Kevin Ollie, coach of the reigning NCAA champion UConn Huskies, visited Tuesday with the two best high school prospects in New Jersey in hopes of building toward future Final Four appearances.
During the afternoon, Ollie visited 6-foot-5 2016 guard Tyus Battle at Gill St. Bernard’s. In the evening, he met with 6-3 2015 Roselle Catholic point guard Isaiah Briscoe.
“Ollie is one of the best young basketball minds in the country,” Gary Battle, the player’s father, told SNY.tv. “Coach is so smart and he has so much wisdom.”
Miami coach Jim Larranaga also visited with Battle.
“Both guys love Tyus a lot,” Gary said. “Both would use him at both guard positions. He would be a playmaker and a scorer.”
Already this month, Battle has hosted Louisville’s Rick Pitino, Villanova’s Jay Wright, Rutgers’ Eddie Jordan, Michigan’s John Beilein, Ohio State’s Thad Matta and Florida’s Billy Donovan.
Virginia’s Tony Bennett and Kentucky’s John Calipari are due Wednesday and Thursday.
Battle will visit Kentucky and Duke next month for their Midnight Madness events. He has already visited UConn.
Ollie met Tuesday night with Briscoe at Roselle Catholic.
“We had a great meeting this evening with Kevin Ollie and Glen Miller,” RC coach Dave Boff told SNY.tv. “They did a great job of explaining how Isaiah’s style of play and his strengths would fit in well in the UConn system.”
Briscoe will take an official to UConn Sept. 26 and to Missouri Oct. 10.
He will also meet Thursday with Calipari and Sept. 22 with St. John’s coach Steve Lavin following a recent meeting with Seton Hall head coach Kevin Willard and associate head coach Shaheen Holloway.
