Garland Owens

“The coaching staff made me feel like I was a part of the family,” Owens, a Maryland native, told SNY.tv after it was previously reported by several outlets.

“They have something special in store for me. And it’s in the ACC, arguably the best conference in the world.”

Asked what skillset he will bring, Owens said, “Just my athleticism and my energy to make momentum-changing plays whether it be a dunk or a block, just big play-making ability.”

Owens’s choice leaves Seton Hall with Aquille Carr as its only committed 2013 player.

DANIEL TO IONA

Dwayne Daniel, a 5-11 2014 point guard from Lawrence High School on Long Island, pledged to Iona on Sunday, as first reported by SNY.tv.

“I chose Iona because it gives my family a chance to watch me play and compete at the highest level,” Daniel told SNY.tv. “I felt very comfortable speaking to the coaches. I feel I will help Iona continue its winning ways when I arrive in the fall of 2014.”

Daniel averaged 20.4 points last season for a Lawrence team that won its league title in Nassau County.

One source said Daniel should average more than 30 points per game this season and will be the “best point guard in the state in the 2014 class.”

Hofstra and Siena were also involved, but never offered.

“They spoke to him, nobody else offered,” Lawrence coach Joe Supple told SNY.tv. “He can fill it up,  can shoot from anywhere on the court. He’s super athletic, had a great sophomore year.”

JONES TO MIZZOU

Torren Jones, a 6-8 power forward from La Lumiere (IN), committed to Missouri just three days after the Tigers landed 6-8 forward Johnathan Williams III.

Jones is seen as a replacement for UConn transfer Alex Oriakhi after he leaves.

“I feel like [head] coach [Frank] Haith is a great coach,” Jones told the National Recruiting Spotlight. “He has helped me a lot on and off the court with life and as a man. It’s a great college town and a great atmosphere. I love the college town, it’s a nice landscape. It’s not just about basketball, I feel like I’d love to live at Missouri for four years.”

“I just felt like they’re one of the best coaching staffs and he’s a winning coach,” he continued. “He gets to the [NCAA] tournament and that’s exactly what I want to do.”

Jones follows Williams III and guards Wes Clark and Travis Jorgenson in Mizzou’s 2013 class.

Photo: Standardli.com

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

And like ZAGS on Facebook

“I’m considering St. John’s and Oregon,” the 6-foot-6, 194-pound Garrett said by phone from the Boost Mobile Elite 24 game in Venice Beach, Calif. “They’re at the top right now.”

The No. 16 small forward in the Class of 2011 according to Rivals, Garrett is also considering Boston College, Kansas and Miami.

Garrett, who will play at national power Findlay Prep in Las Vegas this season, said  he’s still planning out his schedule of official visits with his father

“I’m gonna visit Kansas for sure, and Miami,” he said. “I took an unofficial to Boston College already. I might try to take an official there.”

Garrett is one of several West Coast players new St. John’s coach Steve Lavin is targeting and so far it is paying off.

“Lavin’s a good coach,” Garrett said. “He develops good players. He has a winning tradition. He’s a good coach, a good person. His coaching staff is pretty good.”

As for Oregon, Garrett likes the feeling he gets from Dana Altman’s staff.

“I talked to them,” he said. “They make you feel like you’re a part of them. They’re looking to turn around their program. The coach is good. They sound like good people.”

A left-hander, Garrett is also a baseball pitcher who has been clocked up to 95 mph.

He said he might also play baseball in college.

“Hopefully, that’s what I’m planning to do,” he said.

As for what he’ll bring on the basketball court, Garrett is an athletic wing who can create mismatches.

“I’m very versatile,” he said. “I’m really good on the wing. I get to the basket pretty good. I can handle the rock. I create mismatches for defenders. Usually they put their biggest guys on me. But I’m too quick. I go inside if there’s a little defender on me. And I go outside and hit the jumper on a bigger defender. I’m a mismatch for anyone guarding me.”

RELATED CONTENT

**Miller wants to join Bello in college

**DeAndre Daniels staying 2011, going prep

**LeBryan Nash down to 3, will announce Oct. 21

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

The Top 3 players in the Rivals Class of 2012 are all centers.

Now one of them is off the board.

Isaiah Austin, a 7-footer from Burleson (Texas) Grace Prep, committed to Baylor during the Adidas Nations Global Experience Monday night on CBS College Sports.

Austin is ranked No. 2 nationally by Rivals.

