IU has long been after Christian Watford (No. 34 Rivals.com, No. 72 Scout.com), so much that about six weeks ago he has was labeled as the Hoosiers' top priority. Rumors surfaced that Tom Crean would be traveling to visit Watford in Alabama this Tuesday, and that has been confirmed by Watford's father, Ernest. John Decker of HoosierNation.com recently pushed an article about Watford, and while I can't reveal the inside scoop that is in the insider article, the teaser on Watford's profile (see above hyperlink) is enough to make any IU fan happy: "Father confirms Crean's visit on Tuesday as well as IU's standing as a team to beat."
Watford attended IU's Elite Camp a few weeks back, and while his second visit to IU left a good impression on him, his father indicated soon after that they would still be making visits to Christian's other top schools. With Crean heading down south for a home visit on Tuesday, however, it seems that it wouldn't be much of a shocker if the IU coach travels back to Bloomington with a fifth recruit in his Class of 2009.
Roger Franklin (No. 90 Rivals.com, No. 47 Scout.com) of Duncanville, Texas, was also a major target for the Hoosiers this summer, but at the end of August he said IU was no longer in the picture. Instead, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arizona and UCLA are now in the lead for his services.
Dominick Cheek (No. 16 Rivals.com, No. 15 Scout.com), meanwhile, told well-respected East Coast blogger Adam Zagoria a few weeks back that he would "definitely" visit IU. Today, Zagoria has reported that Cheek will be visiting Kansas, Villanova and Wake Forest, and will choose to visit two other schools from a six team list that includes IU, that according to Bob Hurley, Sr., Cheek's high school coach.
While Crean would like to lock up Watford and possibly a big man such as Angus Brandt for 2009, he is still focusing on some younger players. Last night at the football game, I spotted current Hoosiers Jeremiah Rivers and Devan Dumes watching the game from the 50-yard-line with what appeared to be at least four or five recruits. IU assistants Bennie Seltzer, Tim Buckley and Roshown McLeod (among other staff members such as Brian Barone, Direct of Operations/Video Coordinator) were talking with a few of them at halftime, one of which I recognized as Chicago Foreman High School senior point guard Lavonte Dority (No. 83 Rivals.com).
I spoke with Dority briefly and tried to set up a phone interview for today, although I have yet to get a hold of him. He said the visit was going well, and when asked about some of the other recruits there, the only he could name was fellow Illinois native Lenzelle Smith (No. 97 Rivals.com, No. 75 Scout.com), who he said was "one of the top five players in the state." I saw McLeod speaking with one recruit for several minutes, and it may have been highly touted junior Chasson Randle, also of Illinois. In the stands, one of the other prospective recruits appeared to be around the height of 6-foot-8-inches.
