USF steps it up for Scott; eyes 7-footer

Following up on his official visit to USF last weekend, Tallahassee Community College forward Dustin Scott received an in-home visit from Bulls Head Coach Robert McCullum on Wednesday evening and could be close to a decision on his commitment.

According to TCC Head Coach Eddie Barnes, Scott spent time on the phone with his parents in South Carolina following his talk with McCullum and has decided to take this weekend to give some serious thought to his ultimate decision. USF and Virginia Commonwealth are the schools most involved in the recruitment of the versatile, 6-foot-8 forward. He has also made an official visit to VCU.

"We had a meeting just a little bit ago and he told me he wanted to hold through the weekend and he'd make a decision next week. He didn't tell me if he was leaning one way or the other. As far as I know, early next week he'll either decide on a school or put off his decision until the spring," Barnes said. "He has a lot on his plate right now with getting ready for us to play in a jamboree, his schoolwork and recruitment. He just wants to take some time to think it all over."

Scott would be a significant signing for McCullum and the Bulls. The South Carolina native averaged nearly a double-double last season on a talented TCC team that finished as the NJCAA runner-up. Scott is expected to be the key offensive threat this season for TCC and is among the nation's top junior college prospects.

NORTH-OF-THE-BORDER BIG MAN:

One player the Bulls – and other suitors – will be waiting on until the spring signing period is Missouri State-West Plains center David Collins. Collins, a JUCO seven-footer from Canada, has made it known that he will wait until after his sophomore season to make a commitment. That puts USF in a pool with Pittsburgh, St. John's, Rutgers, Rhode Island, Seton Hall, Oklahoma and Missouri, who are all keeping a close eye on Collins.

"Coach (Charles) Cunningham was in about a week or two ago to see David and our 6-8 forward, Ewan Linton, at a practice. He was more impressed with David and he'll be keeping tabs on him throughout the season," West Plains Head Coach Brian Ostermann said. "Coach Cunningham and I have a relationship that goes back a few years."

All of the involved schools are taking a wait-and-see approach with Collins, and scholarship offers will hinge on how he produces in 2006-07. After redshirting for a year to get stronger, Collins missed the first 13 games of last season with a broken foot. He returned to make 16 starts and averaged just six points and four rebounds per game.

Despite those slim numbers, Ostermann said Collins will be a solid high-major player in the right system.

"David's not a seven footer who's going to bang in the paint. He has a narrow frame. He only weighs about 225 pounds, but he's pretty strong. He benches 295. He's a skilled player who runs and catches. In a system that's wide open, he's going to be a real threat because he'll be able to beat his guy down the floor," Ostermann said. "When he came back last year from the broken foot, he'd basically been off for a year and a half. He kept getting better each game for us."

So is Collins a true Big East-caliber talent?

"When you make a jump like (USF has) to the Big East, you have to get players in who can help you take steps. What little I know about South Florida, he'd be an upgrade," Ostermann said.