Fastbreak Friday, mid-major edition: The rich have an opportunity to get richer at Drake & Vermont
The Fastbreak Friday is back yet again with another important weekend on the recruiting trail. Mid-major programs all across the country have opportunities for big wins for the future of their respective programs.
Those opportunities have the potential to spark future mid-major bracket-busters. This weekend, a couple of seasoned Cinderella programs are looking to add to their stable of horses to continue their March success.
Here are three important visitors I’ll be watching closely this weekend…
K.J. TENNER - DRAKE
Tenner made some noise during the July evaluation period with Hoop City at the adidas event in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he showed his prolific scoring ability from start to finish. In fact, the Memphis-area prospect was one of the leading scorers from the entire event.
Drake was the first program to extend an offer after watching him during that live event and they’ve been a consistent player in his recruitment ever since. The Bulldogs offense has been a potent force under Darian Devries, so keep an eye on Tenner’s visit, especially given his offensive capabilities.
Tenner has already seen Morehead State and Murray State and both of them will be players in his recruitment. He’ll head to Bradley and Rice in the coming weeks.
JULEN ITURBE - VERMONT
John Becker has put together an elite career at Vermont as he’s won 20+ games in the 12 years he’s roamed the sidelines. During these years of championships and success, his teams have come synonymous with skilled, high IQ big men.
So when a high-academic forward like Julen Iturbe makes his way to campus, it draws some attention. The 6-foot-7 Greer (SC) Riverside forward played well for Team Curry during the travel season and caught several college programs’ eyes.
Iturbe has a final five of American, Boston, Bradley, Lehigh and the Catamounts but keep an eye on Vermont here. He could be a perfect fit in the America East.
JAEL MARTIN - PEPPERDINE
After losing 20+ games in back-to-back seasons, Pepperdine head coach Lorenzo Romar could use a big win on the recruiting trail. Like many of his peers, Romar and his staff will hit the transfer portal hard. But how about a hard-playing, high-reward forward local prospect to add to the mix?
That’s exactly what Carlsbad (CA) forward Jael Martin is for Pepperdine. The bouncy forward will make the short two-hour trip to Malibu, California to see Pepperdine’s campus, where Romar and his staff hope to make a dent in his recruitment.
Martin, a 6-foot-7 forward with the ability to play inside and out, was one of the most popular forwards on the West Coast this summer. The Waves get the first crack with Martin, as he’ll also visit UC Davis, Cal Poly, Princeton, and Colorado State over the next month or so.
