Mike Poole, a 6-foot-5, 175-pound wing from St. Benedict’s Prep, has been offered a scholarship by new Rutgers head coach Mike Rice and will visit the campus Wednesday and Thursday.
Rice will also host Notre Dame Prep players Cleveland Melvin and Antoine Myers this week.
“[Poole] will take an unofficial to Rutgers [Wednesday] and then he will be visiting Boston College and Seton Hall,” said Nate Blue, Poole’s mentor.
Blue said no official visit was necessary because “we know what Rutgers has to offer.”
Said Poole: “Nate Blue is handling everything.”
Poole averaged 10.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 49.7 percent this past season at St. Benedict’s, which finished 20-1 on the season under former coach Dan Hurley.
He was tied for third on the team in scoring with 6-8 forward Gilvydas Biruta, who has signed with Rutgers.
The Seton Hall and Boston College dates have not been set.
Blue said Poole was “fully qualified” for college.
“Poole is one of the best combo guards available and will be a very good college basketball player,” Blue said.
“He is going to be a great defender in college. He’s going to win a lot of games and he will do whatever is necessary to win a championship wherever he goes. But he’s the best available guard in 2010 and will draw more interest the more he waits.”
Rice is looking to sign three or four players to add to the 2010 Rutgers recruiting haul.
“When I tell a recruit that there is playing time available – there is no double-talk or double-meaning, there is playing time available,” Rice said in his opening press conference.
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