NEW YORK — Jarelle Reischel wrestled hard with his college decision before announcing Wednesday.
The 6-foot-6, 208-pound wing from Point Pleasant Beach (N.J.) High had narrowed his options to Penn State, Rice and Seton Hall before ultimately choosing Rice.
“They really believe and care about me,” Reischel told ZAGSBLOG.com. “I think it’s an opportunity where I can play right away in Conference USA.
“Coach [Ben] Braun is a great coach. He’s had a lot of success. He’s had 21 pros through his years. He has the experience. He knows the position I have to be to make it to the next level.”
Reischel joins 6-5 Washington, D.C. shooting guard Julian DeBose and 6-2 point guard Dylan Ennis of Illinois in Rice’s 2011 class.
“Ben Braun has done a really good job coaching players like him and I think he’ll do a good job with him,” New York recruiting guru Tom Konchalski said.
“He has a lot of potential. This past year he was catching up basketball-wise. He played for the Metrohawks in the spring and summer. I think that helped him. He has good skill. He needs a level of better competition. He’s a guy who’s nose has got to calcify. He has to get tougher.”
Reischel averaged 23 points, 12 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.5 steals last season for head coach Nick Catania.
“[I’m] somebody that competes day in, day out every day,” he said. “Somebody that’s going to play every day and just give everything he has. With my versatility, I can shoot, I can score, I can defend, I can rebound. Just an overall complete player.”
Said Catania: “His biggest asset is that he does everything well. He doesn’t do necessarily one thing great. But he can post it, he can shoot it, he can drive it, he can handle it. He can rebound it. He plays one through five for us.”
Reischel was born in Germany and lived there until he was 16 because his father was in the military. He previously played on the German U16 team and said he learned to play a more fundamental style there.
“The European style is a little different,” he said. “More cuts and screens and off-the-ball stuff. When you go to America, you have guys who really dominate.
“That’s what I have to learn, to really come over and dominate and become a complete player.”
WILLIAMS TO OHIO STATE
Amir Williams, a 6-9, 220-pound center from Beverly Hills (Mich.) Country Day, chose Ohio State over Florida, according to reports.
The No. 7 center in the Class of 2011, Williams reportedly also had offers from Michigan, Arizona, Duke, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Texas, Wake Forest and Wisconsin
“I felt very comfortable with coach [Thad] Matta, his coaching staff and the players,” Williams told ESPN.com. “They were like a family. “My parents liked everything better than I did. They loved the school, the academic support and the basketball program.”
If superstar frosh Jared Sullinger bolts to the NBA after one year, Williams can step in to the spot.
“Coach Matta told me they needed an athletic center that can play right away because of the graduation of power forward/center Dallas Lauderdale and the possibility of Jared Sullinger being one and done,” Williams told ESPN.com.
(Photos courtesy JohnnyJungle.com, Rivals.com)
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Amir Williams, a 6-9, 220-pound center from Beverly Hills (Mich.) Country Day, chose Ohio State over Florida, according to reports.
The No. 7 center in the Class of 2011, Williams reportedly also had offers from Michigan, Arizona, Duke, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Texas, Wake Forest and Wisconsin