Lawrence looking at July decision

Omari Lawrence is coming off a big junior year and wants to continue the ride the wave he is on into the spring and summer. Why not? The 6-foot-3 from St. Raymond's in New York City is one of the top prospects in the talent-heavy Northeast.

Lawrence will be a heavily watched player this spring, especially after a season where he helped his St. Ray's club shine on the national stage. He admits his skill set has climbed the ladder and he is hoping to continue to build on the momentum he has at the moment.

Lawrence helped pilot the New York Panthers team to the championship game of the Spring Fling over the weekend but the club came up a point short for the title. Nevertheless, Lawrence was happy with how he and his teammates played.

"We have to keep winning and keep playing together," Lawrence said. "We have to take it one game at a time. We want to win every tournament just like the [New York] Gauchos did last year…They set the bar for New York, period."

Lawrence said he is trying to fine tune his guard skills and close out his last go round on the AAU circuit with a bang.

"I'm trying to be a McDonald's All-American and in order for me to accomplish that goal, I have to have a good AAU season and a good senior year," Lawrence said. "This year I think I extended my range from more of a midrange player to a deep three-pointer shot. This year I shot 43 percent from the three-point line on the season."

With the success this season, Lawrence has watched his recruitment explode. He said he is considering offers from Arizona, "that's a good school, a good look," Memphis, Xavier, Pittsburgh and Clemson. He also mentioned Georgetown, Miami and St. John's as others in the past.

"Every school that I want has offered me a scholarship," Lawrence said. "I'm just waiting on the best school to pick. There are a lot of coaches leaving, there are contracts being extended. There are a lot of things to look at."

Lawrence said the only school on his list that he has visited is Pittsburgh. He said he plans on making a number of visits this summer.

"First of all, I want to go to a successful program. I want to go to a coach that will help me develop my game in four years and get me to the next level. That's basically it. I don't want a coach that is going to tell me what I want to hear. I want to play for a coach that is going to get me better.

"My family and I want to commit in July, maybe around the camp time, maybe by the end of the month," Lawrence said. "I'm just waiting on my coaching staff and my brother, who continually help me out with the best choice for me to make."