Bonzie Colson, Jr., a 6-foot-6 (or so) Class of 2014 power forward out of St. Andrew’s in Barrington, R.I., took an unofficial visit to UConn today.

He’s somewhat of an under-the-radar recruit, though his name is familiar to me because his father was a standout forward at URI while I was there in the late-80’s/early-90’s. In fact, Bonzie Colson, Sr., helped lead the Rams to the Sweet 16 in 1988, knocking off Missouri and Syracuse before being edged by a point by Duke in one of the best runs in school history. (Colson, Jr. also visited URI this afternoon. He said he'll make an unofficial to Georgetown this summer while at Kevin Durant's camp).

As for Colson, Jr., we mentioned him near the bottom of this recruiting post a few months ago. 

Here's what the kid had to say about his visit:

"I definitely did (enjoy it), the campus is nice. They know I'm an under-sized four, there's not really a right position for me. They said they'd make plays for me and I'll adapt to their offense pretty well, because they'll play four out, one in."

Colson, Jr. added that he's a "post player, very aggressive. I like doing the little things that other players don't like to do -- dive on the floor for loose balls. I bring a lot of effort and energy to the game."

Here’s what St. Andrew’s coach Mike Hart has to say about him:

“He’s kind of an old-fashioned, throwback type guy. He’s not going to ‘wow’ you when you see him play. The ‘wow’ factor isn’t there. You’re not going to see the big body, the unbelievable quickness. What he does is, he’s deceptively athletic and quick, and he knows how to play basketball and score in a lot of different ways.”

Hart said Colson, Jr., is “just a shade under 6-6”, but is very long and his body is still developing.

“He’s shooting the ball better from outside now,” Hart said, “but his game right now is definitely from 15 feet and in.”

Hart said he reminds him of Jeff Adrien, but not because he’s a physical banger like Adrien was.

“You walk in the gym, you’re like, ‘Aw, come on.’ He’s not a prototypical, high-Division 1 power forward. Physically, he’s not that. He’s very Jeff Adrien-like: an under-height power forward that just develops in college and is able to score in a lot of different ways.”

Colson said he "wasn't sure" if UConn actually offered him today. He said UConn, Pitt, Notre Dame, Iowa State, Florida State, Minnesota, Butler, Miami, Stanford, GWU, URI, Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Virginia Tech, Arkansas and Alabama are among the schools showing interest. His father, now the director of admissions at UMass-Dartmouth, coached under Al Skinner at URI and BC and under ex-URI coach Tom Penders at George Washington.

“He’s got a terrific family, a great support system,” Hart noted.

The coach was also happy to learn recently that the lone St. Andrew’s product to play at UConn, Tony Robertson, recently graduated. As for any potential future Huskies now at St. Andrew’s, Hart mentioned Terrell Brown, a rising 6-8 Class of 2016 center. UConn hasn’t expressed much interest yet.

“But they will,” Hart promised.

Spent some time up at UConn today for a variety of reasons. Witnessed the continued demolition of Memorial Stadium, as a construction vehicle -- looking like some sort of dinosaur straight out of Jurassic Park -- tore up what remained of the bleacher seats at the old stadium.



The press box was scheduled to go down later today. Why is this all happening? So that the area can be used to build a new basketball practice facility. So don't get too emotional about the end of Memorial Stadium. Its long-overdue demise will only help UConn's basketball program in the future.

*** I also saw Ryan Boatright and DeAndre Daniels going through some vigorous workouts in a catch-and-shoot drill. The players took turns taking jumpers off "screens" (two large trash barrels were setting the "picks") from all over the court in one-minute segments. It's a grueling drill, one that keys on moving without the ball (not to mention getting up shots while tired) and both looked good stroking down the bulk of their shots.

Daniels is drawing rave reviews for his work ethic this spring.

"He's working extremely hard," said director of basketball operations Karl Hobbs. He's really focused on what he has to do."

I talked to Daniels for a bit about his tough freshman year, in which he not only went through the typical struggles but also dealt with his sister Keirstyn's frightening health issues -- a non-cancerous tumor on her brain.

