The 6-foot, 170-pound point guard pledged to Georgia Tech Monday, choosing Brian Gregory’s club over Boston College and Creighton.

“I just think Georgia Tech is going to have a great future and there’s a chance to build something special,” he told SNY.tv. “They have some really good guys on the team and also great players who just want to win.”

After visiting all three schools, the onetime Missouri commit and Rivals No. 31 point guard in the Class of 2013 decided Georgia Tech was the best situation.

“He liked the opportunity to play early and he really liked the staff,” his AAU coach, L.J. Goolsby, told SNY.tv. “He brings a great feel for the game and the ability to make others around him better.”

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“Commit to Georgia Tech,” the 6-foot-5 Poole told SNY.tv by text.

Poole also said he plans to attend Saturday’s Duke-Georgia Tech game at Phillips Arena at noon.

“Gonna go visit for the game [Saturday],” he said.

The Jacksonville, Fla., native was supposed to visit Florida International Friday on a visit, but chose not to go.

Poole also considered Seton Hall and DePaul.

Poole said Thursday he hopes to be eligible to play at the start of the 2012-13 season since he didn’t play any games at Kentucky this year.

He would have three years of eligibility remaining.

“Most likely because I didn’t play no games this year, this is my redshirt season, so next season I’ll be able to play,” he said. “I may have to sit a couple of games, but it won’t be that long.”

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Brian Gregory picked up a five-star power forward Thursday when Robert Carter picked Georgia Tech over Georgia and Florida.

The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Carter from Snellville (Ga.) Shiloh High School joins a recruiting class that also features North Gwinnett (Ga.) guard Chris Bolden and North Clayton swingman Marcus Hunt.

“Carter is a big man with a huge skill package, arguably the most skilled big man in the class of 2012,” CourtCred.com’s Kerry Willis told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Carter can beat you on the block with an array of low-post moves with his nibble feet, or face up out to 20 feet and knock down jumpers. When he’s not scoring, he is a terrific position rebounder and a good passer, which will benefit [Georgia Tech] when teams decide to press them.”

Carter is the Rivals No. 11 power forward in the Class of 2012.

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In July, the NCAA put the school on four years of probation, fined it $100,000 and stripped its ACC title game victory from the 2009 football season for violations that also included problems in the basketball program.

Georgia Tech did not lose scholarships and was not ruled ineligible for postseason games in football or basketball, but the basketball team had the number of recruiting days and official visits reduced for the next two seasons.

The basketball violations involved a youth basketball tournament held on campus in 2009 and also in 2010. A graduate coaching assistant helped administer both tournaments, violating NCAA prohibitions on scouting. And in 2010, an academic adviser for the team “evaluated prospects and reported his observations” to the coaching staff.

The NCAA called the violations major.

Also in July, wing Brian Oliver opted to transfer to Seton Hall, as first reported by SNY.tv. That left the Yellow Jackets with nine scholarship players.

In response to these developments, Gregory, a former Michigan State assistant under Tom Izzo on the 2000 national championship team, has a two-year plan to rebuild the program that involves holding seven scholarships for the next two recruiting classes.

“We had a couple that we could’ve used in the spring, but we just didn’t find anybody that we felt fit, both basketball-wise and academically and the whole bit,” Gregory, the former Dayton coach, told SNY.tv Tuesday during an open gym at St. Benedict’s Prep.

“So we decided to hold on to those scholarships we have and kind of look at a two-year plan to bring in seven new players over the next two years. That could be two this year and five next year, or three and four or four and three.”

By the 2013-14 season, “seven guys that we’ve recruited will be now in the program, which is important.”

Gregory takes over a team that went 13-18 under former coach Paul Hewitt and returns no seniors. Without Oliver, the new coach and his staff will lean heavily on the team’s only two juniors, Glen Rice Jr. (12.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and Mfon Udofia (6.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg).

“They’ve done a good job and a lot’s going to be on their shoulders, not just on the court, but off the court as well,” Gregory said.

Gregory expects them to both “set a standard” and “hold other people accountable as well.”

Gregory has spent the early part of this week recruiting in the fertile North Jersey area. He was at St. Anthony Monday and St. Benedict’s Tuesday.

At St. Anthony, he was looking at 6-3 2013 guards Hallice Cooke and Josh Brown.

At St. Ben’s, he was part of a huge crowd of coaches who’ve come in recently for 6-2 2013 floor general Tyler Ennis. (Read more on Ennis here.)

Gregory is not permitted to comment on specific recruits, but is well aware of the rich recruiting base in the North Jersey area.

“Think about Georgia Tech,” he said. “We’ve had great success bringing in New York/New Jersey area players, Kenny Anderson, Stephon Marbury, Bruce Dalrymple, John Salley, go down the list.

