Kentucky coach John Calipari was front and center Sunday to watch Nerlens Noel against Brewster Academy at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.
Kentucky is one of five schools working the hardest on the 6-foot-10 junior center from The Tilton (N.H.) School.
“Nerlens hasn’t provided any formal list,” Tilton coach Marcus O’Neil told SNY.tv by text. “Kentucky, Syracuse, UConn, Georgetown and Louisville have been in pursuit.”
O’Neil added that Florida, Kansas, Providence and others are also involved.
UConn assistant Kevin Ollie was also in attendance in Springfield.
“You just got to go to a program just not based off the name,” Noel recently told FiveStarBasketball.com.
“But if there is a good name you look into it, see what they have to offer. But there ‘s other schools out there that are going to help you just as good as the high-name schools as well. So you look at the other schools, too, and take your time through the process and look at it in different aspects and just know that you made the good decision.”
“Just follow your heart.”
Boston Area Basketball Club head man Leo Papile has compared Noel to Bill Russell because of his shot-blocking skills and ability to finish around the rim.
Like Russell and Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis, Noel has a knack for redirecting blocked shots so that they stay inbounds and his teammates can recover them.
Playing against Michigan-bound big man Mitch McGary, Noel finished with a team-high 22 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks in Tilton’s 57-53 loss to Brewster Sunday.
“It was cool,” Noel told SNY.tv by text when asked about Calipari being in attendance. “Especially for all the coaches that were in attendance.”
Kentucky is targeting Noel and Prestonwood (Texas) Christian forward Julius Randle in the Class of 2013.
Having already visited Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State, the 6-8 Randle told CBSSports.com he also wants to take unofficials to Kentucky and Texas.
“I like the versatility of the players they have,” he told the site.
