Giddens trims list to six

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THE RIVALS150: Class of 2014 - Class of 2015

Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler center Daniel Giddens had received dozens of offers from top college basketball programs all over the country. The five-star center has decided to trim that list to a more manageable number of six. Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas and Ohio State are the schools that made the cut for the 18th ranked prospect in the 2015 Rivals150.

"It was just about getting more focused on the schools I like. Now that I have my list mostly squared down, I can get back to focusing on basketball for the rest of the year," Giddens told Rivals.com.

Arizona started recruiting Giddens last summer and their coaching staff made a strong impression by breaking down his game and giving him tips on how to improve.

"Their coaching staff watched a lot of film on me last summer," Giddens said. "They showed me a lot of different things about my game that I can work on. They have shown a lot of interest in me."

Florida has been in the mix for Giddens since offering him as a freshman in high school. Billy Donovan's staff has a reputation for developing big men and that's not lost on Giddens.

"Florida was one of the first schools to offer me," said Giddens. "They have been consistent since I was a freshman. The environment there and the way Coach Donovan develops players there also has my attention. The education is top-notch, too."

Like Florida, Georgia was one of the first schools to extend an offer to Giddens as a freshman. Mark Fox and assistant Jonas Hayes have built a strong relationship with Giddens.

"I've really come to love Coach Fox and their staff up there," Giddens said. "Coach Hayes comes from a young person's point of view, so he knows the kind of things we go through. Georgia also has a really good business school."

Indiana is one of the more recent schools to jump into the mix for Giddens, and they've done so with a bang.

"I really like Coach (Tom) Crean's coaching style up there. They do a great job developing their players. Indiana has the No. 2 business school in the country."

An offer from Kansas always catches the attention of top high school basketball prospects.

"Whenever a blue blood like Kansas offers, you have to listen," Giddens admitted. "The tradition there is so rich and the coaching staff there knows how to get you ready for the next level."

Ohio State received the most recent visit from Giddens and showed him everything the school has to offer.

"I like the coaching staff. I love the atmosphere up there. The academics are top-notch and they really do everything they can to help you get to where you want to be," Giddens said.

The next step in the recruiting process for Giddens will be to set up official visits and eventually make a verbal commitment. At the moment, no visit dates have been finalized and there is no timetable for when a verbal commitment will come.

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