Villanova Basketball Recruiting: Wildcats staff active during first July live period

Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright and his staff were on the road this past weekend for the first action in the July live periods. Wright swung by the Under Armour All-American camp on Thursday before meeting up with his staff at the Nike Peach Jam for the weekend, while at least one coach made the trek north to Massachusetts.

With Omari Spellman knocked out of the Peach Jam due to injury, the staff spent all their time watching the uncommitted targets on their board. Here's who the coaches were scouting this weekend:

2016 prospects

Dylan Painter - Hershey (PA) - Team Final

Coming off an unofficial visit in June, Painter still doesn't hold an offer from Villanova. Because of that, he seems inclined to focus on other schools but the 'Nova coaches were still scouting and evaluating him this past weekend. An offer is still possible, so these next few weeks are crucial.

Kevin Huerter - Shenendehowa (NY) - Albany City Rocks

Huerter was only able to compete in a game or two - he left the Peach Jam early to compete in a baseball tournament. Horray for dual-sport athletes! Huerter picked up a Villanova offer in late June and has said he'll start taking visits after the live period ends. Villanova will get one of those and seems solidly in the mix for the 6'5" sniper.

Lamar Stevens - Roman Catholic (PA) - Team Final

The staff spent time at multiple Team Final games - we know they were still evaluating Painter and it's safe to assume they are still looking at Stevens too. The rugged forward provides a ton of versatility, something that Villanova places high value on.

2017 prospects

D.J. Harvey - DeMatha Catholic (MD) - Team Takeover

If it wasn't clear before, it's very clear now that Harvey is a top priority in 2017. The 6'6" wing is one of the top shooters in the country and impressed on the defensive end, stymieing elite 2016 guard Malik Monk in front of Jay Wright at the Peach Jam. In fact, Villanova coaches were at every single Takeover game this weekend - they must feel they have a strong shot after Harvey visited the Villanova campus in May and had some good things to say to Adam Zagoria this weekend.

Mohammed Bamba - Westtown (PA) - PSA Cardinals (16U)

If there is a 'must-have' prospect in 2017 for Villanova, it's Bamba. It'll be a war for his services, but 'Nova has to like the position they are in early on. Bamba recorded the first triple-double of the year in the EYBL with Wright sitting courtside and was his typically dominant self all weekend - save for a matchup with five-star Ikechukwu Obiagu, who apparently gave him some trouble on the offensive end.

Lonnie Walker - Reading (PA) - Team Final

It wouldn't be a stretch to call the Wildcats the clubhouse leader for Walker at the moment. His recruitment is just starting to pick up with offers from Indiana and Oregon coming in recent weeks, but he seems enanormed with the Villanova program and strong academics the school can offer. He's also talked a lot about representing his hometown and not leaving - another positive sign for Villanova.

Nick Richards - The Patrick School (NJ) - Expressions Elite

Nick Richards' AAU team did not qualify for the Peach Jam, so Villanova sent an assistant to Springfield, Mass. over the weekend to watch his club play in the Basketball Summer Championships event. Richards has identified Villanova as one of the programs recruiting him the hardest at the moment, and he also had Syracuse and Notre Dame in the building watching him as well.

Trevon Duval - St. Benedict's (NJ) - WE-R-1

Duval is currently in the midst of transferring from St. Benedict's (NJ), and could end up playing closer to his Delaware home. Duval took an unofficial visit to Villanova in June, and with offers from programs such as Kansas, Louisville, Maryland and Syracuse, his recruitment should be uber-competitive. His high school coach has indicated he may look to stay close to home.

Quade Green - Neumann-Goretti - WE-R-1

Green, a Philly local who attends Neumann-Goretti (PA), also took part in the Charlotte camp, and the diminutive guard performed well. Despite his small stature, Green was one of the top scorers in the camp after a strong spring. With offers from Maryland and Michigan State in recent months, Green may end up being tough to keep at home.

Hamidou Diallo - Woodstock Academy (CT) - NY Jayhawks

Diallo was scouted a few times in recent months by the Wildcats' staff, but Monday brought a scholarship offer after Jay Wright watched him at the Under Armour All-American camp last week. Diallo is a high-flying guard that can shoot it from deep as well. He's a five-star guard in his class and is being sought by the top programs on the east coast at the moment.

2018 prospects

Jahvon Quinerly - Hudson Catholic (NJ) - Sports U

Quinerly added a Villanova offer in April and impressed at two events this week, first at the Under Armour AA camp where Wright had a chance to see him, and then at Elevate Hoops over the weekend. For his efforts, he added new offers from Cincinnati, Penn State and Tennessee.

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The staff also spent some time at multiple Las Vegas Prospects games at the Peach Jam. We've not recently seen Villanova interest in any players on that team, but the Prospects boast 2016 forward Ed O'Bannon III as well as elite 2017 prospects Troy Brown, Markus Howard, Charles O'Bannon and O'Shae Brissett.