Everybody from Tom Konchalski to Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez admits to being impressed by Fred Hill’s incoming recruits, most notably the frontcourt additions.
Rutgers already has a solid core of talented guards in freshmen Mike Coburn of Mount Vernon and Corey Chandler of Newark East Side. Last fall they gained a commitment from Mike Rosario of St. Anthony, who went on to be named a McDonald’s All-American.
Hill went out and landed Christian Morris of South Kent (Conn.) for this year, and most recently we broke the news that 6-8 St. Benedict’s big man Greg Echenique of Venezuela would also be eligible in ’08 instead of ’09 as originally planned.
Now Morris and Echenique can join a frontcourt that includes junior JR Inman and sophomore Hamady N’Diaye to give RU some depth and strength up front.
“What they needed to do was bolster their frontcourt, and that’s what they did,” Konchalski said.
And while Seton Hall has no commits for ’09, Rutgers already has 6-7 wing Dane Miller, a highly touted prospect, and 6-7 big Austin Johnson of Blair Academy locked up for next season.
“Right now, locally – probably the perception is, they’re doing better in Jersey,” Gonzalez said of Rutgers’ recruiting. “You know what? They should. Freddie’s born and raised in the state of New Jersey. His contacts are in New Jersey, and they’re the state university.”
