Recruiting News: Recruit from Dale's High School Likely Headed to Stanford

Here is an update from the Birmingham News on Gabe Harris who hails from the same high school as Cornell's Louis Dale. Appears as if Stanford may snag another prospect from the grips of the Ivy League.

[Gabe] Harris, a 6-foot-2 guard, had a fine all around senior season for the Knights, averaging 18.9 points, 8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.9 steals to lead Altamont to a 17-8 record. His performance has earned him the boys basketball 2009 Birmingham News Hoover/South Player of the Year award.

''When Gabe came to Altamont, he was a two guard,'' [Altamon head coach, Barry] Bearden said, ''but now he's playing the point. We had him doing everything, playing down low in our zone, in the middle on our press, scoring and rebounding. When he has just one job to do, he's going to be really good.'' Harris, who has a 3.98 GPA and scored 24 on the ACT, is being recruited by most of the Ivy League schools plus American University and Samford among others, but his college basketball future likely will be spent at Stanford University. He was supposed to travel to Palo Alto, Calif., this week to visit the Cardinal. "Stanford is where I want to be," Harris said. "They normally don't offer you (a scholarship) until after you visit."

Stanford also recently received a verbal commitment from Santa Clara transfer Andrew Zimmerman, a former Cornell prospect. Below are a pair of older articles on Zimmerman's recruitment.

The following was from the September 1, 2008 issue of the Sheboygan Press concerning Zimmerman's recruitment:

Oostburg grad leaves Santa Clara

On his 20th birthday Sunday, Oostburg High graduate Andrew Zimmermann felt, in some ways, like he did as a high school senior.

That's what happens when you're a sought-after basketball recruit — again.
Zimmermann, who as a college freshman played on scholarship for NCAA Division I Santa Clara last winter, asked for and was granted his release from the Broncos.
The 6-foot-9 forward said Sunday he didn't feel a true connection with Broncos coach Kerry Keating. Zimmermann was recruited by Dick Davey, who was fired prior to Zimmermann's arrival on campus.
"We didn't get along too much," Zimmermann said of Keating. "He's a good coach, but he didn't recruit me and I didn't feel like he was the coach for me.
"I didn't really have a commitment that he was going to help me get better."
Zimmermann has enrolled at Foothill Community College in Los Altos Hills, Calif. Just like when he was at Oostburg, he receives letters and calls from prospective universities inquiring about his interest and availability for the 2008-09 season. Two schools have shown great interest, but there's a snag regarding the one Zimmermann really wants to attend.
Stanford University of the Pac-10 wants Zimmermann for this upcoming season, but Stanford — along with Arizona State — were the two schools Santa Clara did not release Zimmermann to sign with because both have former Santa Clara coaches on staff.
Davey is an assistant at Stanford.
The other program showing the most interest is Cornell University of the Ivy League.
Because Zimmermann was released from his scholarship at Santa Clara, he does not have to sit out an entire season, as he would have had to do if he transferred.
"I'm starting to get more calls," he said. "Now some other schools are contacting me about sitting out a semester then coming back (for the second semester)."
He can also play a year of junior college ball, then look into Division I options again next year.
Zimmermann was a key post player off the bench for Santa Clara last year. He averaged 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game for the Broncos, who finished 15-16.
Before that, Zimmermann led Oostburg to great success. He averaged 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.2 assist per game over his prep career and the Flying Dutchmen went 77-15, including Central Lakeshore Conference titles his junior and senior years.

The following was from the Wisconsin Sports Network on August 28, 2008:

Former Oostburg standout Andrew Zimmermann has decided to leave Santa Clara University and has enrolled at Foothill Community College in Los Altos Hills, California.

The 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward played in 19 games as a true-freshman for the Broncos last season, averaging 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds per contest.

“I just did not feel a connection with the coaching staff,” Zimmermann said. “They were not the ones who recruited me. It was not a staff I wanted to play four years for.”

Kerry Keating led Santa Clara to a 15-16 record during his first year on the Broncos sidelines in 2007-08.

Former Santa Clara coach Dick Davey recruited Zimmermann to the school, but was fired prior to Zimmermann’s arrival. Davey is now an assistant coach at nearby Stanford University.

Zimmermann said he was unsure at this point whether he would play this season at Foothill or use the year as a redshirt season.

“It mostly depends on the schools that recruit me,” Zimmermann said. “Depending on what the schools recruiting me want, I may or may not play at Foothill.”

Santa Clara released Zimmermann to all schools except Arizona State and Stanford since former Bronco coaches now are employed by those two Pac Ten institutions.

Cornell University and Stanford are among the schools to express an early interest in the physical and hard-working Zimmermann, who is also a very solid student.