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  • Q&A with New Jersey reporter about Isaiah Briscoe

    By: LARRY VAUGHT

    Jeremy Schneider is a high school sports reporter for New Jersey Advance Media and was not surprised that New Jersey prep standout Isaiah Briscoe signed with Kentucky this week and not one of the local teams pursuing him.

    “I thought that as soon as Kentucky offered him formally, it was just a matter of time before he ended up there. When Kentucky offers, it’s incredibly hard to say no,” said Schneider. “There was talk that St. John’s had taken the lead in Briscoe’s recruitment.

    “But I started hearing weeks back that Kentucky was still in control, and had taken multiple in-house visits. The closer we got to decision date, the more I heard Kentucky. I was so confident he would be picking the Wildcats that I had already written the story.”

    He said while John Calipari is “obviously the best recruiter in the game,” UK assistant Barry Rohrssen also played a major role in landing Briscoe.

    “Slice (Rohrssen) played a major role. Clearly made an impact on Briscoe, and having a Brooklyn boy on a Bluegrass staff sure can’t hurt,” Schneider said.

    Schneider shared these other insights on Briscoe, a 6-3 combo guard considered a consensus top 15 recruit nationally.

    Question: What do you like best about him as a player/person?

    Schneider: “There’s a lot to love about Briscoe’s game. He’s a devastating scorer who uses his strength and physicality to bully himself to the rim, but he slimmed down this summer and looks to be in fantastic shape so he has quickness in his game as well. He’s also worked on his shooting, and he can defend multiple positions. But more important than that, he raises his game when the lights are on. He was brilliant against St. Anthony in the Non-Public B final last year, essentially willing his team to victory against one of the best teams in the state.”

    “There were times when I thought that Briscoe looked disinterested how the team did and more interested in his own stats. That went out the window after he missed a potential game-winning shot against Newark East Side in the Tournament of Champions semifinals. This usually personable, very talkative guy was absolutely despondent. He could hardly talk. You could tell then just how much winning meant to this guy. He’s a winner.”

    Question: What makes his game fit with Calipari's style?

    Schneider: “Calipari’s style of play is centered around future pros. Briscoe fits that mold. He may not be the typical Kentucky point guard — his game is less about speed and more about strength, and he’s more of a score-first point guard than previous players he’s coached. But there’s no doubting how good the kid is. He can flat out play. Calipari clearly took an interest in him this summer, or Kentucky wouldn’t have gotten back into his recruitment after essentially being an afterthought. I think Cal loves his game, and loves his tenacity.”

    Question: Is he a point guard, shooting guard or just an old-fashioned guy who can play both?

    Schneider: “Briscoe is a combo guard. There are times when he looks like a pure shooting guard, but then he will reel off assist after assist. There is no doubting his passing ability, but he is such a good scorer that he can take over as a team’s No. 1 offensive option. The comparison I keep hearing for him is Darren Williams.”

    Question: Any guess on how Calipari keeps being so successful recruiting New Jersey guys since he has got Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Karl-Anthony Towns, too.?

    Schneider: “New Jersey is one of, if not the best state in the country as far as high school basketball goes. There are countless NBA players who hail from the Garden State. Towns is a clear NBA player and Isaiah Briscoe has NBA aspirations as well.

    “With Cal’s track record of sending players to the league, it’s hard to turn down an offer to play for the Wildcats. I know Kentucky is already recruiting the best player in New Jersey not named Isaiah Briscoe, and that’s Tyus Battle. Kentucky will be a major factor in his recruiting as well.”

    * * *

    To see more about Briscoe from Schneider, go to: http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/...lege-decision/ and follow Schneider on Twitter at @J_Schneider.
    Comments 2 Comments
    1. Krank's Avatar
      Krank -
      Way to tease with that perfect last line, Larry.

      Good to hear that Briscoe is a competitor AND scorer.
    1. kingcat's Avatar
      kingcat -
      Great stuff Larry. Thanks.
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