“So it’s a great recruiting area and…Georgia Tech has a national brand. And Atlanta’s a great city. The one thing we can do at Georgia Tech, guys don’t have to compromise. They’re going to play at the highest level of basketball, they’re going to get a world-class education and they’re going to be in a city that diversity, cultural is second to none.

“And the weather’s pretty warm, too.”

(The AP contributed)

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Seton Hall, Rutgers, St. John’s, Syracuse and Georgetown, along with Temple, La Salle and Missouri have expressed interest in the 6-foot-6 sophomore, his mother told SNY.tv.

“He’s finishing summer session 1 right now and is going to take some visits after he gets home,” Zena Oliver said by email.

A Glassboro, N.J., native, Brian has four officials remaining.

He averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds last season and dropped a season-high 32 in a loss to Syracuse and 28 in a win over Virginia Tech.

He missed the final eight games of the regular season with a broken thumb, and then opted to transfer after the coaching change that brought in former Dayton coach Brian Gregory.

He would have to sit a year per NCAA transfer regulations.

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Georgia Tech associate AD Wayne Hogan said:

The search for the next men’s basketball coach at Georgia Tech has not concluded and is still ongoing, contrary to a number of published internet reports on Friday. As is our policy, we do not comment on ongoing searches. However, due to these erroneous reports we felt compelled to clarify the status of the search process.

SportsbyBrooks.com reported Friday that Gregory had been offered the job but has yet to decide whether to accept.

The site also reported that Georgia Tech interviewed Tulsa head basketball coach Doug Wojcik.

WILLIAMS SAYS HE ANTICIPATES EXTENSION

Marquette coach Buzz Williams told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel he anticipates getting a contract extension done soon with Marquette.

As I reported Friday night, a source close to Williams said he would be intrigued if Rick Barnes left Texas for N.C. State. Barnes is a Hickory, N.C. native, and Williams is from Texas.

“I have now completed three seasons as head coach at MU,” Williams told Todd Rosiak of the Journal-Sentinel. “I have worked under three different contracts. I anticipate, if I can sleep between now and open of business on Monday, that on Monday we’ll begin to work on the fourth contract…

“Is it gonna happen on Monday? I don’t think so. I can tell you this: from the bottom to the top… I have great confidence in them. I think they feel the same way about me. And no amount of money, no years of service, no anything else that goes into a contract means more to me than that…

“I have great comfort about where I’m at personally and where I’m at professionally. I have unbelievable confidence and faith in the upper management at MU. And that’s not going to change, regardless of my emotional level from just getting whipped in the Sweet 16. I think that our future is bright…

“If you track my past, I’ve never made a decision on money. Ever. And I have never made a decision on location.”

COACHING CAROUSEL

**Vanderbilt assistant King Rice is the leader at Manhattan, according to Hoopdirt.com. LIU coach Jim Ferry, St. Peter’s coach John Dunne and Louisville assistant Steve Masiello are also in the mix, per sources. Dunne has also interviewed at Monmouth, sources said.

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Now, he’s out of a job.

“I am very appreciative of Paul Hewitt’s dedication to Georgia Tech for the last 11 years,” Georgia Tech AD Dan Radakovich said. “Paul is an outstanding person who has made a positive impact on so many of our student-athletes.”

The University will reportedly buy out Hewitt for the $7 million he is owed.

Plus, with coaching vacancies opening up around the country, Hewitt’s name could surface at a place like Providence.

Hewitt, who took over for Bobby Cremins prior to the 2000-01 season, went 190-162 in 11 seasons with the Yellow Jackets. His overall career coaching record was 256-189 in 14 seasons.

The 12th head coach in Georgia Tech history, Hewitt led Georgia Tech to five NCAA Tournament appearances including the Final Four in 2004. He was the ACC Coach of the Year in 2004 and the Black Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 2004.

More recently, however, the Yellow Jackets have suffered three losing seasons over the last four years.

“President (Dr. Bud) Peterson and I have been in constant communication and we both concur that this decision is in the best interest of Georgia Tech and our athletic program,” Radakovich said. “Today we will begin a quest to re-engage our fan base and set about to bring new energy and enthusiasm to Georgia Tech basketball.”

Hewitt came to Georgia Tech after posting a 66-27 won-loss record in three seasons as the head coach at Siena. Prior to Siena, Hewitt spent five seasons (1992-97) as an assistant coach at Villanova under Steve Lappas.

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It might seem like a scene out of “Hot Tub Time Machine” when players with all of those names take the court this week at the Legends Classic at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, but it’s really happening.

Tim Hardaway Jr. (pictured), Jordan Dumars (Joe’s son) and Jon Horford (Tito’s son) are on the Michigan roster while Glen Rice Jr. suits up for Georgia Tech.

