The kid is apparently telling people different things, or someone is lying.
Arlington Country Day coach Rex Morgan confirmed to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Wednesday that Pope, a 6-foot-8 forward considered one of the nation’s top juniors, is attending the private school in Jacksonville, Fla.
“He’s enrolled and going to class,” Morgan said.
Aliquippa coach Marvin Emerson, however, said that Pope was supposed to return yesterday to Aliquippa, which starts classes Aug. 30
“From my understanding, he’s coming back,” Emerson said. “He was down there and he didn’t like it. I got a phone call this morning that he’s on his way back today. There’s so many things I’m hearing, I don’t know.”
Pope could not be reached for comment.
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Arlington Country Day was the Florida 2A state champion last spring and was expected to be ranked nationally this season. Its lineup already features 7-foot-2 Jason Bennett and 6-8 junior A.J. Stewart and a Florida State recruit in point guard Josue Soto.Country Day also has games scheduled in Hawaii, Kentucky, New York,
“(The transfer) was for academic as much as athletic reasons,” Morgan said. “A lot of people are impressed with our graduation rates and student-to-teacher ratio.”
Pope, who chose Pitt in March, also told the Trib in July that he wouldn’t renege on his verbal commitment – “I’m not changing my mind,” Pope said. “I love Pitt.” – but Arlington Country Day’s Morgan said Pope has decided to re-open his college recruitment.
“Pitt is at the top of his list, but he’s keeping his options open,” said Morgan, who played on the University of Jacksonville’s 1971 NCAA finalists. “He told me he wants to have other people come in and watch him.”
Yes, transferring to a Florida prep school for academics. If by academics you mean easier to get a high school diploma.
This is just getting real seedy. The thing I worry about is that it is the open seedy. It’s the kind of chain of events that somewhere, somehow, a school or a coach goes down for something. With Pitt in the middle of it, I worry.
