In the college basketball recruiting world, it’s not often that a prospect beats a college coach to the punch. But Terrelle Pryor did just that Saturday. The Jeannette sophomore basketball star made a verbal commitment to Pitt before Panthers coaches could even formally offer him a scholarship. Pryor told Pitt coaches of his decision following the Panthers’ 77-71 Big East Conference win over Marquette at Petersen Events Center. “I was talking to them and thinking about it, and I went through with it,” Pryor said. “I didn’t know if they offered. I just said, ‘I want to go here.’ ” The 6-foot-6, 205-pound swingman is ranked the nation’s top small forward and No. 8 player overall in the Class of 2008 by Scout.com and the No. 33 player by HoopScoop. A two-year starter, he is averaging 22 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and three steals a game this season for the Jayhawks (20-1). Pryor said that he wanted to remain close to his family, noting that his father, Craig Pryor, is in a wheelchair. “I just want to be close to home,” Pryor said. “I thought it about it awhile, ever since I went to the first game, about how it isn’t far away. That’s why I did it. This is the biggest school around here. The Big East is great, everyone tells me it’s the best conference.” Pryor becomes the second WPIAL underclassman to commit to Pitt in as many years. Aliquippa 6-foot-9 forward Herb Pope, who picked the Panthers last March, has since backed off his verbal commitment and re-opened his recruiting. Pope could not be reached for comment. Pryor said North Carolina was once his dream school, but noted that “it’s kind of far” and said he won’t go back on his word now that he’s made up his mind even though verbal commitments are non-binding. “I’m young,” Pryor said, “but I’ve made up my mind.” Pryor believes that his decision could have a ripple effect with Western Pennsylvania prospects, having played on the Pittsburgh J.O.T.S. AAU club with Pope and Schenley’s DeJuan Blair and D.J. Kennedy, among others. “Herb said he’s still committing,” Pryor said. “I think there will be a good chance that could happen. We all talked about going to the same school. We were in a hotel one night and (Blair) said, ‘Wherever you commit, I’ll go.'” Blair and Kennedy have yet to receive scholarship offers from Pitt, however, and the 6-8, 255-pound Blair said that he wants to play college basketball with the 6-5 Kennedy and 5-10 junior point guard Jamaal “Onion” Bryant. “That would be a national championship if we all go to Pitt,” Blair said. “With me, D.J., Onion, Terrelle and Herb together, we’d be unstoppable.”

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