Markus Kennedy, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound junior forward from Living Faith Christian Academy (N.J.), will stay home for college.
Kennedy, a Philadelphia native, chose Villanova over West Virginia and Temple during a press conference Wednesday at his school.
“I just loved the coach and the team and everything about the campus,” Kennedy said by phone. “Coach [Jay] Wright really cares about the players. He just doesn’t care about winning basketball games. He cares about their future.”
Asked how much the Wildcats’ run to the Final Four impacted his decision, Kennedy said: “Yes, it did. The way that their team is, they only have a couple of big men and for them to get to the Final Four, that says a lot.”
Both Wright and West Virginia coach Bob Huggins were in to the school last week to see Kennedy, the No. 37 power forward in the Class of 2010. Kennedy has also visited Villanova twice.
Kennedy possesses tremendous versatility. He can step away and face up to the basket and he can also pound it inside. He has great hands and great feet.
“[Coach Wright] said I will get playing time, but how much I play depends on how I do in practice,” he said.
Villanova is bringing in a stellar 2009 recruiting class that includes big men Mouph Yarou and Isaiah Armwood of Montrose Christian; wing Dominic Cheek of St. Anthony and point guard Maalik Wayns of Philly Roman Catholic.
Duke transfer Taylor King and redshirt center Maurice Sutton will also suit up for the ‘Cats next season, making them perhaps the team to beat in the Big East.
KEVIN PARROM DOWN TO FINAL 2
Kevin Parrom is down to Pitt and Arizona.
Xavier, to whom he originally committed, and Virginia Tech are no longer in the mix.
“Yeah,” Parrom wrote in a text message.
The 6-6 Parrom, a New York native playing at South Kent (Conn.), will decide after taking an official to Arizona this weekend. Former Xavier coach Sean Miller and assistant Book Richardson are now at Arizona.
“Sometime next week,” Parrom said of his decision.
(Photo courtesy Brian Kelley)
USC.trojan / April 29, 2009
Hey, Ari-zaga…..
Call It….Arizona or not?
Got this from west coast site…..
” Recruiting Question for JJ…on Arizona
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Quote: 4/24/09
Originally Posted by WildcatZona
JJ-
Kevin:
When is the recruit visiting?
Next weekend.
When is Kevin P visiting?
Kevin will only take two recruiting visits.
And Arizona will be his last recruiting visit.
In the past, the last school which a recruit visits means…good news.
“I take an official to Pitt on Sunday and an official to Arizona next weekend.
.
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April 29,09——————-
“Arizaga ” …..I do like your nickname Zag.
We knew almost a week ago that it was DOWN to TWO schools.
Go Wildcats.
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bosybillups / April 29, 2009
Parrom would be a great fit for Arizona, and will get much playing time right away as AZ builds into a force the next couple of years.
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UofA Boss / April 29, 2009
Dude you got the best recruiting blog on the web. Best part about is its free! Your a man of the people. That is why I’m currently verbally committing to this site.
Anyway Parrom needs to come to AZ. Pitts run is over they will be a mediocre big east squad next year. Az is back on chamionship road and speeding. And they dont call tucson dime city for no reason, we got the best girls in the country on are campus. Cats are back boys! The rest of the pac-10 just got a warning shot.
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Panblitz / April 29, 2009
It’s laughable that AZ fans thinks Pitt’s run is over. Yes maybe next year they won’t be the beasts that they have been but no doubt with Dixon running the show will be good. In fact, almost every year since Howland brought the program up people have been looking for it to fall. The fact of the matter is, Dixon is too good at developing players and he recruits the type of high quality character kids that make a program great year in year out. As a college hoops fan, I don’t think that Pitt’s program is going anywhere but up while Dixon is at the helm.
As for Arizona I think its a little premature to say the Cats are back, lets wait to see what happens first. Give Miller some time, its not fair to consider them back before the guy has coached a single game. Temper the expectations a little.
I’m sure Parrom can’t go wrong with either choice. Both programs have great coaches. I tend to believe Dixon does a better job of developing players though. The edge I see for Arizona is that Parrom was committed to X and I’m sure has a great relationship with Miller. The advantage to Pitt is that it is in the BE. Being an East Coast kid I don’t see how he’d pass up an opportunity to play in BE for the Pac-10. Heck, Miller would take a Pitt job over the AZ job if both were open. But it will be interesting to see how this plays out because he was committed to an A-10 school previously.
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USC.trojan / April 29, 2009
“But it will be interesting to see how this plays out because he was committed to an A-10 school previously.”
PanPan
So, what is the call?
You have all these Arizona fans saying this and that.
Who was the other recruit which Pitt juggled, last weekend?
Kav. L….he’s from NY, right.
Pitt coaches like him also.
Looks like Pitt gets a player, either way. (KLor KP)
Not sure KP gets alot of playing time at Pitt.
Is this a deal breaker?
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Big Ben / April 29, 2009
Pitt>>>>Arizona. Once Lute left, Arizona isn’t even the best basketball program in the state.
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Phinner / April 30, 2009
LOL.. ASU fans living on their one season of mediocrity.. Great season, completely blown by an early exit in the tourney. (Hey – have you guys found Harden yet???)
And now you are starting to lose recruits to the UA…
Ahh.. things are slowly getting back to normal. Maybe we can go on another 20+ year streak before ASU beats UA again… LOL.
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