Gilchrist at Stoudemire’s big-man camp

Posted Jun 25, 2010 by Scott Carter

Updated Jun 25, 2010 at 01:31 PM

With Dominique Jones off to the NBA (click here for today’s Tampa Tribune story), USF junior forward Gus Gilchrist will be relied upon more heavily next season to provide points and leadership.

Gilchrist missed 15 games last season due to a knee injury, and never really seemed to find his rhythm once returning to the lineup. He finished averaging 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in 18 games.

He has good size at 6-10, 245 pounds, and a soft shot from the perimeter, but for him to become a force for the Bulls, Gilchrist must improve in the low post.

To help that cause, he is participating in Phoenix Suns star Amare Stoudemire’s big-man camp this week in Chicago.

“There are a lot of top prospects there,’’ USF coach Stan Heath said. “It’s a good camp to work on his game.’‘

Stoudemire’s camp is part of the Nike Skills Academies that take place each summer across the country.

Gilchrist is working out and playing on the 12-man college roster, which also features Florida’s Vernon Macklin and Pittsburgh’s Gary McGhee.

Click here if you want to know more about the camp and who is participating.

A few other USF men’s basketball tidbits:

+ Four of the five signees from the 2010 recruiting class—PG Levonte Dority, PG Shedrick Haynes, G/F Hugh Robertson and G/F Jawanza Poland—all arrived on campus this week and are participating in orientation.

+ Heath’s son, former Tampa Prep G Jordan Heath, is also going through orientation this week. He is a walk-on who is planning to redshirt next season.

+ C Waverly Austin, the only member of the class to fail to qualify academically, returned home to Virginia on Friday after visiting Harcum (Pa.) College near Philadelphia this week.

+ With Jones’ early departure to the NBA and Austin’s loss, USF has two scholarships still available. One player to keep an eye on is former Arizona State power forward Victor Rudd, who is at the top of USF’s list of potential targets.

Another post player linked to USF recently, Queen City (N.C.) Prep center Jerome Hunter, is not considered a strong candidate to join the Bulls. Hunter previously committed to Robert Morris prior to backing out, but USF is looking at other options currently.

+ Eniel Polynice, the former Ole Miss guard who is graduating this summer and looking for another school to play at next year in his final season of eligibility, is most likely headed to Xavier according to multiple sources. There was some mutual interest with USF, but Polynice, from Sarasota, appears headed elsewhere unless his current situation changes.

+ Last but not least, click here for a USF notebook from today’s Tampa Tribune. The men’s basketball team’s 2010-11 Big East schedule tops the items. If you like watching the best teams in the Big East, the Sun Dome could be a good place to be next season.