Tuesday, August 30, 2005
August 24, 2005 - Virginian Pilot - All-Tidewater player of 2005 commits to Georgetown
All-Tidewater player of 2005 commits to Georgetown
By PAUL WHITE, The Virginian-Pilot©
August 24, 2005
Vernon Macklin, the 2005 All-Tidewater boys basketball Player of the Year, has been a longtime admirer of the ACC.
But on Wednesday, Macklin cast his lot with the Big East by making a verbal commitment to attend Georgetown in the fall of 2006.
A 6-foot-9 forward who is a consensus top-10 national recruit, Macklin starred for three years at Norcom High in Portsmouth before opting to spend his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy. He said he chose the Hoyas because of the program’s tradition, its playing style and its coach, John Thompson III.
‘‘I enjoy coach Thompson, and they like to go up and down,’’ Macklin said Wednesday by phone from Hargrave in Chatham, Va. ‘‘That’s the style I like to play.’’
In addition to declining to commit to an ACC school, Macklin also ended a long-held desire to play in college with his good friend Stefan Welsh, formerly of two-time state champion Woodside. The two will share the court this season at Hargrave, but Welsh has committed to Arkansas.
’’At least we’re both playing for Thompson brothers,’’ said Macklin, noting that Ronny Thompson, John’s brother, is an assistant at Arkansas.
Macklin — who averaged 22.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game last season as a junior at Norcom — said he began leaning toward Georgetown after making an unofficial visit earlier this month.
But he said he didn’t finalize his plans until this week. He also expressed relief that now, with the decision made, he can concentrate on academics, basketball and adjusting to life at a military school.
’’I’m excited because he’s excited,’’ Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts said. ‘’He felt like he was really wanted at Georgetown.’’
Those at Georgetown cannot comment on potential recruits until the school receives the athlete’s signed national letter of intent. The early signing period is from Nov. 9 to 16.
Macklin still must achieve a qualifying score on the SAT. He will take the test for the first time later this year.
A three-time All-Tidewater selection, Macklin is going through orientation and basketball conditioning at Hargrave this week, and will begin classes Monday.
The team will work out several times during the NCAA’s contact period Sept. 9-Oct. 5, when college coaches can visit the campus to evaluate and speak to players. Hargrave then will begin exhibition play on Oct. 18 against Oak Hill Academy.
Hargrave currently isn’t scheduled to play in Hampton Roads, but Keatts said he still has eight to 10 games to add to his team’s schedule and is eager to return Macklin and Welsh near their hometowns.
Reach Paul White at (757) 446-2630 or at paul.white@pilotonline.com
By PAUL WHITE, The Virginian-Pilot©
August 24, 2005
Vernon Macklin, the 2005 All-Tidewater boys basketball Player of the Year, has been a longtime admirer of the ACC.
But on Wednesday, Macklin cast his lot with the Big East by making a verbal commitment to attend Georgetown in the fall of 2006.
A 6-foot-9 forward who is a consensus top-10 national recruit, Macklin starred for three years at Norcom High in Portsmouth before opting to spend his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy. He said he chose the Hoyas because of the program’s tradition, its playing style and its coach, John Thompson III.
‘‘I enjoy coach Thompson, and they like to go up and down,’’ Macklin said Wednesday by phone from Hargrave in Chatham, Va. ‘‘That’s the style I like to play.’’
In addition to declining to commit to an ACC school, Macklin also ended a long-held desire to play in college with his good friend Stefan Welsh, formerly of two-time state champion Woodside. The two will share the court this season at Hargrave, but Welsh has committed to Arkansas.
’’At least we’re both playing for Thompson brothers,’’ said Macklin, noting that Ronny Thompson, John’s brother, is an assistant at Arkansas.
Macklin — who averaged 22.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game last season as a junior at Norcom — said he began leaning toward Georgetown after making an unofficial visit earlier this month.
But he said he didn’t finalize his plans until this week. He also expressed relief that now, with the decision made, he can concentrate on academics, basketball and adjusting to life at a military school.
’’I’m excited because he’s excited,’’ Hargrave coach Kevin Keatts said. ‘’He felt like he was really wanted at Georgetown.’’
Those at Georgetown cannot comment on potential recruits until the school receives the athlete’s signed national letter of intent. The early signing period is from Nov. 9 to 16.
Macklin still must achieve a qualifying score on the SAT. He will take the test for the first time later this year.
A three-time All-Tidewater selection, Macklin is going through orientation and basketball conditioning at Hargrave this week, and will begin classes Monday.
The team will work out several times during the NCAA’s contact period Sept. 9-Oct. 5, when college coaches can visit the campus to evaluate and speak to players. Hargrave then will begin exhibition play on Oct. 18 against Oak Hill Academy.
Hargrave currently isn’t scheduled to play in Hampton Roads, but Keatts said he still has eight to 10 games to add to his team’s schedule and is eager to return Macklin and Welsh near their hometowns.
Reach Paul White at (757) 446-2630 or at paul.white@pilotonline.com