"That weighed on me," he admitted. "In the middle of the season, I missed a couple of practices to see her and stayed at the hospital for, like, eight hours just to see if she's OK after surgery. She's fine now. She's good."

Daniels struggles and eventual lack of playing time caused him to consider a transfer -- briefly.

"I won't lie, at some point, me just being a young kid and being selfish and not understanding, it crossed my mind a couple of times," he said. "But I would never really do it. I'm here. I'm still a Husky."

And, of course, with the mass exodus of transfers, NBA draft entries, etc., playing time is available for Daniels next season.

"He sees his opportunity," said Jim Calhoun. "One door closes, another door opens. He's got a great opportunity. I've always thought he was going to be a good player. The shot he has is still the same shot, he's had to learn to shoot it at full speed. He's jumped both feet in and worked as hard as anybody, if not harder."

We'll have much more on Daniels in the next day or two ...

***Oh yes, caught up with Calhoun, too. He's doing well, says his back his fine. He was in good spirits -- his wife, Pat, and her sister and two daughters-in-law were out at the 'American Idol' finals last night -- and knows next year will be a different one. And not only because of the likely postseason ban. UConn will have a different look, without the dominant shot-blocking presence in the middle its had for so many years now (though the Huskies feel incoming frosh Phil Nolan will eventually be a strong inside presence).

Calhoun says Boatright will be the point guard solely next year, with Shabazz Napier moving off the ball. Omar Calhoun will play the 2, and R.J. Evans can play all over the place. Boatright's excited about the proposition, knowing that playing point will be his only ticket to the NBA.

UConn's German trio of Niels Giffey, Enosch Wolf and incoming frosh Leon Tolksdorf will all try out for respective German national teams this summer. Boatright will attend Chris Paul's camp, and Napier will try out for the Puerto Rican national team.

Nolan and Omar Calhoun should be on campus to start summer classes around June 24.

*** Oh, and Tony Robertson's still on campus. He just finished a Spanish course today and begins another Spanish class on Tuesday, as well as an English class. Robertson said he's about 12 credits short of graduating with a political science degree.

Wish we could give you more info on Ryan Boatright's situation, but as of right now, there's really nothing new to report.

UConn's compliance staff has been working late hours (until 9 p.m. the other night) trying to get some sort of resolution from Indianapolis, but nothing ... yet.

Here's what Jim Calhoun had to say this afternoon:

"Everybody’s working like crazy, trying to get some resolution right now ... There’s no indication of (whether he'll come back at all), the only indication is we’re trying like crazy to get him back."

"One of the worst parts about it, it hangs there. Ryan has a great day of practice today, it hangs there. It hangs with the kids (saying), ‘If we had him.’ We don’t, right now."

“All of us want to have the best team possible. I think we all would admit – good, bad or indifferent – to not play, to play, to not play can wear on you. I know it wears on me. No one cares about that, nor should they.”

Boatright's teammates obviously want him back, as well.

“He’s the same person. He’s not letting it get him down," said Andre Drummond. "He’s still playing twice as hard in practice. He wants to come back really bad, and I just can’t wait for the day that he gets cleared.”

Elsewhere ...

*** DeAndre Daniels, after "probably the best week of practice of his career," will be back in the starting lineup Sunday, ahead of Niels Giffey.

*** Calhoun said Tyler Olander recently has been "logy. He’s looked logy in games, I don’t know why.”

*** Ex-Huskies Donny Marshall, Kevin Freeman, Kevin Ollie and Tony Robertson have been going against UConn in practice over the past week.


***UConn's Super Bowl predictions:

DRUMMOND: "Patriots. They’ve got Tom Brady, what more could you ask for? I’m from New York, I like the New York Giants, but I think the Patriots might get the best of them.”

JEREMY LAMB: “I kind of want the Giants to win. I don’t really watch too much football … I just want to see a good game. But I think the Giants might be able to pull it off.

CALHOUN: “The Patriots will win, I just can’t give you the (details) … Everybody talks about getting injuries from the Patriots, that’s not gonna happen. When Randy Edsall was here, you were much more likely to get a week in advance injury report from him than you would two hours before the Patriots kick off Super Bowl Sunday.”