SoCalHoops Recruiting News

  Westchester's Chad Bell Commits
To New Mexico--(Oct. 15, 2000)

We've learned that Chad Bell (7'-0" Sr. C/F) from Westchester HS has given a verbal commitment to New Mexico Lobo head coach Fran Fraschilla.  According to several sources, Bell committed while on an official visit, and told Fraschilla this morning that he would accept the scholarship offer prior to leaving Albuquerque, where he attended the Midnight Madness event at the Pit this past weekend called appropriately, "The Howl" which is what happens when you get 16,000 screaming Lobo fans together in a place they call "The Pit" which can be one of the more intense atmospheres around in college hoops.

According to Bell's high school coach, Ed Azzam, "New Mexico has been doing the best job" recruiting him. "(UNM) has been very consistent from the beginning," Azzam told the Albuquerque Tribune this past Thursday night in an interview. "They have shown the most interest (in Bell) of any school."  While some have said that Bell turned down Kentucky and Memphis, other sources have said that both schools had asked Chad to wait until the spring signing period, rumors which we don't necessarily subscribe to ourselves, at least not with respect to Kentucky, which had a coach out here in California not more than a week ago watching Chad at the Fullcourt Press Fall Showcase event.

Azzam told the Albuquerque Tribune  that Bell's strengths are his athleticism, good hands, quick feet and his "great work ethic." He said that Bell's offensive skills still need developing, but that he has greatly improved his jump shot, which he can make from 15-16 feet out. Azzam also told the paper that that Bell's shot blocking is "average" for a player his height, but that he's a solid rebounder and can defend both post positions well.  

Bell himself spoke to the local New Mexico paper prior to his visit, telling the Tribune that he felt he's best suited for an "up-tempo style game", which New Mexico provides. "I like being real active on the court," he said.  Bell told the paper before his visit that he had narrowed down his list of colleges to Memphis, Kentucky, UNM and North Carolina. As we said, SoCalHoops spoke with Chad at the Fullcourt Press Fall Showcase a week ago, and while he mentioned Kentucky, UNM and Memphis, he did not mention North Carolina at that time.

When interviewed on Thursday prior to his visit, Bell told the Tribune, "(Fraschilla) is real high energy, which I like. He seems like he loves the game of basketball and wants 100 percent (from his players)." Chad told Albuquerque Tribune reporter Daniel Libit  that "academics, the coaching staff, current players, the conference and national media exposure" were the most important factors for him in selecting a college. He said that UNM has been recruiting him since his sophomore year, and he's also friends with Lobo point guard Marlon Parmer, whom he has known since junior high when the two played for different age groups of the same AAU club (TPI).

Interest in Chad developed for a number of schools over this past summer, with some good play at the Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis, the Peach Jam in Georgia, and the Best of the Summer Tournament in California, where he played with his Westchester high school teammates, making it to the round of 16. 

Before the weekend visit, Fran Fraschilla spoke about the purpose of recruits attending the midnight madness event:  "The object of the Howl is for our fans; to show them what to expect in the upcoming year," Fraschilla said Friday. "It's a factor in recruiting, but right now we are zero-for-two" Fraschilla recalled, speaking of Luke Whitehead and Cliff Hawkins, both from Oak Hill Academy.  They both attended the "Howl" last year, and both selected other schools.

Looks like Fran is now 1-2.

 
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