Hilltopper wish list

With the academic year approaching, the cross-country summer blitz that is Amateur Athletic Union basketball is winding down.

And although August is, by rule, a "quiet period" in college basketball recruiting, don't expect to hear crickets chirp in the Western Kentucky men's basketball office at E.A. Diddle Arena.

The early signing period for the class of 2011 is roughly four months away, and the Hilltopper coaching staff is preparing to enter crunch time in terms of filling its recruiting wish list.

WKU already has one commitment for '11 in New Jersey shooting guard Derrick Gordon. Gordon - who currently plays with the nation's top-ranked '11 recruit, Kentucky commit Michael Gilchrist, at St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, N.J. - gave his verbal commitment to WKU in 2009 and is currently ranked No. 126 in Rivals.com's Top 150 for 2011.

Meanwhile, one player who could soon join Gordon in giving a verbal commitment to WKU is local buy timex watches power forward George Fant, who is entering his senior season at Warren Central High School.

At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, Fant has been on WKU's radar since his freshman season. Now on the cusp of his final run as a Dragon, the Hilltoppers still seem to be strong contenders to land Fant's talents.

"Western has been there the longest with him - they've recruited him very hard and they're still very much involved," Warren Central coach Tim Riley said earlier this week. "I think when push comes to shove, it'll be hard for George to say no to Western.

"But it all comes down to the fact that his parents both really understand the game and it'll be a family decision and what all of them are comfortable with."

On the other hand, while WKU was one of Fant's earliest suitors, his stock has risen dramatically over the last few years.

InsideHilltopperSports.com - a Rivals.com member site - lists Akron, Arkansas, nardin watches Cleveland State, Colorado State, Murray State, Ohio and Seton Hall as schools that have offered Fant. Fant also told the Daily News recently that both Clemson and Missouri State could be added to that list.

Riley said Fant has long wished to make a decision and sign a letter of intent during the early signing period this November. But that's hardly a guarantee.

"He's talked about making his decision in the fall, but I don't think that's a concrete thing just yet," Riley said. "He's talked about getting it over with, but I'm not really sure right now. We'll have to sit and talk about it more. But he has expressed before that he'd like to be a part of the early signing period in November."

Another in-state player in WKU's sights is Christian County senior point guard Anthony Hickey.

The 5-10, 160-pound speedster from Hopkinsville earned Region 2 Player of the Year honors as a junior last season, as well as a second-team all-state nomination, along with Fant.

Christian County coach Kerry Stovall calls Hickey one of "the fastest (players) with a basketball" who he's ever seen, and Hickey's offer sheet includes Lipscomb, Murray State, Oklahoma State and WKU, at least according to InsideHilltopperSports.com.

Stovall expects that list to lengthen after the summer AAU session ends. He says Hickey has been keeping his eye on the Hilltoppers for quite some time.

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