Jarvis Varnado, a 6-foot-9, 186-pounder from Haywood High of Brownsville, is
the latest native Tennessean to opt for Rick Stansbury's Bulldogs. His
commitment was confirmed Saturday night by Winston Varnado, Jarvis' coach
and his head coach at Haywood High.
Stansbury signed two Tennesseans last November, brothers Reginald and
Richard Delk
of Jackson North Side. He got another two months ago, when heralded Oak Hill
(Va.) Academy standout Jamont Gordon, a former Nashville Glencliff star,
committed to the Bulldogs.
Meanwhile, new Volunteer head man Bruce Pearl is still looking for his first
in-state commitment. In addition to Gordon and Varnado, he appears to be out
of the running for such in-state stars as 6-9 Brandon Wright (Brentwood
Academy), 6-7 Pierre Niles (Memphis Ridgeway) and 6-2 Willie Kemp (Bolivar
Central).
Even so, Pearl appears to have a shot at several standouts from the
Volunteer State, including 6-8 Thaddeus Young and 6-4 Brandon Powell
(Memphis Mitchell) and 6-9 Wayne Chism (Bolivar Central).
While many college coaches were watching AAU tournaments around the country
last week, Mississippi State's coaches showed up at Brownsville High to push
Jarvis for a commitment. Apparently, the ploy worked.
''The coaches made a good impression on him last week, although they had
been on him hard,'' Winston Varnado told Gene Swindoll, publisher of
DawgsBite.com. ''They were the only school that came by to see him this
week. He was very impressed with that.''
Another factor that apparently played a key role in Jarvis' commitment was
the friendship between his dad and MSU assistant Robert Kirby. They attended
the same high school and played some ball together.
Jarvis, who just turned 17, was something of a sleeper until he turned in a
20-point effort against Memphis Mitchell power forward Thaddeus Young (rated
No. 3 by ScoutHoops.com) last season. He has followed up with some good camp
work this summer that has kept his stock on the rise.