Big week for Babbitt

What a week for Luke Babbitt, the No. 28 ranked prospect in the class of 2008. The 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward led Reno (Nev.) Galena High School to a state championship over the weekend and in a few days he expects to announce his college destination.

Scoring 36 in a semifinal win, Babbitt hit a three-pointer for the winning bucket in a 25 point effort in the championship game.

"Winning the state feels great," Babbitt told Rivals.com. "All the hard work paid off. We had great teamwork and it was a great accomplishment."

Now all eyes are focused on Babbitt's recruitment.

"I still need to talk to my coach," he said. "I plan to announce this Friday. I know where I'm going, but I'm not 100 percent sure when I'll announce my decision.

"I've know for a few weeks, but the season was going on. I wanted to wait till after the season, so I could concentrate on winning a championship."

Talk has been quite prevalent that Babbitt, who has a top five of Ohio State, UCLA, Gonzaga, Nevada and Arizona, is a lock for Ohio State. When asked about the assumption that he will become a part of a 2008 Buckeye class that is shaping up to be a No. 1 class, Babbitt did little to dispel the rumors.

"I haven't called all the coaches, but I definitely like Ohio State. That is all I can say on that right now."

Babbitt, who averaged 28 points and 10 rebounds per game, plans to enjoy this week and then focus on further improving his game.

"It's a good week when you can when the state and then announce what school you are going to," he said. "After this week, I'm going to focus on working on my game. I'm looking forward to playing with the guys in Vegas. I definitely want to work on my quickness and athleticism and get stonger."

Luke Babbitt scouting report:

A versatile player who can score inside with his penchant for establishing position and then with his agile footwork, Babbitt also has a very nice face up jumper out to well beyond the three-point line. Also skilled as a passer and rebounder, Babbitt has the ability to impact the game anywhere on the court offensively. However, his suspect foot speed and lack of explosiveness are a concern defensively.