The 5-foot-11 point guard is a native of Puerto Rico who played at Krop High School near Miami. He averaged 11.4 points and 5.2 assists last year as a sophomore.

His family lives in Puerto Rico and Rodriguez is expected to apply for a hardship waiver to play right away. If so, he could replace Shane Larkin, who declared for the NBA Draft.

“He is in a tough situation in terms of his family,” said Todd Washington, the founder of the Puerto Rico Players AAU program and a friend of the family. “He is a family man and has two younger brothers who he is very close with. He and his mom are also very close and you have to respect that he wants to be closer to home. Manhattan, Kansas is a long way away from Puerto Rico.”

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Now there is just one.

Miami senior guard Durand Scott is the last Rice alum standing now that Cincinnati’s Jermaine Sanders, Kansas State’s Shane Southwell and VCU’s Melvin Johnson are all out.

“It’s only something you dream of, you don’t necessarily think you’re going to get this point but when you put in the work over the summer and the spring you think all that work would get you to this point,” Scott, a Bronx native, said Wednesday, one day ahead of Miami (29-6) meeting Marquette (25-8) in an East Regional semifinal in Washington, D.C.

Scott initially chose Miami over Pitt, UCLA, Louisville, St. John’s and others, surprising some with his choice.

And after three years of patience, the decision has paid off. Miami won the ACC regular season and tournament titles and is now a No. 2 seed in the Big Dance.

Playing in his first NCAA Tournament as a senior, Scott is heating up at the right time.

Scott is averaging 13.2 points and 3.9 rebounds on the season, but made five 3-pointers in the first round of the tournament, a 78-49 victory over Pacific. He also hit five 3′s while giving N.C. State a career-high 32 points in the ACC semifinals.

His backcourt mate, Shane Larkin, is averaging 14.5 points, 4.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds, which inspired Marquette coach Buzz Williams to heap praise on both players.

“They’re as good as any backcourt in the country, bar none,” Williams said Wednesday. “Statistically, playing time, defensively. Those guys get so much notoriety offensively that you’re not able to express defensively how good they are.

“Those guys are both pros. I would say probably both long-time pros. They have great intangibles, you can see it by watching them play.

“They play great together. Everybody within their team understands their strengths and weaknesses and when your guards understand that, I think that makes the players around them much better.”

One player who won’t be around them is Miami center Reggie Johnson, who reportedly had surgery Tuesday to repair a minor meniscus issue.

Johnson did not accompany the Hurricanes to Washington on Tuesday night, though could play in the Final Four if Miami wins the East Regional this weekend.

Without the 6-10 Johnson, 6-10 big man Julian Gamble knows he must avoid foul trouble.

“Our game plan isn’t going to change,” Gamble said. “A lot of guys have to step up. I don’t think it’s going to come from one guy, the amount of production that Reggie was giving us and the presence he has in the paint. We have to do it by committee, every guy doing more than they were before, just help fill that void.”

And if they do and overcome Marquette, Scott and the Hurricanes will advance to an Elite Eight matchup against the Indiana-Syracuse winner.

And that would mean a Rice High player in the Big Dance for at least another game.

“Especially with these group of guys I’ve been with my whole career and I couldn’t want to do it with anybody else,” Scott said. “I’m finally here, we are enjoying the moment and we want to continue winning games.”

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And the way Shane Larkin sees it, there’s no reason the Hurricanes can’t remain undefeated through the remaining five games of the ACC schedule.

“It’s possible,” Larkin, who finished with 11 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds in the win, told SNY.tv by phone.

“Anybody in our league could’ve been in our same position if they got a few different breaks. We have so many talented teams in the ACC, and every single night out it’s a battle. And every single night we’re gonna go out and play as hard as we can with energy and intensity. And if we do that every single night with the talent that we have and the experience and the coaching and the game plans we come up with, it’s possible that we go undefeated the rest of the way.”

The 1998-99 Duke team is the only one in ACC history to go undefeated through the league, but that was when they played 16 conference games.

Miami would have to win 18 to match — and improve upon — that mark.

Miami’s next two games are certainly winnable — at Wake Forest (11-14, 4-9) and home to Virginia Tech (11-14, 2-10).

But after that comes a trip to No. 6 Duke (22-3, 9-3) March 2. Miami and Duke — along with Indiana and Gonzaga — are currently projected as No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament by Joe Lunardi.

The ‘Canes close out the season with home games against Georgia Tech (14-11, 4-9) and Clemson (13-12, 5-8).

“The ACC is a great league and every single night, you’re playing against a great team, regardless if they’re on the top of the league or on the bottom of the league with their record,” Larkin said. “So we just gotta stay focused and try to handle business every single night.”

