By ZACH SMART
Special to ZAGSBLOG
When 6-foot-7 freshman Jordan Tucker first stepped foot on the sprawling campus of White Plains High, there was hype, hearsay and heavy buzz surrounding his every move.
Tucker was tasked with helping recharge the pulse of the Tigers, which teetered on the fringe of mediocrity last season.
White Plains struggled mightily during the 2012-2013 season, a forgettable one rife with growing pains.
The burden of righting a once prosperous ship…It seemed like amplified pressure for a callow but confident freshman. Tucker, whose shooting can stretch out defenses and draw taller defenders away from the post, has rapidly relished these loud expectations.
“I have big expectations, but it doesn’t really bother me,” said Tucker, who dropped 19 points (draining five 3-pointers in the first half) and snared six rebounds during the Tigers recent 62-54 win over Peekskill.
“I want this pressure…That’s when I’m at my best.”
Several programs have jumped in on the chase for the freakish freshman.
Offers from Oklahoma, Detroit, Providence, Xavier, Fordham and Manhattan are all on Tucker’s table.
Tucker rattled off Arizona, Miami, Virginia, North Carolina and Villanova as programs that have expressed interest.
“Manhattan offered me over the summer, after I went to their Elite Camp,” explained Tucker.
Manhattan also offered electrifying Spring Valley guard Ricky McGill, who committed to the Jaspers the fall.
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