Two-Horse race for Mitchell <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>It will be a two-horse race between Rutgers and Seton Hall for the services of Jonathan Mitchell, a 6-foot-7 former Mr. Basketball in New York State who is transferring from Florida. "It's really those two," Herb Mitchell, Jonathan's uncle, said Friday. "We're going into it with our eyes open and we're taking it from there." After Herb flies down to pick Jonathan up in Gainesville this week, the two will drive North to New York in time to visit Seton Hall beginning May 2. The Rutgers visit has yet to be finalized, although the Scarlet Knights have offered Mitchell a scholarship. Herb left a message Friday morning for St. John's head coach Norm Roberts telling him that Jonathan was no longer considering the Red Storm. "Jon called me (Thursday) night to talk and he just said, 'I'm not really feeling St. John's,'" Herb said Friday. "There's some things going on with the coaching situation and the uncertainty of whether Coach Roberts is going to be there or not. (Jonathan's) got to get it right, and if he makes that decision to go there and Coach Roberts is not there, he's sitting out a year and then he's back to square one again." Roberts was supposed to be given an extension on his current contract, but on Thursday St. John's AD Chris Monasch said, "We're still working on all those details." Herb added that the attrition rate at St. John's -- Larry Wright and Mike Cavataio recently announced their plans to transfer, bringing to 10 the total number of players who have departed under Roberts -- factored into Jonathan's decision. "You read the articles, the number of people who have left the program," Herb said. "In Jonathan's situation, he realized he would just be doing a visit and he doesn't want to waste anybody's time." That leaves Seton Hall and Rutgers to duke it out for the services of Mitchell, the all-time leading scorer in Mount Vernon High history, a rich tradition that includes Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon. The late signing period begins May 21 and Mitchell will have to sit out the 2008-09 season wherever he ends up. He has ties to both New Jersey schools. Mitchell teamed with Rutgers freshman guard Mike Coburn at Mount Vernon, and he played on the Riverside Church AAU team for current Seton Hall assistant Derm Player.</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JCB @ May 17 2008, 01:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>All signs indicating that the former Mr. Basketball in New York will be a Scarlet Knight.</div> And now confirmed by zagsblog: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Jonathan Mitchell has committed to Rutgers, choosing that school over Seton Hall and Marshall. The 6-7, 230-pound Mitchell, a former Mr. Basketball out of New York State while at Mount Vernon (N.Y.) High, will sit out the 2008-09 season as per NCAA transfer regulations and will then have two years of eligiblity remaining. "It came down to that's where he felt most comfortable," said Herb Mitchell, Jonathan's uncle and a North Haledon, N.J. native. "He felt comfortable with the players, the system, the coach and how they're going to play him." The NCAA late signing period ends Wednesday and Mitchell is expected to sign a Letter of Intent by then. Herb said Jonathan is not speaking to the media, but that Rutgers coach Fred Hill is looking forward to coaching Mitchell, who won a national championship as a freshman with the Gators. "Coach Hill is very excited," Herb said. "He's looking forward to making Jonathan the best player he possibly can be."</div> Link
