St. Anthony forward Devon Collier took his first official visit this weekend, flying cross-country to Oregon State.
It was the first of four visits for the 6-foot-8 Collier, a talented lefty combo forward from The Bronx who plays for legendary St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley.
“Oregon State would be my top [school] because the official visit was great,” he said. “Since I officialy visited Oregon State, they’re on top. I have to visit the other schools. Then I’ll decide.”
Collier will visit Providence beginning Thursday and stay for Midnight Madness Friday. He will then hit St. John’s for the Red Storm Tip-Off Oct. 22 and an official visit to the Queens school beginning the next day. His final official is slated for Seton Hall Oct. 30, the same weekend St. Patrick point guard Kyrie Irving is due to visit campus.
Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson, the brother-in-law of President Barack Obama, has pursued Collier by flying cross-country several times to watch him in open gyms.
Now it was Collier’s turn to fly West.
“It was a pain going across country,” Collier said. “But as soon as you get there it’s worth it.”
Asked if he could imagine going there, he said. “I could imagine it. Just because the area itself is nice. They’re making me feel welcome.”
Collier and New Heights coach Adam Berkowitz tailgated at the football game and watched Oregon State down Pac-10 rival Stanford, 38-28.
Collier also ran with the basketball team.
“The visit went good,” Collier said. “I was chilling with the teammates. The teammates were nice. I was able to run pickup five. I started off slowly and then I got used to it.”
Collier didn’t get a piece of President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize, but Berkowitz said Robinson’s experience on Wall Street offers its own body of contacts.
“He has a lot of contacts on his own outside of his sister and brother-in-law,” Berkowitz said.
“They know a lot of people outside of basketball in terms of relationships and job opportunities and things like that.”
Added Collier: “[Robinson] is a cool person. He’s fun to talk to. He has a good sense of humor. He’s smart. It’s not because he’s the President’s brother-in-law. He’s a good person in general. The staff that’s around him, they’re good, too.”
On the court, Oregon State has five incoming freshmen who bode well for the future.
“They’re going to be real good,” Berkowitz said. “They have a real good chance to go to the NCAA Tournament and be good for the foreseeable future. ”
(Photo courtesy Daily News)
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