Good news continues to come Duke’s way in the recruiting world.
Marques Bolden, a 6-foot-10 Class of 2017 center from DeSoto (TX), will visit Duke Sept, 18-19, his father confirmed to SNY.tv.
“It’s a good feeling being wanted by a great university like that and they’re just coming off the National Championship,” Bolden told Andrew Slater of 247Sports.com in the spring.
Bolden also told 247 he’s also considering Kentucky, Kansas, Oklahoma, Baylor “and a few others.”
Melvin Bolden said no other visits are set at the moment.
ESPN.com first reported the Duke visit.
Meantime, Frank Jackson, arguably Duke’s top target at point guard in 2016, will take an official visit to Duke Aug. 28 and has cancelled his Arizona visit, sources confirmed to SNY.tv.
Led by head coach Mike Krzyzewski, Duke was three deep for Jackson earlier this month at the adidas Uprising All-American Camp on Long Island.
“[It shows] that they really care, that they want me to be in their program and they want me to be involved with them so it says a lot,” Jackson said then.
Duke has produced its share of high-level point guards, most recently Tyus Jones and Quinn Cook, and that isn’t lost on Jackson.
“Oh yeah, you go to Duke you’re going to be successful, so definitely appealing,” he said.
Duke is also recruiting fellow 2016 point guard Dennis Smith Jr., but Jackson didn’t want to compare the two players.
“He’s a great player and we do some similar things,” Jackson said. “I think very highly of him and what he does and I really enjoy his game.”
The No. 4 point guard in the Class of 2016 according to 247Sports.com, Jackson said Duke, Stanford and Utah were “probably coming at him the hardest.” He visited Stanford in July.
Arizona is no longer in the mix, sources told SNY.tv.
McLAUGHLIN HAS FINAL FIVE
JaQuori McLaughlin, a 6-3 point guard from Gig Harbor (Wash.) Peninsula, cut his list to a final five of Oregon State, Utah, Wisconsin, Gonzaga and Washington, he told Scout.com.
After decommitting from Washington, McLaughlin will visit Oregon State Sept. 4, Utah Sept. 11 and Wisconsin Sept. 19.
He may also visit Gonzaga and Washington.
GABRIEL ADDS UNC OFFER
North Carolina is the latest to offer 6-10 2016 forward Wenyen Gabriel of Wilbraham & Monson (MA), he Tweeted.
I guess the madness hasn’t stopped! Blessed to have been offered a scholarship from the University of North Carolina !
— WenyenGabriel™ (@WenyenGabriel) July 31, 2015
Gabriel also recently added offers from fellow heavyweights Kentucky, Duke and Kansas.
“He’s 6-10, highly skilled, inside and out with a high motor,” Mass Rivals coach Vin Pastore told SNY.tv. “That translates all the way to the top.”
Gabriel will be in attendance next week at the Big Strick Classic in New York.
FREE THROWS
Kansas State and SMU are the latest schools to offer 6-10 2016 Sedee Keita, his AAU coach told SNY.tv…6-10 2018 David McCormack of Team Loaded was offered by Virginia Tech and Penn State…Nick Sherod, a 6-5 2016 shooting guard, committed to Richmond…2016 guard Rawle Alkins picked up an Alabama offer… 2019 Chino Hills (CA) PG LaMelo Ball has committed to UCLA, a source confirmed. He is the younger brother of 2016 UCLA-bound point guard Lonzo Ball and 2017 UCLA-bound small forward LiAngelo Ball…2017 guard Markus Howard of Findlay Prep will take an unofficial visit to Marquette Saturday, sources confirmed to SNY.tv.
