Young Sets Visits; South Plains TX Update
While Keena Young's recruitment may have reopened a few weeks back, it appears that the 6-6 freshman forward from South Plains College in Texas will visit just a pair of schools this spring before making a decision.
JUCO Junction caught up with South Plains Head Coach Steve Green this week, and he told us that Young will visit Brigham Young University this weekend (Apr. 16-18) and South Alabama the following weekend (Apr. 23-25).
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Programs such as Stephen F. Austin and North Texas have also expressed interest in Young, but the above two trips will likely dictate his future destination.
Green took it one step further than that.
"If he goes up to BYU and commits, then it's over," he said. "He's thinking highest level, and he has a previous relationship with [BYU Asst. Coach] Dave Rose, who has some family in the Houston area."
Young started 27 of 30 games this season, averaging 9.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He shot 47 percent from the floor.
"Keena is still trying to learn how to play on the perimeter," Green said. "They believe he is something different from what they have in their program."
Because he was a qualifier out of high school, Young will have three years of eligibility at the Division I level.
As for 6-8 power forward Robert Faulkner of Peoria, Ill., he missed the entire 2003-2004 season due to a knee injury. If he could graduate this summer, Faulkner could enroll at a Division I program in the fall with three years of eligibility.
Toledo and Iowa State recently came in to take a look at Faulkner, and Tulsa has also shown interest. Back in the fall, Faulkner took official visits to South Alabama and Iowa State.
"We are going to check the progress of his knee on Wednesday with the surgeon," Green said. "He's going to need some hours this summer to graduate."
As for Richardson, the 6-0 point guard from Miami, Fla., will be visiting Northern Arizona this weekend (Apr. 16-18). Jacksonville (FL) has also taken a look at him, Green said.
Richardson, who spent his freshman year as a red-shirt at Oklahoma State, averaged 5.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He shot 39 percent from the floor, 34 percent beyond the arc and 63 percent from the foul line.
Assuming he signs with a Division I program this spring, Richardson will have a three years to play at the Division I level.
JUCO Junction will keep you posted on Young, Faulkner and Richardson as their situations become more defined in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!