Mann-sized season for Delaware guard

With only one game under his belt before the Christmas break, Jarrett Mann and his Middletown (Del.) High School team had to grow up quickly this season. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound versatile guard is doing everything he can to help push his team over the hump.

Since starting the season 2-2, including a pair of losses at the Bay Ball Classic, Mann and his Middletown mates are rolling. The four-star guard is coming off a 33 point game on a perfect 11 for 11 shooting night.

"We're basically a brand new team and we had to get everyone together and gel early and get that chemistry going. We're not quite there yet but we are starting to perform at a higher level and we are winning more games."

Ten in a row in fact. Mann said he is playing every spot but the center position and has helped put his Middletown (12-2) team on the right track. Last year's squad finished the year in the quarterfinals but Mann, who is averaging 20.7 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists a game, said he hopes to have his squad deeper this year.

"We're growing up," Mann said.

His recruitment grew up fast, too.

"It's definitely picking up a lot," Mann said. "Stanford is really looking at me hard and I'm really big on them. Same thing for Wake Forest. I've talked with coach (Skip) Prosser a lot in the last couple of weeks and built a good relationship with him. Virginia has been in lately and I've been there. I've visited Rutgers recently, as well."

There was a point when Mann thought he was ready to pick a program.

"A couple of weeks ago, I was ready to get it over with," Mann said. "But I backed out of that and I'll probably wait until the end of the summer. I was really close though. I think I felt a little limited because I haven't visited Stanford or Wake Forest. I want to be positive when I make my decision."

Mann said he has a visit planned to Stanford in Feb. Penn State, Illinois and Texas are also recruiting him. Now with a timeline in mind, Mann said he is looking closely at all of his options.

"I want to feel comfortable with the situation, especially with my grades and my academics. That's important to me. I want to find a place that will have my major. I want to get into physical therapy. So that is going to be important," Mann said. "The conference is going to be important, too. I like the ACC and the Pac-10."