For UConn, ‘It’s Official,’ tweets Kentan Facey

By On 2012/11/22 · 4 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. … It looks like good news for UConn: Kentan Facey is in the fold.

“It’s official!” Facey said, via his twitter feed late Wednesday might. Later clarifying, he said meant he had signed and submitted his letter of intent to attend UConn next season.

“Extremely thankful for God did, is doing and will do for me,” Facey tweeted on Thanksgiving morning.

Facey, 6-foot-9, who plays at Long Island Lutheran, committed to UConn hours after making an official visit in August. When Jim Calhoun retired, he said he would honor his commitment if Kevin Ollie was the coach. There was some consternation out there when Facey did not sign right away, when the signing period began last week, but UConn folks remained confident on this front. One imagines all bets are off if Ollie is not the coach beyond this season, but that bridge can be crossed later.

Both of UConn’s commits – Facey and guard Terrence Samuel from Brooklyn – now say they have signed. UConn coaches have been out of the office, getting home Wednesday afternoon from the Virgin Islands. Once they are back and able to process the letters, they are free to comment on players who have signed LOI’s.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for UConn on the recruiting trail, with Noah Vonleh (Indiana) and Brandon Austin (Providence) choosing to go elsewhere – there was a lot of optimism, in particular, about landing Austin. Now it’s back to the trail in search of a scoring guard and another big to go with Facey.

Facey and Samuel, coincidentally, will play each other on Saturday on Long Island at a scrimmage between LI Lutheran and South Shore High. I may try to check that out, if UConn’s practice schedule allows.

 
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
Reddit Facebook Twitter Delicious

4 Responses to For UConn, ‘It’s Official,’ tweets Kentan Facey

  1. Tom Hart says:
    2012/11/23 at 7:36 am

    Unbelievable!! You mean two top recruits went elsewhere? They didn’t sign with a program where even the Athletic Director doesn’t have enough faith or confidence in the “interim” coach do give him a contract! Hard to believe isn’t it. Well we can always take comfort in the hiring process at UConn, heck it got us Paul Pasqualoni for football. FIRE THE AD!! This guy is in love with himself, he obviously doesn’t get it, how insulting to Kevin Ollie. Intangibles, hmm, intangibles…Jim Calhoun is a better judge of “intangibles” for the UConn program than this Michigan putz, “I played football under Bo”, big deal who cares.

    • Pete says:
      2012/11/23 at 8:14 am

      Tom, how can you be so sure that the reason Austin or Vonleh didn’t come to UConn was because KO only had a 7 month contract? So many factors go into these kids decisions. I’m not saying it wasn’t one, but I just can’t put the blame on Manual for not given KO a contract. Facey and Samuel are coming knowing KO is the coach until April. It is Manuals job to hire coaches, not JC. Who knows why Austin choose PC, I guess he prefers to be a star on a bottom dwelling team. Much like Melvin’s decision to go to Depaul instead of Uconn.

      • chris ryan says:
        2012/11/23 at 8:48 am

        Now Pete if you really followed college hoops you would know that PC with ed cooley are on the move. They have recruited very well the past two yrs. They will not be a bottom dweller. However, I can’t blame AD for not giving the long term deal but now he has to do it. Expect it very very soon!

  2. Kevin says:
    2012/11/23 at 8:46 am

    Tom, I agree with Pete. Manual has to see what KO can do, as KO has no HC experience. I think KO will benefit from the interim label in the long run. He had no leverage to start with, if he shows he can be a valuable asset to the program other schools will show interest also. No doubt he wants to coach at Uconn though. I think Manual will get the contract extended once the shortened season is over.