Jeff Capel Offers Laurel Highlands Freshman Rodney Gallagher

Jeff Capel was in attendance Friday night to watch Laurel Highlands freshman star guard Rodney Gallagher and left impressed.

Gallagher told Pittsburgh Sports Now that Capel called his father Saturday morning to tell him that Pitt was offering his son a scholarship.

”Coach Capel called my dad and we went on a three-way call and talked a lot,” Gallagher tells PSN. “He told us that he’s rarely done this but he loves my game and wanted to offer me a scholarship to play for him at Pitt.

“Coach Capel told me that the only two other freshman that he’s offered were Marvin Bagley and Harry Giles, both of whom are in the NBA.”

Hearing that information plus the fact that Pitt is his hometown school, has Gallagher pretty excited and proud.

”This is definitely very exciting and a great feeling because I have a chance to do something great and possibly stay home but I can’t get a big head over all of this and just need to keep working,” said Gallagher.

Although he just officially received the offer today, Gallagher is familiar with the Pitt program and Capel.

Courtesy of Ed Thompson

”Coach Capel is a great coach and did a lot of amazing things as the assistant coach for Coach K at Duke. When I heard he got hired at Pitt, I immediately that he was going to be a great fit. I would love to potentially play for him at Pitt. They will definitely be one of my top schools,” said Gallagher.

Pitt now joins Illinois and Rhode Island as Gallagher’s first offers. He’s only a freshman so decision day is likely a ways away but staying home and playing in front of his hometown fans is an intriguing option.

”I’ve always been a Pitt fan since I was a little kid. Like I said, they’ll definitely be one of my top schools but right now I’m waiting to see which other schools offer but Pitt will be right there.”