By JUSTIN BENNETT
NEW YORK — Donatas Kupsas is set to announce his commitment on Monday. After recently receiving new offers from Weber State, Hofstra and Fordham, the 6-foot-9, 215-pound stretch 4-man from Long Island Lutheran felt that these three schools were his front runners.
Kupsas previously held a slew of offers from schools such as Ole Miss, Northeastern, Richmond and Davidson, along with many others.
“I feel really good about my top three choices, which is why I’m committing on Monday,” Kupsas said after pouring in 23 points as LuHi captured a 74-53 win over Sacred Heart 74-53 in the Luhi/Gateway Initiative Invitational held at Luhi.
A few coaches from Hofstra, who were in attendance to see him in action, made sure they squeezed in a few words to their potential future 4-man after the game.
“They’re just waiting on me to commit at this point,” Kupsas said. “They really love my aggression and ability to bring the ball up the court from time to time.”
During the game, Kupsas rebounded and pushed the ball the length of the floor several times, looking to either find an open teammate or make an aggressive move to the basket. His ability to stretch the floor was also clearly evident as he knocked down three 3’s off of pick-and-pop scenarios which stifled the Sacred Heart defense, leaving them unsure of how to guard him.
As for whichever team gets Kupsas’ pledge, they will surely be receiving someone who is clear and acceptable of his role; a very formidable attribute in the basketball world.
FRANKIE POLICELLI TALKS RECRUITING
Frankie Policelli, the 6-foot-9, 170-pound wing from LuHi, spoke about enjoying the recruiting process after his team secured the win over Sacred Heart.
Policelli recently picked up offers from Cincinnati and Dayton.
“I’m excited about it, both great offers and great teams,” he said. “I just feel blessed to receive them.”
Frankie also took an official visit to Stony Brook.
“I got a chance to get insight on how they run their program and how I’d fit there” he said.
Policelli admitted to being wide open with recruiting at this point, with none of his numerous suitors leading the race. In addition to the newest two, he holds offers from George Washington, Hofstra, Iona, UMass, St. Joe’s and more.
“I plan on narrowing down my list sometime after the season,” he said. “Possibly around the spring time, I’ll sit down with my family and Coach Jay David (NY Jayhawks Executive Director) to plan my remaining visits and determine the best move for me.”
Policielli is a freakishly athletic wing with deep range, who can also put the ball on the floor and defend multiple positions. This was on display during the Luhi/Sacred Heart game as he caught two highlight reel dunks, alongside a couple 3’s and easy drives to the lane in route to a 14pt performance.
CASMIR OCHIAKA SPEAKS HIGHLY OF FUTURE AT LOYOLA
Casmir Ochiaka, the 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward from St. Mary-Elizabeth (N.J.), spoke highly of his commitment to Loyola (Md).
“I chose Loyola because it’s in the Patriot league which means that it is really good academically” Ochiaka said. “It’s also a Catholic institution, and I’m Catholic.”
Casmir was extremely active on both ends of the floor as he contributed 16 points in a 55-48 win for his St. Mary-Elizabeth Hilltoppers against a hard-nosed South Shore Vikings team in overtime. Whether he was blocking shots emphatically, or finishing above the rim, his presence was felt.
“We want to get to the [New Jersey] TOC and I want to continue to get better to help us get there” Ochiaka said. He added, “I want to see how I can best help the team [Loyola] to win and reach the NCAA tournament. I’m looking forward to that.”
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