Atiba Taylor plays on the Sports U team that is loaded with high-major talent like Naz Reid, Jahvon Quinerly and Luther Muhammad.
But the 6-foot-3 Class of 2018 combo guard would like to see his own recruitment expand so he’s exploring the option of reclassifying to 2019, he told ZAGSBLOG.
“I will be reclassifying into the 2019 class,” he said.
Kansas State, St. Joe’s, Temple and Monmouth are among the schools currently involved, but he could expand his options with strong play this summer with Sports U.
“We just wanted to maximize his recruitment to find a school that best fits him,” said his father, Atiba Taylor Sr., adding they’re not sure where he would spend the 2018-19 season after he finishes up at Hackensack (N.J.) High School.
Staying in 2018 remains an option, too.
“He’s still available for ’18, too, if the right situation comes along,” his dad said.
CAM REDDISH, LOUIS KING ATTRACTING MAJOR INTEREST FOR TEAM FINAL
Cam Reddish, a 6-8 combo guard from Team Final on the Nike EYBL circuit and the Westtown (PA) School, will play his second live event this month when the tour hits Indianapolis this weekend.
Reddish “is hearing a lot from Villanova, Kentucky, Duke and UConn,” Team Final coach Aaron Burt said on The 4 Quarters Podcast. “He has to continue to grow as a player, but he has a terrific skillset.”
Reddish’s teammate, 6-foot-8 Louis King of Hudson (N.J.) Catholic, also continues to blow up since transitioning to the Nike circuit from Under Armor.
“Louis brings so much versatility to our program and our team,” Burt said. “At this point he is displaying his offensive and his perimeter skills as well”
As for schools, Burt said Oregon, Georgetown, Indiana, Syracuse, Kentucky and Duke are among those involved. Maryland has also been very active.
“Kentucky has called, Duke has called,” Burt said. “He’ll have a plethora of schools where he’ll get recruited.”
Matt Cotton, a 6-5 shooting guard from Team Final and St. Benedict’s Prep, is hearing from Miami, Oklahoma State and Penn, among others.
“Matt is a lefty that can really stroke the outside shot,” Burt said.
“He has it from all different levels. Matt’s level is going to be how hard he works and where he wants to go.”
NOAH FARRAKHAN IS BLOWING UP
The Team Rio National 16U is loaded with talent and will have a slew of coaches following them for the next several summers.
Among the high-major players on this team are 6-1 2020 point guard Noah Farrakhan-Oliver of St. Benedict’s Prep, 6-7 2021 forward Tre’Von Patterson of Rutgers Prep, 6-6 Jyare Davis of Sanford School and 6-6 2020 Jabri Abdur-Rahim of Seton Hall Prep, the son of former NBA big man Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
Kentucky assistant Tony Barbee was among the high-major coaches watching Farrakhan and his teammates this past weekend in New York.
“Kentucky is evaluating him,” said his father, Theo. “They were there to watch Noah.”
He added that “Florida is recruiting Noah really, really hard.”
FREE THROWS
Tulane landed a pledge from 6-4 2017 guard Shakwon Barrett from Ro Russell’s Grassroots Canada AAU program. He officially visited Michigan and Arkansas…Ogheneyole “Savior” Akuwovo, a 6-9 shot-blocking specialist from St. Anthony’s, will now run with the Team Rio 17U team, joining Class of 2019 stars Bryan Antoine and Scottie Lewis. Akuwovo is still evaluating his high school options for next season, as I wrote in this New York Times piece, but joining Lewis and Antoine at Ranney School appears to be a possibility….6-4 UNLV transfer Jalen Poyser has strong interest from Rhode Island, Texas, UConn, St Bonaventure, Tulane and more….St. John’s, Georgetown, UMass, N.C. State, Boston College, Georgia Tech and Penn State have offered 6-6 wing Nahziah Carter of the Albany City Rocks and Rochester (N.Y.) Bishop Kearney, who now plans to go in the Class of 2018...Stanford offered 2019 shooting guard Josh Green of Hillcrest Prep and 2020 point guard Nico Mannion of Pinnacle (AZ)…Texas A&M offered 6-5 2018 Montez Mathis of Team BBC (MD)…Syracuse and Temple offered 2018 point guard Jalen Carey of the NJ Playaz and Immaculate Conception (N.J.)…UMass offered Junub Chuol and Anthony Nelson of the NY Lightning, as well as Noah Farrakhan-Oliver of Team Rio.
