Hawks get commitment from Connecticut high school star

Practice for the 2007-08 season does not start for 3 months, but Saint Joseph's has completed half its recruiting class that will come to Hawk Hill as freshmen for the '08-09 season.

The Hawks just got a commitment from 6-2 combo guard Chris Prescott, of Northwest Catholic in West Hartford, Conn. It is the same high school that produced Brooks Sales, who had a solid career at Villanova. During last season, the Hawks got a commitment from St. Anthony's (N.J.) small forward A.J. Rodgers.

"Chris is very skilled," said his coach, John Mirabello. "He has very good range on his shot. And he fits with the way St. Joe's plays."

Mirabello said St. Joe's coaches told him that they don't consider their guards to have positions per se. They just play "guard."

"It just seemed like the right fit," Mirabello said.

Hawks assistant Dave Duda was at Prescott's first game last season. He scored 33. For the season, according to Mirabello, Prescott averaged 17 points per game and led his team in assists.

"He has great vision, can break people down," Mirabello said.

Prescott is playing now in Orlando, Fla., with his AAU team.

"Now that he's committed, this is the first time that he has been relaxed in a while," Mirabello said.

That Prescott's parents have family in the Philadelphia area was one of many things St. Joe's had in its favor. According to his coach, Prescott also was looking at George Mason and Rhode Island. St. John's and Seton Hall, he said, were "on the periphery."

St. Joe's has three rising seniors and 12 players on scholarship. Thus, the coaches had four scholarships to give. Now, they have two. St. Joe's has interest in several players, including St. Anthony's guard Tyshawn Taylor and Edison, N.J., big man Dominick Rutledge.

Pete Kathopoulis has given up his senior season at St. Joe's to sign a contract with Iraklis, a Greek League A2 team, based in Thessaloniki.

The 5-11 Kathopoulis, from Haverford School, played in 28 games over three seasons. He will continue his studies abroad to fulfill his St. Joe's degree requirements.

St. Joe's had Delonte West and Dwayne Jones leave school early to sign professional contracts with the NBA. This appears to be the first time the school has had a walk-on leave early to sign a professional contract. *