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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

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Men's basketball recruiting update

Men's Basketball vs. Purdue

Class of 2017 forward Charles Payton recaps unofficial visit to IU

Charles Payton, a 6-foot-6 forward from Bloomington, Ill. who plays for the Illinois Wolves AAU program, took an unofficial visit to IU last Friday with his high school coach. It was Payton’s first trip to Bloomington, Ind., where he toured IU’s campus, practice facilities and the Hoosier Hall of Fame.

“It was nice,” Payton told the IDS via phone on Saturday. “I loved the facilities. Campus was pretty nice.”

IU Director of Basketball Operations Rob Judson led the visit and he has been Payton’s lead recruiter, Payton said.

“They said they feel like I can fit in their program,” he said.

Payton has also been in contact with Georgetown, Illinois and Xavier. He visited Illinois on Tuesday, according to a report from Peegs.com’s Jeff Rabjohns.

The rising high school junior has offers from the University of Illinois-Chicago and Southern Illinois.

Payton described himself as an athletic combo forward who can attack the rim and finish with contact.

IU has not offered Payton a scholarship, but he said it would mean a lot to him if that day comes.

“Oh it’d be huge,” he said. “After seeing campus and all their facilities yesterday, that was really a big eye-opener.”

IU offers 2016 center from Texas

Late Monday night there were multiple media reports that IU had offered a scholarship to 6-foot-10, class of 2016 center Schnider Herard. Herard, a Plano, Tex. native who attends Prestonwood Christian Academy, is a four-star recruit. Rivals ranks Herard No. 35 in the 2016 recruiting class.

He has offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Connecticut, IU, Kansas, Kansas State, Miami, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, North Texas, Oklahoma, Purdue, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Wake Forest.

IU among final 10 schools for four-star power forward

Nick Rakocevic, a class of 2016, 6-foot-9 power forward from Westchester, Ill., narrowed his list of colleges to 10 last Friday and IU made the cut.

The other nine in consideration are Creighton, Iowa, Miami, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA, USC, Virginia and Wisconsin.

"I want to thank all the coaches that have recruited and gave me great opportunities. These are my final 10 schools!" he tweeted Fridayevening.

Rakocevic plays for the Mac Irvin Fire AAU program and attends St. Joseph High School. He will play for the Indiana Elite AAU program in July.

Rakocevic is ranked as a four-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN.

IU ‘working hard to get’ Nike EYBL Defensive Player of the Year

The Hoosiers have one available scholarship for next season and IU’s coaching staff is being patient before jumping to any final roster decisions.

"What it has to be now is someone who would really make sense," IU Coach Tom Crean said last month in regards to the team’s final roster spot, according to the Indianapolis Star. "There's no rush."

IU found a recruiting gem late last summer when IU assistant coach Chuck Martin used his contacts to get in touch with Emmitt Holt and win over his commitment on August 20.

Crean may have his eyes on a recruit, Kassoum Yakwe, who could potentially be this year’s version of Holt – another young player who could choose to enroll in school in the next two months and develop over several years in a college program.

But first, he must decide if he will enroll in college this year or next, as well as which school he wants to attend.

Yakwe, the Nike EYBL Defensive Player of the Year, will reportedly make a decision by the end of July about his future, according to Zagsblog.com.

The 6-foot-7 forward, who attends Our Savior New American (N.Y.) and plays for the PSA Cardinals AAU program, could begin his college career this year or attend prep school for a season – similarly to Holt’s original plans.

Zagsblog.com reported that Yakwe is “leaning toward prep” school for next season and enrolling in college in 2016. St. John’s, Oregon, IU, Washington and Kansas are reportedly working “hard to get him,” and Maryland is “getting involved as well.”

IU is one of nearly 20 schools that have offered Yakwe a scholarship. Martin reportedly visited him on January 15, according to 247Sports.

Yakwe averaged 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game in the EYBL.

IU target Alkins to attend prep school

Rawle Alkins, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who is one of the top prospects in the 2016 recruiting class, will attend prep school next year, he announced Thursday on Twitter. IU is heavily recruiting Alkins, as are countless other schools. He has offers from IU, Kansas, Kentucky, Texas, Villanova, plus ones from more than a dozen other schools.

"#3peat will never be forgoten! (sic) Time to announce that I will be attending prepschool next year!! I will always rep (New York City)" he tweeted Thursday evening.

Alkins didn't indicate which prep school he will attend. 
He spent the last three years playing for Christ the King, where he won three consecutive city titles, but he decided to leave after his eligibility was brought into question after appearing in games as an eighth grader in Florida.

"Alkins had no choice but to leave now rather than risk missing what will be a crucial senior season from a recruiting standpoint," wrote The New York Daily News' Julian Garcia.

"It's just what's best for him," Christ the King coach Joe Arbitello told the Daily News. "At the end of it all, this is a kid who could be drafted in two or three years. We just have to make sure he doesn't veer off that course."

Arbitello said he has an idea of what prep school Alkins will attend but since he isn't completely sure, he didn't name the school in his interview with the Daily News. 

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