and Georgetown are coming at him hard. |
| Chris Clover |
Philadelphia, PA (St. Joseph's Prep & Philly Pride) |
6'4", 200 lbs. |
|
|
Clover picked up an offer from Villanova (along with Drexel) at the team camp in mid-June. CoBL notes he's transitioning from the frontcourt to the wing, and needs to improve his jumpshot. He's said that he is considering leaving Philly for college. |
Forwards/Centers
Delaney being in the fold so early is a big plus as it allows Jay Wright to be a little more selective and focus on some big names.
| Target | Hometown (HS) | Height/Weight | Recruiting Profiles | Also Considering | Trending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Delaney |
Pitman, NJ (Pitman & WE-R-1) |
6'8", 225 lbs. |
|
Delaney made a surprise commitment to 'Nova in late June, giving Villanova a capable forward whose stock is expected to rise. A grinder who also can shoot, he looks like a great grab early on. |
|
| Marcus Derrickson |
Fairfax, VA (Paul VI Catholic & Team Takeover) |
6'7", 230 lbs. |
|
The crowned jewel of Paul VI's loaded team, Derrickson owns a Villanova offer. Locals Georgetown and Maryland, along with Indiana, appear to be out in front right now, but it's early. |
|
| Thomas Bryant |
Rochester, NY (Bishop Kearney & Team Scan) |
6'8", 225 lbs. |
|
Villanova offered early, but this is in the heart of Boeheim country, so it'll be a tough one to pull off. Bryant impressed at the Nike Peach Jam. |
|
| Moustapha Diagne |
Sparta, NJ (Pope John XXIII & NJ Playaz) |
6'9", 230 lbs. |
|
Diagne is getting offered on potential right now as his game is a little raw, but he's done well this spring and he'll collect more offers soon. 'Nova has offered. |
Anybody you think we should be tracking? Let us know and we'll add them to the board.
Make sure to stay tuned to our dedicated section for 2014 Villanova basketball recruiting where we'll be filing all our big boards along with any other posts that deal with recruiting in the 2013 cycle.
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