HILLSIDE, N.J. — As he heads into a huge matchup with Trevon Duval and IMG Academy on Sunday, Jordan Walker is also looking ahead to his future college plans.
The 5-foot-10 point guard from The Patrick School is still weighing whether to attend college in 2017 or ’18, but said Friday he has three school visits in mind for after the high school season ends.
The Celtics are the favorite to win the New Jersey Tournament of Champions title. The New Jersey Non-Public tournament begins Feb. 28, and the TOC final is slated for March 20.
“I know there’s three schools I’m going to visit after the season,” Walker said Friday at The Patrick School. “I’m going to visit Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Indiana.”
Walker isn’t certain if he’ll take official or unofficial visit to the schools, but said he will “definitely” visit those three “after the season.”
Indiana assistant Chuck Martin saw the Celtics beat Roselle Catholic on Thursday night, when Walker went for 22 points in a 64-58 win over their rival.
“They’re looking for a point guard for 2017 and 2018 so I might fit into either of those criteria,” Walker said of Indiana.
Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have also seen Walker, but they are also awaiting an announcement from Trae Young, who will announce Feb. 16 between Kansas and the two Oklahoma schools.
“I wouldn’t say those are my top three but those are the schools that are looking at me the most, and Seton Hall and Georgia and Florida,” Walker said.
“Right after the season, probably I’ll make my decision.”
Meantime, the Celtics play Union Catholic Saturday night before getting Duval and IMG on Sunday in the Tom Richel Memorial Hoopfest at Roselle Catholic.
“I’m looking forward to it a lot, playing against the No. 1 point guard in the country,” Walker said. “I get to show where I stand. I think I’m definitely going to show people that I belong up there, whether it’s the 2017 class or the 2018 class, I feel like I’m one of the best point guards around.”
Duval is considering Kansas, Duke, Arizona, Baylor and Seton Hall and is coming off his first official visit to Kansas this week. Seton Hall coaches Kevin Willard and Shaheen Holloway are expected for Sunday’s game.
“I feel like it will help my recruitment tremendously, like how Isaiah Washington battled him at the Elite 24 and his stock boosted tremendously,”Walker said. “So I think if I do the same thing, I think if we get the win and I play the way I’m supposed to play, it can boost my stock tremendously.”
Celtics co-coach Chris Chavannes said he expects Duval, the projected No. 6 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com, to be fired up to play in New Jersey, where he previously attended St. Benedict’s Prep.
This is a rematch of a game played in December at the City of Palms Classic, where The Patrick School blew a 17-point lead.
“I think [Duval] will play aggressively because I think he really wanted to play high school basketball in this area and this is his last stint to play in New Jersey, and I think he’ll try to make sure that his last stint is a memorable one,” Chavannes said. “So we’re a little bit concerned about that.”
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