Donovan visit impresses Reid

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The Tallahassee (Fla.) Wildcats have won two tournaments on the AAU circuit this year, the Charlie Webber Tournament in Washington, D.C. and the Coast-to-Coast Invitational in Fort Lauderdale.

The Wildcats are loaded with talent as it has the possibility of having nine of its members sign Division I-A scholarships. Even with the plethora of talent, head coach John Adkins knows his team chances of winning are greatly enhanced when power forward Ryan “Big Ticket” Reid is in the lineup.

“What I like about him and the way I describe his play is he is a team leader,” Adkins said. “When he is in there, we win. We have played in four tournaments this year and have won two of them. The last tournament he did not go and we did not get out of our pool. He just makes everybody better. He is a really good team guy and a great kid.”

The 6-8, 215-pound forward out of Lauderdale Lakes (Fla.) Boyd Anderson is a solid player in the paint, and his numbers as a junior prove it. Boyd Anderson went 22-6 and lost to Pompano Beach Ely in the state semifinals as Reid averaged 18.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, 5.2 blocks and 3.0 assists a game.

“He is strong, has a good body and he is physical,” Adkins said. “He plays hard. He is athletic, but is not what I would call a great athlete. I mean he is not a 40-inch leaper, but he runs the floor well. He finishes well around the basket. He makes it really hard for anybody to play zone against him because he is really good at hitting that foul line jumper, and he is really good from the baseline.”

While his offensive numbers for Boyd Anderson are impressive, Reid, the No. 94-ranked player in the country and No. 24-ranked power forward by Rivals.com, likes playing at the other end of the court.

“I love defense,” Reid said. “I like blocking shots and helping outside on defense. I am both a defensive and offensive specialist. I can score, so now I just have to stop other people from scoring.”

Reid’s ability to run the floor and play at both ends of the court has started to garner him attention from national powerhouse basketball programs.

“I am hearing from Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Miami, Kansas, Florida State and Florida,” Reid said. “I have an offer from Miami, but the rest of the schools are just talking to me.”

During the spring evaluation period, UF head coach Billy Donovan and assistant coach Anthony Grant made the trip down to Boyd Anderson to scout Reid. Donovan made quite the impression on Reid.

“I was just really impressed that I got to see the coach I always see on television come to my school to see me,” Reid said. “He is a really nice guy, and I like what he was talking about.”

Reid, a four-star prospect, said that the Gators have been the team that has been the most active in recruiting him. Grant did place a call to Reid after he met with him in person and that, along with the visit, could go a long way for the Gators.

“They have been recruiting me hard and that shows they really want me,” he said. “They have been talking with me, and I like what they are saying.”

Reid said that a commitment would likely come in the fall because he still needs time to sort through the recruiting process.

“I don’t have a top five or anything,” Reid said. “I am just keeping my options open. I just want to see how the coach carries his team and his attitude.”

Reid has a 2.2 GPA and is awaiting his SAT score. Most schools are waiting for Reid to make more academic progression before they go any further into the recruiting process with him, Adkins said.

“I think he has great potential,” Adkins said. “I don’t know who is going to stay with him or who is going to back off of him because of his academics, but whoever stays with him is going to get a gem.”

While Adkins sees potential in Reid, so does Rivals.com basketball recruiting analyst Justin Young.

“Ryan Reid is an interesting prospect,” Young said. “He's a fairly athletic forward that can run the floor like a wing, but can also play with his back to the basket. He does a good job of getting position, but he needs to add strength in order to be a legit four man in the SEC. I like what he's been able to do when facing the basket. Reid can shoot it from deep but is more comfortable closer in. In today's world of 6-foot-8-plus players thinking they are guards, it's refreshing to see a guy play like a true forward."

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