Starting Five: Early period approaches
The early signing period begins on Wednesday and more and more top prospects are setting their decision dates. Five-star shooting guard
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Antonio Blakeney will wait while a pair of South Carolina four-stars will decide this week. We discuss that and more in this week's Starting Five
Spring decision for Blakeney
Once committed to Louisville, the nation's No. 13 player Antonio Blakeney has been busy taking visits and trying to determine whether or not he will commit early or late.
A 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Orlando (Florida) Oak Ridge, Blakeney used his fourth official visit over the weekend to check out LSU. He visited with summer teammate
Ben Simmons who is also the No. 1 player in the class of 2015 and has taken previous visits to Kentucky, Missouri and Louisville.
On Monday morning, Blakeney told Rivals.com that he is having fun with his visits but he has decided to wait until the spring signing period. He hasn't put a date or timetable on his decision, but for a while it had looked like he would be done early so there is still plenty of recruiting left to be done with him.
Blakeney has one official visit left to use and places like North Carolina and N.C. State have emerged has options for that last visit.
Two for Rivals150 forward
Rivals.com was in Wichita Falls, Texas over the weekend to watch the Elite 14 Showcase. One of the event participants was
Jordan Murphy, the No. 112 player in the class of 2015.
A 6-foot-7 combo forward at San Antonio (Texas) Brennan, Murphy has good athleticism and long arms. He was a little up and down while Rivals.com watched at the Elite 14 but he certainly has high major tools.
Brennan told Rivals.com that he has just wrapped up official visits to UNLV and VCU and that he is comfortable with those two programs but has to figure out whether to sign early or late.
"It's pretty much those two right now," Murphy told Rivals.com. "I'm up in the air about what to do, I have to figure that out.
"What's best for me? How do I fit on the floor and which academic situation is best?"
Mack and Dozier set decision dates
The recruitments of Palmetto State stars P.J. Dozier and Tevin Mack will come to a conclusion over the next few days. A 6-foot-6 guard, Dozier will decide on Wednesday while Mack, a 6-foot-6 scorer, is expected to make his announcement Tuesday.
Since he will be deciding first, let's start off with Mack. The No. 77 player in 2015
and a product of Columbia, South Carolina, Dreher is down to Clemson, Georgia, Connecticut, VCU and South Carolina. Although he wrapped up his visits a few weeks ago, he has been struggling with his decision and sources close to his recruitment feel that his biggest obstacle has been that he has developed strong relationships with all of the coaches involved and that he doesn't want to tell anybody no.
Mack did drop by South Carolina for a practice over the weekend and the hometown Gamecocks have been charging hard the past few weeks. VCU and UConn both have gotten a lot of run and Georgia still feels like they have a legit shot. Of the two South Carolina stars, Mack seems to be the most up in the air.
Moving on to Dozier, the No. 34 player is expected to announce on local television early Wednesday afternoon. Like Mack, Dozier is a product of Columbia but attends rival Spring Valley High. His finalists include the Gamecocks, Louisville, North Carolina, Michigan and Georgetown.
With two days left until he decides, all signs point to Dozier choosing to either stay home and play for Frank Martin in the SEC or head off to play for Rick Pitino in the ACC.
Kentucky PF to 2016
One player who would have really emerged as a heavily targeted spring option had he wanted to is three-star power forward Aric Holman.
Instead, the 6-foot-8 four man who is an outstanding shooter with mobility is
going to go to prep school for a year after he finishes up his senior season in
Owensboro, Kentucky.
Holman won't select a prep school until after the season and there is always the chance that he could change his mind, but for now he moves into the class of 2016 where he will likely end up a high major recruit. Holman did take official visits to Western Kentucky and VCU and has also been by Louisville unofficially. Others like Auburn and Florida have shown interest as well.
Swanigan takes in Duke
Initially slated to be a member of the class of 2016, Caleb Swanigan actually moved up a class to 2015 where he is a five-star prospect who ranks No. 16 overall. The 6-foot-8, 255 pounder at Ft. Wayne (Ind.) Homestead will be waiting until the spring to make his decision and has been busy on the visit trail.
After visiting both Arizona and Kentucky during the month of October, Swanigan made a trip to Durham, N.C. over the weekend to check in with Duke. The Blue Devils have offered and already have five-star big man Chase Jeter in the fold, but freshman
Jahlil Okafor is almost certainly headed off to the NBA after this season and the Blue Devils' frontcourt needs more size.
Michigan State has long been considered one of Swanigan's favorites but at this point his recruitment looks to be wide open. Others that are going to get a serious look include California and Purdue.
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