Catching Up with Aaron Pettway, Part 1

JUCO Junction had a chance to speak with Hutchinson C.C. center Aaron Pettway on Saturday at the Jayhawk Shootout.

Pettway, a 6-9 center from Alabama, shared his thoughts on a variety of subjects. Here is the first part of the transcript from that interview:

JUCO Junction: Aaron, back in the fall, you cut your list to ten schools -- Howard, Georgetown, Maryland, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Alabama, Mississipi State, Oklahoma State, Florida and Florida State. Where do things stand right now? Is it still ten schools or did you knock someone out?

Aaron Pettway: It's still 10. Right now, I am just watching them play and see how their program works. And then I will get a better feel if their program works for me if I go there. So right now, it's still at 10, and I will probably wait a little longer so I can get to see every team play before I cut a couple down. I've talked to a few extra schools, such as Kansas and North Carolina. But I am just talking to them. They aren't exactly on my list right now. I am just checking the schools out and trying to play my game here.

JJ: Are you planning on taking any official or unofficial visits over the Christmas break?

AP: I am considering going up to Alabama, but I am not sure yet. It depends on if the time works out for them and me. I might drive up there for an unofficial. I won't take any official visits until the end of the season. Nothing right now during the season, because I don't have enough times with the games.

JJ: Will you take all three of the official visits you have remaining?

AP: Yes, I will take all three of the visits at the end of the season.

JJ: What programs have been out to see you so far?

AP: As far as during the season now, no one has come out. I think Georgia Tech and Howard and a few other schools are supposed to come here to the Shootout either today or tomorrow. I haven't seen anyone during the season, because they are busy with their teams right now.

JJ: Do you look at that kind of stuff? The fact that they show up to your games or give you the weekly phone call?

AP: As long as they let me know that they are still recruiting me. I understand right now that their seasons have started up and that they have to tend to their teams first. But if they have time, I would like to at least come and see me play, so at least they know what they're looking for. I don't want a school to say it's recruiting me but I never hear from them, so I don't know how they really feel. At least try to get a phone call or an e-mail just to let me know that they are still looking at me and considering me.

JJ: What were your impressions of the two programs you visited in the fall -- Georgetown and Mississippi State?

AP: Georgetown is nice and they have a lot of history there. It's right in the middle of DC, it's a little small, but that's fine though. Mississippi State, I didn't know it was in the middle of the country like it was. It's real spaced out and big but I liked the fact that you could walk around. You don't have to drive everywhere to class. It was pretty nice.

JJ: Being from the Deep South, is that going to be a factor ultimately in your decision?

AP: Somewhat, but it's the last thing I look at after everything else. Being in the military, I am used to being away from home. So it's not really a big issue to me right now. I am more focused on either the Midwest and Southeast.

JJ: What factors will shape your decision?

AP: Right now, it's playing time, of course, and how the program plays. Will it work for me? It won't work if I get playing time but don't get the ball. Or vice versa. I want to make sure that they need me, not just someone just to be there supporting someone else. I will also look at the academics, if it supports my major. I want to major in business management.