Beas Hamga, a 7-foot, 225-pound native of Cameroon, will visit South Carolina and Rutgers next week and could decide between those two schools by early 2009.
Hamga obtained his release from UNLV and is scouting his future destination.
“He’s leaving Monday for South Carolina and will watch them play Clemson Tuesday,” Mark Adams, Hamga’s guardian, said by phone from Indiana. “Then he’s flying Wednesday to Rutgers and he’s going to the Pittsburgh game.”
Rutgers will play the top three teams in the nation in a three-day span beginning Sunday at No. 1 North Carolina. They host No. 3 Pitt on Wednesday and visit No. 2 UConn Saturday.
Adams said it could come down to South Carolina or Rutgers, with Ole Miss now on the back burner.
“I’d say he’s going there just open minded and really there’s no favorite [between South Carolina and Rutgers],” he said. “Ole Miss, I’m not sure if they’re in the mix.”
As to when Hamga will make a decision, Adams said it would have to be by the beginning of the second semester.
“He’s going to have to enroll there by the second semester, by Jan. 12 or at the end of the first week of January,” Adams said.
Hamga signed with UNLV out of Decatur (Il.) Christian and redshirted his first year. He played in just five games this season before deciding to transfer. He was ranked the No. 5 center in the Class of 2007 by Rivals.
He will have two and a half years of eligibility remaining, beginning in December 2009.
“He’s a very good defensive rebounder and shot blocker,” Adams said. “He’s a very good defensive player. Like most African kids he needs to work on his offense. He’s got a nice shot. He can definitely shoot it.”
