By ARTHUR WARNER-KAMSLER
WEST ORANGE, N.J. –Injuries have delayed the start of Tyus Battle’s junior season but nothing can slow down his recruitment.
The five-star combo guard in the Class of 2016 has missed the first two games of Gill St. Bernard’s season due to an ankle injury that had Battle walking in a boot during his team’s appearance at the Hoop Group Tip-Off Showcase. While the injury does not appear to be serious Battle is unsure on when he will be cleared to play.
While Battle’s injury might be keeping him off the court it hasn’t stopped some of the biggest college programs in the country from recruiting him.
Ohio State, Michigan, Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse, Louisville and Villanova are the programs that the 6-foot-6 Battle listed as coming after him the hardest at the moment. In fact Coach K and the entire Duke coaching staff recently came up to New Jersey to visit Battle.
“It was great,” Battle said. “Coach K and the whole Duke coaching staff was really great people. They came up twice already so I have a really great feeling about Duke.”
Battle also recently took an unofficial visit to Kentucky and clearly came away impressed with the schools recent success both on the court and during the NBA Draft.
“Kentucky develops their players,” Battle said. “A lot of good pros came out of Kentucky. Their recruiting classes are always amazing so Kentucky’s always a great team.”
The things that Battle said impressed him about Kentucky also matchup quite well with his list of what he is looking for in a school: “Development, academics, style of play and coaching.”
Battle is in no rush to commit and has not decided on a date for when he wants to decide where he wants to go to school.
**For more on Tyus Battle, watch our SNY.tv documentary “The Battle Plan” here.
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