Campus Watch

---Phil Valenti, a 6-7 senior forward from Aquinas High School in Rochester, has given a verbal commitment to attend Canisius College, according to a source.

Valenti averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists while helping Aquinas (23-2) reach the Class A state semifinals last season. Valenti was also offered scholarships to Boston University, Hofstra and Central Connecticut State.

Canisius had a scholarship available when incoming freshman Jose Agosto didn’t qualify academically. The 6-5, 215-pound Agosto signed with Canisius last spring.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---UB enjoyed a nice recruiting haul last weekend and added some more talent on Tuesday with the verbal commitment of Ohio quarterback Mason Schreck, a source told The News.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Schreck drew interest from Wisconsin, Kansas, Northwestern, North Carolina State, South Florida, Michigan State, Bowling Green and Akron.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic

---Fresh off the news that quarterback Chazz Anderson is transferring to UB, the Bulls added another late recruit in Georgia cornerback Matthew Quick, The Buffalo News has learned.

Quick is a product of Westlake High School which lists Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton and Adam “Pacman” Jones as graduates. Quick, who also excels in track and field, was originally slated to join Georgia as a preferred walk on but Bulls’ recruiting coordinator Ernest Jones began recruiting him heavily in June.

Quick signed scholarship papers with UB on Saturday and will open with the Bulls when training camp begins Aug. 8.

“During the last week of school, Coach Jones came down to my school and said he wanted to offer me,’’ Quick said. “Coach [Jeff] Quinn gave him the ok and they flew me up here [on Friday] and showed me around. It was great. They care more about the person you’ll become after you graduate and not just the person you are on the field.’’

UB is creating a nice pipeline into the talent-rich state of Georgia. Peach State natives on the Bulls' current roster include sophomore Najja Johnson (Atlanta), redshirt freshmen Cordero Dixon (Suwanee), Devon Hughes (Tyrone) and Kendall Roberson (Decatur) and true freshman Tony Daniel (Hiram). The Bulls also have a verbal from linebacker Adrian Lindsey (Douglasville), who was a teammate of Daniel's at South Paulding High.

The Bulls play at Georgia in 2012.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Former UB athletics director Bob Arkeilpane has been named the AD at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Arkeilpane, a Sweet Home and Syracuse graduate and the former deputy AD at Cincinnati, will succeed Dr. Ray Cieplik who will retire this summer after having served the Coast Guard Academy for more than 40 years.

Arkeilpane was the AD at UB from 1999-03.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Charlie Coles made it official what has been long rumored: Former Iowa and Butler coach Todd Lickliter is joining the Miami (Ohio) staff as an assistant coach. Lickliter coached Butler to NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in 2003 and ’07 which means Coles is adding a quality assistant. One can also speculate that - given Coles age - Miami has already hired its next head coach.

---Former UB assistant coach Chris Hawkins has been hired as an assistant at Radford, his alma mater. A strong recruiter, Hawkins was part of the staff when UB advanced to the MAC Tournament finals for the first time in 2005.

---Saint Peter's John Dunne received an extension from the school.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---UB received its second verbal commitment in as many days, landing Sweet Home quarterback Jordan Johnson.

Johnson, who attended the second session of the Bulls Jr./Sr. Camp at UB Stadium on Sunday informed the staff of his intentions Monday afternoon.

“I felt like they gave me the best opportunity to play Division I football,’’ Johnson told the News. “”It’s close to home and my family can watch me play football and show what I can do on the field. The have a good academic program and academics come first.’’

Johnson, who plans to major in broadcasting or sports management, received interest from Syracuse University, Connecticut and Boston College among others. UB considers Johnson an athlete, much like Niagara Falls quarterback Dale Stewart who is a true freshman for the Bulls.

“It’s really not determined which position I will play,’’ Johnson said. “We’ll know by the team next season starts.’’

One of the more exciting players in Western New York, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Johnson passed for 1,042 yards, rushed for 1,182 yards and 25 TDs as a junior.

Johnson’s commitment comes on the heels of the Bulls landing linebacker Adrian Lindsey from South Paulding High School in Douglasville, Ga., who verballed to UB on Sunday. Coach Jeff Quinn, recruiting coordinator Ernest Jones and the rest of the staff is once again striking early on the recruiting trail. Johnson is the fourth prospect to commit to UB joining Lindsey, Depew offensive tackle Jaden Cotton and Canisius guard Corey Madlock.

The Bulls also had four commitments this time last year including Williamsville South quarterback Joe Licata.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---UB received its third commitment from the Class of 2012 in linebacker Adrian Lindsey from South Paulding High School in Douglasville, Ga., according to a source. Lindsey was a teammate of Bulls true freshman quarterback Tony Daniel.

Lindsey joins Depew offensive tackle Jaden Cotton and Canisius guard Corey Madlock who have committed to the Bulls. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Lindsey, who also plays tight end, participated in a camp the Bulls held Sunday at UB Stadium and committed shortly thereafter.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---UB sophomore forward Javon McCrea was released from the USA Basketball Under 19 World Championship Team today.

McCrea had made the original cut from 21 players to 13 players and coach Paul Hewitt indicated McCrea was the last player cut from the team.

“The selection was harder than I expected," Hewitt said. “The young man we decided not to keep, Javon McCrea, it was really just a numbers situation, he played more than well enough to make the team. We just didn’t feel comfortable going over there without three point guards.”

Said UB coach Reggie Witherspoon: “This experience will benefit Javon in three ways; exposure, competition and instruction. When you add up these three things, it will result in great experience moving forward.”

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

---Seth Davis provides draft profiles for 40 of the top NBA draft prospects in the country like UConn's Kemba Walker and Butler's Shelvin Mack, pictured right.

 ---The dreams of the members of this draft class are on hold, for reasons completely out of their control.

---Can Jimmer Fredette be an explosive scorer?

---Eric Williams off-season at Niagara has been rather painful.

---Former Binghamton coach Kevin Broadus has been hired by Georgetown as a special assistant coach.

---Boston University has finally hired a new coach.

---Former UCLA stars Ed O'Bannon and Baron Davis will be returning to Westwood this summer in order to complete their studies and recieve their degrees.

---Jason King details Mike Rice's efforts to resurrect Rutgers.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)