Rivals150 guard keeping his options open
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Clifton Park (NY) Shenendehowa guard Kevin Huerter is one of many
basketball prospects around the country that saw his stock take off during the
April recruiting periods due to his stellar play. He received more than a dozen
offers before the start of May, but they continue to roll in to this day with
the most recent coming from a Big East school
"Villanova offered me yesterday," Huerter said. "They wanted me to
visit so they could offer, but with us not being allowed to visit in July, they
just called and said I had a scholarship there. My grandpa went there for law
school. I like them. I like the way they play. They play four guards and all of
them can pass, shoot, and dribble with one big man."
Indiana also recently extended an offer to the four-star prospect. The
schools Huerter says he speaks to regularly.
Gonzaga doesn't spend much time recruiting in New York, but they see a chance to
get a player that fits the mold of players that have excelled under Mark Few.
"I started talking to Gonzaga after the Lexington session, so they aren't that
new. They haven't offered yet. They want me to go up there for a visit to get an
offer. They are really good every year. They are a school that I know if I went
to I would be competing for something every year. They have a lot of players
that go there that are similar to me. It's an intriguing possibility."
Geography isn't going to help Gonzaga's chances at the 80th ranked prospect in
the updated 2016 Rivals150.
"After going to the camp this weekend in California, me and my dad were talking
about how long of a commute it is to the west coast. I think I would want to
stay more towards the east coast, but for Gonzaga, that could be an exception. I
have to see their campus, but my preference would be to stay closer to home."
Michigan jumped on Huerter in April and made him a priority in the Class of
2016.
"Ever since coach Beilein got there, they have been great. They like me a lot,
but they are the same way, the way they do it is I would have to visit there to
get an offer. I'm planning to, but I don't know when. It will probably be after
the live periods. They are obviously going to be really good for years to come."
Maryland moved quickly and squeezed in an in-home visit before the contact
period ended in April.
"They started recruiting me right after Boo Williams. They actually came in for
a home visit during April. They are really good. They are top 10 in the country
for next year and probably will be for the next couple years and it's a place
where you can compete for a national championship. I like them too. It's a place
I want to visit as well."
Like Gonzaga, distance from home won't be helping Miami, but the location and
their conference affiliation can make up for that.
"Their location is obviously really nice, but the same thing with the schools on
the west coast, it's not as close to home as I would like it to be. If I really
like it, it could be an exception. I'm not sure yet. I'd have to visit there
too. There are ACC schools not too far from they play at too."
Notre Dame also shares a similarity with Gonzaga in Huerter's mind.
"They are similar to Gonzaga in that they have a lot of guys that look like me
and play like me. They obviously have been really good the past couple years.
They played with four guards this year with Pat Connaughton playing the
four and one big guy. I like the way they play as well."
In the past, there has been talk that Huerter could move back to the Class of
2017 and go to prep school for a year. He's open to the idea, but right now he
prefers to be considered in the Class of 2016.
Syracuse continues to recruit Huerter, but with their scholarship limitations,
they don't have room for him this year at the moment.
"It all depends on their recruits. They still want me 2017, but it is only
because they don't have room in 2016 right now. They have other guys that they
think are going to commit in 2016, so they are still the same as before. I don't
hear from their coaches as much, but I talk to Matt Moyer every day. I think
they know that and that's how they are trying to recruit me. He's the only
recruit that does that."
Assuming Huerter sticks with his current class, expect him to knock out a
decision before his senior season starts.
"I think I'm still looking at the fall and getting it out of the way before the
high school basketball season starts."