On Friday, Michigan faces No. 9 Syracuse and Tech meets UTEP, with the winners to face off Saturday.

Michigan coach John Beilein, who recently notched his 600th career victory, recruited the three NBA sons and said it was a unique experience. No home visits were involved, for one thing.

“It was more of campus visits, but they were very involved,” Beilein said Monday on a conference call.

“From the three fathers’ standpoint, they’ve really raised great young men. There was a trust [because] the dads knew the business. And the mothers as well.”

Beilein said none of the fathers asked for any preferential treatment and instead wanted their kids worked hard.

“Every one of those parents got to where he got to be because of hard work,” he said. “And that’s all they’ve encouraged me, just work my son hard. Make him earn everything. And it’s really been easy, it’s been seamless thus far.”

Hardaway Jr., a 6-5 freshman small forward, is having the biggest impact among the Michigan players, averaging 14.3 points for the Wolverines (3-0).

“In some situations you’d like him to be coming off the bench as an 18-year-old freshman, but with Manny Harris going pro last year early, Tim has earned the right to start at small forward,” Beilein said. “He has a lot to learn, but he’s very receptive to being coached.”

Horford, a 6-9 freshman forward, is also the younger brother of Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford.

“Jon Horford is really a young body, another 18-year-old who is just learning how to play,” Beilein said. “He’s a big man at 6-9. Still has some weight to gain but has shooting ability and a real desire to get better.”

Dumars, a 6-5 sophomore guard who transferred from South Florida, has been limited by injuries and hasn’t played this season.

“He’s just probably in shape now,” Beilein said. “He’s not going to be ready to play for two or three weeks and will have to earn his playing time. Because of his injuries, it’s been a rough battle back. But he’s shown a great promise in the time he’s been healthy.”

At Georgia Tech (3-1), Rice Jr. is a 6-5 sophomore guard averaging 9.0 points and 2.5 rebounds. He is the fourth-leading scorer behind Iman Shumpert, New Jersey native Brian Oliver and Mfon Udofia.

“He really is a very smart player and I imagine being around the game as much he’s been around the game his whole life  has helped him,” Tech coach Paul Hewitt said of Rice Jr.

“He’s clearly one of our smartest players. He’s a gifted athlete…But he’s got to still take another step. He’s got to go from a guy that is maybe the fourth or fifth guy on the scouting to report to now being on the top of the scouting report along with Iman.”

Whether or not there are future NBA All-Stars here remains to be seen, but they all carry a legacy.

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Desmond Hubert

Hubert is considering Villanova, Princeton, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Maryland, he confirmed by text.

His only official so far will be to Maryland over Halloween weekend. Seton Hall Prep point guard Sterling Gibbs, who has committed to Maryland, will also visit that weekend.

Ohio State is no longer on his list after the Buckeyes got commitments from LaQuinton Ross and Sam Thompson.

The news was first reported by Alex Kline at The Recruit Scoop.

FREE THROWS

Rodney Hood ’11, a 6’7 small forward from Mississippi, is on an official visit to Louisville this weekend, per Kline…Michael Chandler, a 6-10 center from Indianapolis; Ryan Boatright, a 6-1 point guard from Aurora, Ill.; and Tyler Harris, a 6-7 forward from Dix Hills, N.Y. will all visit Providence next weekend for Midnight Madness, per Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal. Markus Crider, a 6-foot-6 forward from Dayton, Ohio, is on campus this weekend….Deion Giddens ’11, a 6’9 forward from Arizona, has verbally committed to Cornell, per Kline…St. Benedict’s guard Vaughn Gray is on his official to Siena this weekend and goes to George Mason next weekend…

(Photo courtesy ESPN)

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The 6-foot-5 Brown is considering Washington, UConn, Arizona State, Georgia Tech and Oregon, he confirmed Saturday by text.

Brown has already visited Washington and is currently on an official to UConn.

He hits Arizona State Tuesday, Oregon Oct. 2 and Georgia Tech Oct. 10.

“I just want to see everywhere,” Brown told the esteemed Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant during his visit. “Every school I could see myself going to, I just have to be able to actually go out there and experience what life would be like.”

He added: “It’s just going to be the place where I can improve as a player and have a chance to go to the NBA, and [also] a place where I have a chance to win a national championship.”

As for the UConn visit, Brown told Anthony:

“I know [UConn] has great guards, a lot of great players, big men. I think I would definitely fit in with their style of play.”

He spent time with head coach Jim Calhoun before UConn’s game with Buffalo.

“He’s just telling me how much they want me here and he feels I would be a great fit for the program. I definitely feel a level of comfort with Coach Calhoun and what he’s all about.”

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