Painter updates recruitingTuesday's Journal and Courier had some comments from Painter on the possibility of signing two more players this spring during the late signing period. On the recruiting wish list is a point guard and a post player, and one comment by Painter seemed to indicate they had one player marked as a potential impact player. Painter said in his weekly teleconference, "But if we can land a guy we've targeted, he could really help us improve."
One of the available junior college post players is 6'8 Arturas Valeika from Midland junior college in Texas. Valeika, originally from Vilnius, Lithuania, is a sophomore averaging 6.8 points and 8.3 rebounds, shooting 36-percent from the perimeter on 25 attempts so far this season. Midland ranks 11th in the final NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball poll with a 26-4 record. Valeika is seeing the most attention right now from Purdue and Minnesota.
Valeika is scouted as a solid power forward with better than average footwork and rebounding skill.
Painter scouting the Region
Painter was spotted in the crowd at East Chicago's sectional game on Tuesday against Lowell. Painter has been putting a recruiting press on East Chicago guard E’Twaun Moore, who is averaging 24 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.
Other programs involved with Moore include Iowa, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Tennessee and many others. Moore has expressed an interest in making a decision soon, hinting at possibly before the middle of the summer and maybe even sooner.
Purdue on Magley's list
Purdue, along with other high Division I programs such as Kansas, Oklahoma, and Florida State, are on the list of 6'8 junior forward D.J. Magley. D.J. averaged 15.9 points and 12.7 rebounds per game this season for Bradenton. Bradenton was knocked out of the Florida Class 1A Final Four on Wendesday, losing to Florida Class 1A No. 1 Miami Calusa Prep. Bradenton finished the season 28-2.
D.J. is coached at Bradenton (FL) Christian by his father, Dave, who played for Kansas and averaged 39 minutes a game as a senior for the Jayhawks. Dave was also won Indiana's Mr. Basketball title in 1978 as a player at South Bend LaSalle.
The athletes in the family do not stop at father and son. D.J.'s oldest sister is a pro tennis player who was an all-american four years at the University of Florida. His sister Jessica, is a scholarship basketball player at the University of Rhode Island. It should not need pointed out that coaches should keep an eye on his younger brother Daniel, now just a seventh-grader.
Other teams mentioned showing interest in the 255-pounder, nicknamed "Diesel", include Liberty, Ball State and Western Kentucky.
Photos of Uchendu
The links below feature some pictures of Purdue signee Jonathan Uchendu of Millersburg Military. They were taken in a game in late January.
SEE MORE: Huntington News: Uchendu Photo 1
SEE MORE: Huntington News: Uchendu Photo 2
SEE MORE: Huntington News: Uchendu Photo 3