Baylor reached the NCAA regional finals last season before losing to eventual national champion Duke.

The other two big men in the Class of 2012 are 6-9 Andre Drummond of St. Thomas More (Conn.), who said he may announce his list this month, and 6-10 DaJuan Coleman of Jamesville-DeWitt, who lists Syracuse, Ohio State, Kentucky, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Louisville, UConn, Florida and North Carolina.

FREE THROWS

Indiana also landed a commitment from 6-11 rising junior center Peter Jurkin of United Faith Christian Academy (N.C.) and the Indiana Elite travel team, according to reports. Jurkin, a native of the Sudan, also considered North Carolina, Tennessee and Clemson…6-11 junior big Kyle Caudill of Bera (Calif.) Olinda committed to Boston College, per Scout.com.

“He’s going to officially visit Kansas, Miami and Boston College,” Garrett’s coach, Matt Goren, said Wednesday by phone.

The 6-foot-6 Garrett has already visited St. John’s and Boston College unofficially.

Goren said Oregon, Wake Forest, Arizona State, Seattle and San Diego State were also involved.

“But right now I’m open,” Garrett recently told Wildcat Sports Report. “I want to listen to what the college coaches have to say.”

Goren is a Las Vegas native who transferred to national power Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep from Lawndale (Calif.) Leuzinger. He runs with the Belmont Shore AAU program and is ranked No. 16 among small forwards by Rivals.

A high-level, left-handed pitching prospect who throws 95 mph, Garrett  will play this fall for the Yankees scout team in Los Angeles, Goren said.

He is abandoning baseball at Findlay but may still play in college.

“I’m not worried about it,” Garrett told Wildcat Sports Report. “It was not hard for me at all moving to Findlay even though they don’t have a baseball team. I’ve made my choice and I’ll make the best of it.”

For the immediate future, Garrett plans to focus on basketball and Goren said he can be an impact player at the next level.

“I think the greatest thing about Amir is, he’s a natural winner,” Goren said. “He’s extremely athletic. He can play hard on the defensive end. The one great thing that anyone should know about him is he takes pride in not letting anyone score on him.”

Offensively, Goren says Garrett has “transitioned from a forward to now he’s a 6-6 shooting guard. He has a long-range and mid-range game. For a tall guard he runs the fastbreak and is an unselfish player. He’s willing to pass. The unbelievable thing about him is he wants to see his team win every time. Whether he has to guard someone 6-10 or guard a 5-8 guy, he’ll do that.”

Garrett visited St. John’s in June and Goren said Steve Lavin’s staff is in good position.

“I’d say what Lavin presents to the situation is someone who understands players, having coached at UCLA. [Assistant coach] Rico Hines known as one of the best player-developers in the country. Mike Dunlap is known as a Norm Chow of basketball.

“And with nine scholarships [maybe 10], he’s bringing in his own players.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

The latest is rising senior point guard Jabarie Hinds, ranked No. 23 at his position nationally by Rivals.

Hinds recently added Boston College to a long list of suitors that also includes Cincinnati, Florida State, Iona, Louisville, Miami, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, St. John’s, UConn, UNLV, Villanova, Wake Forest and West Virginia.

“He’s just taking everything in,” Mount Vernon coach Bob Cimmino said. “He will chop the list the first week in August and make plans for official visits.”

Hinds will be in Orlando beginning Friday with the Westchester Hawks for the AAU Nationals.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

I’m hearing BC wasn’t aware that Taylor had been suspended for seven games last season for “violating team rules.” Really? How do you not know that?

Anyway, the 6-foot-7 Taylor, a Union, N.J. native, will visit Xavier Tuesday and is also considering Miami, Cincinnati and Arizona State.

“Travis and his family want to utilize the three remaining official visits he has left before he makes a decision,” a source with knowledge said. “Considering we’re about to enter the second live period this could drag into August.”

Taylor averaged 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds last season.

FREE THROWS

Jabari Brown of the Oakland Soldiers picked up an offer from UConn, Alex Kline reports… Former St. Bonnie’s commit Elijah Carter of Paterson, NJ has picked up offers from Rutgers, Cincinnati, Richmond & Charlotte…Pa. guard Ryan Arcidiacono has added offers from Florida, West Virginia, Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Ga Tech and BC. Kansas & UNC called.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

Former Monmouth forward Travis Taylor has opted to transfer to Boston College and play for former Cornell coach Steve Donahue. Taylor chose the Eagles over Seton Hall and Temple.

