Offers, visits rolling in for Bertrand

The offers are rolling in at a quick pace for four-star junior Joseph Bertrand. The 6-foot-4, 170-pound guard from Sterling (Ill.) High School has a handful of free rides heading into the school year and a handful of visits are on his to-do list this month.

Bertrand, the No. 60 ranked player in the class of 2009, has a busy slate ahead this month. This weekend, he'll make a return trip to the University of Illinois. The weekend after, he's off to Wisconsin. Southern Illinois will host him at some point this month, too. Bertrand has been to all three programs before unofficially.

As one of the top prospects in the Midwest, it doesn't come as a big surprise that his offer list is filled with programs from the area.

Bertrand said he has offers from Arizona State, Bradley, Illinois State, Iowa, Marquette, Notre Dame, Southern Illinois and Wisconsin. Kentucky, Southern Cal, Cincinnati and Miami are also interested, he said.

"I'm considering all of them right now because I haven't really narrowed it down yet," Bertrand said.

"I talk to a lot of them but none of them have really stood out right now. I'm still listening. It is going to be about me being comfortable with where I am at and comfortable with the coaches and campus. Stuff like that. Academics are important, too."

Location won't be a factor, he says.

"I don't think location will play a part in it. But it would be nice to have a nice distance but I'm not basing it all on that," Bertrand said.

For the time being, he is focusing in on his junior campaign with Sterling High School. The four-star guard helped the team to an 18-11 record last year. The squad only lost two seniors and Bertrand said he is ready for a bigger role.

"This year is going to be really big. I have to be a leader, big time. I'll need to be one more than any other year I've had," Bertrand said. "It's a big year for us and a big year for me. I gotta get stronger and keep working out in order to get better."