As the July recruiting period heats up, Kentucky has offered a pair of 2015 stars in Antonio Blakeney and Henry Ellenson, while Louisville has extended offers to a pair of 2016 guards.
Kentucky has now offered 12 players in the Class of 2015, according to ZAGSBLOG contributor Chip Miller.
The Wildcats offered the 6-foot-4 2015 Blakeney out of Orlando (FL) Oak Ridge, according to Evan Daniels of Scout.com.
Blakeney previously told SNY.tv he was being courted by Louisville, Florida, Kansas, North Carolina, Florida State, Providence, LSU and USC.
“A lot of schools are recruiting me hard,” he told SNY.tv last month. “Mostly every school is recruiting me the same.”
The 6-foot-10 Ellenson is a power forward from Rice Lake, WI, who already owned offers from North Carolina, Duke, and UCLA, among others. Now he has added Kentucky, according to Alex Kline.
“I’m looking at a place where I’ll be able to play inside and outside, and put it on the floor and be able to shoot,” he told SNY.tv exclusively in May at the Nike EYBL stop here.. “I don’t want to be stuck in a certain position. Playing my way and where they would play me — I don’t want to be stuck in one spot. That’s probably the biggest factor in my decision.”
Meantime, Louisville head coach Rick Pitino extended offers to two elite 2016 guards in 6-2 Derryck Thornton of Findlay Prep and 6-4 Rawle Alkins of Christ the King.
Tank Thornton, Derryck’s father, confirmed the offer to SNY.tv after Scout’s Josh Gershon first reported it. His father previously told SNY.tv seven schools — including Kentucky — were working the hardest.
On Monday, Pitino also offered Alkins, telling him in a text message that he has a history of recruiting New York City guards (Russ Smith being the latest) and that he would “love” to see Alkins in a Cardinal uniform.
Kentucky assistant Barry “Slice” Rohrssen and Florida assistant Rashon Burno have reached out to Alkins, Alkins and CTK assistant Killian Riley confirmed to SNY.tv
“[Rohrssen] just wanted to touch base with him and remind him that he was at Pittsburgh and moved onto Kentucky,” Riley told SNY.tv.
Florida may offer the 6-4 guard after he speaks with head coach Billy Donovan.
Cincinnati, Villanova, Indiana and Kansas were among those recruiting Alkins in Chicago this weekend at the Adidas Unrivaled camp. For more, read this.
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
