Van Treeses list is shrinking

Stephan Van Treese is rolling along in his junior season at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound power forward is improving his post play all the while listening to the recruiting pitches from some of the top programs in college basketball.

Van Treese, a four-star prospect, said he the work he has put into his offensive post play is starting to show this season on the hardwood.

"I think I'm more offensive minded. Before, everyone was getting on me because I wasn't scoring and what not," Van Treese said. "Now, if I get the ball, I'm scoring. Before I wouldn't look to score. I'd look to pass. Now I'm shooting before I'm passing. I'm rebounding really well. In the past four or five games, I've been getting 15 to 20 rebounds."

He also came close to rewriting the record books at Lawrence North. Van Treese collected 20 rebounds in a game, just three shy of the record set by Eric Montrose when he played at the Indiana powerhouse.

Like Montrose, Van Treese has watched his recruitment take on some of the best of the best schools from coast-to-coast.

By the process of elimination, Van Treese has trimmed his list from 13 to eight. Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisville, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Purdue and UCLA make up his current list.

He will unofficially visit Kansas this weekend as the Jayhawks play host to Baylor. The trip will mark his first trip to Allen Fieldhouse.

"I'm kind of excited because I've never seen anything in Kansas. All I've heard is that it is flat ground. But I've heard the area and the campus is real nice," he said. "The stadium is amazing, from what I've heard. I've seen a lot of games on television and the crowd seems amazing."

A trip to Louisville could be close behind this season. Van Treese said he has yet to visit Florida and UCLA unofficially.

With his list shrinking this season, Van Treese said he isn't ready to announce any sort of leader though.

"It varies from time to time. Some days I'm higher on one school. Then another day, it is another school," Van Treese said. "It just depends. Every time I watch a team on TV, or I talk to a coach or I visit them, I'm like 'Whoa, I like that school.' It's been difficult to have a top leader."