Three remain on Browns short list

Earlier this year we featured 6-foot-8, 240-pound power forward Takais Brown from Southeastern Illinois Community College. Brown, who hails originally from Flint, Michigan, is one of the top six players in the juco ranks according to Rivals recruiting site JucoJunction.com.

While there is plenty of interest, it doesn't look like anybody will be making a late charge for Brown.

"He has had a lot of new interest lately but he has pretty much stuck with the same people that have been recruiting him all along in terms of where he has gone to visit," said Franklin. "He visited Georgia and really liked it. He visited UNLV just last weekend and he is going to go to Purdue this weekend."

A decision could come early next week.

"I think he is going to make a decision when he comes back from Purdue," said Franklin.

The coach talked about the schools that have tried to jump into this mix here of late.

"He has had Indiana, he has had Cincinnati, Iowa State....those have been the people that have contacted us lately and tried to get involved," said Franklin. "Minnesota has been there throughout the year."

But at the moment it looks like those schools won't be among those that Brown picks from next week.

"Looks like the only three visits he is going to make are Georgia, UNLV and Purdue and this is just what he told me 15 minutes ago," said Franklin. "He is feeling pretty good about where this is right now and when he gets back from Purdue he thinks he is going to make a decision."

While Indiana did not make the cut, it does not appear to be from lack of effort.

"Both Coach (Jeff) Meyer and Coach (Ray) McCallum both jumped on it immediately," said Franklin. "He had 28 points and 14 rebounds in the big JuCo national all-star game at the Final Four and everybody that had been involved got crazy on him and then everybody that got new jobs were trying to get involved."

The Boilermakers are the only finalist near Browns hometown of Flint, but the coach indicates that distance from home may not play much into things.

"He has said it is not going to be," said Franklin. "When we started the process he said he really didn't care how close to home it was. He has been here for two years and almost never goes home. You never know, every kid is different but so far he has said that it wouldn't be."

The coach talked about how Brown and his team finished the season.

"He played well, ended up averaging right at 20 points and 10 rebounds a game and ended up being named an All-American," said Franklin. "We made the Regional Finals and had a big halftime lead for the game to go to Hutchinson (NJCAA final 16) and gave it away. But that wasn't his fault. We probably weren't as good at the guard spot as we have been."