HERSHEY, Pa. — The term “blowing up” in recruiting was made for Quaker Valley basketball star Adou Thiero.
The latest chapter in Thiero’s recruiting saga shows how much Thiero’s stock has risen among major colleges in the past month or two. One of the blue bloods of college basketball offered Thiero a scholarship Saturday.
Thiero is a 6-foot-5 senior guard at Quaker Valley who has grown about 8 inches since his freshman year. He had a tremendous senior season that ended Thursday night when Quaker Valley lost in the Class 4A state championship game to Neumann-Goretti of Philadelphia. University of Kentucky coach John Calipari and assistant Orlando Antigua came to Giant Center to watch Thiero.
Two days later, Calipari visited Thiero at his home in Sewickley and offered Thiero a scholarship.
“People have been trying to come in, wanting him to come and see their campus, or wanting to know how they can see him,” said Al Thiero, Adou’s father who is managing much of his son’s recruiting. “It’s amazing what a good high school season can do for a player.”
You’ll have a hard time remembering the last time Kentucky offered a WPIAL player a scholarship. But it’s a sign of how Thiero’s stock has risen with colleges.
“The interest level might go to another level now because of Kentucky coming in,” said Al Thiero, who played for Calipari when Calipari was the coach at Memphis.
After a great home visit by @UKCoachCalipari I am blessed to receive an offer from the University of Kentucky.
— Adou Thiero (@Adou_Thiero) March 26, 2022
@QVBasketball @prospectsbball pic.twitter.com/5SC9FZAOy3
Adou Thiero attended University of Kentucky summer camps twice before fifth and eighth grade, respectively.
“He’s always liked Kentucky growing up,” Al Thiero said. “He went to camp and always liked the players there, and then all of a sudden the coach (Calipari) is in your living room, saying he wants you and to come play for him. That’s a whole lot to handle.
“Adou hasn’t said anything to us yet about what’s on his mind. We’re going to give him some time and then we’ll sit down and talk and see how he processed the information.”
Adou Thiero does not have any official visits planned yet, but Al Thiero said Pitt wants Adou to come to campus either Monday or Wednesday. Pitt has not offered a scholarship.
“They want to sit down and talk about what opportunities they have, if he could fit in and the whole 9 yards,” Al Thiero said.
The Indiana Hoosiers have also expressed strong interest in Thiero during the past couple months and Thiero made an unofficial visit to Indiana last month for a game. There is a decent possibility Indiana could offer a scholarship soon. Duquesne recently offered Thiero, and Marquette and Cincinnati are among the other schools interested.
Thiero finished the season averaging 23.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 3.9 steals and 2.3 blocks for a team that finished 27-1 and won the WPIAL Class 4A championship.
Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh
First Published: March 27, 2022, 1:13 a.m.
