USC nabs its highest-rated basketball recruit in 10 years
Taeshon Cherry, a highly touted 6-foot-8 forward from San Diego, has committed to play for USC, he announced Friday on Twitter.
By some measures, Cherry is USC’s highest-rated recruit since DeMar DeRozan committed to USC 10 years ago. He is rated either four or five stars by the major recruiting services.
Cherry would be a freshman in the 2018-19 season, putting him in position to replace Bennie Boatwright if Boatwright decides to leave for the NBA next season. Like Boatwright, Cherry is a versatile forward whose ball skills create mismatches.
Cherry averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game at San Diego St. Augustine, according to Maxpreps.com.
It has been a happy summer for USC Coach Andy Enfield. He lost no underclassmen to the NBA draft and returns USC’s best roster in years. Earlier this week, four-star J’Raan Brooks also announced his commitment to the Trojans.
Cherry was a win for Enfield over USC’s West Coast rivals. Cherry was also considering teams including UCLA, Arizona, Oregon and Gonzaga.
Follow Zach Helfand on Twitter @zhelfand
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