Andrew Wiggins, the Canadian star who poured in 28 points Monday to lead the CIA Bounce 16U team to the Super Showcase championship, is transferring to Huntington (W.V.) Prep.
Wiggins, a hugely talented 6-foot-7 small forward in the Class of 2014, will join a loaded Huntington team that has now has five Canadians.
Negus Webster-Chan, Stefan Jankovic, Tanveer Bhullar and Xavier Rathan-Mayes, all of whom suit up for CIA Bounce, will also play for head coach Rob Fulford.
“We’re going to be so deep,” Fulford told SNY.tv Friday night by phone.
“We would’ve had a really good team without [Wiggins]. He takes you to a different level because he can literally guard one through five. He gives us a different level athlete on both ends of the court. I let the ranking gurus get into all that. But I think with what we have, there aren’t five high school teams in the country better than us.”
Mike George, co-founder of CIA Bounce, said Wiggins made the decision with his family.
“He went down there to visit school and he likes the family atmosphere at the school and the community,” George said. “Both he and his dad felt it’s the best fit. It also helps that other Canadians have been and are at Huntington right now. Andrew is best friends with Xavier and they will make a dynamic duo for the following years.”
In addition to the Canadian connection, Huntington also features 6-8 power forward Elijah Macon, who has drawn interest from UConn, West Virginia and Florida; 6-3 point guard Ray Lee, who has been compared to Derrick Rose and reportedly holds offers from Tennessee, USC, Iowa, Iowa State and Baylor; and 6-5 shooting guard Javontae Hawkins, the No. 21- ranked shooting guard in the Class of 2012 according to Rivals.
High-major college coaches will flock to Huntington workouts and games likes moths to the flame.
Huntington will play a national schedule that includes games against Nerlens Noel and The Tilton (N.H.) School, Kyle Anderson and St. Anthony and twins Andrew and Aaron Harrison from Sugar Land (Texas) Trent International.
“The schedule’s brutal and we play a lot of games,” Fulford said. “We want to make sure we have enough guys because of injuries. We need extra guys.”
Between the two schools, St. Benedict’s Prep and Huntington have eight Canadians, all members of CIA Bounce. St. Ben’s features point guard Tyler Ennis and forwards Isaiah Watkins and Denzell Taylor.
“I can’t answer for St. Benedict’s,” Fulford said. “We have a great setup. We’re a little different than most high school prep schools because we have host families. If one of the host families is having a cookout all the other host families go. That’s just the way they do it here.
“Huntington is a very laid back proud sports community,” he added. “They really support what we’re doing here.
“A kid with the name recognition that Andrew has, it will skyrocket us into another level nationally.”
(Photo courtesy ESPN Rise)
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