HS BASKETBALL: McAlester's Holiman signs with University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Nov. 15—Adante Holiman signed on the dotted line and knows what he has to do at the next level.
The McAlester senior signed his National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas, during a signing ceremony at McAlester High School on Monday.
Holiman earned offers from multiple programs and is ranked as Oklahoma's top basketball recruit in the 2022 class by 24/7Sports and is ranked second overall by ESPN. He previously announced his initial offer from UTRGV on Oct. 4, with the senior point guard taking an official visit on Nov. 1.
But this time, the whirlwind process wasn't unfamiliar territory, and Holiman said that it helped him take a clearer look at his options.
"It's not as (nerve-wracking) as it was last time," Holiman said. "I know what I've got to go through."
Holiman is a two-time McAlester News-Capital All-Area Basketball Player of the Year, including last year when he averaged 31 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four steals per game as a junior.
The Vaqueros are a member of the Western Athletic Conference, and coached by Matt Figger — who took over after the sudden death of head coach Lew Hill in February.
Holiman previously verbally committed to the University of Tulsa in March, but opened up recruitment once again in August with an announcement on social media.
"I would like to thank everyone on the Tulsa coaching staff for giving me the chance to play at a great university," he wrote. "But after a long talk with my family, I have decided to decommit and reopen my recruitment."
From there, Holiman hit the ground running once again — a path that will lead him into the Lone Star State next year.
He received yet another list of Division I offers, including from such schools as Hofstra, Texas A&M Commerce, Northern Illinois, and Montana State, and interest and visits to other programs including Arkansas and Central Arkansas.
"I've heard from a lot of schools," Holiman said.
Gaining a new coach and new team next season will be quite the change for Holiman, who has spent his high school career under the direction of his coach and father, Will.
But Holiman said just because he won't be on one of his dad's teams doesn't mean the coaching will end.
"I don't think it's going to stop," he laughed. "I'm always going to need his advice and his criticism. Like, I'm going to need it from him and I know I'm going to get it still...I love to have it, because not everybody got it."
Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.