PITTSBURGH RECRUITNG UPDATE

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Austin Wallace, BF (New York, NY)

Here is the NY Daily News article on Wallace's commitment to Pittsburgh: Austin Wallace to Pittsburgh.

Projected 2006-2007 Roster:
Seniors: Antonio Graves (G), Levon Kendall (F/C), Doyle Hudson (F/C), Aaron Gray (C)
Juniors: Keith Benjamin (G), Ronald Ramon (G), Mike Cook (G/F)
Sophomores: Levance Fields (PG), Sam Young (F), Tyrell Biggs (F)
Freshmen: Gilbert Brown (SF/G), Austin Wallace (BF)

Additional Note: Pittsburgh received an early verbal from Herb Pope for 2007 (which is considered a "soft" verbal at this point in time.

Our previous Pitt Recruiting Reports: August 24 report, July 1st and July 25 Recruiting Round-Up.

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The Pittsburgh Panthers hit the NYC recruiting trail as hard as anyone and associate head coach Barry Rohrrsen has landed another from the Big Apple as 6'9 BF Austin Wallace has chosen to call Pittsburgh his future home. With other NYC are players such as Keith Benjamin, Ron Ramon, Tyrell Biggs and Levance Fields scheduled to be part of the team when Wallace arrives, he will feel very comfortable.

Wallace is a recruit with a very high upside. He just recently turned 17 and has reportedly grown from a 6'7 1/2 and 200 lb forward into a 6'9 215 lb high major target that impressed many onlookers this summer with improved play and confidence in the paint. He is a very bright student that has been described as very coachable and always working to improve.

With Wallace's commitment, Pitt has one scholatship left. Mike Davis, a 6'9 C attending Notre Dame prep is usually the one that is connected the most to Pittsburgh. Davis gave coach Jamie Dixon a verbal commitment as a sophomore while attending Xaverian HS in NYC, where he was a teammate of Levance Fields. Davis was dismissed from Xaverian and bounced from a NE prep school to Benjamin Banneker HS in the PSAL in NYC where he played last season. This year he is attending Notre Dame Academy where he is playing with AAU teammate Derrick Caracter and other Big East commitments Paul Harris and Lazar Hayward, among others. Davis had a very good summer with the NY Panthers and at the ABCD camp and put his name back on the minds of recruiters. Pittsburgh seems to still be in the mix and St John's and, recently, USC have also been mentioned. It is a good possibility that Davis will wait until the spring and make sure he has everything in order before committing again. Will Pitt wait?

Pitt also has been involved with Tyler Smith of Hargrave Academy, Cincinnati, OH native Adrion Graves, Worcester Academy's Ben Eaves and Oklahoma native Ekpe Udoh. Also, Hamady N'Diaye is also mentioned as a possibility for the Panthers as well, but, his recruitment is probably on hold with the developments at his prep school. With the projected make-up of the 2006-2007 roster and the players in the freshmen, sophomore and junior classes, a true C is probably the direction of most need. Another shooting guard could be a back-up position of need. I owuld imagine Pittsburgh would still track the progress of Davis and continue to recruit Udoh, not sure if the Wallace commitment would chance anyone's mind.