J.R. Mathis Sets Visit
The United State Naval Academy will host J.R. Mathis on an official visit. UPDATE: Naval Academy will host Mathis this weekend. It marks his first official visit.
“He picked up an offer from the Naval Academy,” shared his father Anthony Mathis Sr. “Interest from Boston, Bucknell. Let me see, Lipscomb. University of Denver.”
July revealed to Mathis and family that both the Patriot League and Ivy League programs are serious, attractive options.
“Ivy League and Patriot League are really the two that are recruiting him right now,” said Mathis Sr. “I talked with Bucknell,” said Mathis Sr. “Bucknell has one guy they are looking at ahead of J.R. A lot of the Ivy Leagues, Penn, Dartmouth, Brown are very interested in him. They just need him to get his test scores up. I think he will have offers all over the board.”
Mathis is a bright young man with a 23 ACT, which qualifies him easily for almost every college in the nation. The Ivy League programs want that just a smidgen higher.
“We are waiting on the September test scores (ACT),” said Mathis Sr. “I think at that point, he will probably get some Ivy League offers. Right now he is at 23. He needs to be at that 25-26. He is getting prep work for it right now.”
The not knowing can be difficult. Will Mathis Jr. improve his ACT to mid-20’s? Probably. If he does, will Ivy League offers follow? Probably. But, college is not a “probably” proposition for the Mathis family. Anthony is definitely going to college and definitely wants to play D1 college basketball too. On top of the Navy offer, Mathis has earned D1 offers in the past.
“SeMo. IUPUI. Kent State. Samford offered last year,” said Mathis Sr. “Are those offers still on the table today? I don’t know. We are really not interested in them.”
Teams like Bucknell and Boston are intriguing. Also, Cornell would be a fine fit.
“Cornell was hook, line, and sinker, but they changed coaching staffs,” said Mathis Sr. “Before, Cornell was just in love with J.R. He was #1 on their board. But they watched him through high school and this and that.” Mathis passed on Army West Point.
The Fine Point
Once again J.R. Mathis competed with Louisville Magic on the adidas circuit.
“It was an exciting July, busy July,” said Anthony Mathis Sr. “Overall pretty good. Just didn’t get to play point guard as much as…he is a point guard. We had another high major point guard on our team, David Sloan. Sometimes when J.R. is in the game he is relegated to the two guard.”
AAU programs were initially conceived as a recreational activity. They grew into a training ground and morphed into an expensive shoe-clad proving ground. Still AAU programs provide many young men a great opportunity to play before college coaches.
“Everybody I just mentioned, their coaches were there,” said Mathis Sr. “Boston. Bucknell was there. We have talked to them. I just don’t think that he quite showed enough at the point guard position to seal the deal, as far as offers.”
Mathis’ father spotted a shortcoming in his son’s AAU usage. “It was sporadic in-and-out,” said Mathis Sr. “I don’t think that he did enough. I got to be honest and be real. I don’t think he had enough time on the ball at point guard to truly showcase his ability. He played the majority at the two guard and he is not going to be recruited as a 6’0″ two guard.”
Tough, but real. Playing out of position during AAU can be counterproductive. Mathis is a consummate teammate, with team goals coursing through his body. He plays unselfishly. But if the unselfishness inhibits your recruitment, then are you truly benefiting from the opportunity? It is a tough tug’o’war.
Dealing what is and not what might have been, Mathis continues to grind.
“He gets up at 5:30 in the morning, 4-5 days a week and works out,” said Mathis Sr. “You don’t work as hard as that kid does in and out of the classroom…I feel very confident that it is going to work out some way.”
Deeper Anchor
The Naval Academy becomes an increasingly attractive option, after a longer second glance.
“Kids are coming out of there, making good money,” said Mathis Sr. “It is a top quality education. (They rank up near the top for) income potential for seniors when they are done. I think we are going to look at Naval Academy for the experience.”
In the coming weeks Mathis Jr. will camp with attend Penn and Dartmouth Elite Camps.
“I would really like a Northwestern, strong academic school as well,” said Mathis Sr. “That is where we are.”