By Steve DiMiceli
Prior to Rene Castro's visit to Butler, I pointed out that the Duquesne recruiting situation could change drastically within a weeks time. Castro picked the Bulldogs over the Dukes and George Washington Colonials. Another target, Desmond Lee seems to have fallen off the radar a bit after his trip to Creighton was mysteriously cancelled. There are rumors now that he won't make his decision until spring. Kamall Richards, a player who seemingly looked like a fallback, ended up committing to Xavier without really considering Duquesne in the end. With the early signing window looming, the recruiting picture looks a little more cloudy.
The highest profile and most widely discussed player currently targeted by Jim Ferry is Jon Severe, a 6'2'' shooting guard from New York. He was in Pittsburgh last weekend for a visit. Ferry joined the party for him very late, so getting him on campus was a long shot. A commitment still seems unlikely. Butler jumped into Castro's recruitment late, but Duquesne is not Butler. If Ferry gets Severe, it will be a coup not in terms of talent, but because the Dukes stole his signature from a bunch of A-10 teams in on him for a lot longer. Even if the Dukes miss on Severe, we'll be seeing a lot of him. His final list is St Bonaventure, where he is currently on visit, Rhode Island and once again George Washington.
Past Severe, the recruiting picture becomes very unclear. In the likely event that the Dukes miss out on him, it seems probable that we'll hold a scholarship for spring. If a commitment comes in the next 10 days other than him, I really could not even fathom a guess from where it would come. Vermont prep swingman Richard Williams has seen his recruitment go quiet. He could be waiting on Duquesne. We haven't heard from Rodney Williams of Richmond since he added Duquesne back to his final 9. JUCO Chris Carter visited at the end of September but with Isaiah Watkins in the fold, I have to think he moved to the back burner. Then there are the handful of recruits who received offers in the summer who haven't been publicly linked to Duquesne in a while.
In recruiting, it's always worth noting that where a kid grows up can have a lot to do with how much attention his recruitment gets. New York players like Severe tend to get a lot of attention because there are a lot of recruiting pundits in the area. It's not out of the question that the Dukes get a 2nd letter of intent in November, but it probably won't be from a New Yorker other than Severe. If we were to get one, we'd have probably heard more by now. However, it's possible that a kid with less hype on his side is leaning Duquesne right now.
I hope the staff seals the deal on another recruit before the 21st of November but it wouldn't be the end of the world if they have to wait till spring. Based on the under the radar talent they found on short notice last May, I wouldn't be surprised if they find a sleeper or a late bloomer again this year. I also wouldn't be surprised if a familiar name like Trey Dickerson re-emerges. Of course, there is the talent on the transfer market as well as the coaching carousel casualties. There will certainly be opportunities to add talent in April, but it would be nice to head into the offseason thinking 2014 rather than 2013.
