JMU Targeting PG For 2020
HARRISONBURG — As key dates in the NCAA Division I men’s basketball recruiting calendar approach, a clearer picture of what James Madison may be looking for to fill available scholarships in future classes is emerging.
The NCAA-mandated dead period, when college coaches are not allowed to contact or evaluate recruits, ended April 18. Since then, coaches have been allowed to contact and evaluate players leading up to today’s one-day quiet period, in which contact with recruits is limited to on-campus visits. This Friday, Saturday and Sunday are designated as an evaluation period in which college coaches can observe recruits, but can’t be in contact.
All that leads up to another four-day recruiting period before the rest of may is either designated a quiet or dead period.
Translation: The next week is a hectic one for college coaches and recruits across the nation. One thing that makes it slightly more manageable for JMU is, unlike many schools, the Dukes likely aren’t looking for another high senior to come on board before the end of the spring signing period on May 17.
JMU has five players signed for 2019 — Michael Christmas, Julien Wooden, Quinn Richey, Mike Fowler and Jayvis Harvey — and are at the 13 scholarship limit for the 2019-20 season. The Dukes may still pursue an experienced transfer, in which case one player on the current roster may be asked to give up his scholarship for next season.
But for the most part, Madison’s week will be spent looking at high school underclassmen. As of right now, the Dukes are looking at one open scholarship to fill for the Class of 2020 and JMU has extended offers to several intriguing prospects.
Among those are Isaiah Todd and Jamille Reynolds, who each took official visits to JMU in the fall. Todd is the No. 13 player in the Class of 2020 according to Rivals.com and a high-priority target of North Carolina, Kentucky and Maryland, among many others. But JMU and Maryland were among the only schools to receive an official visit from the 6-foot-10 forward during his junior year.
Reynolds, a 6-10 center from JMU coach Louis Rowe’s hometown of Tampa, Fla., is a three-star prospect who also has offers from Florida, Oklahoma State and Iowa State.
Sources say the Dukes coaching staff recognizes the challenge of landing either high-profile player with successful programs from the sport’s top conferences also in pursuit. But JMU has remained in contact with both players and hope to have a good idea by the end of the summer if either is still open to playing at a mid-major.
If the Dukes can’t land either big man, then it appears likely that 2020 scholarship could go to a point guard who could come in to back up rising sophomore Deshon Parker.
In recent days, JMU has extended scholarship offers to JaCobi Wood and Jordan Hairston. Wood is a 6-1 junior point guard from Cleveland, Tenn., with offers from UT Chattanooga and Canisius along with interest from Murray State, Creighton, South Florida, William & Mary and others.
Hairston, from the Flint Hill School in Northern Virginia, is currently scheduled to graduate this year, but sources say he could reclassify or take a postgraduate year to become part of the 2020 recruiting class. Hairston also picked up an offer from Texas A&M Corpus Christi this week to go along with Boston University, Bryant and Delaware State. It is believed his JMU offer is contingent on joining the 2020 class.
By Thursday, the Dukes had offered two more 2020 point guards, Oxon Hill, Md., product Ronald Polite and John “Manzie” Wilson from St. John’s College High School in Washington D.C.
With the 2019 class locked up, the Dukes also continue to look ahead to even younger prospects and are hitting in-state and Washington area pipelines hard. In addition to the recent offer to East Rockingham freshman Tyler Nickel, JMU has also extended one to Gaithersburg, Md., small forward Jordan Hawkins, who averaged 20 points per game as a sophomore and also has offers from Mount St. Mary’s and Norfolk State.