Taylor, a 6-foot-7 sophomore from Union, N.J., averaged 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds last season

“This was an extremely tough choice for Travis and multiple factors played into his decision making process,” said Bill Diamond, the Taylor family adviser. “It was well thought out and he and his family asked all of the right questions. Travis loved the campus, the academic reputation and the coaching staff.  He has an opportunity to earn immediate playing time in one of the best conferences in the country. Steve Donahue is a proven coach and will do a tremendous job in Travis’s maturation process on and off the court.”

Monmouth gave Taylor a conditional release, allowing him to move to schools not on the team’s 2010-11 schedule. Seton Hall is not on the schedule, while Rutgers is.

Taylor has not answered several calls to his cell phone.

He was suspended for seven games last season for “violating team rules” and the team went 2-5 during that span.

FIELDS TO DECIDE SOON

John Fields, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound big man who is transferring from North Carolina Wilmington, plans to decide early next week.

Fields is considering Rutgers, Miami, Tennessee and Xavier.

He will visit Miami Tuesday-Thursday before heading to Tennessee Thursday-Saturday.

“I’ll probably decide Monday or Tuesday,” Fields said by phone.

Fields also visited Rutgers last Thursday-Saturday  and was at Xavier before that.

Fields, a Fayetteville, N.C. native, spent two seasons at East Carolina before transferring to UNCW, where he averaged 10.2 points and a team-best 8.7 boards.

He would be immediately eligible to play in 2010-11.

(Photo courtesy StarOnline.com & Monmouth Athletics)

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

Consider that in the last two weeks, Mike Rice’s staff has brought in Naadir Tharpe, Jordan Goodman, Jaron Sina, Tyrone Johnson, Myles Mack, Derrick Randall and Kadeem Jack on visits. Baylor transfer Givon Crump also came to Piscataway.

The 6-8 Goodman, considered one of the top players in the Class of 2012, ended up committing after his visit.

Still more recruits — including Mike Taylor, a sweet-shooting 2011 off guard from Brooklyn Boys & Girls — are due to visit in the coming days.

“I was not recruiting at this level for the last three years,” Rice, who left Robert Morris of the Northeast Conference to take over at the Big East school, said in a recent phone interview. “And so the more face time, the quicker the relationships that I build,  the better that I think our recruiting class is going to be.”

Rutgers has an incoming class that includes 6-8 forward Gilvydas Biruta, 6-6 wing Mike Poole, 6-3 shooting guard Austin Carroll and 6-2 JUCO shooting guard Tyree Graham. Poole and Graham committed after Rice took over from former coach Fred Hill.

“Getting these guys on campus and starting to build a relationship with them is very important, along with showing them what a wonderful University Rutgers is,” Rice said.

Rice’s staff deserves credit, too. Associate head coach David Cox has deep ties to the DC Assault AAU program and in the Washington, D.C area. Former Hofstra and Fordham assistant Van Macon is well connected in New York City. Jimmy Martelli came to Rutgers from Robert Morris, where Rice already proved he could recruit the talent-rich North Jersey/Philly area. And Hill holdover Jimmy Carr already proved his recruiting chops by landing Hamady N’Diaye, Gregory Echenique, Dane Miller and others.

“My job right now is to help rebuild this program, to help make sure that we are competitive over the next year or two and in the next two or three years making a strong push to set goals in this conference and make that [NCAA] tournament,” Cox said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

Still, Rice said he’s excited to spread his recruiting wings at the Big East level and praised his staff for their efforts.

“It’s all recruiting but certainly the level now is you’re recruiting the best players in the region,” Rice said. “There’s an excitement. There’s certainly much more competition to it. I have a very good staff who’s done a great job zeroing in on the type of players we want and the talent we want.”

HARRIS TALKS CAROLINA, N.C. STATE VISITS

Prior to his Rutgers visit, Harris, the younger brother of Tennessee freshman Tobias Harris, visited North Carolina Monday and N.C. State Tuesday.

Here’s a breakdown on the visits from Torrel Harris:

Monday – June 21, 2010

“Tyler had a great unofficial visit at the University of North Carolina. He felt  all the coaches that he met were real cool and the campus was beautiful.

