The Arizona Wildcats could add another highly regarded guard to their 2019 recruiting class Wednesday, when Terry Armstrong announces his college choice.
Armstrong, a four-star guard from Michigan now playing at Scottsdale’s Bella Vista Prep, is expected to choose between Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma. He also had Oregon in the top four he announced on Sept. 18. Armstrong is scheduled to announce his decision at 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to Armstrong’s uncle, Tim Jones.
Ten of the 11 recruiting analysts posting to 247Sports.com’s Crystal Ball predicted Armstrong would choose Arizona, including California-based national scout Josh Gershon. UA commit Nico Mannion also retweeted a tweet Tuesday that predicted “good news” for UA basketball very soon.
Arizona has already landed commitments from Mannion and fellow five-star guard Josh Green for its 2019 class. Five guards on Arizona’s current roster — Brandon Williams, Brandon Randolph, Alex Barcello, Dylan Smith and Devonaire Doutrive — will have eligibility remaining next season.
UA head coach Sean Miller has said the Wildcats might play three guards at a time this season and beyond. In an interview with 247Sports.com, Armstrong appeared interested in being a part of it.
“Arizona basketball has a lot going on right now,” Armstrong said. “With Mannion and Green committing, everything is back to where it needs to be and I love stuff like that.
“The coaches have been talking about competition and how much everything means from that and where everything goes from there.”
Armstrong visited UA during the weekend of Oct. 5, then took an official visit to New Mexico last weekend. Armstrong told the Albuquerque Journal that he saw potential in the Lobos, too.
“They have a real good coaching staff and I do think it’s a team that is on the rise,” Armstrong said, “and if I go there, I can be a major part of the team from the start and help them get to that next level.”
Armstrong is seeking a commitment to skill development, strong relationships with coaches and a good business school, said Jones, the player’s uncle.
Arizona’s 2019 class includes commitments from high school players Mannion, Green and center Christian Koloko, along with one from Cornell grad transfer forward Stone Gettings. Miller said he is aiming to add five or six total recruits.
Arizona returning to Wooden Legacy
Arizona will play in the Wooden Legacy multi-team event in Orange County, California, next season, UA basketball operations director Ryan Reynolds confirmed.
The event has not officially named its full field, but CBSSports.com’s Jon Rothstein reported that it will also include Providence, Wake Forest, UCF, Charleston, Penn, Long Beach State and Pepperdine.
Arizona lost to Providence in the 2015-16 Wooden Legacy event, a day after center Kaleb Tarczewski suffered a foot injury in Arizona’s overtime defeat of Santa Clara.
Typically played over Thanksgiving weekend, the Wooden Legacy will include one “unbracketed” game at a campus site plus three “bracketed” games in Orange County for each team. Arizona is scheduled to hold its unbracketed game at McKale Center against one of the teams competing in the 2019 event.
In 2015, Arizona hosted Boise State at McKale as an “unbracketed” Wooden Legacy game and then, after its loss to Providence, played the Broncos again in the final game at Anaheim.
While the 2015 event featured two games at Fullerton and a final game at Anaheim, the exact location of the “bracketed” games within Orange County has not been set.
Molinar chooses Mississippi State
Former UA recruiting target Iverson Molinar, a three-star guard from Panama now playing in Southern California, said Monday he will play at Mississippi State.
Molinar’s recruitment drew high-major attention after his stock rose during Peach Jam play in July. Arizona offered him a scholarship last month, but it appeared unlikely the Wildcats were seriously pursuing him after Green committed.
