Standout point guard Ron Steele from John Carroll High School in Birmingham (AL) enjoyed a stellar junior campaign, which ended with him winning the state tournament 6A MVP honor while leading the Cavaliers to the state title and becoming the first junior to win Mr. Basketball in the state of Alabama.
During the contact period for college recruiters, Steele, 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, had head coaches from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, Ole Miss, UAB, Vanderbilt and a few more come by John Carroll High School in order to express their interest in the talented guard.
“It was nice having so many coaches want to meet me and tell me about their program,” Steele said. “Really, I liked all of them and their schools.”
Steele, who rated the 16th best prospect in the nation by RivalsHoops.com, indicated that despite offers from over a dozen colleges he has managed to trim his list down to a manageable three schools.
“Right now, Alabama, Auburn and Vanderbilt are my top schools,” he said. “I like Kentucky also and Coach Smith is a great guy but I think the other three are a better for me.”
The University of Alabama is a 45-minute drive from Steele’s home and the Crimson Tide currently reside high on his list.
“I like Alabama because they are an up and coming program,” Steele said. “The coaches and I have a good relationship. Their style of play fits me and Tuscaloosa isn’t far from my home.”
The in-state Auburn Tigers have also shown a strong interest in signing Steele and he said that their NCAA run opened up his eyes.
“I didn’t really get a chance to see a lot of them during the season. But during the NCAA’s I liked the way they played up-tempo and on an open floor,” he said. “Their coaches are good too.”
Steele carries a 3.5 GPA and indicated that Vanderbilt’s strong academics are a reason the Commodores are in his top three.
“Academics are very important to me and at Vanderbilt you get a good education,” he said. “Coach Stallings did a good job this year and they are bringing in some talented players.”
This summer Steele will be touring the AAU circuit with the Montgomery based Alabama Challenge.