Scott County Central star Otto Porter gives verbal commitment to Georgetown

Scott County Central basketball star Otto Porter has committed verbally to play at Georgetown next season after visiting the university over the weekend.

Porter's decision was confirmed by SCC coach Kenyon Wright on Tuesday morning after news of the decision appeared in online reports.

Porter, meanwhile, was not heard from Tuesday as he traveled to North Carolina, where he will take part in the Jordan Brand Classic on Saturday.

"Otto Porter's recruitment ended the same way it began: mysteriously," wrote ESPN recruiting analyst Dave Telep on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.

Porter, who moved up to No. 31 in the latest ESPNU Top 100 recruiting rankings, had narrowed his choices to Georgetown, Missouri and Kansas in recent months.

Scott County Central's Otto Porter puts up a shot over Maplewood Richmond Heights' defenders Aaron Spudich, left, and Marcus Taylor during the third quarter Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011 at Scott County Central. (Fred Lynch)

He eschewed traditional routes to the elite level of college basketball, choosing not to play AAU basketball to gain exposure and waiting until after his senior season was complete to commit.

Porter led the Braves to a third consecutive state title in March and averaged almost 30 points and more than 12 rebounds a game this season.

Former SCC standout Bobby Hatchett, Porter's cousin and one of his best friends, was at the gym Monday night when his grandfather called him with the news.

Hatchett, who helped Midland College to the National Junior College Athletic Association national championship game last month, also heard from Georgetown assistant Robert Kirby but did not talk to Porter.

"Coach Kirby, the assistant, he called me and he was talking about it," Hatchett said. "He was all excited. He was just talking trash to me about it."

Hatchett said Kirby met his family while recruiting Porter and has been keeping tabs on Hatchett since the middle of the season.

"He's cool," Hatchett said. "He'd call and check up on me and that's how I got a little relationship with him."

Kirby is perhaps the best link between Georgetown and Porter. Kirby played at Three Rivers Community College from 1978 to 1980 and was a member of the Raiders' 1979 championship team just one season after Porter's father, Otto Porter Sr., played for TRCC.

Georgetown finished 21-11 overall and 10-8 in Big East Conference play last season. The Hoyas were eliminated by Virginia Commonwealth in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The Jordan Brand Classic, which will feature 22 of the best high school seniors from around the country -- the top five players in the ESPNU rankings will be present -- can be seen on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. Saturday.