The LSU men’s basketball team is still seeking a point guard to steer the program in the right direction after seasons of futility from the position.
Before the 2010-11 season, Bo Spencer, who led the Tigers from the point from 2007 to 2010, transferred to Nebraska and highly-touted freshman point guard K.C. Ross-Miller failed to meet the NCAA’s standards for eligibility.
Sophomore point guard Andre Stringer stabilized the spot for the Tigers this past season during his freshman campaign, averaging 11.2 points per game but he also committed 2.6 turnovers per contest.
This offseason, walk-on point guard Daron Populist fled the program to pursue a scholarship, leaving LSU with two pure point guards — Stringer and senior Chris Bass.
The recruiting efforts of LSU coach Trent Johnson and his staff have turned to Scout.com three-star recruit Anthony Hickey to fill in the point guard depth chart during the late signing period.
“From the standpoint of the perimeter, we need the best possible player we can have,” Johnson said during his postseason news conference. “When you look at what we have coming back up front and what we lost, obviously we need a perimeter player.”
Hickey visited LSU this past weekend, according to Derek Ponamsky, recruiting analyst for BayouBengalsInsider.com.
Ponamsky said Hickey and his family enjoyed the trip to Baton Rouge.
“They were impressed with the facility and liked the campus,” Ponamsky said.
The Tigers’ interest in Hickey has been a recent development after he missed the beginning of the basketball season while playing quarterback for the Christian County High School football team.
After returning to the hardwood, Hickey led Christian County to the state championship, and the point guard wrapped up his high school career with a 17-point, 12-assist performance in the title game against Rowan County High School.
The 5-foot-10-inch, 170-pound point guard averaged 18 points, four assists and four steals per game during his senior season.
“After the state tournament, he just exploded,” said Brian Eldridge, the Kentucky Preps publisher for Scout. “Finally, he started seeing some other coaches take notice.”
Eldridge said Johnson and West Virginia coach Bob Huggins watched Hickey work out March 24 in his school’s gym.
“We were surprised LSU was coming in here to look at him,” Eldridge said.
Even though Hickey’s recruitment went under the radar early, he earned a prestigious title in late March — Kentucky’s 2011 Mr. Basketball — which turned the heads of potential suitors.
Eldridge said Hickey has become a local celebrity in Hopkinsville, Ky., in recent months.
“Everybody around here is excited for him,” Eldridge said. “You ride up the street and see, ‘Congratulations, Mr. Basketball’ on restaurant signs. It’s a huge deal over here.”
Eldridge said Hickey has narrowed his choices down to LSU, South Carolina, Butler and Dayton, but the point guard told Rivals on Tuesday he will pick among LSU, South Carolina and Western Kentucky when he decides May 6.
“He likes Coach Johnson a lot,” Eldridge said. “It’s [a Southeastern Conference] school — that got his attention. He’s talked about LSU more than he has the other schools.”
LSU missed out on the recruitment of junior college point guard Dylan Talley, who picked Nebraska last week. Ponamsky said the Tigers are fortunate to be in this situation, but landing Hickey is not a done deal.
“They’re very lucky this late in the process to have a guy at the caliber of Hickey still considering them,” Ponamsky said. “I don’t know by any means it’s a slam dunk he will commit to LSU. They still have some work to do.”
Hickey’s father, Anthony Hickey Sr., has a unique connection to LSU defensive line coach Brick Haley. Hickey Sr. played running back for Austin Peay while Haley was the defensive line coach at the school, and they continued to have a relationship.
“Mr. Hickey’s a very well-connected guy,” Eldridge said. “Him having another guy to look out for his son, that would definitely help.”
Follow Michael Lambert on Twitter @TDR_Lambert.
 
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Contact Michael Lambert at [email protected]