By ARI ROSENFELD & ADAM ZAGORIA
GALLOWAY, N.J. — Isaiah Briscoe has entered the final live period of his high school career, and his suitors are putting on the fullcourt press.
Steve Lavin returned from his Bosnian recruiting trip to watch Briscoe go for 17 points in a 79-54 beatdown of Maryland 3D in the Live in AC event at Richard Stockton College on Wednesday night.
Lavin was joined by Rutgers head coach Eddie Jordan, Villanova head coach Jay Wright, Seton Hall assistant Fred Hill and Arizona assistant Book Richardson.
Rising junior T.J. Gibbs, who also played brilliantly as the Playaz Basketball Club won the Peach Jam on Sunday, added 17 points in the win, hitting five 3-pointers.
Asked which schools he had heard from most since hitting the winning free throws and finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in Sunday’s Peach Jam championship over Team Penny, Briscoe said, Arizona, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Rutgers and Villanova.
A source close to the recruitment told SNY.tv that Briscoe’s decision will come down to Arizona or St. John’s.
As for those winning free throws, Briscoe, who was named to the ZAGSBLOG All-Peach Jam 1st Team, and his teammates were still reveling in the victory in the biggest event of the summer.
“I knew I was gonna make ’em,” he said. “I told coach [Jimmy Salmon], I said, ‘Put me on the line. I’m gonna make ’em. I’m gonna win Peach Jam for us.’ He obviously trusts me. I’ve been with the Playaz for seven years. My last game, EYBL, he gave me the ball and he said, “Go win the game.
“It was a back-and-forth game,” Salmon told the North Augusta Star. “We knew they weren’t going away, and I like tight games where we can get the ball to Isaiah at the end. I think he’s the best guard in the country. He got a chance to prove that [Sunday].”
Briscoe has already had quite a summer for himself. Last month, he was part of the USA U18 gold-medal winning team in the FIBA Americas championship.
After one night in Atlantic City, the Playaz were slated to head to to Las Vegas to the Nike Fab 48.
“Just continue to win, continue to be a leader, and continue to build my résumé,” Briscoe said.
Photo: North Augusta Star
