Lavin to Hire Keady, Focus on Staff, Recruiting; Willard Meets Press, Lands First Recruit
**Click the Video Player at right for
**Click the Video Player at right for
NEW YORK -- When Dexter Strickland committed
Junior shooting guard Jeremy Hazell has become the third Seton Hall player to enter his name into the NBA Draft, although he has yet to hire an agent.
The 6-foot-5 Hazell can return to campus for his senior season if he pulls out by May 8 and doesn’t hire an agent.
Hazell averaged 20.4 points last season and was a second-team All-Big East selection.
“He definitely has NBA range,” Chris Monter of Monter Draft News and College Basketball News told SNY.tv in 2008. “Obviously, his main strength is his outside shooting ability. He’s going to have to improve on taking the ball to the hoop, and become a better passer and more of a ball handler.”
The news was first reported by MSG.com on its Website.
Hofstra has moved quickly to hire former Providence coach Tim Welsh as its new coach.
The former Providence and Iona coach replaces Tom Pecora, who last week took the Fordham job.
Welsh, a former SNY analyst, will get a five year deal and will be introduced Thursday at a press conference.
“We have hired Tim Welsh as our new coach,” a Hofstra source said.
Welsh spent 10 years at Providence but was fired after the Friars went 15-16 in 2007-08, with starting point guard Sharaud Curry limited to one game because of injury.
**Click the Video Player on right for SNY’s exclusive interview with new Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard**
In his first interview since agreeing to a five-year deal to become head coach at Seton Hall, Kevin Willard talked to SNY about the team, Herb Pope’s future plans and the style of basketball he plans to play.
By succeeding the fired Bobby Gonzalez, Willard becomes the youngest coach in the Big East Conference. He turns 35 April 6, the day after the national championship game.
“Well, it’s a great honor,” he told SNY. “If you just think about all the coaches who are in the Big East, from Rick Pitino, Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun top to bottom, the legendary coaches. So to be part of that group is not only a privilege but it’s a great honor.
In this interview with BoxofMess.com from the McDonald’s All-American Game, Josh Selby says he’s considering five schools, Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona, UConn and Tennessee.
“Right now, no one’s leading,” he said.
The 6-foot-3 Selby, out of Baltimore (Md.) Lake Clifton, will announce at the Jordan Brand Classic April 17.
“Yes, that’s correct. April 17. I will make a commitment at halftime,” he said.
Selby also said he wasn’t waiting for Brandon Knight to make his decision. Knight, out of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Pine Crest, is considering Kentucky, Kansas, Florida, UConn and Syracuse, but most observers expect him to pick Kentucky.
