Marshall to visit ACC schools

After starting for the powerhouse 17-under Boo Williams travel team, five-star 2010 prospect Kendall Marshall is fully immersed in the recruiting process. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound point guard from Arlington (Va.) Bishop O'Connell High School has nine offers and has three unofficial planned for the fall.

Ohio State, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech are the latest schools to offer Marshall, joining Villanova, Georgetown, Connecticut, Virginia, Pittsburgh and George Mason. Two other schools recruiting Marshall, Duke and North Carolina, haven't officially offered yet, but the interest is strong and Marshall will visit both schools this fall.

A trip to UNC is scheduled for September 1. Then on September 15 Marshall will visit Wake Forest followed by a trip to Duke on October 13.

Despite the three scheduled visits, Marshall maintained his openness to all schools recruiting him, but he did admit that he has a preference for a couple conferences.

"I'm wide open, and want to look at everyone," said Marshall. "I don't want to push the process too fast. I do like the ACC, though. I've always been a fan of the conference and grew up watching the teams around here. The Big East, with teams like Georgetown, UConn and Villanova, is also a great conference. There is a good chance I'll play in one of those conferences."

After an arduous summer schedule playing against older competition, Marshall took some time off but is now back in the gym working on his game.

"I took a week and a half off," he said. "Now I'm back at it. Outside of the gym, I'm working on getting stronger and quicker. In the gym, I'm working to keep my jumper consistent. And now that defenders are running at me, I'm working on taking it to the basket and finishing strong."

A heady point guard with a special knack for running a team, Marshall is looking for a coach who has the confidence in him to run a team in college.

"The main thing I want to do is build a relationship with a coach who I love playing for and who trusts me," he said. "Especially since I'm a point guard, the coach needs to trust me enough to put the ball in my hands."

Kendall Marshall scouting report:

With a superb basketball IQ, Marshall plays with surprising poise and at a deceptive pace. He sets up for a burst that is just fast enough to beat his man and controlled enough for him to read the situation with precision. The lefty also has a more-than-reliable jumper and has a knack for delivering the pass with timing whether it is off his penetration in the half court or a pass up the court in transition. Improving his explosiveness and improving on the defensive side of the ball are his next challenges.