Brandon Ashley is off the board.
The 6-foot-7 forward from Findlay Prep verbally pledged to Arizona Monday, following a weekend visit there. He will join Oakland Soldiers teammates Josiah Turner and Nick Johnson with the Wildcats.
The Rivals No. 5 power forward in the Class of 2012 chose the Wildcats over UCLA, Kentucky and Oregon. He joins shooting guard Gabe York and power forward Grant Jerrett — both fellow California natives — in Arizona’s 2012 recruiting class.
“We’re excited and happy for Brandon,” Findlay Prep coach Michael Peck told SNY.tv by phone.
“One, for the commitment and secondly, to work with him for his senior year on his development and progress to get to that next step so he’ll be prepared when he gets there next fall.”
Asked to assess Ashley’s vast skill-set, Peck said: “He’s very versatile. He’s got size and length. He has a good feel for the game. He has a high basketball IQ. He can shoot it from 16, 17 feet out. He can go get it, make plays off the glass.”
Peck said Arizona coach Sean Miller and his staff have been involved with Ashley from the beginning.
“They got to know him early on his his high school career and there was a level of comfort and familiarity there,” he said.
Ashley told SNY.tv in July at the Peach Jam he planned to sign early.
“I’m thinking I might sign early so I can go early. I just want to get it over with,” he said. “It’s a lot to deal with and really just make my decision early.”