Staying focused could be increasingly difficult as the NCAA situation heats. up. Miami has 90 days to present its response to the allegations.

“We’re able to stay focused because we have no say-so in what happened,” Larkin said. “And we can’t focus on that because at the end of the day, they’re going to make their decision regardless if we look into it or not. We can just control what we can control, which is going out there and practicing hard and preparing hard and staying focused and playing every single game to win and hopefully get the top seed in the ACC Tournament.

“And from there on up go on and get a good see in the NCAA Tournament. So we only can control and that’s what we’re gonna do.”

Meantime, Larkin says the Hurricanes have drawn some inspiration from having LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and James Jones attending the recent game with North Carolina.

“They were late, they made a fashionably late entrance,” Larkin said. “When they walked in, everybody was screaming.

He added: “That’s a great feeling knowing that the guys who are the top level, you can’t get any higher than the NBA, and those dudes are taking time out of their day to come watch us play. It’s a great feeling.

“We all watch the NBA. That’s all of our dreams. We want to play at the next level. We watch them every single night, and LeBron I would say is the best player in the league right now. And the Heat are up there, too, so it’s good to have the best player in the game at your games.”

And if Larkin and the ‘Canes can keep on winning to remain perfect, LeBron may come out again.

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The Hurricanes’ football program was a national power in the 1980s and the Dolphins have had their moments as well.

But now that the Heat are the reigning NBA champs and the Hurricanes are ranked No. 3 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, there’s a buzz surrounding coach Jim Larranaga’s program.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and James Jones sat courtside for a recent game, and Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, the father of Miami guard Shane Larkin, is a regular presence.

“I’d say it’s electric,” Larranaga told SportsCenter Tuesday. “When we played Duke, the students camped out overnight for the first time in school’s history. We’ve had three sellouts in our last four home games. There’s a lot of excitement in Miami, both for the Hurricanes and the Heat.

“Having LeBron and D-Wade and James Jones come to our game gives us a lot of credibility with our recruits. So we’re headed in the right direction here in Miami. It’s a great academic institution so anybody that wants to get a great education and play in the best basketball league in the country in the ACC, this is the place to come.”

As far as recruiting, this success can only help.

Larranaga confirmed that prospects text him at 1 o’clock in the morning and that an eighth-grader texted “one of my coaches.”

“My wife says to me, ‘Who’s texting you at 1 o’clock in the morning?’ and it’ll be one of our prospects who watched the game and wants to text,” he said.

Led by former Rice High School star Durand Scott and his team-best 14 points per game, the Hurricanes (19-3, 10-0 ACC) have won 11 straight and remain unbeaten in the ACC.

Still, Larranaga said his team is working on improving its offensive rebounding by utilizing bigs Kenny Kadji, Reggie Johnson, Julian Gamble and Tonye Jekiri.

“So we want those guys to really spend a lot of time carving out space,” he said, “and getting us a some second shots because the teams in the ACC are all terrific defensively.”

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Davon Reed,

“After a very long process, I have decided to commit to the University of Miami!!!,” Reed Tweeted.

Reed chose Miami over Wake Forest and Xavier.

“I think he just believes in what Coach [Jim Larranaga] has going on down there,” Team Final coach Rob Brown told SNY.tv. “He kind of took over somebody else’s team and had success with it and they have five or six freshmen coming in with that class. Davon’s trying to bring some of his friends with him.”

Miami also hosts Josh Hart and Reggie Cameron for officials next week, and Austin Colbert is also considering Miami.

“I know he’s talking to Reggie,” Brown said of the 6-7 Hudson (N.J.) Catholic guard. “I know he’s talked to Josh. Him and Austin are good friends. He’s trying to rangle as many as kids as he can. If they have six scholarships to give, he’s trying to get all of them filled up.

As for what Reed brings, Brown says Miami is getting a guy who’s still improving.

“He can play a lot of different positions on the floor,” he said. “He can really shoot the ball. He’s got real good sweet stroke to his jump shot. I think he’s going to get better and better with time. I think when he gets to college he’s going to step up and improve his game and be an impact guy for Miami.”

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Tonye Jekiri

The 6-foot-10 center from Hialeah (Fla.) Champagnat Catholic and Team Breakdown chose the Hurricanes over Virginia Tech, Clemson and George Mason, a source with direct knowledge of the decision told SNY.tv.

Jekiri was not immediately available for comment.

He joins St. Benedict’s Prep shooting guard Melvin Johnson in Miami’s 2012 recruiting class.

