Although St. John’s is considered the favorite for 6-foot-8 Erie (N.Y.) Community College power forward God’s Gift Achiuwa, his coach, Alex Nwora, said Wednesday that he had yet to make up his mind.
“He will announce at a press conference at 1 p.m. tomorrow [Thursday],” Nwora said by phone.
Sources said Cincinnati was out of the hunt for Achiuwa, leaving St. John’s and Washington.
Sources close to the Washington program indicated Wednesday they had yet to hear a decision one way or the other.
St. John’s has been recruiting Achiuwa since last summer and remains hopeful of landing him as the ninth player in the 2011 recruiting haul. Sources said he had a “great visit” at the Queens school.
Meantime, 6-9 forward Daouda Soumaoro of Our Savior New American said he may still visit St. John’s Thursday.
“I might go there maybe,” he said before a workout Wednesday.
A native of the African nation of Mali, Soumaoro is a teammate of 2012 St. John’s commit Jevon Thomas.
He is considered a talented sleeper by some Big East coaches.
Also, 6-foot-8 junior post Ricardo Gathers of Reserve (La.) Riverside said he’ll take an unofficial to St. John’s May 12.
FREE THROWS
Former Hargrave (Va.) Military coach Kevin Keatts will join the Louisville staff, a source told SNY.tv. Richard Pitino and Wyking Jones filled the other two spots. Also, Louisville coach Rick Pitino won’t coach the Puerto Rican national team this summer, citing a conflict of interests. So much for the Ricky Ledo conspiracy theory.
