Philly heavy in the Lamar Stevens mix

When you are a nationally sought-after basketball recruit, everybody wants to bend your ear.

Coaches can pop up at your games, your school, and on your Twitter timeline.

That doesn't even include the shrewdest of local fans, who will pitch their favorite program when you are a captive audience.

Just ask Haverford School junior Lamar Stevens.

"It was at Malvern," Stevens said with a laugh. "I was at the free-throw line, and there was a group of kids near the basket, and they screamed out: 'Lamar, go to 'Nova! We need you.' "

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward has size and athleticism that has local colleges clamoring. Stevens led the Inter-Ac this season at 19.1 points per game. He was also a first-team selection by league coaches, after he was a second-team selection as a sophomore.

Although suitors from across the country have begun to make inquiries, Stevens reports nine official offers. Among his top choices are Villanova, Penn State, Indiana, Temple, and La Salle.

With a string of local talent - including a Haverford School teammate - choosing to stay in the city, Stevens is intrigued by staying home.

"Most people just go away, go to new environments, and don't know what to expect, but I'm really thinking about staying home and doing something for the city," the North Wales resident said. "It's definitely something that I'm going to consider."

Recently, St. Joseph's Prep's Chris Clover (St. Joseph's), Neumann-Goretti's Lamarr Kimble (St. Joseph's), and Archbishop Carroll's Ernest Aflakpui (Temple) have chosen to help local programs.

So, too, has Haverford School's Levan Alston, who will follow in his father's footsteps at Temple next season.

"We all see that a good amount of kids who leave Philly end up coming back home," said Alston, a first-team coaches' pick the last two seasons. "So, we just decided to stay home and try to put Philly basketball back where it used to be."

Now, you can add Alston to the list of Stevens recruiters.

"Yeah, there's definitely a lot of pressure," Stevens said. "Not even just from friends, but from fans of the local schools because they're always coming up to you saying, 'Come here, don't go there.' "

However, national competition is also picking up.

Stevens said Kansas, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Northwestern, Connecticut, and Xavier have also been in various forms of contact.

Stevens is the son of Lou Stevens, a hoops star at Cardinal Dougherty and Widener. Lamar said he plans to make his college decision near the end of the summer.

For now, he'll do his best to block out the noise.

"I've always just stayed levelheaded," he said. "I've been able to talk to my coach [Henry Fairfax] and my parents. I'm always focused on the bigger picture rather than the smaller pressure, and I'm just going to take my time with the process."

Tony Carr, Roman Catholic, junior. Offers from: Temple, Maryland, Penn State, and La Salle. Serious interest from: Indiana, Syracuse.

Nazeer Bostick, Roman Catholic, junior. Serious interest from: Drexel, Hofstra, Towson, Quinnipiac.

Quade Green, Neumann-Goretti, sophomore. Offers from: Providence, Temple, Villanova, Maryland, Rhode Island.

Charles Brown, George Washington, senior. Offers from: St. Joe's. Interest from: Drexel, Wagner. A prep year is also possible.

Kimar Williams, Constitution, senior. Interest from: Florida International, Fairfield, Long Island University-Brooklyn.

DaShon Giddings, Del-Val Charter, senior. Interest from: St. Francis (Pa.), Fairleigh Dickinson.

Bionca Dunham, Imhotep Charter, junior. Offers from: Houston, Iona. Interest from: La Salle, Temple, Buffalo, Towson.

Nick Alikakos, Episcopal Academy, sophomore. Interest from: Temple, Penn, Villanova, Princeton, Stanford, Miami, Bucknell, and Virginia.

Bailey Greenberg, Archbishop Wood, junior. Offers from: Drexel, Delaware, Villanova, Fordham, Northeastern, and James Madison.