Washington (DC) Sidwell Friends forward Saddiq Bey will be one of three players Kevin Stallings and staff will be entertaining this weekend.
Bey, a 6-foot-7 small forward, has become a priority recruit for the Panthers. Known for his two-way versatility, he averaged 13.5 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists per game during the Under Armour Association schedule. He shot 52 percent from the floor and 44 percent from beyond the arc over 17 games.
Saddiq has narrowed his final list to four schools: Pitt, Xavier, Northwestern and Miami (FL). His official visit to Pitt will be his first, followed by Xavier on September 15th, Northwestern on September 22nd and Miami (FL) on September 29th. He hoped to make a final decision shortly after.
“I don’t know the exact date, but Pitt first contacted me before July. I think it was in either April or May, one of those,” said Bey. “Some schools like me as a wing player. Others like me a guard wing. I can play either.”
Bey previously visited Pitt earlier this month. When asked about his conversations with Stallings and staff, he stated, “They just said that I’m a very high priority towards them, that, I have a chance to come work and try to make an impact really early. That they’re heading in the right direction and getting a lot of good pieces in place. Pitt plays in a great conference and they are really into player development. They could really help me achieve my goals.”
Bey was asked about his strengths on the basketball court and he stated, “Just versatility … I just try to be a great two-way player. I can score and make plays. I try to hone in on both of those. I always try to be up for any challenge and do whatever my team needs, but scoring and playmaking, those lead you to victory.”
Bey is cognizant that the Panthers play in the best basketball conference in the nation. A strong selling point for the Panthers’ coaching staff. “Obviously, since I was a little kid, growing up that’s what you think about,” he said. “You see a lot of these top conferences, the ACC, who would want to play there? You play against the best every night. So it’s kind of remarkable that I have a chance to play in there.”
“I’m looking forward to the visit this weekend. I just want to get a good feel (for Pitt),” he said. “I want to get to know the coaching staff, get a good feel for the atmosphere, see if it’s a fit and will work out for me. Maybe I’ll hang out with the players, things like that nature. See the student life, campus life, things like that. I mean, I kind of call up coaches a lot so I kind of know what their mindset is, but just try to get a good feeling and feel if it’s the right place for me. If I just feel that I want to go there so I think that would definitely … maybe it … try to feel if it’s the best place for me.”
Harry G. Psaros can be found on Twitter on @PittGuru
