By SAM LANCE
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Be on the lookout for a top schools list from Kiyan Anthony. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard from Long Island Lutheran (NY) and the Team Melo Nike EYBL AAU program said he will be dropping a top five to six “as soon as next week.”
“Just after Peach Jam,” Anthony said. “And then I’m looking to commit before my senior season starts, so October or November.”
Anthony holds offers from several programs including Arizona State, Bryant, Dayton, Florida State, George Mason, Illinois, Indiana, Manhattan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Memphis, Michigan, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Tennessee and UCF.
Last time Anthony was interviewed, Florida State, Arizona State, Indiana, Tennessee, and Auburn were said to be in the mix for visits. Now, Anthony said he’s trying to go see some “newer” schools in his recruitment like Ohio State, Auburn, USC and Rutgers. He would also like to take a trip back to Syracuse, which he visited officially in October 2023.
“No set dates for anything, but, Ohio State definitely trying to see a football game,” Anthony said. “And then as far as Auburn, USC, stuff like that, nothing set.”
He broke down those options to ZAGSBLOG below:
Syracuse: “I just like the atmosphere, you know, obviously my dad went there 20 something years ago, so I just like the atmosphere, I like the family environment. The coaches, I feel like they’re recruiting me for myself, and not just because of my father. That’s what I like. I just feel like they’re rebuilding, and they’re looking to get a winning team. I feel like I can help them do that if I was to go there.”
On relationship with head coach Adrian Autry: “Yeah, its building. Definitely with Coach Brenden [Straughn] from Syracuse, that’s really my main outlet of communication. But with Coach Autry, he’s starting to reach out to me on a daily basis and really trying to recruit me. He’s been at all my games so far, so just trying to build that relationship with him.”
Ohio State: “Yeah, definitely with Ohio State I like coach [Jake] Diebler. He’s a newer coach, but he definitely knows what he’s doing. I feel like when I talk to him, he definitely has a blueprint and a plan of what guys he wants to come. He’s very strict on who he recruits and stuff like that. So I feel like him recruiting me, that’s really a blessing. I’ve watched them this past year. I know a few guys that go to Ohio State, so just watching them, seeing how hard they play. And they get guys to the next level.”
Auburn: “Haven’t really had a chance to have a deep conversation with coach [Bruce] Pearl yet, but he definitely reached out to me, you know, on a broader basis. But definitely coach [Ira] Bowman, who reaches out to me and my teammate Tyler Jackson on a daily basis, I feel like he’s trying to carry that backcourt to Auburn. I’m looking forward to taking a visit and creating a deeper relationship with coach Pearl.”
USC: “USC is really the most recent school that has really shown interest in offering me and stuff like that. Coach [Quincy] Pondexter, which is an assistant coach over there, he definitely shows me a lot of love. And coach [Eric] Musselman, this is going to be his first year, so he’s just trying to get it back to where USC is supposed to be. And coach Musselman was at my game two days ago, so he really shows love. I’m going to hop in a call with the coaching staff with my family after Peach. He texted me actually the past three or four days, just telling me what I need to do better, telling me I had a really good game and stuff like that.”
Rutgers: ”You know they’re close to home. My guys are going there, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. So I’m looking forward to just, I have an open mind, looking forward to just going up there one day, taking a little hour and a half job seeing what Rutgers is talking about. Even if it’s unofficial. And then take my official after. I’m looking forward to that.”
Anthony broke down some of his other offers like Florida State, Indiana, Arizona State and Tennessee here.
So far at Nike EYBL Peach Jam this week, playing in the PIT, Anthony has averaged 23.3 points per game. That’s the second-leading scoring average at the 17u level through four days at Peach Jam. Anthony had quite the contest on Monday vs. Mac Irvin Fire.
Anthony is rated the No. 31 prospect in the 2025 class per 247Sports and the No. 1 player coming out of New York. Follow Sam Lance on Twitter Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram And Like ZAGS on FacebookKiyan Anthony just snapped for 40 POINTS at Peach 🚨@kiyananthony @NikeEYB pic.twitter.com/B6zH7bxokL
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) July 15, 2024
