By ADAM ZAGORIA
After a breakout performance in which he scored 37 points against Team Rio in Las Vegas, Lester Quinones is planning several visits in August.
The 6-foot-5 guard from St. Benedict’s Prep (NJ), who also played for the Dominican Republic at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in June, plans to take unofficial visits to St. John’s and Seton Hall in August, among other schools.
Michigan, Ohio State, UCLA, Maryland and UConn are among his other top suitors. He broke down several of his top options for Corey Evans of Rivals.com.
Michigan: “They have been contacting me pretty often of late. We are just building a good relationship and he (John Beilein) just tells me he is coming to see me and that I am a special player and to keep playing hard. He has just been saying that it is school tradition to go on a visit there to get that offer, so he is just waiting for me to go on a visit first.”
Ohio State: “Coach (Ryan) Pedon has been texting me a lot. They have been coming to some of my games lately. They have begun to start recruiting me pretty hard and that I am his top priority.”
Seton Hall: “That is a good school there and I have a good relationship with them. I am planning on taking an unofficial visit there next month, since it is close to home.”
St. John’s: “They are good, too. I have seen Coach (Chris) Mullin at a lot of my games and we have built a very good relationship with them. I am planning on taking an unofficial visit there next month, too.”
UCLA: “I like their style of play. They like to get out in transition, shoot a lot of 3s, and that is just my type of game. That is a big one for me that is showing interest.”
Maryland: “They are loving me, calling me, texting me and I think that they have been to all of my games this week. That is another one that I want to take an unofficial visit to, since it is so close to home.”
UConn: “Every time I look over there, I see Coach Kimani (Young) and Coach (Dan) Hurley at all of my games. That is just great to see.”
Quinones also told Evans he and New Heights and St. Benedict’s Prep teammate Precious Achiuwa, who has said he remains open in his recruitment, are considering attending school together.
“We have discussed it a couple of times,” he said. “We feel like our games complement each other well and that if we could keep playing together at the next level, we can help each other out and get to where we want to reach.”
As for when he might decide, he said, “It depends on what school I go to, but if I go back to St. Benedict’s, we will probably make our decision late sometime next year.”
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