news-record.com

Jonathan Frye never thought he’d find himself in this position again, feeling through the recruiting tango with colleges lining up for his services like Sadie Hawkins suitors.

“My first impression was definitely shock,” Frye said of getting his release from Appalachian State last month, “just kind of, I have to go through this situation again? I went out with an open mind and heard what schools had to say. It was a little — not uneasy, but a little different going through the situation again. But now that it’s over, it’s a big relief and a great feeling right now.”

Frye, the Northern Guilford ace who went back on the market after committing to the Mountaineers in the fall and then watching head coach Buzz Peterson leave for UNC-Wilmington, has decided to play his college ball for Tulane and incoming head coach Ed Conroy.

“I really liked the campus, and meeting the coaching staff, they were great,” said Frye, the Mid-State 3-A Player of the Year who averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals in his senior season. “In the long run, it’ll be a very good decision for me.”

Frye had only been to New Orleans once for an AAU tournament when he was 12, but he said he quickly fell in love with the city while visiting this month.
Conroy is taking over after four years at The Citadel, where he posted a 49-76 record and the best turnaround in school history this season, taking the Green Wave from six wins to 20. He previously spent six seasons as an assistant coach and director of basketball operations under Peterson, who re-recruited Frye with the Seahawks and was the other final candidate for his services.

“I got a feel for things down there (at Wilmington), and there really was nothing different from them (from Appalachian),” Frye said. “When I went down to Tulane, my gut just told me that was where I needed to be.”

Frye, who hopes to major in international business, could play right away for Conroy, whose Citadel defense held opponents to 42 percent shooting last season.

“The way they play is the way I like to play already — playing as a team, trying to win,” Frye said. “It’s very competitive, not based on the individual but more based on the team and team success.”

Contact Tom Keller at 373-7034 or tom.keller@news-record.com