UNLV target Joseph visits UConn when athlete slain

Findlay Prep top-10 prospect Cory Joseph wasn’t near dance where football player stabbed to death

Friday, Oct. 23, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

Justin M. Bowen

Findlay Prep point guard Cory Joseph runs drills during a practice at the Henderson International School.

Findlay College Prep star guard Cory Joseph, who is still considering UNLV, wasn’t anywhere near the slaying of a Connecticut football player early Sunday morning.

If a meeting at Huskies basketball coach Jim Calhoun’s home hadn’t gone long Saturday night, though, Joseph might have wound up outside a school-sponsored dance on the UConn campus, the scene of the tragedy, with some of its basketball players.

But Joseph had a Sunday morning flight back to Las Vegas, so he didn’t find out about the fatal stabbing of UConn cornerback Jasper Howard until he had returned to Nevada.

Howard will be buried Monday in his hometown of Miami.

“It’s unbelievable,” Joseph said before practice Thursday night at the Henderson International School, with which Findlay is affiliated. “Crazy. An unbelievable loss and tragedy. It must hurt.”

Joseph, considered the No. 7 prospect in the nation by the recruiting service Rivals.com, helped Findlay cap a 33-0 season by winning the inaugural ESPN national championship in April in Maryland.

He has made an official visit to Texas, to which Findlay teammate Tristan Thompson has given an oral commitment, and Joseph left for Philadelphia after Thursday’s practice to visit Villanova.

Next weekend, he will visit Minnesota, where his brother Devoe Joseph will be a sophomore guard this season.

After that, Cory Joseph will pick his final two official visits from Florida, Mississippi State and UNLV. He has taken several unofficial visits to the UNLV campus.

“I might be poppin’ in there,” he said of officially visiting UNLV. “I’ll sit down with my mom and coaches and talk about it. Official visits are different, because you can hang with the players and get to know their opinions.

“I’m just keeping in touch with the (Rebels) coaches. They’re great guys. Just keepin’ in touch.”

An aunt and uncle live in Connecticut, so Joseph has been to a few Huskies basketball games.

“It was a great trip,” Joseph said. “I got to meet the guys and I talked with (Calhoun). The guys are cool. It had a cool vibe to it. I went to Midnight Madness and it was a good atmosphere. Fans painted their bodies and were cheering. It was crazy.”

Unofficially, he has been to Villanova, too.

“Coach Jay Wright is a down-to-earth guy,” Joseph said. “And I like that staff. It should be good. I’ll get guys’ opinions on how it is. I’ll relax and chill with them and see what the real Villanova is like.”

Free Throws -- New Mexico coach Steve Alford, who is recruiting Pilots senior power forward Godwin Okonji, attended Thursday night’s practice.

Discussion: 6 comments so far…

By SMB

10/23/09 at 10:55 a.m.

Suggest removal

He will end up at UCONN on Minnesota.
By SMB

10/23/09 at 10:55 a.m.

Suggest removal

sp *or
By snyderm

10/23/09 at 11:37 a.m.

Suggest removal

When would he make a decision? An awesome UNLV season might help our chances right?!
By Rob Miech (Staff)

10/23/09 at 1:18 p.m.

Suggest removal

it might, snyder. Cory will basically make his decision when he is so moved. Texas has a big in, with former teammate Avery Bradley there, and Canadian pals Tristan Thompson (a Findlay teammate) and Myck Kabongo going to the Horns, too. Avery, by the way, will likely start for Rick Barnes. Keep a big eye on him this season. Anyway, Minnesota, with Cory's brother there, will be tough to beat, too. But Cory insists that, as of right now, UNLV still is in the fold. He is not in a hurry, so maybe a solid year by the Rebels would be a factor. He's a smart kid and will not rush into a decision.
By Lenny_V

10/23/09 at 9:16 p.m.

Suggest removal

Let's keep it real, this kid ain't going to UNLV.

Next...
By snyderm

10/24/09 at 10:28 a.m.

Suggest removal

Sounds good, thanks for a little optimism Rob :-)