Jacob Lawson, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward from Oak Ridge (N.C.) Military Academy, verbally committed to Purdue Saturday after a visit there.
“Yes, I committed,” he said in breaking the news to ZAGSBLOG Monday morning.
Lawson also considered Seton Hall, West Virginia, Ole Miss and Maryland.
“Purdue meets Jacob’s academic and basketball needs and he will have the opportunity to compete for minutes as a freshman,” said his coach, Stan Kowalewski. “He loves the staff and trusts them.”
Lawson averaged 14.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.5 blocks last year at Oak Ridge.
Kowalewski thinks he can make a significant impact in college.
“I think he’s an impact kid,” he said. “He brings a tremendous amount of athleticism to the table. As he hones his skills, especially from the outside with the perimeter to go along with his ability to finish inside, he can make an immediate impact.”
FREE THROWS
Alex Kline of The Recruit Scoop reports that Sam Thompson, a 6-6 forward from Illinois, will visit Ohio State (Sept. 11), Georgetown (Sept. 18), Oregon State (Oct. 2) and Florida (Oct. 9)…Perry Ellis, a 6-8 forward from Kansas, will visit Kansas (Sept. 7), Oklahoma (Sept. 11), Kansas State (Sept. 25), Memphis (Oct. 15) and Kentucky (Nov. 12.)….North Carolina guard Deuce Bello told Jody Demling of the Courier Journal he won’t “rush his decision” after a weekend visit to Louisville with teammate Quincy Miller. “(The process) is kind of frustrating at times but I don’t want to rush into anything,” he said. “I just have to take my time. I’ll know when the time is right.
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