Basketball recruit says no to Villanova

SAVON GOODMAN, a 6-6 senior forward who starred at Academy of the New Church, has decommitted from his verbal agreement to play for Villanova and also will be changing high schools.

Goodman was supposed to be part of a 2012 recruiting class that includes Ryan Arcidiacono, a 6-3 point guard from Neshaminy High School, and Daniel Ochefu, a 6-9 center from Westtown School in West Chester.

A top-50 recruit, Goodman played in Saturday night's BOOST Elite 24 game in Venice Beach, Calif., and could not be reached for comment. NCAA rules don't allow Wildcats coach Jay Wright to say anything until a recruit signs his national letter of intent, which couldn't have happened until November.

The situation has been described as "very complicated." There is no word on how much communication there's been between Goodman and Villanova of late. Goodman spoke with Wright last Monday to tell him the news.

ANC coach Kevin Givens also seemed to be on the outside looking in.

"I really can't confirm anything on the storyline," he acknowledged Saturday afternoon. "It's kind of unfortunate, not hearing anything. I just got a phone call from Wake Forest and Virginia Tech, but I've got a message to Villanova as we speak. I'm also trying to get through to Savon, and his aunt and uncle. They haven't told me they were planning on decommitting. So I'm just waiting to hear from those guys."

There's also been speculation that Goodman won't return to ANC this year because of his academic standing, and that he might not be able to start college until 2013 instead of 2012.

"We won't know until school starts sometime next week," Givens said. "But my thinking, and I can't confirm this, is that he will not be back.

"The reason is exactly what people have said, because of the academic approach that we have. That's a priority for us, so there may be something to that."

Rumor has it that Goodman is headed for Constitution, a budding force in the Public League.

When asked by text whether Goodman, who lives in Southwest Philly, is enrolled at Constitution, coach Rob Moore offered a one-word response: "Yes."

Villanova, which just had junior forward Isaiah Armwood transfer (to George Washington), is also reportedly in the mix for Amile Jefferson, a 6-8 senior power/wing forward from Friends Central. The word is that Goodman tried to convince Jefferson, who also played in the BOOST game, to listen to Villanova even though the Wildcats didn't have any scholarships available. That, of course, is no longer the case. Jefferson has visited North Carolina State, has scheduled a trip to Ohio State and is also planning another one to Connecticut. Temple, Maryland and Stanford are also recruiting him.

"[Villanova] is definitely a school that factors into my thoughts, being a hometown school," Jefferson told Comcast SportsNet New York. "Being able to recruit guys out of Philly has been great, so it's been really good so far . . .

"I'm still pretty wide open. We're still looking to see who else we're going to visit before we make a decision."

Ted Silary contributed to this report.