New England big man setting up visits
There was never any question in Zach Auguste's mind that he could play.
The 6-foot-9 senior at New Hampton (N.H.) Prep knew all along that others would see his ability once he got a chance. Throughout the spring and into the summer he built momentum before exploding in late July with the Mass Rivals.
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"This summer was very big," Auguste told Rivals.com. "I'm a big kid that can run the floor, blocks shots, rebound and dribble. I just needed to get out there and show everybody what I can do."
That Auguste did as he rose to #93 nationally in the 2012 Rivals150 while causing college coaches to scramble for more info.
Now, the fluid and skilled big man is down to a final four of Marquette, West Virginia, Georgia Tech and Florida.
As he prepares to begin his official visits, Auguste broke down what he likes about each school.
"One thing I like about all of them," said Auguste. "They each have a very well known coach that gets the job done at their school and should be there for a while."
9/16- Marquette
9/30- West Virginia
10/8- Georgia Tech
Florida- TBD
Marquette will get the first crack at landing Auguste when they host him on the weekend of September 16th.
"I love Buzz Williams, his teams are just like him and play hard," said Auguste. "They are in the Big East which is good. I've built a great relationship with (Williams) and Aki Collins the assistant coach there."
The second planned visit is to West Virginia on the weekend of September 30th.
"West Virginia, they were 2010 Big East champs and that speaks for itself," said the four-star prospect. "Bob Huggins is a well known coach. They also have some big men that are leaving so there is room to play."
The next visit goes to Georgia Tech. The rambling wreck will host Auguste on the weekend of October 7th.
"Coach Brian Gregory is good, they are in the ACC which is also a great conference," said Auguste. "I've built a great relationship with them. He's a new coach who is trying to build the program and I could help him out."
Finally, there's the Florida Gators. A visit date hasn't been locked in just yet, but that should happen soon.
"Coach Billy Donovan, I've built a great relationship with his staff," said Auguste. "They are very well known for getting big men to the next level.
"The list of guys they've had goes on and on."
While he won't rule out the possibility of making a decision before finishing his visits, Auguste's plan is to make it all the way through the visit process.
He does, though, know what he's looking for and isn't afraid to pull the trigger once the feeling is right.
"The one that makes me feel the most at home," said Auguste of what he's looking for. "The place that I have the best relationship with the coaches and it seems right with the players. Just the whole atmosphere."