Tyler had a sit down with Coach [Roy] Williams and after the conversation he came away very impressed. Tyler was also impress with Coach [Steve] Robinson, who gave us a tour of the university and some history lessons when we  visited the UNC basketball museum. It has so much history it  was awesome.  Tyler had the chance
to play pickup ball with the current and former players, many of them pros. Tyler held his own and after winning some games he was really excited about the experience.”

Tuesday – June 22, 2010

“Tyler has another great day on an unofficial visit at North Carolina State. All the coaches were cool and the campus is beautiful and big. Tyler had a sit down meeting with Coach [Sidney] Lowe in which Tyler came away very impressed. Coach [Larry] Harris was great. He gave us a tour of the whole university. Tyler was very impressed with the school, the practice facility and RBC center where the basketball team plays all of their home games. Tyler had the opportunity to speak with the academic adviser. Tyler had the chance to play pickup games against current  and former players, even some of the top name players who played at Duke were in the gym. The game was popping. Tyler’s team won 6 straight game. He held his own playing against these great players.”

FREE THROWS

6-6, 220-pound former Manhattan and Fordham commit Joel ‘Air Jamaica’ Wright will visit Hofstra this wknd and Robert Morris next…Seton Hall will host 6-2 point guard Aaron Cosby of Northfield Mount Hermon and 6-3 wing of Jarrod Davis of Lakewood (NJ) in the coming days…2011 PG Naadir Tharpe says Rutgers visit “went well.” He’ll “maybe visit BC tomorrow [Thursday] and decide in the fall.”…6-11 Malcolm Gilbert of Academy of the New Church visited Ohio State and Pittsburgh unofficially and says he’s also “trying to visit Duke.”

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter.

He saw Seton Hall last Saturday and Boston College last Sunday and Monday. The 6-foot-7 Taylor is scheduled to visit Temple on Sunday and Monday.

“Right now that’s all the visits the Taylors have set up,” said Bill Diamond, Taylor’s mentor.

“I will sit down with Travis and his parents next week after the Temple visit and get a feel if they would like to utilize the remaining three visits (Seton Hall was an unofficial). Tennesse, Clemson and Fordham have expressed an interest to me and are under consideration. We wanted to wait until the Temple visit before we sat down and met again, so we can compare the three visits he’s taken. This is an extremely important decision for Travis and he and his parents want to explore all of their options and do their homework and research before making a well thought out and informed decision.”

Monmouth has given Taylor a conditional release, limiting him to the teams not on Monmouth’s schedule for next season.

**In other Monmouth news, the school’s Board of Trustees will meet at 1:30 Thursday and could discuss the struggling basketball program, the Asbury Park Press reported.

“It’s got to come up,” Board member H. William Mullaney told the paper. “It’s a topic of conversation.”

After Taylor announced his transfer, former Rutgers guard Justin Sofman said he was leaving the team and would transfer to Division 3 Ramapo College.

“I expect when the athletic director [Marilyn McNeil] makes her report that [subject of men’s basketball] will be raised at that time,” Mullaney told the paper . “Obviously what’s going on is unacceptable.”

The newspaper reports that Monmouth has gone 39-84 since 2006-7 and 10 players have left the program for various reasons.

FDU LANDS DUO

Fairleigh Dickinson landed a pair of verbal commitments Thursday from A.J. Matthews and Ryan Davis of Broward (Fla.) Community College.

Matthews is a 6-11, 206-pound center and Davis is a 5-10, 170-pound point guard.

Both will spend one more year at Broward before joining FDU in 2011, when they will have two years of eligibility remaining.

“I like the school,” said Matthews, a Brooklyn native. “It’s a good environment. The coach [Greg Vetrone] was really good.”

Matthews said he also had interest from Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Fordham, Iona and St. John’s. Broward coach Bob Starkman said Kansas, Cincinnati and Washington State “are calling me already on him” even though Matthews hasn’t stepped foot yet on campus.

“A 7-footer that can really play is unheard of these days,” Starkman said.

“He runs the floor, he’s 6-11, he’s athletic, he’s got Big East potential,” added one Big East assistant coach said of Matthews. “In the NEC, if his head’s on straight, he’s the best player in the league. Not many 6-11 guys can run and jump and catch and have skills.”

Davis, a Queens native, sat out this past season to improve his grades but played the 2008-9 and was named second-team all-conference.

“He’s really quick and he’s a good 3-point shooter,” Starkman said.

Davis said he wants to help FDU make the Big Dance.

“Definitely win the NEC and hopefully take the team to the tournament,” he said of his goals.

