Jack to South Kent; St. John’s Staffing Update; Hofstra Release; Cothron to Auburn

Kadeem Jack is headed to South Kent, a prep school in Connecticut, for a year before going on to college.

“I spoke to Kadeem Jack last [Monday] night and he gave me every indication that he will be attending South Kent next year,” South Kent coach Kelvin Jefferson said Tuesday.

Jack himself texted various Arizona media outlets with the same news.

“Felt like I needed 2 get my skills and my body and my confidence up so when I go into college I can make a much bigger impact,” Jack told Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star.

Jack’s move to prep school was first reported here on April 27.

It was a surprising development because the 6-foot-9 senior forward holds offers from Arizona, ARkansas, UConn, Miami and St. John’s, yet he feels a prep year will benefit him.

“Do I think he needs to go?” Rice coach Moe Hicks asked SNY.tv last week, referring to prep school. “No, I don’t. I think he’s good enough to come right out of Rice High School and play at that high level. Ultimately, it’s his decision. I wish him the best.”

ST. JOHN’S STAFFING UPDATES

Mike Dunlap (Assistant Coach), Moe Hicks (Director of Basketball Operations) and Derrick Wrobel (Administrative Assistant to the Head Coach) will all be official at St. John’s under head coach Steve Lavin in the next 7-10 days, sources said.

That leaves one admininstrative spot left, which will likely be filled by one of the following:

·         Dwayne “Tiny” Morton, Lincoln High School, Brooklyn

·         Carlos Antonio Fordham, AAU and former J.C. coach from Detroit, Mich.

·         Matt Kovarik, Loyola (Md). No. 1 assistant coach, former Maryland assistant coach

·         Jerry Hobbie, former Houston assistant coach

·         David Gale, LA Clippers video assistant

HOFSTRA LOSING PLAYERS FAST

Former Hofstra player Halil Kanacevic, a 6-8 forward, has verbally committed to St. Joe’s. He must sit out a year and will be eligible in 2011. The commitment doesn’t impact the recruitment of former St. John’s signee Ronald Roberts, who is mulling St. Joe’s, Virginia and Georgia Tech. On Monday former coach Tim Welsh resigned in the wake of a DWI.

COTHRON TO AUBURN

Luke Cothron, a 6-8, 210-pound forward from Flora Macdonald Academy in North Carolina, chose Auburn over UConn and Tennessee, according to the Birmingham News.

“Because of Tony Barbee. He can help get me to the next level,” Cothron told the newspaper, referring to Auburn’s new coach. `”It’s close to home. They have that nice arena. And I like the up-tempo style Coach Barbee plays.”

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