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The 6-3, 188-pound guard verbally pledged to Miami Sunday, choosing the Hurricanes over Georgetown and Dayton.

“I felt very comfortable and I’m a competitive player who can score and make other players better,” Johnson told Fivestarbasketball.com.

Johnson left Rice High School in Manhattan after the school closed last year, and is now part of a deep backcourt at St. Benedict’s in Newark, New Jersey, that includes junior point guard Tyler Ennis and freshman combo guard Isaiah Briscoe.

Click here to read the full story at FiveStarBasketball.com.

(Photo courtesy NY Post)

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“Melvin is down to three, Virginia Tech, Miami and South Florida,” St. Ben’s coach Mark Taylor told SNY.tv. “I’d say leaning toward Miami.”

Johnson said he enjoyed the visit, which included watching the football game against Ohio State.

“It was fun,” he said. “I watched the football game and then I went to go watch that fight [Mayweather-Ortiz].”

The 6-foot-3, 188-pound off guard needs to work on some academic issues, but has a strong upside as a player.

“His scoring ability is unbelievable,” said Taylor, who also coached future NBA players Jason Williams and Andrew Bynum. “At times, I’ve never seen anybody that I’ve coached score the way he can score in bunches. Melvin needs to get a little bit better handle, a little bit better defensively. I think Melvin at some point, with development at the right school, could be a pro.”

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(Photo courtesy NY Post)

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DeMatha Catholic guard James Robinson, for one, removed Miami from his list of four because the school is being investigated by the NCAA for the relationship rogue booster Nevin Shapiro had with Miami football players. Robinson ultimately pledged to Pittsburgh.

But St. Benedict’s Prep guard Melvin Johnson is still considering Miami among his final four, and will take an official visit there this coming weekend for Saturday’s football game against Ohio State.

“They explained what happened to them and what’s their consequences or whatever,” the 6-foot-3, 188-pound Johnson told SNY.tv. Tuesday during an open gym St. Benedict’s Prep. “It’s not too big of a deal on a basketball standpoint, just a past thing. And it’s a new coaching staff.”

First-year Miami coach Jim Larranaga was at the school Monday.

Miami has also offered Johnson’s teammates, 6-2 2013 point guard Tyler Ennis and 6-8, 215-pound 2013 forward Isaiah Watkins.

Johnson is also considering Virginia Tech, the College of Charleston and South Florida.

He took an official to Virginia Tech Sept. 2 for the football team’s 66-13 blowout of Appalachian State, and said he liked “the atmosphere, coaching staff and players.”

He also visited South Florida a week ago Monday.

“USF was great,” he said. “I also felt real welcomed by the coaching staff and players, and plus the area and facilities are beautiful.”

Johnson came to St. Ben’s from Rice High School after the latter closed down and he’s now part of a team loaded with future Division 1 players, including Ennis, Watkins, 2015 guard Isaiah Briscoe and 2013 forward Denzell Taylor.

“It’s easier,” Johnson said. “Just not having to work as hard on the offensive end. Just getting it done on the defensive end and you’re good.”

Asked to compare it to Rice, he said, “It’s a different experience, it’s a different experience.”

Though he’s excited about playing defense at St. Ben’s, he’s being recruited as a scorer.

“He can really shoot,” said one Division 1 head coach. “I mean, he can really, really shoot.”

Johnson plans to visit Miami and then make a decision “around October, early October.”

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(Photo courtesy NY Post)

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He also said, “In June I am goin to George Mason.”

****

George Mason signee Corey Edwards said new Miami coach Jim Larranaga talked to him about following the coach to Miami and that he is considering it.

“The coach from George Mason is talking about me going over to Miami,” Edwards said Monday by phone. “I told him it could be a possibility.”

The news broke April 22 that Larranaga was leaving George Mason for Miami.

Edwards said Larranaga called him “a couple days after he took the job.”

“He called me and we were talking about is it possible that you would come with me?” Edwards said.

On Saturday, former Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt became the new George Mason coach and Edwards said Hewitt is due to meet with Edwards and his family this week.

“Coach is going to come to my house on Wednesday and talk to me and my family,” Edwards said of Hewitt.

Asked where he was leaning, Edwards said, “I’m really kind of undecided right now. It depends on whether they’re going to let me out of my Letter of Intent and the discussions that me and coach have.”

He added: “Miami is a good school. It’s an ACC school. It could be the right school. Coach Larranaga is a good coach.”

Vaughn Gray, the St. Benedict’s Prep guard who committed to George Mason the same day Edwards did, said he would remain committed to George Mason.

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(Photo courtesy Daily News)

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