Harris Visiting Tennessee; Coleman Has Options; National Prep Showcase Schedule

The Tobias Harris World Tour continues this weekend when Tobias and his family make their second official visit to Tennessee.

“Tennessee this weekend, baby,” Torrel Harris said. “We’re going to check them out, see how Tobias gets along with the players.”

The 6-foot-8 Harris, the No. 5 prospect in the Class of 2010 out of Dix Hills (N.Y.) Half Hollow Hills West, visited Syracuse two weeks ago for his first official and will hit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness Oct. 16.

After that will come visits to Louisville, West Virginia, Georgia Tech and Maryland.

At Tennessee, Tobias and his family will watch the Vols play Georgia in football and watch the basketball team work out.

As for head coach Bruce Pearl’s philosophy, Torrel likes what he has to offer.

“They’re going to let Tobias be a point forward, put the ball in his hands,” he said.

No decision will be made until all the visits are taken.

“We’re going to take all the visits,” Torrel said.

 COLEMAN HAS OPTIONS

After decommitting from Florida International a few weeks ago, junior big man Chris Coleman still has Isiah Thomas’ program on his list.

But the 6-9, 260-pound Coleman has other options, too.

“He decommitted,” said Don Marsh, Coleman’s coach with the Northeast Basketball Club.

“He’s still got Florida International on his list as one of the schools he’s looking at but he’s got Syracuse on top of the list, with West Virginia, UConn and Florida International.”

Coleman, now at Humble (Texas) Christian Life Center, caused a splash at the Reebok All-American Camp when he announced his commitment to Thomas.

But later he realized the move was premature

“I think he felt like he rushed into it and he wanted to open it up,” Marsh said. “He thought that was a perfect situation. The hype of everything, Isiah. It was a spur of the moment the decision.

“But he does like the school. Once he gets a true evaluation of all the schools, talks to the coaches and reasseses everything, he can make a better decison,” Marsh said.

FREE THROWS

Jerome Hunter, a 6-11 big man from the Northeast Basketball Club who plays at Queen City Prep (N.C.), is considering Texas A&M and Buffalo, Marsh said. Virginia Tech and Alabama are also involved….Marsh said Fletcher Larson, a 6-8 big from Jamestown, N.Y., is considering Youngstown State, Toledo, St. Bonaventure and Providence…Jonathan Marsh, the coach’s son, is a 6-foot, 150-pound point guard from Impact Academy in Fla. Old Dominion, Buffalo and Providence are involved…Dwight Powell of IMG Academy visits Georgia Tech this weekend. Harvard and Stanford are also involved…Cory Joseph of Findlay (Nev.) Prep will visit UConn Oct. 16, Villanova Oct. 23 and Minnesota Oct. 30…Houston is making a hard run at New York guard Russ Smith of South Kent (Conn.). Associate head coach Melvin Haralson is due to fly up next week to check out Smith.

“Russell Smith is as under-recruited player at least as there is on the East Coast,” recruiting expert Tom Konchalski said. “This year he’s just making other people better. He’s a big-time player.”

NATIONAL PREP SHOWCASE SCHEDULE

Here’s the schedule for the National Prep Showcase run by Adam Finkelstein Nov. 20-22 at Alberus Magnus College in New Haven, Con..

Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter