The high school season bleeds into the frenetic AAU year which then leads into fall ball. Basketball prospects get no break — it’s a 365 days a year grind.
Three highly thought of prospects from Long Island are saying enough is enough.
Long Island Lutheran trio Devonte Green, Chris Atkinson and Marvin Prochet — all Division I prospects with a variety of options — are taking a much-needed breather from hoops this fall and playing football instead, returning to the gridiron after their Pop Warner days.
There is risk involved, most notably injury. One college coach involved thinks its “crazy” to take a such a chance, but he said he does believe it is wise to take a break from basketball in the fall. LuHi basketball coach John Buck said he hasn’t heard much from college coaches about it one way or another.
He isn’t concerned. In fact, Buck sees it as a worthwhile gamble. A college basketball player at Wake Forest in his day, Buck recalled some of his fondest high school days came on a baseball diamond, not a basketball court.
“I anticipate these guys coming back to basketball refreshed mentally,” Buck said. “It just feels right. The school loves it, the kids are loving it. They’re having fun. The mental aspect is so important.”
Said Green: “It makes you miss and value playing basketball.”
The football team is 2-0, thanks in part to the three basketball players. They have gotten to meet a new section of the school because of their involvement, Buck said, and it has put a smile on their faces.
Of the three, Green, the younger brother of Spurs guard Danny Green is the highest-rated prospect. High major programs such as Maryland, Seton Hall, Arizona, Oklahoma and Cincinnati are recruiting the talented 6-foot-2 junior, who is playing running back and defensive back for the LuHi football team. Atkinson, a blur of a 5-foot-9 point guard, counts Iona, Central Connecticut State and Iona among his suitors, while the 6-foot-6 Prochet is hearing from Richmond, Towson and St. Bonaventure.
“Some coaches think I’m crazy, because I may get hurt, and some don’t really think much of it,” Green said. “They think it’s cool we play for fun. … If you like football, then I would suggest it. You get a break from basketball. You can still play basketball whenever you want. It’s something different, something to have fun with.”
Fun, huh? Imagine that, high school athletes not obsessing over rankings and recruiting, and enjoying themselves, getting to be actual teenagers. Maybe Green, Atkinson and Prochet have started a trend. Less, after all, can sometimes be more.
St. John’s Midnight Madness event on Oct. 17 just became very important. The Red Storm will host their top three high school targets — forward Cheick Diallo of Our Savior New American (L.I.), point guard Isaiah Briscoe of Roselle Catholic (N.J.) and shooting guard Brandon Sampson of Louisiana — all of whom will be taking official visits that weekend.
St. John’s coach Steve Lavin saw junior target Temple Gibbs of Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) and JUCO wing Luis Montero of Westchester Community College on Monday. He plans to have an in-home visit with five-star guard Antonio Blakeney, a former Louisville commit, this week.
Long Island Lutheran junior forward scored his first high-major scholarship offer from Seton Hall on Wednesday.
Highly recruited junior guard Rawle Alkins of Christ the King received a visit from Cincinnati head coach Darren Savino on Wednesday and Louisville’s Rick Pitino on Thursday.
Syracuse and Villanova visited with Archbishop Stepinac sophomore wing Jordan Tucker on Thursday.
Tottenville senior forward Nakye Sanders took an unofficial visit to Towson on Thursday. He received a visit from Temple head coach Fran Dunphy on Tuesday and Duquesne assistant coach Brian Nash on Wednesday.
Fordham landed Canadian Joseph Chartouny, a 6-foot-3 guard, on Friday. He is a member of head coach Tom Pecora’s 2015 recruiting class.