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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

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1. WHY NOW FOR CLARKE?

Terrence Clarke
Terrence 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

Michael Foster
Michael Foster (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.

3. RECENT COMMITS THAT STAND OUT TO ME

Jordan Geronimo
Jordan Geronimo

This has definitely been one of the more hectic commitments sprees we have seen in a while, so I wanted to make sure I hit on a few recent pledges that intrigued me:

... Indiana solidified its wing core with Jordan Geronimo and I couldn’t be more excited to see what Archie Miller can do with him. Geronimo is just the type that is going to flourish under the watch of Miller and should be a catalyst for getting the Hoosiers back into gear.

... Applause needs to be given to West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. He had three kids on campus last week and all three committed. Junior guard Seth Wilson started off the run, and then Jalen Bridges surprisingly ended his college recruitment and is now on campus taking classes. Taj Thweatt completed the weekend by committing. Thweatt and Bridges, in particular, should give Huggs plenty of versatility, athleticism and toughness in the frontcourt.

... I love what Cincinnati is doing. Sure, its three-man class is not going to jolt the team rankings, but the Bearcats have recruited hard-nosed, tough and improving prospects that fit a specific need. Mason Madsen can bring defensive and facilitating qualities to the backcourt, Mike Saunders is a go-getter that just wins, while Gabe Madsen is a good-sized wing that makes shots. The Bearcats should not fall off much despite Mick Cronin taking over at UCLA.

... Finally, amazing work by Brian Gregory. He landed USF's highest-ranked commitment in the Rivals.com era in the form of Caleb Murphy. He is an elite defender but also a great playmaker that has begun to shoot it better. The Bulls will never be a destination program for elite prospects, but Murphy could be the guy to change the perception of the program in the eyes of some of those found within the Rivas150.

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