RUTGERS TO HIRE MURDOCK

New Jersey native and former NBA player Eric Murdock will be named Director of Player Development at Rutgers next week, sources said.

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter

“‘Nova and Pitt,” the 6-foot-9, 205-pound Hubert said Friday night at the Rumble in the Bronx at Fordham. “Great programs, I like the head coaches.”

As for Villanova, Hubert said he liked head coach Jay Wright and the whole program.

“Jay Wright, he’s just a cool dude,” he said. “I talk to him a lot. He’s a real cool guy to sit down and just talk with. I really like the way he coaches and the way he carries himself. He’s one of my favorite coaches.”

Hubert played AAU ball with Villanova sophomore Dominic Cheek and also knows sophomore guard Maalik Wayns.

As for Pitt, Hubert said Panthers head coach Jamie Dixon “is a great guy.”

“I can sit down and talk with him. He makes me feel real comfortable when I talk to him. That’s a big plus for me. And then just they had a lot of good bigs lately [Sam Young, DeJuan Blair, Tyrell Biggs].”

The No. 7 center in the Class of 2011, Hubert, a rising senior at New Egypt (N.J.) High School said he also holds offers from UConn, Maryland, Wake Forest, Ohio State, Notre Dame,  Virginia Tech, Virginia, Rutgers and Seton Hall.

“I’m still pretty much wide open right now,” Hubert said. “Hopefully, after the live period I’ll be able to make my list.”

Jerome Smart, Hubert’s coach with the Playaz and the new head coach at Teaneck (N.J.) High, said Hubert “has a shot” to play in the NBA one day.

“He has a shot,” Smart said. “He has to develop offensively. He’s definitely going pro, whether he’s going to play in the NBA [or not]. He needs to work on his offensive game and get stronger. Defensively, he’s sound. Athletically, he’s outstanding. It just comes down to whether he can get bigger and stronger and be more effective on the offensive end in the low post.”

SMART TAKES OVER AT TEANECK

Jerome Smart is the new head coach at Teaneck (N.J.) High School.

Smart previously spent three years as the head coach at Paterson Catholic and now coaches the Playaz 17s team.

“We liked Jerome’s experience,” said Teaneck AD Ron Van Saders. “We like his connection with college coaches and those were the two biggest factors.

“Plus, he’s in the building [as a special ed teacher].  Your head basketball coach  has to be in the building.”

Smart takes over for Curtis March, who retired after last season. March won more than 300 games coaching boys basketball and more than 200 coaching the girls.

“He was very successful,” Smart said. “He won a lot of games, so of course I’m going to try to keep the winning tradition going.

“But I also want to try to help kids get into school and things of that nature. It’s very important to me to try to make sure that all the seniors get into college. When I was Paterson Catholic, every senior went to college, all of them except one on scholarship.

“I don’t know if we’re going to be that successful on scholarships, but as far as making sure they go D-3, D-2, whatever, to further their education. I don’t want their time playing basketball at Teaneck to be wasted on just basketball. I want to help develop them into young men and go on to college.”

MCMILLAN TO HOFSTRA

Dwan McMillan, a 6-foot point guard from Brooklyn, committed to Hofstra over Marshall and Creighton.

McMillan, who averaged 13 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds at Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College, previously played at St. Benedict’s Prep. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

“I will bring leadership and a type of hunger for winning that will get us over the hump to the NCAA tournament,” McMillan said. “Just making everybody’s job easier on the defensive and offensive side.”

Devon (Fatty) McMillan, Dwan’s younger brother, previously committed to Fordham and will go there in 2011 after prepping a year, Dwan said. Devon had initially committed to Hofstra, but ended up following Tom Pecora to Fordham.

FREE THROWS

South Kent coach Kelvin Jefferson says West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Georgetown all called about Ricardo Ledo, a  6-5 wing who will play at South Kent…The Pitt men’s hoops team will play 6 games in 3 cities in Ireland July 29 – Aug 9…Monmouth forward Travis Taylor will visit Seton Hall Saturday and Boston College on Sunday and Monday…Fordham commit Jeff Short says he plans to prep next year, but has yet to decide where…Jerel Scott, a 6-5 wing with the Albany City Rocks who will prep at Worcester (Mass.) Academy, listed Maryland, VCU, Fairfield, Fordham, Colorado and Siena as schools with interest…

(Photos courtesy Rivals, Jerome Smart, Daily News)

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter