Josh Pastner

Both Pastner and Pitt coach Jamie Dixon had been mentioned as possibilities at Southern Cal, but both have now signed extensions at their current schools.

Pastner led the Tigers to a 31-5 mark this season and garnered his first NCAA Tournament win in four years.

He has a loaded recruiting class coming in next year, when the Tigers will join the America-12 Conference, or whatever it will be called.

That class is headlined by forward Austin Nichols of Memphis Briarcrest Christian, and includes Connecticut native Kuran Iverson.

Memphis could also host the postseason tournament for the new conference, with Hartford, Philadelphia and possibly Cincinnati also options.

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That’s right, folks.

Josh Pastner’s Memphis outfit is ranked No. 3 behind Kentucky and Kansas by ESPN.com in the Class of 2013 rankings.

The early signing period runs Nov. 14-21.

The Tigers recently landed a verbal commitment from Austin Nichols, a 6-8, 215-pound power forward from Memphis Briarcrest Christian, who is their top recruit.

Nichols will enter the Big East in 2013 along with small forwards Kuran Iverson and Nick King, shooting guard Markel Crawford and point guard RaShawn “Pookie” Powell.

“(Memphis’ 2013 class) is a group of good, unselfish kids,” Mark Nichols, Austin’s father, told the Commercial Appeal. “Austin’s played with them over the past few years (in AAU). I feel like they’re gonna be an unselfish group. It takes unselfishness to win.”

As if to underscore the vast talent base in the city of Memphis, several other Big East teams are benefitting by adding players from that city.

Elsewhere in the Big East…

**Syracuse, which is leaving the Big East for the ACC, is No. 7 in the ESPN.com rankings with five pledges, including two from New Jersey in five-star point guard Tyler Ennis of St. Benedict’s Prep, and four-star small forward Tyler Roberson of Roselle (N.J.) Catholic.

**Louisville, ranked No. 7 in the recruiting rankings, has four commits, including junior college guard Chris Jones, a Memphis native who plays at Northwest Florida. Jones, who is expected to replace Peyton Siva at the point, was just named NJCAA Region 8 Player of the Week. A sophomore, Jones averaged 33.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 5.5 steals and 1.0 block in two games during the voting period, including a 38-point outing on 15-of-22 shooting from the floor in the Raiders’ 80-72 win over Atlanta Metro on Nov. 9. Louisville also adds guards Terry Rozier and Anton Gill, both of Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy.

**Marquette, ranked No. 12, has five commits, including, you guessed it, someone from Memphis. JaJuan Johnson, a 6-foot-5, 188-pound shooting guard from Memphis Southwind, chose Buzz Williams’s club over Alabama and Miami. He joins point guards Duane Wilson and John Dawson, small forward Deonte Burton and power forward Jameel McKay in Marquette’s class.

**Notre Dame, ranked No. 13, also has four commits, highlighted by four-star point guard Demetrius Jackson and four-star small forward V.J. Beachem — both of Indiana. (It remains unclear exactly when the Irish will leave the league for the ACC.)

**UConn, whose coach, Kevin Ollie, is not signed past early April, has two commits — and both are from New York City: point guard Terrence Samuel (Brooklyn South Shore) and power forward Kentan Facey (Long Island Lutheran).

**Temple, which, like Memphis, joins the Big East in 2013, has two pledges, including St. Anthony combo guard Josh Brown, who committed on SNY.tv.

As for the New York/New Jersey schools….

**St. John’s and head coach Steve Lavin had the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation, according to ESPN.com, in 2011. In 2012, St. John’s also brought in a strong class, headlined by JaKarr Sampson, originally a member of the 2011 class.

This year, the Johnnies have only a couple of scholarships to give and plan on signing one or two players in the late period. They were in the mix for Louisiana forward Jarell Martin, but he committed early to LSU. Chris McCullough, a potential one-and-done forward in the Class of 2014, also picked Syracuse over St. John’s.

“Obviously, St. John’s is not going to have the recruiting class that they had two years ago,” Konchalski said. “It just is not going to happen.”

They remain in the hunt for 2013 guard Rysheed Jordan out of Philly Vaux Roberts and forward Jermaine Lawrence from Pope John Sparta (N.J.).

Jordan’s AAU coach, Kamal Yard, told SNY.tv Wednesday that the player won’t commit today, the final day of the signing period.  He is said to be considering St. John’s, Rutgers and Temple.

“Rysheed Jordan could be a game-changer,” longtime New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski said. “He’s an explosive athlete. In terms of running a halfcourt offense, he’s gotta make certain improvements. But he’s a one-man fast-break. He plays like he’s shot out of a cannon,  Evel Knievel without the cycle. He really pushes the pace, forces the pace in the game. Halfcourt he looks to attack the basket. He has great hands and great feet and he can be an outstanding, outstanding player.”

The 6-10 Lawrence recently cut his list to St. John’s, Syracuse, UNLV and Cincinnati and will sign in the spring.

“He could be very good but more than anything else, he needs experience, he needs playing time,” Konchalski said. “He needs a lot of repetitions on the court in situations. He’s gotta learn to play hard all the time. When he does, he can be really a factor on the boards, especially on the offensive boards. And he changes ends as well as any big man you’ll find. He’s gotta build up his strength, his stamina and learn to play every possession.”

**Rutgers, which is now headed to the Big Ten, possibly in 2014, has just two scholarships to give because only Dane Miller and Austin Johnson are seniors. The Scarlet Knights could still sign a couple of players in the early period, or wait until the spring.

Mike Rice’s outfit has missed out on forwards Kris Jenkins and Josh Hart (Villanova), forward Tyler Roberson (Syracuse), wing Rondae Jefferson (Arizona) and point guard Roddy Peters (Maryland). Rutgers is now awaiting word from Jordan.

“Rutgers has had success recruiting and they have a lot of young players,” Konchalski said. “They’ve gotta do something with those young players. I mean, that’s the program.”

**Seton Hall has just one scholarship to give and is the lone local school with a 2013 commit in the form of Princeton (Md.) Day shooting guard Aquille Carr. Carr told SNY.tv last week during a scrimmage at St. Benedict’s Prep that he could’ve signed last week, but is focusing on his academics and plans to sign with the Pirates in the spring.

“I could’ve signed [Wednesday],” Carr said. “I’m just focusing on my grades right now”

Seton Hall previously missed out on forwards Austin Colbert (Illinois), who committed on SNY.tv, and Garland Owens (BC), and is now involved with guards Jevon Thomas and Jerron Wilbut of St. John’s Military (Wisc.), among others.

“The fact that they’re losing out on these kids is not a good sign, obviously, but look at whom they’re losing out on to,” Konchalski said. “Illinois is a major, major, major program. John Groce has done a very good job recruiting-wise.”

Photos: Daily News, Yahoo, Hoopdoctors

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The Tigers scored big-time Monday when they landed a verbal commitment from Austin Nichols, a 6-8, 215-pound power forward from Memphis Briarcrest Christian.

“I put on for my city!! Go Tigers!,” he Tweeted.

“I know the air in the ball eventually runs out, and I need something to fall back on,” Nichols told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “If I go to Memphis, I can get my degree, come back, and be sort of like a Penny (Hardaway), a figure like that. That’s what I wanted.”

The Rivals No. 6 power forward in the Class of 2013, Nichols also considered Virginia, Vanderbilt, Duke, Tennessee, and Auburn.

Nichols told SNY.tv this summer that he had a strong relationship with Memphis coach Josh Pastner.

“He’s a great coach, great program,” he said. “Shaq’s Goodwin going there [this] year, he’s a good friend of mine. Ever since I met with Pastner, he offered me my freshman year. He’s very close with me, he talks with me just about every month. I’d love to play for him.”

He joins an impressive recruiting class that will debut in the Big East for the 2013-14 season and includes small forwards Kuran Iverson and Nick King, shooting guard Markel Crawford and point guard RaShawn “Pookie” Powell.

“(Memphis’ 2013 class) is a group of good, unselfish kids,” Mark Nichols, Austin’s father, told the Commercial Appeal. “Austin’s played with them over the past few years (in AAU). I feel like they’re gonna be an unselfish group. It takes unselfishness to win.

“The other part was, obviously, being at home, being around friends and family and staying in the great city of Memphis. Hopefully it pulls the fans together closer.”

Nichols averaged 18.6 points and 9.6 rebounds last season.

“Memphis is getting a more athletic version of Keith Lee, in my opinion,” Briarcrest coach John Harrington told the Commercial Appeal. “He’s a unique-type player. I think the question was how strong was he gonna get. This year he put on 20 pounds. Colleges weren’t necessarily leery of it, but once they saw how strong he got, it was like, ‘wow.’ They saw he was ready to play right now.”

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Kuran Iverson, a 6-foot-9 small forward from Fishburne (Va.) Military Academy, has verbally committed to Memphis.

Iverson, a Connecticut native, had also previously considered UConn and Florida, among others.

“He chose Memphis because he felt comfortable with them,” Fishburne coach Ed Huckaby told SNY.tv. “It was his decision and his decision alone. He felt they had a sincere intesest in him as a whole person.”

“Memphis, they’re a good school, too,” Iverson told SNY.tv last month. “They might be a choice.”

Rivals ranks him as the No. 5 small forward in the Class of 2013.

New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski previously told SNY.tv that whoever gets Iverson will be getting a “great talent.”

“He rebounds, he scores inside, he’s a great talent,” Konchalski said. “Absolutely a great talent.

“The last six months, there’s been a tremendous change in his approach to the game. He’s playing terrific.”

Huckaby said he’s been impressed with Iverson’s leadership and passing ability in the short time he’s had him.

“Kuran does a tremendous job,” he said. “His best asset his his leaderhisp and his passing ability. He makes great decisions.”

Iverson will join the Tigers just as Josh Pastner and company move to the Big East in 2013.

“I’m happy for him and his mom and the family,” said Andre Harrington, Iverson’s mentor. “Memphis got a good ballplayer and even greater kid all-around.”

He joins point guard Rashawn “Pookie” Powell, shooting guard Markel Crawford and small forward Nick King in Memphis’ 2013 class.

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Huntington coach Rob Fulford has compared Kingsley, who committed on his visit to Arkansas and was also being courted by Louisville, to Louisville big man Gorgui Dieng.

“They’re very similar,” Fulford told the Louisville Courier Journal. “Gorgui was probably a better shot-blocker at this stage, but Moses is a little better offensively at this stage.”

Kingsley was recently hospitalized for four days after contracting malaria during a trip home to his native Nigeria.

He will pair with fellow Arkansas commit Bobby Portis to give head coach Mike Anderson a terrific one-two punch up front.

POINT GUARD POWELL TO MEMPHIS

Memphis landed a commitment from 6-foot point guard Rashawn “Pookie” Powell of Orlando Dr. Phillips, the Rivals No. 98 player in the Class of 2013.

“I committed to Memphis university..tiger nation,” he Tweeted.

Powell also considered Alabama, which is still seeking a point guard after Anthony “Cat” Barber picked N.C. State.

A natural point guard, Powell likes to push the tempo and has a good command of  the offense.

“I like running up and down,” he told SNY.tv in July.

ILLINOIS LANDS KENDRICK NUNN

Kendrick Nunn, a 6-2 shooting guard from Chicago Simeon, picked Illinois Saturday over Marquette, Memphis and Ohio State, according to ESPNChicago.com.

“It was to the point where nothing else was going to get better than here,” Nunn’s father, Melvin, told the Website. “There’s a lot of history at Illinois to do with it. That’s what it’s all about. He wants to continue the history. He did it at Simeon and now wants to continue it at the state school and be a part of a national championship at his state school.

“I think Kendrick believes he can get this rolling. He wanted to be a part of something he got started. Groce and his coaching staff want him to be a part of something he got started.”

Nunn, a teammate of Jabari Parker, the No. 1 player in the class, is the first big-time commit for new coach John Groce and his staff, and the third for 2013.

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Nick King

The Rivals No. 6 small forward in the Class of 2013, King chose Memphis over Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Texas.

He is Memphis’ second commit in the Class of 2013, following Markel Crawford, a combo guard from Memphis Melrose.

This is a big day for head coach Josh Pastner’s program, as 6-foot-10 2014 New York forward Chris McCullough is also slated to visit campus unofficially.

McCullough, who has been tabbed a one-and-done by some college coaches, will visit Syracuse later this week. He discussed those visits in this video interview.

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Jason Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal Tweeted Friday, “(Gut feeling) hasn’t changed. I would be shocked if Memphis isn’t the pick Monday.”

The 6-foot-6, 210-pound left-hander is also considering Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Texas.

“I haven’t told anyone but my parents,” King told the Commercial Appeal.

The No. 6 small forward in the Class of 2013 per Rivals, King averaged 21 points and 15 rebounds a game last season and led Memphis East to a state title.

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“We would like to commit early but I don’t know if that will happen,” Mark Nichols said. “It could be late. If one of these official visits doesn’t slap us in the face, we may be late with it.”

The 6-8, 215-pound Nichols has a tentative official set for Virginia Sept. 8, his father said.

“But the thing is we haven’t talked to Virginia because they’re out of the country,” he added.

Head coach Tony Bennett and his team are in the midst of a two-week European trip.

Mark Nichols said his son would also take an official to Duke Oct. 6 for the Virginia football game.

“We’re going to Duke Oct. 6,” he said. “We have that penciled in. We’ve got all that reaffirmed. That should be pretty good.”

Duke is said to be focusing on Nichols, Julius Randle, Semi Ojeleye and Robert Hubbs in the Class of 2013.

Nichols is also considering Auburn, Memphis, Tennessee and Vanderbilt and recently took an unofficial to Memphis. He will not need to take an official there.

No other visits are yet set.

“We don’t know yet,” Mark said. “We’re taking it one day at a time.”

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Kuran Iverson

The 6-foot-9 forward will visit Memphis unofficially Sept. 14 and Florida Oct. 6, according to his AAU coach, Andre Harrington.

Iverson is also planning to visit Syracuse but no date is yet set. He recently took an unofficial to UConn.

“Florida’s showing me a lot of love. I think that might be the best choice,” Iverson told SNY.tv Saturday night following the Big Strick Classic in New York.

“I talk to [head coach] Billy Donovan and the rest of the assistant coaches all the time,” Iverson added. “They call me like every day.”

Of Memphis, he said: “Memphis, they’re a good school, too. They might be a choice, too.”

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NEW YORK — Kuran Iverson

“Florida’s showing me a lot of love. I think that might be the best choice,” the 6-foot-9 Iverson told SNY.tv exclusively after being named Co-MVP of the NYC squad following a 20-point, 5-rebound, 4-dunk performance as the USA team beat the NYC team, 87-86, Saturday night in the Big Strick Classic at City College of New York.

SNY.tv exclusively reported Friday that Iverson, a Connecticut native who will spend his senior season at Fishburne (Va.) Military Academy, is focusing on four schools: Florida, UConn, Syracuse and Memphis.

He visited UConn last week and still plans to visit the other three before making a decision.

Iverson said the UConn visit went well.

“The UConn visit was alright,” he said. “I’ve been there like 80 times so I already know what it is. I went up there, I talked to [assistant coach Kevin] Ollie. We stayed in the office. He showed me all the trophies and stuff. He just welcomed me, he told me he wants me to be a part of the program.

“Coach [Jim] Calhoun wasn’t really there [because of his biking injury].”

Iverson said he didn’t really think Syracuse was that interested in him.

“Syracuse, I been talking to coach [Adrian] Autry but not really,” Iverson said. “He’s been on and off.”

Asked if he thought Syracuse was feeling him, Iverson said, “Not really. not really.”

As for Memphis, Iverson said, “Memphis, they’re a good school, too. They might be a choice, too.”

Still, Florida seems to be the top option at this point.

“I talk to [head coach] Billy Donovan and the rest of the assistant coaches all the time,” Iverson said. “They call me like every day.

“They say I play my position. The three, I play two sometimes, and the one.”

Asked if he had decided on a school in his own mind, Iverson said, “I’m still deciding.”

Wherever he lands, New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski says that school will be getting a “great talent.”

“He rebounds, he scores inside, he’s a great talent,” Konchalski said. “Absolutely a great talent.

“The last six months, there’s been a tremendous change in his approach to the game. He’s playing terrific.”

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