Sports

Boys basketball recruiting roundup: Hayes’ Jenkins to attend Mason in fall, will redshirt

The waiting is over — Jalen Jenkins is headed to George Mason. Only he won’t be wearing a Patriots uniform this winter.

The 6-foot-7 forward, who considered going to prep school because at 17 years of age he is young for an incoming college freshman, plans to redshirt.

“Everything that prep school had to offer, college has to offer,” said The Bronx native, who picked George Mason over Rhode Island, Fordham, Manhattan, Quinnipiac and Iona in June. “From an education standpoint, I’ll be ahead. I was considering prep school, but I figured red-shirting is the same thing. I’ll be getting bigger and stronger and working on my craft.”

Jenkins added: “I’ll be working twice as much and competing against people bigger and stronger than me, which will help me mentally and physically.”

Jenkins, the former Cardinal Hayes standout, had a big summer with New Heights, leading the program to the finals of the Adidas Invitational and Adidas Super 64 tournaments. High major programs Miami, Providence and Cincinnati inquired about him, he said, but Jenkins was more than happy with George Mason.

Lincoln’s Whitehead visits UCLA, schedules Syracuse trip: Lincoln rising junior Isaiah Whitehead visited UCLA on Thursday and plans to see Syracuse on Aug. 29, his mother Ericka Rambert said. A trip to Kentucky in early September is also in the works, according to Rambert. UCLA offered the 6-foot-4 Whitehead recently while Kentucky has only shown strong interest. Whitehead has dubbed Syracuse his early favorite and has been hearing the most of late from Iowa State, West Virginia and UConn.

Wiliams sees Hofstra, plans other visits: Former Transit Tech star Richard Williams, who picked up eight mid-major Division I scholarship offers in the span of a week in late July after a big summer with the New York Lightning, took an unofficial visit to Hofstra on Thursday.

“It was cool, better than I thought,” Williams said.

The 6-foot-4 wing plans to see St. Bonaventure, Kent State (his first offer), Duquesne and a few MAAC schools, such as Manhattan, St. Peter’s and Niagara, that have offered, he said. Williams will attend prep school this year, but has yet to pick which one.

Notes: Bronx native Dayshon Smith of Putnam Science Academy (Conn.) plans to cut his list at some point this month and take visits, though the talented point guard has yet to break down the 17 mid major scholarship offers he has compiled. … Team SCAN forward Chris McCullough, one of the top players in the Class of 2014, said he is hearing the most from Kansas, Memphis, West Virginia, Rutgers and UCLA. McCullough was recently offered by Maryland and UCLA. He wants to take several unofficial visits this month (though none have been scheduled as of yet) and cut down his endless list of suitors at some point in September. … St. Raymond lead guard Shane Rector listed offers from Dayton, UMass, Providence and Hofstra, but expects to hear from more high-major programs soon. He has no timetable for a decision. … Archbishop Molloy rising junior C.J. Davis and former Holy Cross duo Marquise Moore and Mairega Clarke, both of whom are headed to prep school, are attending West Virginia’s elite camp this weekend, they said. … Former Cardozo standout Tajay Henry has signed with JUCO New Mexico Military Institute, he said. … St. Bonaventure offered Christ the King’s Jon Severe this week and Rutgers is making a major push, Royals coach Joe Arbitello said. … Thomas Jefferson forward Jermoine (Flirt) Faison has drawn interest from Niagara, St. Francis College and Quinnipiac, coach Lawrence (Bud) Pollard said, but is awaiting his first offer. … Marist, Monmouth and Central Connecticut have offered LaSalle wing Chris Polanco, he said. Polanco wants to visit all three this month. … St. Mary’s 6-foot-10 center Jessie Govan has landed early interest from Virginia, Georgetown, UMass, Temple, Rutgers and Miami, New York Lightning coach Dana Dingle said. … After a big summer with the Juice All-Stars, Grady forward Nyheem Atkins has picked up interest from St. Francis College, Quinnipiac, St. Peter’s, Jacksonville and Niagara, he said.

zbraziller@nypost.com