NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Jax Levitch, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound small forward from Delray Beach (FL) Elev8 Sports Institute, hopes to decide soon between Rutgers and Delaware.
“Those are my final two schools unless more come along,” he said after going for 6 points and 5 rebounds Saturday as Elev8 beat Notre Dame Prep, 75-57, at the National Prep Showcase at Albertus Magnus College.
“I plan on [deciding] before Christmas but if something doesn’t work out, if I’m not ready, then there’s no rush. That’s what I would like to do, is commit before Christmas-time.”
Levitch visited Rutgers earlier this week.
“I liked it a lot,” he said. “I like the coaching staff, I like the players, I like what their mission is. I liked it a lot.”
He has visited Delaware officially and unofficially.
“I was close to committing there but they’re still on me,” he said. “I like the coaching staff a lot. I’ve developed a good relationship with [associate] Coach [Jeff] Rafferty.”
Levitch is still thin and needs to add weight and get stronger. It’s also unclear what position he would defend.
“I see myself as a 3 but two of our big men have been out the whole year so I’ve been playing the 4,” he said. “But in college I’ll be a 3 or stretch 4.”
Rutgers has no commits for 2016 yet, although they are strongly in the mix for Issa Thiam, a 6-9 small forward from the Canarias Basketball Academy who is also playing there.
“They said they need a shooter bad,” Levitch said of Rutgers, where he’s being recruited by assistant Van Macon. “That’s what I would do is come in and help them knock down shots.”
Elev8 coach Chad Myers says Levitch has a high basketball IQ, too.
“I think he has such a great basketball feel,” he said. “He makes all the right plays. He can really, really shoot it, he can handle it. He’s kind of between a 3 and a 4 right now.
“He’s gotta fill out [physically], box out, especially if you put him out there at the highest level with four other really good other players, he’s going to keep them under control and he’s got good pace to his game and everything.”
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