After months of weighing his options, Oak Hill (Va.) Academy forward Roscoe Smith has made the call.
The 6-foot-9, 198-pound forward orally committed to UConn Friday morning, choosing the Huskies over Duke and Georgetown.
“I called [assistant] Coach [Pat] Sellers because Coach [Jim] Calhoun was on the airplane,” Smith, the No. 6 small forward in the Class of 2010 according to Rivals, said by phone. “I left him a text message.”
Smith said he picked the Huskies because of their style of play and because of Calhoun’s history of producing talented pros.
“I like the style of play,” he said. “The style of play really suits me. I like the history that Coach Calhoun has produced of players that played my position of small forward.”
Smith joins Michael Bradley, a 6-9 center from Chattanooga, Tenn., and Jeremy Lamb, a 6-4 shooting guard from Norcross, Ga., in UConn’s 2010 recruiting haul.
A Baltimore native, Smith follows fellow Maryland natives Rudy Gay and Josh Boone to UConn.
“He [Calhoun] was real successful,” Smith said. “The players that he got on the next level are still improving on the next level.”
Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said Roscoe Smith has a chance to be a special player in college. He’s currently averaging about 18 points and 7 rebounds for the Warriors (18-1).
“I think he’s got a chance to be an exceptional college player,” Smith said. “He’s long, he’s athletic. He shoots the ball really well for a guy his size. He’s a perimeter player. He’s more of a wing-type player than an inside guy. I think UConn needs a player like him so I think it’s a good opportunity to go in and play early in his career and have some success early in his career.”
Roscoe Smith said he’s glad to have the process over with and can now focus exclusively on his senior year at Oak Hill.
“I’m just happy that all the schools recruited me and I’m glad to go through this experience of a highly recruited player and experience the good side of it and also the bad side of it,” he said.
Shooting guard Doron Lamb, Smith’s teammate at Oak Hill, is considering UConn along with Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma, but Smith said he wouldn’t try and influence Lamb.
“Not really,” he said. “Everyone should go to a school that best fits them not because of who says so.”
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JessieWildcat / January 8, 2010
AZ,
No one is going to Duke.
For good reasons, I suspect.
Irving maybe realizing his mistake?
But, it does look like SMITH’s kids are finally ready to make the commit.
So, is D-Lamb also ready to make an announcement?
Whatz up Book.
It is going to be a great visit for D-Lamb and Calvin.
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TJCPenny / January 8, 2010
How is he with laptops?
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tsmooth / January 9, 2010
Duke will get good players Jessie. Coach K is a great coach and players want to play for him. His recent gold medal makes him even more of a hot commodity. Kyrie is a great fit for Duke, and he is going to follow through on his commitment. It’s simply juvenile to say that Kyrie made a mistake and that Duke isn’t in the minds of high school players. As long as Coach K is at Duke, you can bet on them getting good players and making runs at the ACC and/or NCAA title.
(btw, not a Duke fan. Just had to point that out)
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JessieWildcat / January 9, 2010
tsmooth….I was not referring to coach K ;but, this turnover with the assistance. Those boys are not getting it done. Not sure how they got Irving.
Also not a Duke Fan…
AZ—
Any new from Calvin and the visit?
Just saw the Arizona game highlights on ESPN.
I like that MONSTER slam by D.Williams.
Looks like a TOP5 Freshman of the year. Much better than Cousins, for sure.
It does look like THEY were excited with the game and the atmosphere.
Saturday morning has Calvin and Doron enjoying the Arizona campus and talking C….
Will he COMMIT today? or later in the week.
One thing is for sure, Smith’s players have deciced to commit ,sooner than later.
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RockChalkWoody / January 9, 2010
Jessie, didn’t the Mildcats lose? And it sure looked like a lot of fans disguised as empty seats in that building. I’m sure the Lambs were just blown away by how serious they take college basketball in the dessert. What a joke.
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Gohard / January 10, 2010
Recruits aren’t really checkin’ for Duke these days. Duke is the Gonzaga of the ACC. MAYBE if Kyrie has a stellar freshman yr it might open the floodgates for Coach K at Duke but I doubt it. Duke’s jus’ gonna keep losing recruits to UNC
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Gohard / January 10, 2010
Hopefully they can lock up Terrence Ross.
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pastaboy / January 10, 2010
Is Georgia in Conference USA ? ( snickers) ……16 and 0 suckas ….hhahahahaha
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RockChalkWoody / January 10, 2010
No, Georgia is in that weak-a$$ SEC. That conference is a joke. UK should go 16-0.
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pastaboy / January 10, 2010
That ” weak azz” conference has won 7 NC’s out of the last 20 …..you got a fluke shot over Memphis for 1 out of 20 …… Pasta nails the trey from downtown !!!!!!!!!!
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pastaboy / January 10, 2010
Tennessee ( from that weak azz conference …minus 4 players) 76 …..Kansas 68 . Hahahahahahahaha ….OVERRATED !!!!!! . Enjoy watching Cal ‘s azz this year as he moves up in the rankings .
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