Recently, the Pitt staff extended an offer to another guard in the class of 2023, this time being Elijah Gertrude, a 6-foot-4 prospect out of New Jersey.
The offer was first reported by City of Basketball Love’s Josh Verlin and Owen McCue, and has since been confirmed by Pittsburgh Sports Now. Gertrude, who plays for Hudson Catholic in New Jersey, is ranked as the No. 139 prospect in the nation by 247 Sports. After heading into the spring with minimal high-major interest, Gertrude has exploded on the EYBL circuit and in high-school ball this summer, earning offers from Virginia, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Maryland, St. John’s, Pitt, and more due to his stellar play.
At 6-foot-4, Gertrude is a very shifty guard with the ball in his hands who can also shoot it from three-point range with the best of them. A high-level scorer, he has shown off his talents all summer playing with City Rocks, and has become a priority recruit for Northeast programs such as Rutgers, Seton Hall, and more.
Pitt currently has two players committed in the 2023 class with Marlon Barnes and Carlton Carrington verbally pledged to the Panthers. Carrington and Gertrude are both listed as combo guards, while Barnes plays on the wing. Pitt is actively pursuing several other guards in the 2023 class in addition to Gertrude, including Ty-Laur Johnson, Jaylen Curry, Elmarko Jackson, Jaydon Young, and others.