Junior college star Bashir Ahmed enjoyed his official visit to St. John’s over the weekend and still has one more trip to Louisville planned.
“I had a great weekend,” he told SNY.tv. “St. John’s was great. I enjoyed going back home for the visit. The coaches were great. The team is like a family and I felt like I was a part of their family.
“The coaches are very close with their players. I got a chance to play with them and I think it’s a great fit.”
St. John’s coach Chris Mullin and his staff are hoping to add both the 6-foot-7, 205-pound combo guard from The Bronx and 6-1 Thomas Jefferson point guard Shamorie Ponds to their 2016 recruiting class. Ponds is set to announce on Tuesday.
Ahmed has visited Cincinnati and will still visit Louisville. He recently cancelled a recent visit to Rutgers .
“All three of those schools are recruiting me hard right now,” he said recently. “They’re recruiting me very hard. They’re showing a lot of effort, talking to my brothers.”
A onetime Iona commit who will be eligible in 2016, Ahmed was named a NJCAA All-American last season at Hutchinson.
Ahmed finished with 585 points, the sixth-most points scored by a true Blue Dragon freshman in team history. His 16.3 point scoring average tied for ninth best by a Hutchinson freshman.
“I’m going to bring versatility, I’m going to bring toughness,” he said. “I’m going to defend on the court and I’m going to score from the perimeter on the floor.
“Most important I have heart. I’m going to bring that toughness to the team. A team always needs toughness.”
Photo: Hutchinson Athletics