Heritage Academy”s girls basketball team — specifically 6-foot-5 junior center Rachel Hollivay — attracted two college recruiters to Columbus on Monday night for her team”s game against Oak Hill Academy.
One of the coaches who saw Hollivay score 12 points in a 52-33 loss goes way beyond being just a recruiter. Rutgers University coach C. Vivian Stringer, the first coach — male or female — to take three teams to the Final Four (Cheyney State, 1982; Iowa, 1993; Rutgers, 2000, 2007), was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
“It”s the second time she”s been here,” Heritage Academy girls basketball coach Bruce Allsup said. “She was at our practice and she was here tonight, so I think they are heavily recruiting her.”
Also looking in on Hollivay”s play was Cori Close, associate head coach at Florida State University.
Stringer acknowledged Rutgers is recruiting Hollivay, but coaches aren”t allowed to comment on recruits. She said an athletic post player would be a nice fit on her roster, which features former East Oktibbeha County High School standout April Sykes. The 6-foot guard/forward is friends with Hollivay but as a junior she likely won”t get a chance to play with Hollivay if Rutgers wins the recruiting battle.
At Heritage Academy, Hollivay, a transfer from New Hope High School, has shown an ability to bring the basketball down the court, much like a point guard. Hollivay”s ability to handle the basketball and her post moves around the basket belie the fact she is only a junior in high school.
Stringer said the upcoming recruiting classes will be key to help Rutgers (11-6, 4-0 Big East Conference) build back to its Final Four tradition.
“We only have seven players on the team this year,” Stringer said. “I”ve intentionally done that because I haven”t been happy about the direction we”ve been going. So I would like to change it in the image of the teams we”ve had over the years that have been highly successful.”
Close declined to discuss any specifics about Hollivay”s play during her visit Monday night. She did say, however, Florida State is looking for strong, talented players.
“All we”re allowed to say is that we can acknowledge the recruitment,” she said. “We have two seniors this year. We are going to need some help.
“The 2012 class is very deep, so we want to sign a very big player. That”s a very important class for us, so we are really very excited about what that has to offer, the possibilities.”
ESPN HoopGurlz has Hollivay rated the No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2012, while Dan Olson”s Collegiate Girls Basketball Report has Hollivay ranked No. 13.
Close also praised Columbus and Heritage Academy in what both have accomplished, especially in education.
“This town has been really great, the program and the school have been great,” Close said. “It”s an honor to be here and to see how this school is servicing kids. That”s what”s more important.
“This isn”t my first visit here, and I am very impressed not only with the productivity but the kindness of the people.”
Close also said the class of 2012 that includes Hollivay will be filled with talented players. The talent will determine the signees, not necessarily the empty positions on the team.
“In the 2012 class because of how deep it is, we”ll probably sign several kids, probably in multiple positions,” she said. “We”re looking for top-level kids who can help us go to a Final Four and help us compete for a national championship. It more has to do with the level of the elite player than it does a position.
“It”s the quality of the player and not the position. You can adjust your system to the quality of the player. If you get a franchise player, you will make it happen.”
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