It’s not hard to understand why Chris Obekpa is drawing so much high Division 1 interest and why defending national champion UConn will host him for an unofficial visit Thursday.
The 6-foot-9 Obekpa is a natural rebounder and shot-blocker who had a huge weekend for Our Savior New American at the IS8 playoffs in Queens.
In an 82-72 quarterfinal win over Sports University Sunday, Obekpa posted 11 points, 18 rebounds and nine blocks.
That followed a triple-double Saturday against Primetime Prep in which he tallied 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocks.
“He played terrific,” New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski said.
Obekpa and Our Savior will meet the Panthers in one semifinal Saturday at 11 a.m., while the Playaz will take on Mount Vernon in the other semifinal at 12:30.
The final is set for 11 a.m. Sunday.
Providence, UCLA, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Florida and Georgia Tech are also involved with Obekpa, who cannot take any official visits until the results from his Oct. 1 SAT come in.
Elsewhere at IS8:
**Xavier pledge Myles Davis dropped 30 points for the Playaz in Sunday’s 59-57 quarterfinal win over New Heights. Davis also dropped 28 in Saturday’s win over the BC Eagles.
**UCLA-bound Kyle Anderson had 15 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks, three assists, and seven turnovers vs. New Heighs.
**Tafari Whittingham, a 6-6 senior from Lincoln, put up 23 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks in Saturday’s Juice win over the Gauchos, and 17 points and eight rebounds in an 81-63 quarterfinal loss Sunday to Mount Vernon.
**6-3 wing Isaiah Cousins of Mount Vernon posted 14 points, four rebounds, two blocks and two assists against Juice , while Jarrel Marshall, a 6-5 senior from Mount Vernon, added 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
**6-7 Jordan Washington of Slow Bucks and Pathways College Prep had 16 points, six rebounds and two blocks, and 5-6 junior point guard Jameik Riviere of Slow Bucks and August Martin tallied 27 points and nine turnovers in a quarterfinal loss to the Panthers.
