Meeks likes feeling with Bucknell
Wednesday
By Conor O'Neill
Burlington Times-News
John Meeks took a day to think about his college decision after he returned from an official visit to Bucknell.
That was all the time the senior from The Burlington School needed to confirm that Bucknell was the right school for him.
“I knew about Bucknell’s success in getting to the (NCAA) tournament, and I knew it was a great school,” Meeks said. “I didn’t know how much of a community the school is.”
The 6-foot-6 forward was blown away, he said, of the Lewisburg, Pa., town’s basketball culture. A trip to 4,000-seat Sojka Pavilion made a lasting impact, as did spending time with current members of the men’s basketball team.
“Just about every game there is sold out, which makes it a great atmosphere to be in,” Meeks said.
Meeks’ visit to the Patriot League program was Friday and Saturday. He took two other official visits, to Delaware and Army, and those three were the schools Meeks’ list had been narrowed down to from the 12 that made offers.
Using Sunday to ponder the decision, Meeks said he had made his decision by the time he and his parents sat down with The Burlington School coach Ron Johnson on Monday afternoon.
“Coach Johnson asked some questions to make sure I was sure,” Meeks said. “It was what did I like, what makes this the school over other schools, just make sure this was what I wanted and I had no doubt in it.”
The way Meeks answered those questions left no doubt.
“He was really excited about the fact that the people near Bucknell love Bucknell basketball,” Johnson said. “The other thing that was important to John was that guys on the team really love to play and love to work out. He got a real good sense that guys there feel the same way.
“I honestly did not have to work through my process with John. … He had already done that in his mind.”
Meeks led The Burlington School in scoring (18.1 points per game) and rebounding (6.2 rebounds) last season. This will be his third season as a starter for the Spartans, with Meeks playing a central role in the Spartans’ 65-2 record in the past two seasons, including the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A state championship in 2015.
Johnson remarked that in Meeks’ time with the Spartans, he has always been a good shooter. But along the way, his athleticism has improved, along with the experience that has come by playing on large stages.
“I know the next level is very fast, so I have to keep working on conditioning,” said Meeks, who noted he’ll be a shooting guard / small forward within the Bisons’ system.
Wednesday
By Conor O'Neill
Burlington Times-News
John Meeks took a day to think about his college decision after he returned from an official visit to Bucknell.
That was all the time the senior from The Burlington School needed to confirm that Bucknell was the right school for him.
“I knew about Bucknell’s success in getting to the (NCAA) tournament, and I knew it was a great school,” Meeks said. “I didn’t know how much of a community the school is.”
The 6-foot-6 forward was blown away, he said, of the Lewisburg, Pa., town’s basketball culture. A trip to 4,000-seat Sojka Pavilion made a lasting impact, as did spending time with current members of the men’s basketball team.
“Just about every game there is sold out, which makes it a great atmosphere to be in,” Meeks said.
Meeks’ visit to the Patriot League program was Friday and Saturday. He took two other official visits, to Delaware and Army, and those three were the schools Meeks’ list had been narrowed down to from the 12 that made offers.
Using Sunday to ponder the decision, Meeks said he had made his decision by the time he and his parents sat down with The Burlington School coach Ron Johnson on Monday afternoon.
“Coach Johnson asked some questions to make sure I was sure,” Meeks said. “It was what did I like, what makes this the school over other schools, just make sure this was what I wanted and I had no doubt in it.”
The way Meeks answered those questions left no doubt.
“He was really excited about the fact that the people near Bucknell love Bucknell basketball,” Johnson said. “The other thing that was important to John was that guys on the team really love to play and love to work out. He got a real good sense that guys there feel the same way.
“I honestly did not have to work through my process with John. … He had already done that in his mind.”
Meeks led The Burlington School in scoring (18.1 points per game) and rebounding (6.2 rebounds) last season. This will be his third season as a starter for the Spartans, with Meeks playing a central role in the Spartans’ 65-2 record in the past two seasons, including the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A state championship in 2015.
Johnson remarked that in Meeks’ time with the Spartans, he has always been a good shooter. But along the way, his athleticism has improved, along with the experience that has come by playing on large stages.
“I know the next level is very fast, so I have to keep working on conditioning,” said Meeks, who noted he’ll be a shooting guard / small forward within the Bisons’ system.
