Memphis coach Josh Pastner already made his pitch for Jarnell Stokes, showing up at his home at 12:01 a.m. Friday to show his interest.
This weekend it was new Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin’s turn.
During a trip to Memphis, Martin told the 6-foot-9, 245-pound Stokes that he could not only be the “face of the program,” but could also be the one to turn Tennessee around in the post-Bruce Pearl Era and “be that guy that players want to play with,” a source with knowledge of the meeting told SNY.tv.
“It was great,” Stokes said by text of the visit.
The source said Stokes was “intrigued” by Martin, but that it may be too late for the new coach to secure Stokes for 2012. Still, the Tennessee coach had made “a lot of headway” with many of the 2013 and 2014 kids in Memphis after spending the weekend in town, the source added.
“They have basically lived in Memphis this weekend,” the source said. “He needs to buy a home or an apartment here.”
Stokes will also host Arkansas Thursday and UConn Saturday. Missouri is also coming in.
After taking an official to Arkansas the weekend of Sept. 2, Stokes is currently working on slating official visits to Florida and UConn.
FREE THROWS
6-9 2013 forward Chris Walker will visit Florida State this coming weekend…Huntington (W.V.) Prep guard Elijah Macon will visit West Virginia the weekend of Sept. 23 after he recently enjoyed his official to Pittsburgh…Oak Hill guard D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera will visit Georgetown on Sept. 23…6-10 Oak Hill big man A.J. Hammons visits Minnesota this coming weekend and Cincinnati weekend of Sept. 23.
