Five-Star Recruit Jermaine Lawrence Commits to Cincinnati


One of the top ranked power forwards in the nation had much to celebrate on Sunday. Not only did he turn 18 yeas old, he also officially announced his decision to play for the University of Cincinnati next fall. Pretty sure Bearcats fans were celebrating just as much when the news broke. From Cincinnati Enquirer: “Jermaine Lawrence, the No. 21 ranked high school player in the country, made an oral commitment Sunday to the University of Cincinnati. Lawrence, a 6-foot-10 forward from Pope John XXIII High School in Sparta, N.J. made an announcement on-line on tumblr, a blogging web site, on his 18th birthday.“I’m blessed to celebrate a milestone birthday!” he wrote on the web site. “My family and I would like to thank all the schools that showed interest. I’m humble to have had the experience of being recruited. After a long discussion with my parents, I’ve decided I’ll be attending the University of Cincinnati!!!!! I’m excited to be a part of @BearcatNation. I appreciate and thank those in New York who have supported me. It was a tough decision, however I do believe UC is a better fit for me.” Lawrence is believed to have chosen UC over St. John’s and UNLV. He is the second-highest UC recruit during the Mick Cronin coaching era, behind Lance Stephenson, who played for one year at UC in 2009-10 and now plays for the NBA Indiana Pacers.