Recruit gives Redhawks his word

~ Telvin Wilkerson said he gave Southeast a verbal commitment to play basketball

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team received a nice bonus at Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage.

Telvin Wilkerson, a highly regarded 6-foot-3, 190-pound shooting guard from Memphis, Tenn., said he gave Southeast coaches a verbal commitment to accept their scholarship offer.

Verbal commitments are non-binding. The soonest Wilkerson can make things official is during the NCAA's weeklong early signing period that begins Nov. 10.

"I like the hospitality, the great coaching staff, the players," said Wilkerson, who was at the Show Me Center for Saturday's scrimmage as part of an unofficial visit.

Wilkerson, who visited Southeast for the first time, said he was impressed by the atmosphere at the scrimmage that was attended by about 500 fans.

Wilkerson said he believes the Redhawks -- 7-23 and ninth in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference during coach Dickey Nutt's first season last year -- are on the rise and he wants to be a part of what he regards as an emerging program.

"I think they're going to be real good in the future," Wilkerson said.

Wilkerson is a senior at Melrose High School, among the top-rated prep teams in the nation after going 36-4 and winning Tennessee's Class AAA state title last year. The squad features three top-100 national prospects, so Wilkerson often gets overshadowed.

Wilkerson said he has received scholarship offers from several schools, including Missouri, Iowa State, Nebraska and Penn State.

Rivals.com listed Arkansas, Iowa State and Northern Illinois as schools offering Wilkerson scholarships.

Wilkerson averaged about seven points, four rebounds and three assists per game as a junior last season. He shot 57 percent from 3-point range (20 of 35), 50 percent from the field overall and 73 percent from the free-throw line.

ESPN's college basketball recruiting website describes Wilkerson as an "athletic, strong and aggressive wing who can get to the rim and finish through contact. He has a great basketball body for a player his age and he welcomes contact on both ends of the floor. He can make three's off the catch by spotting up on the break or make a strong physical drive. ... he is athletic enough to defend both guard positions and has great upside."

ESPN's website also said Wilkerson "is seemingly a forgotten cog in the mighty Melrose machine. He would be a 20 point per game scorer for anyone else in the city."

Nutt is prohibited by NCAA regulations from commenting on prospective recuits until they sign.