Recruiting spotlight shines on Fernando
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FORT MEYERS, Fla. -- Montverde Academy (Fla.) big man Bruno Fernando is a prospect who saw his recruitment gain a great deal of traction over the summer and into his senior season. In his first two games at the City Of Palms Classic, Fernando had 20 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks, one steal and just one turnover.
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The schools who have offered Fernando remains a bit of a mystery because his coaches decline to provide a school list, preferring to refer to conferences only - AAC, ACC, Big East, Big Ten and SEC. Alabama was in the gym to watch him play Saturday.
The athletic 6-foot-10, 225-pound native of Angola has been a student at Montverde Academy (Fla.) since January, but this is his first season playing with the MVA high school team. Fernando was tasked with defending five-star Spain Park (Ala.) center Austin Wiley on Saturday.
IN HIS OWN WORDS: "It was definitely a hard match up, he's a good player. He's got a big body and he bangs in the paint. But I've been working hard, too, so whoever comes I'm ready for. I think I just did what I'm supposed to do. I helped my team get a win. We've been working so hard every single day, waking up at five in the morning to work hard and get it done. It's a great experience for me. When I was at home we didn't have competition of this level. So for me it's a great opportunity. I just got to keep it up and keep improving my game."
We asked Fernando which schools he was hearing from the most.
"SMU, Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn, LSU and I started talking with Duke a few days ago," said Fernando. "It's a blessing all the schools, knowing where I came from. When I heard about Duke, I was excited because it's Duke. Not everybody can get Duke, so I feel good about it. I'm blessed. I'm trying to get focused on school to get it done so I can get eligible to go to college."
WHAT'S NEXT? Right now the biggest thing for Fernando is just to continue to understand how to play and grow as a player. Continuing to develop his low-post repertoire of moves and counter moves will play a big part in his growth. Montverde Academy head coach Kevin Boyle and assistant coach Rae Miller talked about what Fernando brings to the court and what is next for him off the court.
IN THE WORDS OF HIS COACHES: "He's got a great motor, great energy, goes really hard all the time," Boyle said. "He's got one of the better motors of a big guy I've had in the last 20 years. He's gotten so much better in one year. I think he is a guy that can really take the next step in another two years. I think he can be an incredible college player in about two years. His offense is coming but he's just starting -- a year ago he was really raw on our prep team. He's come a long way. He very well might come back and play with our prep team next year to get another year of skill work in before he goes to college."
"When he got to the United States earlier this year, it was late in the college basketball season," said Miller. "So he doesn't know the (college) coaches or many teams' styles, so it's all a process of learning for him and getting a little more comfortable on what he's making a decision on. We as a group try to explain to him what it is to go to college and how you go about making those tough decisions and what has to happen for him to qualify in order to make all of that happen. He is a good kid and such a hard working kid, he'll figure it out."
RIVALS REACTION: Fernando is an emotional player with a great motor. He is the type of player who dunks at one end of the court then sprints back to help in transition defense. His strength, athleticism, long arms and defensive presence make him an easy high major-target.
Russ Wood is a basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com and Inside the Gators. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.