Three-Point Play: Terrence Clarke, Michael Foster, recent commits
Why is five-star guard Terrence Clarke committing next week? National analyst Corey Evans attempts to read between the lines with five-star guard in this week’s Three-Point Play.
RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
TUESDAY: 2020 Top 10
WEDNESDAY: 2020 Rivals150
THURSDAY: 2020 position rankings
FRIDAY: 2021 Rivals150
SATURDAY: 2021 position rankings
SUNDAY: 2022 rankings
1. WHY NOW FOR CLARKE?
Nick Lucero/Rivals.com
Some may be wondering why Terrence Clarke went ahead and scheduled his commitment date this far in advance. Sure, Clarke could reclassify - and I ultimately expect him to make that move - but why announce on Sept. 14?
Let’s first look at the finalists for his signature: Boston College, Duke, Kentucky, Memphis, Texas Tech and UCLA. He will not take any more visits before deciding, so unless he chooses a program that he has never visited, chances are it will be BC or UK. If Boston College wins out, it would be a big 'wow' moment across college basketball If it is Kentucky, then Clarke’s commitment makes a lot of sense.
While John Calipari would be more than happy to enroll Josh Christopher, Jalen Green and Clarke together, a Clarke commitment on Sept. 14 would allow him to pick the program he wants to attend without worrying about whether it has room for him or not.
Maybe my game of connecting the dots is a waste of time and Clarke ends up choosing Duke or Memphis. Maybe he stays home and picks Boston College. Heck, he could even pick the wild card and commit to Texas Tech. Who knows, but he will make his college decision on Sept. 14 with the possibility of reclassification hanging over him.
2. MICHAEL FOSTER SCHEDULES VISITS
Courtesy of USA Basketball
While Clarke will likely reclassify, his current 2021 five-star peer, Michael Foster, will not. Foster was at one point committed to Arizona State, but he backed off of that pledge over a year ago. After completing his first two years of high school ball in Milwaukee, Foster is now attending Hillcrest Prep in nearby Phoenix.
Could the Sun Devils land Foster's commitment twice? Never say never, but it is their in-state league rivals, the Arizona Wildcats, that have secured an official visit out of the top-10 forward. Not only will Foster be on campus the weekend of Sept. 27, but he will be joined by his two school teammates, Arizona commit Dalen Terry and top-50 wing Puff Johnson.
Arizona is not the only program to schedule an official visit with Foster. Georgia, the dark horse, will get the chance to impress Foster the weekend of Sept. 20 when the campus will be buzzing with the Notre Dame football game. The work Tom Crean has become known for in the skill development category has definitely piqued Foster’s interest which is why the Bulldogs should be thought of as a legitimate landing spot.
Others such as Florida State, Kansas and Marquette are also working on official visit dates but, barring anything unforeseen, odds are Foster will wait things out a little longer this time around before committing again. Where he lands remains in question, but Foster is the type of talent that should make an immediate impact on a contender.
