Hoop Group Southern: Lester Quinones remains a wanted man
HAMPTON, VA. – One of the top shooters in high school basketball, Lester Quinones was up to his usual tricks on Saturday evening at the Hoop Group Southern Jam Fest. A talented wing prospect from the 2019 class, a bevy of name brand programs have entered the picture for the New Heights product as he remains one of the better perimeter scorers nationally.
A good sized, 6-foot-5 wing with loads of confidence on the offensive end, Quinones recapped his spring thus far. “It is going pretty good and smoothly. I have just been in the gym and trying to polish my game since other people are finding out about me being a shooter,” he said. “I have just been trying to develop my game by attacking the rim and getting my game to the next level.”
Quinones does not lack for college interest as Georgetown, Illinois, Providence, St. John’s have all remained strong in their pursuit, though Syracuse and UCLA have also begun to show greater attention.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
Georgetown: “I like how they talk to me about their program and how I would fit in there. They talk about how they would treat me like family and that they could help me get to the next level from there. They think that I am ready.”
Illinois: “They are saying that if I go there, everything is going evolve around me and it will be my team. They are starting to rebuild the team and they are telling me to come and help them become a national contender.”
St. John’s: “They text me a lot. The option to stay home and even play with Precious (Achiuwa), it is something that we talk about going there together since we have been playing together for so many years and to take it to the next level. That is like my brother.”
Syracuse: “They haven’t offered yet but they said that they are going to come down to one of my games. I just like the fact that they coach me like I am there already and they talk to me about my weaknesses already and how they could fix them, which is a big part of it.”
WHAT'S NEXT?
Quinones will complete his final travel ball season this summer with the New Heights program on the Under Armour circuit.
A commitment is not planned for the foreseeable future as Quinones remains patient with his recruitment. “My visits are probably going to come up soon but nothing is planned yet. Things have been hard since I stay in the dorms,” he said. “I will probably narrow some things down after this AAU season and before high school but it is still early in the recruiting process for me.”
RIVALS' REACTION
Quinones is everything that college programs have become to prioritize in recent years seeing that the four-star wing is a willing competitor that can make shots and at a solid clip. However, it was nice to see the Rivals150 prospect do more than just shoot on Saturday as he made a few timely passes to the open teammate, rebounded in traffic and defended his position.
Expect for more schools to jump into the picture for Quinones in the coming weeks thanks to all of the tools that he possesses. However, Illinois, St. John’s, Providence and Georgetown could be tough to beat, though the new interest from Syracuse could be one that, if it does turn into an Orange offer, become difficult to overcome.