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The number 1 basketball prospect in Kentucky, [URL=”http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-Chane-Behanan-75344″]Chane Behanan[/URL], was in Lexington on Wednesday for an official, unofficial, visit to UK.
Chane has been on the rise all Summer and gained tremendous attention when he was named as the MVP of the 2010 NBPA Top 100 camp in June. Behanan tied for second in scoring at 14.7 points per game, while leading his camp squad to the championship game.
Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino has been on the trail of Behanan all Summer, including giving him his undivided attention during the Adidas Invitational in July.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
It was initially reported that the race for Behanan was between Louisville and West Virginia with some saying the duo of Quincy Miller and Chane Behanan could possibly be a one-two package deal.
With Kentucky and Head Coach John Calipari, showing their attention, I expect the race for Behanan’s services to intensify. The prize isn’t as large as the Marquis Teague race, but if Kentucky offers, and we have to hope they will, the in-state battle for Chane will be an interesting one to watch, especially when you consider what Pitino and the Cards have to lose.
Here are some excerpts of an interview conducted with Behanan’s Head Coach, D. G. Sherrill, by the CatsPause.com |
Bowling Green High School Head Coach D. G. Sherrill, said Behanan enjoyed his unofficial visit to Kentucky on Wednesday but declined to say whether the five-star power forward left Lexington with a scholarship offer from the Wildcats.
“It was a good trip,” Sherrill said Thursday afternoon. “I think he really enjoyed himself … It was a quick trip, but one he definitely wanted to make.”
When asked whether Behanan received a UK offer, Sherrill said, “I don’t know if I’m in a place to say whether he does or not. I think there is some mutual interest, I’ll say that.”
“He’s real interested in going to a place where people really want him, and obviously Kentucky has a great history and since Coach Calipari has been there they’ve done nothing but bring in some of the best talent in the country,” Sherrill said.
He added: “There’s real interest on both sides.”
Sherrill said Behanan’s family plans to cut his list down to four to six schools, possibly by his birthday this third week of September and to spend the next couple weeks setting up in-home visits, then official visits. A final decision could come as late as February.
Sherrill declined to say which schools Behanan is favoring. “He’s not really given me a final list, but he’s holding somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 or 15 offers.”
Bowling Green plays a dribble-drive motion offense based on the style Calipari has used at Memphis and Kentucky.
“What’s really cool about Chane is, when people see him they think he’s a big, thick kid who can’t move, but really he’s the fastest player on our team. When he gets the basketball, he can get on the perimeter and he can get that big body into gaps and spaces that a normal human being can’t do, but he’s able to do that. He’s really been playing downhill. He’s good with the ball in his hands, and I think after a second year running this system, he’ll get even better and more versatile with the ball in his hands.”
“In Chane’s evaluation of schools, he’s more concerned with, ‘Are they bringing in talented players I can play with?'” Sherrill said. “He wants to play with other good players.”
Chane is a 6-6, 250lb Power Forward, and is rated as the No. 24 overall player in the Class of 2011.
ESPN had this to say of Behanan’s play|
[quote=ESPN]Chane is a big bodied post player. He scores mostly inside 15 feet, has some nice power moves on the low block where he simply over powers most of his opponents, runs well and can finish on the break well above the rim. Behanan can also catch in the mid post and put the ball on the floor and create offense. He has decent hands and nice feet and is a good rebounder where he uses his strength and bounce to garner more than his share. Defensively he is average though he is a pretty good shot blocker despite his size. He has good timing on his leap that allows him to get some rejections inside. He uses his strength well on the block defensively but he can struggle with quickness inside.[/quote]
I am fully expecting some fireworks before Behanan makes any decision.
See Chane in action on our latest Video [URL=”http://www.nationofblue.com/chane-behanan-adidas-nations-2009-2074/”][B]HERE…[/B][/URL]
[COLOR=Black]Full story at[/COLOR] [URL=”http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1112753″][B]CatsPause.com[/B][/URL] (Paid site)
Go Cats!!!
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