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Reed finds his ultimate fit at La.-Lafayette

The Ridgewood senior sought both a basketball opportunity and an engineering program.

NEW PORT RICHEY - College recruiters demand a lot of high school athletes. But recruit Andrew Reed is pretty demanding of college teams.

Reed, a 6-foot-7 senior center at Ridgewood, wanted a good team to play for, good facilities to practice in, and a good engineering school to study at.

Not an easy find. But the University of Louisiana-Lafayette fit the bill.

The Ragin' Cajuns offered Reed a scholarship during his early October visit to the campus, and Reed accepted. He said he will make his non-binding oral commitment binding on Nov. 12, the first day of the early signing period.

"The engineering school is perfect for my needs," said Reed, who plans to major in mechanical or electrical engineering. "I really like the players, I fit in. They've just got a high-caliber team, the people are really nice there, the facilities are nice.

"It just felt right when I got there."

Reed said he was also interested in Alabama, Mercer and Appalachian State. SMU seemed very eager to sign Reed, and it was the first school he visited this season. But the day after wooing Reed the Mustangs extended that scholarship to another player. "I wasn't upset, it's the process," Reed said. "That's just the way recruiting goes."

Ridgewood coach Gary Anders said UL-Lafayette is getting a good post player who can do it all: score and rebound, run the floor and defend. Reed is a good player, Anders said, who will become even better.

"I think he's a player that's got a lot of potential, I think his best days are still ahead of him," Anders said. "I think he gets better all the time because he's an intelligent kid and athletic."

Last season Reed established himself as the county's dominant force in the paint, averaging 15 points and a county-high 13.4 rebounds a game to earn several honors: All-Sunshine Athletic Conference, Times All-Pasco County first team and Class 4A all-state honorable mention.

Reed led the county with 92 blocks and a .625 field-goal percentage (175-280). He helped Ridgewood to back-to-back SAC titles, a district title, a berth in the region finals for the first time since 1997, a No. 4 state ranking and 28 wins, tying a school record.

This offseason, Reed led Ridgewood to its second crown in the fourth-year Beef O'Brady's Summer Basketball League. Reed also spent the summer on star-laden Team Florida.

Anders said it was Reed's stint with that squad, which traveled to Indianapolis, that attracted colleges. And could attract more.

"Andrew was seen by a lot of people in a lot of geographic areas," Anders said. "I'm almost of the opinion that more people would possibly jump on him were it not for the early signing period."