Tucker could take some time
Cliff Tucker, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound guard from Chapin High School in El Paso, Texas, was a must-see guy on the circuit this year for a number of reasons.
For starters, getting to El Paso isn't the easiest thing to do for college coaches. Score one for UTEP, who remain on his list even with the coaching change at the Conference USA school. The other reason why he attracted recruiters is his skill level.
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Tucker had his chance at the ABCD camp to show he could play at the high-major level. The No. 85 ranked player in the country said he feels like he gave everyone what they were looking for.
"The ABCD camp was a good experience for me," Tucker said. "I played against some good competition and it prepared me for the next level. A lot of coaches and players don't come down here very often.
"I did more passing at the ABCD camp because I felt like I needed to show off what I could do. Some players don't like to pass very much. I wanted to show that I could."
The college coaches took notice. Tucker said he is now counting Virginia, Texas A&M, UTEP, Pepperdine, Vanderbilt and Notre Dame as those he is most interested in.
Tucker is also a key figure for his high school football team. The athletic prospect plays both sides of the ball and expects his hoops recruitment to be put on pause for the time being. He said a possible visit to Notre Dame in Sept. could happen but said nothing has been officially set up yet.
As good as he was in the summer months, Tucker could be a high-priority guy after the early signing period passes. The trek to El Paso looks like it well be well traveled in the winter time.