Angelo Chol didn't spend much time in Tucson over the weekend but that doesn't necessarily mean the Wildcats are at a disadvantage in his recruitment.
Chol arrived in time to watch Arizona's win over USC, then hang out with players afterward and spent more time on Sunday morning before returning to San Diego.
"It was obviously a very quick turnaround and you get a little worn out in that period of time," said Ollie Goulston, Chol's coach at San Diego Hoover High School. "But it was a good visit. Arizona is doing well for a reason...It's a good situation and Angelo really likes it."
Goulston said Sean Miller and Book Richardson have done a great job of recruiting Chol, but also noted that Chol does not appear to be leaning one way or another. He said Chol will definitely not be making an announcement until his Feb. 17 news conference and that none of the five schools involved will know if they've been chosen.
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"He's keeping it close to the vest," Goulston said.
In a brief telephone interview today, Chol said he enjoyed the UA-USC game and its atmosphere on Saturday and seeing the campus.
A Sudanese refugee who spent a year in Egypt before moving to the United States, Chol isn't as much concerned about where he plays as much as getting a chance to play quickly in a style he likes.
No doubt Arizona, which is expected to lose Derrick Williams, is making Chol aware of its opportunities.
"I just want to go and be able to play," Chol said. "Arizona's style of play works for me because I run the floor and I'm kind of a four-out man."
With inside-outside skills and mind-boggling shot-blocking ability, Chol has come a long way from the tall seventh-grader Goulston first started coaching. Chol arrived in the U.S. at age eight but didn't take up basketball until middle school and it wasn't initially easy.
"He couldn't even walk and make a layup," Goulston said. "He was probably the worst player I've ever seen.
"When you see a lot of tall kids, you're going to work with them. But the difference with Angelo was his aptitude and great work ethic."
Chol will choose among UA, Washington, Alabama, North Carolina and Kansas on Feb. 17. Coincidentally, UA and Washington are scheduled to play each other on Feb. 19 in a game that could go a long way toward determining the Pac-10 title.
It's possible either the Wildcats or Huskies could have a huge weekend in more ways than one.
