Georgia juniors recruitment lifting off

THE LIST: Class of 2015 Rivals150

The high school season tipped off last month in most states, and many prospects around the country are off to strong starts. Three-star junior Malik Beasley looks to be taking his game to a new level.

Coming off of a strong travel ball season during the summer of 2013, the 6-foot-4 guard at Alpharetta (Ga.) St. Frances has kept things rolling.

"I had one of my best games our last game," Beasley told Rivals.com. "I had 31 points and 11 rebounds against Chattahoochee. I'm averaging 19 points and 8.5 rebounds right now. I really want to get my rebounds up to where I average a double-double."

Beasley's performance against Chattahoochee in the On The Radar Hoops Invitational netted him his second high-major offer along with new interest from other programs in BCS conferences.

"Cincinnati offered me right after our last game," Beasley said. "Vanderbilt was here to see my teammate Kaiser Gates and they like me now too. I still talk to Virginia Tech a lot. Georgia has been on me hard. Oregon State was there the other night. It's been all over the place."

Along with the offer from the Bearcats, Beasley says Virginia Tech, George Mason, Georgia State, Richmond, Rice, Louisiana Tech and a few others have extended scholarship offers. The 6-foot-3 scoring guard says there are no favorites in his recruitment at the moment, but he did take a few unofficial visits to the schools recruiting him in recent months, including a short trip up to Athens, Georgia.

"I actually went on a visit to Georgia for their first game of the year with Kaiser, Kobi Simmons and some of our other teammates. It was fun. We just watched the game and then left. They played well that game and it was fun to watch," said Beasley. "They are a great program. Coach [Jonas] Hayes is hilarious and he texts me and talks to me a lot. I like when coaches text and keep in touch like that."

Beasley and his father also made a highly productive trip up to Virginia during football season and made stops at four of the schools currently tracking him.

"I also went on a little college tour with my dad. First we went to Virginia, then to Richmond, then to George Mason, and we finished with Virginia Tech. We got to see basketball practices and football games. Those were my first visits. I had a great experience and learned a lot."

Speaking of Beasley's father, both he and Malik's mother have successful acting careers that make it hard for them to sneak in college visits.

"It's been hard for me to get out on visits because my parents are both actors and have to work a lot. My dad has been in Eastbound and Down and he's in Last Vegas right now," said Beasley. "He has ten more movies coming out this year or next year. He actually works out with me to stay in shape to get better roles. My mom has been in some movies too. She's in the new Hunger Games right now. She's Thresh's grandmother."

Beasley, who will suit up for the Georgia Stars after his high school season ends, has no intention of ending his recruitment any time soon. Expect him to finish his last season playing in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League before making a verbal commitment to a school.

"I'm thinking I'll make a decision after the EYBL season ends next year," said Beasley. "I'm looking for a school with a great coach and then from there how the school will help me in the future. I like getting coached hard, so I'll take any type of coaching. I want a coach that will make me the best player I can be. Distance isn't really a factor for me. I don't want to go to west coast or too far away, but anything on the east coast will be fine."

Eric Bossi is the national basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.

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