The upcoming Catholic league playoffs hold special significant for Glenn Sanabria. The St. Peter’s senior point guard, who is without a Division I scholarship offer, is playing for his future.
“There’s always [college] coaches there, you’re playing against top level talent,” he said. “If you can perform there, you can really prove yourself.”
The 5-foot-11 Sanabria shouldn’t have to prove himself, not after a summer when he was a key part to New Heights’ big July — which included a national championship and after leading St. Peter’s to a 24-2 record while averaging 13.4 points per game and Staten Island High School League crown. Yet as March beckons, when most of the city’s top prospects have their futures set, he has just one Division II scholarship offer — from Daemen College in upstate New York.
He had a coming-out party in the city playoffs last year, averaging 23 points per game and scored 23 against eventual state champion Christ the King’s Division I backcourt.
“It’s in a way frustrating, but I don’t get down,” Sanabria said. “It’s the kind of person I am. I always feel like I have to prove something. I’m going to keep trying to prove something.”
One Division I college coach familiar with Sanabria said he has “no doubt” he could play at the Division I level, and would be all over him if his school wasn’t set at the position.
“I think he’s a complete point guard,” the coach said. “The best part of his game is he has an incredible IQ and with his ability to shoot the ball, he’ll keep any defense more than honest. Usually you get one or the other with kids.
“A lot of people missed the boat on him.”
Chris Alesi, Sanabria’s coach with New Heights, attributes his lack of recruiting to getting overshadowed over the summer by higher profile teammates who he shared the point guard spot with, such as George Washington signee Paul Jorgensen. And though he has led St. Peter’s to a remarkable season, Division I coaches rarely get out to Staten Island.
“You can say he’s a little small, but for a point guard in the Northeast Conference or the MAAC, I’m not really buying that,” Alesi said. “I think he’s a Mike Alvarado clone. In terms of their game, their style, he does everything Mike Alvarado does and we all know the career Alvarado has had at Manhattan.
“It’s crazy that nobody’s recruiting him. He’s an All-City kid based on how he’s played all year. It can bother you or motivate you, but for Glenn it has motivated him every game.”
Rutgers on Monday landed a commitment from 6-foot-10 center Ibrahima Diallo, a three-star recruit out of Quality Education in North Carolina. Diallo chose the Scarlet Knights over Oklahoma, Georgia, Eastern Michigan,
Tennessee-Chattanooga, Marquette, UMass and Old Dominion. He is the fourth recruit in head coach Eddie Jordan’s 2014 class, joining Brooklyn guard guard Mike Williams, forward Dwayne Foreman and JUCO guard Bishop Daniels.
Iona Prep junior Matt Ryan, a top-100 prospect, will take unofficial visits to North Carolina for its game against Duke on Thursday and visit Duke for its game against Syracuse on Saturday.
St. John’s hosted Our Savior New American (L.I.) forwards Cheick Diallo and Kassoum Yakwe for its game last Sunday against Creighton. The day before, head coach Steve Lavin watched Wings Academy junior duo Desuire Buie and Jessie Govan.
Iona Prep sophomore guard Ty Jerome attended Columbia’s game Friday against Hofstra.
South Carolina head coach Frank Martin took in last Sunday’s Christ the King-Bishop Loughlin tilt to see senior Adonis Delarosa, the CK center being courted by a number of local schools, such as St. John’s, Seton Hall and Fordham.