By ADAM ZAGORIA
Kyrie Irving is in the building at St. Patrick.
The question is, Will he stay there?
Irving, a talented 6-1 sophomore point guard, spent two years at The Montclair Kimberley Academy, scoring 1,000 career points there. He led MKA to its first-ever New Jersey Prep ‘B’ State title last season, averaging 26.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4. 8 assists and 3.6 steals. Irving dropped in 48 points in one game and 47 in another, the two highest totals in New Jersey last season.
“Our team described him as having a Kobe Bryant-like skill set,” said Eastern Christian coach Barry Veeenstra, whose team beat MKA, 68-65, in the Non-Public B state tournament despite 29 points from Irving. “He’s unstoppable one-on-one with the turnaround fadeaway from the corner. He buried one with 6-6 Nate Van Eck in his face. The kid just fades away from the double-team and nothing but net, and you walk to the locker room shaking your head, ‘How do you stop that?'”
MKA Headmaster Tom Nammack released this statement to the media.
“MKA was informed today by Mr. Drederick Irving that sophomore Kyrie Irving has enrolled at St. Patrick High School Academy in Elizabeth, New Jersey and is currently attending classes there. In a phone conversation, Mr. Irving spoke to Dr. David Flocco, MKA Head of Upper School, regarding Kyrie’s enrollment at St. Patrick. As of this morning, MKA has not received an official and written notice of withdrawal from Mr. Irving, and there has been no request from St. Patrick High School for Kyrie Irving’s transcript or school records.”
If Irving stays at St. Patrick, he will add to a talented core that includes North Carolina-bound junior guard Dexter Strickland and 6-7 freshman forward Michael Gilchrist.
St. Anthony, St. Patrick’s principal rival, has already picked up two transfers from New York, 6-8 Ashton Pankey and 6-7 Devon Collier.
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