2010 GUARD ISAIAH EPPS IN DEMAND
Big East schools battling Maryland of the ACC early for Epps
By Chris Dokish
It’s never too early to look at high school sophomores, especially when they already have a handful of offers and could commit early. One of the fastest rising players in the 2010 class is 6’2” 170 pound combo guard Isaiah Epps of Plainfield (NJ) HS, and he fits the bill on both counts.
Read on to learn about Epps’ recruitment and how it is taking shape.
Early interest is strong in Isaiah Epps among several high major schools and Plainfield coach Pete Vasil reports official offers from Maryland, Seton Hall, and Rutgers, with more attention coming from the likes of St. Joe’s and Kansas. Pittsburgh is another school highly interested with assistant coach Tom Herrion saying Vasil’s star guard has an offer, though Vasil is not counting that yet. “I will wait until the head coach tells me he has an offer before I count it and I haven’t heard from Jamie Dixon yet,” says Vasil.
Vasil is Epps’ biggest fan and he has a long list of superlatives to describe one of the best young guards in the country. “Coaches love him because he has a great handle,” says Vasil, “plus he can score, he sees the floor, he has long arms and quickness, he gets a lot of steals. He’s just very creative and a causes a lot of havoc.”
The reputation of Epps is rising rapidly, thanks mostly to his excellent shooting skills, and many more big time offers will be coming. However, any school interested should throw their hat in the ring very soon if Vasil has his way.
“I think if he loves a school that already offered, then why wait?,” asks Vasil. “Maryland is recruiting him the hardest right now and Gary Williams wants him very much. Plus, Gary told him he can come and play right away. If Isaiah likes the situation there, I would recommend to him that he takes the offer. That way he has a solid foundation for the rest of his high school career. He can concentrate on his academics and making himself a better player, and he no longer has to worry about where he’s going.”
Vasil, who says Epps also likes Maryland a lot, is not sure Epps will follow that plan, though. “We will probably go around and look at some places,” he says.
No matter where he goes, though, Vasil knows he has a rare talent. “As long as he doesn’t get a big head or thinks he’s already made it, then he will be excellent,” says Vasil. “A lot of these kids reach a certain level and let their guard down. If he doesn’t do that, the sky is the limit.”
Chris Dokish is a NBE Basketball Report contributor as well as a contributing editor of the Pittsburgh Sports Report where his stories are often featured in their Keystone Recruiting newsletter series, which you can sign up for free at their website.
