Hughes was the surprise of the day, making his pledge during a ceremony at the prep school. A native of Jackson, Tenn., Hughes was a heralded high school player at University School of Jackson, playing four sports during his career. The 6-foot-5 guard with a three-star rating by Rivals.com had 13 offers going into his senior year, including Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Murray State and Butler. He signed with Central Florida in September 2015, but never made it to the school. Hughes was a finalist for Tennessee’s Mr. Basketball honor, but did not attend the ceremony according to a report from the Jackson Sun. He transferred to Jackson North Side High School for the final months of his senior before enrolling at Hargrave, a school Keatts worked at for more than a decade. Through six games, he is averaging about 13 points and five rebounds per game.
I found his senior season mix-tape. Looks like he has some great hops and can shoot. He must have gotten into some trouble or failed to qualify academically to end up at Hargrave instead of UCF.
(11-10-2016 10:35 AM)Cancin Wrote: I found his senior season mix-tape. Looks like he has some great hops and can shoot. He must have gotten into some trouble or failed to qualify academically to end up at Hargrave instead of UCF.
He has some nice offers for sure. Not sure how he ended up at Hargrave, or UNCW, but I'll take it. Doesn't look like UVa offered, but I read he took an official visit there as well. Impressive.
UVA had shown some early interest, but not aware of an actual official visit. He had officials to UCF and William and Mary last September, and signed with the prior UCF coaching staff. At the end of his senior season, he was dismissed from his school for undisclosed reasons. He met with Johnny Dawkins who was the new hire at UCF and later decided to decommit (as did several of their 2016 class, even though Dawkins had stated he would honor the NLI's) which was after the second signing period. Consequently, he needed to do a post grad year to open back up recruitment opportunities. We already had moved on by then with our commits. A very good pickup for you all, and of course, that Hargrave connection just keeps on giving.
(11-10-2016 05:17 PM)Tribeheart Wrote: UVA had shown some early interest, but not aware of an actual official visit. He had officials to UCF and William and Mary last September, and signed with the prior UCF coaching staff. At the end of his senior season, he was dismissed from his school for undisclosed reasons. He met with Johnny Dawkins who was the new hire at UCF and later decided to decommit (as did several of their 2016 class, even though Dawkins had stated he would honor the NLI's) which was after the second signing period. Consequently, he needed to do a post grad year to open back up recruitment opportunities. We already had moved on by then with our commits. A very good pickup for you all, and of course, that Hargrave connection just keeps on giving.
As I look across the CAA landscape, generally speaking it looks like the talent level coming in is better across the board. The CAA was a very good conference last year, but didn't have any GREAT teams. So we had a #9 RPI, but weren't on the national radar. Hopefully we can have a break through year and get back into the multiple bid conversation again.
(11-10-2016 05:17 PM)Tribeheart Wrote: UVA had shown some early interest, but not aware of an actual official visit. He had officials to UCF and William and Mary last September, and signed with the prior UCF coaching staff. At the end of his senior season, he was dismissed from his school for undisclosed reasons. He met with Johnny Dawkins who was the new hire at UCF and later decided to decommit (as did several of their 2016 class, even though Dawkins had stated he would honor the NLI's) which was after the second signing period. Consequently, he needed to do a post grad year to open back up recruitment opportunities. We already had moved on by then with our commits. A very good pickup for you all, and of course, that Hargrave connection just keeps on giving.
Overall length and athleticism is going off the charts now. As much as I like our team now, a move away from 6'0" guards to 6'4" + guards is going to pay huge dividends on offense and especially on defense.
Also, of the five Whitley was considered a 3 star as well as Hughes.
Keatts is doing a fantastic job of mixing Freshman talent along with JUCO transfers so far. Especially at the mid major level, Freshman talent is a crap shoot, so building a foundation of known JUCO talent assures we have experienced players available at all times.
The Keatts model seems to be aligned with the Havoc defense of VCU, but he is now starting to get the size he needs to be more effective. I expect the pressure to ratchet up even more this year, and with this signed class even more next year.
Also, Keatts is filling the cupboards for our program should he leave. Right now, Bass needs to have some Keatts style coaches on his radar. If we have a year like last year or even better, and we pull off an upset in the Big Dance, Keatts may be gone. The Louisville uncertainty is behind, so bigger schools no longer have to worry that a bomb would drop if he was hired.
Look, UNCW is a mid major stepping stone still. But, we now have a system in place that a new coach can step into and hopefully keep our program at a high level.
CLAYTON HUGHES COMMITS TO UNC-WILMINGTON Speaking of laying down a new, sturdier foundation, the work that Kevin Keatts, the former Hargrave Military Academy head coach and Louisville assistant, has done thus far at UNC-Wilmington, is beyond superb. After winning the CAA Tournament last season, the future might even be brighter for the Seahawks. This past week, Keatts and his gang solidified its future by signing three prospects out of the high school ranks, one coming with some surprise in Clayton Hughes.
A 6-foot-5 scoring wing with some major bounce at the basket, the Tennessee native was originally slated to attend UCF this fall. However, upon the coaching change in Orlando, Hughes decided to hit the reset button as he took a year of prep at Hargrave Military in Virginia. This past week, Keatts went back to his old stomping grounds by landing Hughes, an excellent addition to the CAA program.
Already boasting the signatures of Evan Cole and Brion Whitley, two fantastic recruits for UNCW this fall, many seemed to have forgotten about Hughes, someone that carried a litany of high-major interest during his high school days in Jackson. Replenishing the backcourt was a need for Wilmington this fall and now having secured two immediate shot makers with athleticism to boot with the likes of Whitley and Hughes, there is much to like with the 2017 core of talent headed to Keatts’ bunch next fall.
