NEW YORK — Saturday was an especially long day for Jahvon Quinerly.
The 6-foot-1 Class of 2018 point guard played in the Nike IS8 event early in the day in New York, ultimately winning the championship alongside Hudson Catholic teammate Luther Muhammad and their NorthEast basketball teammates.
Quinerly then moved on to the Gauchos Gym where he scored 17 points as the New Jersey Upperclassmen lost to the New York Upperclassman, 103-92, in the Sharette Dixon Classic.
“It was actually my first time playing IS8 ever, so it was a packed gym in a little gym so it was a good experience,” he told me.
As for Sharette Dixon, it was more of an exhibition, with not much defense being played.
“Nobody plays defense in these games, it’s frustrating at times,” he said. “But you make the best of it.”
On the recruiting front, Quinerly said Villanova, Arizona, Virginia and Seton Hall are among those working the hardest. He took an unofficial to Villanova from Thursday-Friday, and will return for their Midnight Madness event on Friday. “Villanova was great,” he said. “I had a great time.” He added: “They’re making me a priority, telling me that I’m the point guard that they want in the class and they really want me.” Reigning national champion Villanova has obviously produced a slew of talented guards under coach Jay Wright. “I talked to both Phil Booth and Jalen Brunson, two cool guys, and they told me the same thing,” he said. “If you want to prosper as a guard this is the place for it.” Arizona also offered Quinerly recently and head coach Sean Miller and assistant Book Richardson are targeting him to come to “Point Guard U.” “Same thing, they want me to be their point guard,” he said. “I’m looking forward to taking an official soon, I don’t know when.” Virginia is also in the mix. “Virginia’s working hard, too,” he said. “I’ve been on an unofficial two months ago. They told me the same thing, just making me a priority.” He also visited Ohio State two weeks ago. “They played Rutgers in football, 78-0,” he said. “That was a great time, too. Same thing, making me a priority. Quinerly is looking forward to visiting some West Coast schools in the spring. “Arizona, California, Stanford are three officials I’m looking forward to taking in the spring,” he said. Meantime, Seton Hall has been on Quinerly as long as anyone and offered him as part of the “Fab Five” of Sports U players. “Definitely, this is the second time they came in this week so it’s great because they’re consistent unlike a lot of other schools,” Quinerly told me in September. “I love Coach [Kevin] Willard, I love Coach Sha[heen Holloway], they’re two great guys.” Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter And like ZAGS on FacebookThe craziest handles ? @RealJahvonQ pic.twitter.com/JNXPXPsIXM
— Overtime (@overtime) October 23, 2016
