Jack Visits Rutgers, Still Planning on South Kent; Tharpe Decommits from Providence

Kadeem Jack took an unofficial visit to Rutgers on Wednesday, but says he’s still planning on attending South Kent (Conn.) next season for a prep year.

“It was a great experience,” the 6-foot-9 Jack said in a phone interview. “I went up there on the campus a little bit. I met with the players.”

Jack, a senior at Manhattan Rice High School, visited with his mentor, Damian Leslie, who has a relationship with new Rutgers assistant Van Macon. He also played pickup with the team.

“I ran with them a little bit,” he said.

Jack said he’s still planning on prepping next year at South Kent alongside 2011 UConn commit Maurice Harkless of Forest Hills (Queens) High.

“Yeah,” he said.

Rice coach Dwayne Mitchell confirmed that plan during a May 27 interview.

“Right now, I just know Kadeem is committed to going to South Kent,” Mitchell said. “Until he’s there and he’s going to class, he could change his mind. But right now that’s where he said he’s going, South Kent.”

Despite holding offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Miami, Rutgers and UConn, Jack feels a year at prep school will benefit him in the long term.

North Carolina also reached out to him, but he hasn’t visited that campus.

Jack said he enjoyed meeting new Rutgers coach Mike Rice and that Rice expressed interest in him for 2010 or 2011.

“Either year, it doesn’t matter,” Jack said.

It is possible Jack could take additional college visits this summer, but he has yet to plan them out.

“Not sure yet, still trying to work out my schedule,” he said.

As for where he ultimately ends up, he said: “I could see myself playing anywhere where people need my help.”

THARPE DECOMMITS FROM PROVIDENCE

In the wake of Pat Skerry leaving Providence for Pittsburgh, one of Skerry’s top recruits has decommitted from Providence.

Naadir Tharpe, a 2011 point guard from Brewster (N.H.) Academy, decommitted, according to the New England Recruiting Report.

“Coach Skerry was the guy who was recruiting me the whole time, the one who I was close with,” Tharpe told the New England Recruiting Report, “so once he left I just wanted to look at my other recruitment and see what was out there.”

Tharpe is the No. 23 point guard in the Class of 2011.

T.J. Gassnola, head of the New England Playaz, said in a phone interview near midnight Wednesday that he had heard from numerous schools “in the last six hours.”

“Miami, St. John’s, Rutgers, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech contacted me in the last six hours,” he said.

Asked if Pitt was now an option, Gassnola said, “Could be. Providence is still an option, though.

Gassnola said Providence coach Keno Davis was very professional about the news.

“Keno was really good with everything,” he said. “He was very appropriate, very professional. He’s going to stay recruiting the kid and we’ll see what happens.”

(Photos courtesy Daily News, Rivals.com)

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