Kilpatrick grateful for success

Sean Kilpatrick has worked for this moment since he started his high school career at White Plains (N.Y.) High School. The 6-foot-5 wing is no longer an under the radar prospect and a number of high-major programs are moving in on the Empire State star.

Kilpatrick is off to a hot start this season and scoring nearly 30 points a game this season for White Plains. The three-star guard said he is enjoying the moment and doing everything he can to improve his overall skill set.

"Everything is going good so far. You have to stay focused. If you stay focused, everything is going to turn out well," Kilpatrick said. "My basketball game is clicking. Everything is developing the right way. My handles have changed a lot and my jump shot has improved. My jumping ability has improved. Everything is going real good right now."

Because of his success on and off the court, Kilpatrick has watched his recruitment explode and he's enjoying the process.

"If you play ball and you are doing the right thing and winning, people are going to know you and recognize you," he said. "Everyone has been pushing me, my coach, my teammates, everyone I know. They all said I should have been at this point last year. I'm happy everything is falling into place here in my senior year, where it all really counts."

Kilpatrick is visiting Connecticut this week when the Huskies host St John's. The visit marks the first major visit he's taken and he's looking forward to it.

"It's exciting," he says. "I've spoken to the assistant coach there about visiting them and watching their team. It should be exciting too because UConn and St. John's are recruiting me so I can see both of them and their style of play. I can really get a feel with how both teams play."

Providence, South Florida, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Kansas State, Miami, UMass, Clemson, Siena, Fordham and Hofstra are also showing interest, he said. To this point, none of the programs have offered. That could be changing soon.

"I spoke to Seton Hall (on Sunday) and they talked about offering me soon. So did Kansas State," Kilpatrick said. "But I'm open, still open."

With all five official visits and good grades in the classroom, Kilpatrick will certainly have options when the season ends. That is when he hopes to take his recruitment to another level.

"I'll probably make a decision at the end of the season. I have a lot of time that I can wait for. I'm not rushing into anything. I think it will be fine to wait until the end of the season," he said. "I want to go somewhere that I can play. I want to go somewhere that will help prepare me for the next level. I don't want to go somewhere and sit on the bench. I want to play from the start."

Kilpatrick is very aware of his current situation and has stayed grounded with all of the new found attention.

"I know at the end, it's going to pay off a lot. I've never gotten to this stage. I'm at a stage where I'm doing well, doing real good," he said. "I look at it sometimes at night and I thank God that I'm at this point."