Prior to his trip out west to participate in the USA 16-U National Team trials, 2011 prospect Sterling Gibbs spent some time on the campus of a top Big East school.

Villanova hasn't offered Gibbs, a 6-foot, 177-pound point guard from West Orange (N.J.) Seton Hall Prep, but the Wildcats are at the top of his list after his visit to the campus.

"Coach Wright just needs to see me before he offers, and that's the way I would want it," said Gibbs. "The assistants have seen me play, but Coach Wright is the one who is going to make decisions about playing time.

"The visit went great. I like the campus. The players are cool, and the coaching staff is cool. Then the way they play is nice. The guards are free."

Gibbs does have offers from Indiana, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Seton Hall with Virginia and Virginia Tech showing interest, and his brother Ashton Gibbs will be a sophomore at Pittsburgh next year. Gibbs, however, downplayed the influence that his brother being at Pittsburgh would have on his recruitment.

Gibbs, who made the 12 man squad that will participate in the FIBA Americas 16-U championships, did say that he would prefer to play in one of two conferences.

"I'd like to play in either the Big East or the ACC," he said. "They are the top two conferences."