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Pitt BB Recruiting

2020 Ohio Center John Hugley Set to Narrow His List

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2020 4-star center John Hugley has collected over 25 offers but it appears he’s close to getting serious about his recruitment.

According to Chet Mason, Hugley’s coach at Brush High School, he will be cutting his list down in the next two weeks. Some of Hugley’s bigger offers are from Pitt, UConn, Florida, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Kansas State, Nebraska, Xavier, Dayton, Florida State, Missouri, VCU, West Virginia and Duquesne.

Hugley is fortunate to be getting coached in high school by someone that’s gone through the recruiting process and played at the high level of basketball.

Chet Mason is able to boast an impressive resume including being 2000 Ohio Mr. Basketball, has been inducted into Miami (Ohio) Hall of Fame, played professional basketball for 12 years including a stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers and is currently a Nike Academy Coach, Nike Elite Top 100 Camp Coach and the current coach at Brush High School.

This evening, Pittsburgh Sports Now had a chance to talk with Mason about Hugley, someone he’s been coaching since he was in 8th grade. He gave us some insight into Hugley’s character, his recruitment and the type of player he sees him being in college.

First up, what’s Hugley done in the last year to garner all this attention from major college programs?

“He’s made big, big strides in improving his body,” said Mason. “His upper body is strong and he’s gotten all that baby fat off his body and turned it into muscle. Plus, he’s expanded his game. Now he can move out from inside the box and go outside and shoot it. Plus, he can put the ball on the floor a little bit. He’s improved his game a lot but the biggest difference is the way he’s transformed his body into what it is now.”

Hugley is currently 6″9″, 240, what type of player does Mason see Hugley being once he gets to college?

“He’ll be a skilled big man. What I mean by skilled is he can score around the basket and now he can step out and score. That’s important because in the new era of basketball you don’t see a player strictly playing down low exclusively, he has to be able to step out. Wherever he goes, I see that school utilizing his strength. He’ll be a big that has good feet, good hands and a player that can pass the ball as well as shoot the ball. Plus, they’ll be getting a player that’s strong.”

With all the attention Hugley is getting and the way he’s improved is a sense of pride for Mason, who’s also very happy for his player because he’s worked hard for everything that’s happening to him.

“I’m very proud,” said Mason. “I’ve seen him from the beginning where he was a big kid that was overweight that could barely move to now where’s he’s a stud. He still has a ways to go but you can see by the way he’s working and how it’s really paying off for him. I’m just very, very happy for John.”

Kids handle the recruiting process in different ways as some enjoy the attention and others really don’t. I asked Mason how Hugley is dealing with everything and the way Jeff and Jason Capel have gone about recruiting him.

“He’s holding up great. I think it’s a blessing that I’ve been through the process as a player so I’m able to give him my insight,” said Mason. “A lot of kids don’t have that guidance and jump around and end up picking the wrong team. I tell him that it’s all about the fit. Forget the name, the name doesn’t matter. Go to a place where you have an opportunity to go in there, play ball, have a great college experience because college should be the best time of your life. With John, I don’t think he’s going to rush into it. I’m telling him to break everything down, look at how many guys they have at your position and see if there’s an opportunity for you to go in there right away and play and make an impact.”

“Pitt is a high major program. Their coaching staff is high major and high character guys and they work hard. If there’s a team that John hears from every other day, it’s Pittsburgh. We know that Coach Capel is a great coach, is a great teacher. If you’re a player that wants to come in and get better and give yourself a chance to play at the next level then Coach Capel is guy that can do that for you and they’ll teach you and get you better.”

Sandy Schall, Coldwell Banker
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Jay
Jay
4 years ago

Both Pitt & Vanderbilt are having difficulty recovering from the effects of one….Kevin Stallings. While the boob that hired him, split for Oregon State

 
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