After landing a commitment from four-star point guard Christian Bliss, Tony Bennett and his staff have thrown out a couple of new offers to prospects from the 2024 class.
One of those players is Jacob Cofie who is a 6-foot-9 four-star forward from Bellevue (WA). Currently ranked as the No. 96 player in the 2024 class, the Eastside Catholic standout just finished up a strong summer with NW Rotary Rebels on the Nike EYBL Circuit.
“My play this summer has definitely helped my recruitment,” Cofie told CavsCorner. “I just picked up an offer from Virginia and I have been talking to Penn State and UConn recently and they might offer me as well and I am planning on taking a visit to Virginia and USC soon.”
Now in his second stint in Charlottesville, newly reappointed associate head coach Ron Sanchez, who has significant ties out west, has been the primary recruiter for Cofie.
“They are really interested in me,” he said of the Cavaliers. “They had one of their assistants, Ron Sanchez, come watch me this past weekend in California for the live period. They have been calling me every day to just tell me how interested they are. I have been on a zoom with Tony Bennett and all of the assistants and I am looking forward to figuring out when I am going to take a visit there.
“He has told me how he really loves my defensive intensity and he thinks I would fit perfectly in the program,” Cofie added. “They really like power fours like me and they have had success with those types of players. They like how I am versatile and they really think I could make a big impact on the program. He also mentioned how impressed he was with my shooting on the EYBL circuit.”
Of course, few Virginia fans by now are unaware of the history and connection to the state of Washington because of Bennett, Sanchez and even Joe Harris. Given the distance for Cofie and being from the Evergreen State, there’s a natural question as to if he’d be fine with trekking all the way across the county for school.
“Location will not play a factor,” he said. “After being recruited by different teams from the east coast, it won’t play a factor at all.”
Cofie did discuss what will be important when making a college decision, though.
“I just want to be welcomed to the program but I also want to play right when I get there,” he said. “I want to make a lasting impact on the program I attend and I want to pick a place that will help me get to the next level.”
In terms of when a decision from Cofie to come, he said he’s got an idea.
“I think I will come out with a top five list in the next few months,” he explains, “and then I will want to commit at the end of the season.”
As of now, Cofie has taken official visits to both Washington and Oregon.
