Highly-ranked point guard commits to Tulsa
Tulsa already has a top 150 commitment in the 2021 class, and the Hurricane got another recruiting boost on Tuesday when a highly-rated 2022 prospect chose TU.
Tulsa head coach Frank Haith and his coaching staff beat out SEC, Pac-12 and Big East schools for McAlester (OK) point guard Adante Holiman.
“I chose Tulsa because Coach Haith, Coach (Kwanza) Johnson and Coach Shea (Seals) have a great plan for me not only in basketball but also to make me a better man,” Holiman said. “I hope to contribute in any way Coach Haith wants me to and also be a great teammate no matter what.
“The program is great. I’ve always liked Tulsa since I was little. Coach Haith and the other coaches are really good coaches, and not just that, great people also.”
Verbal commitments are non-binding, and Holiman can’t sign a letter of intent until November, but by his senior season, he could become one of the top recruits in Tulsa history. The 5-foot-11 guard has not yet been ranked by Rivals.com, but he is currently an ESPN 4-star prospect and ranked the No. 1 prospect in the state of Oklahoma. Holiman is also rated No. 25 in the region and No. 37 nationally at his position.
TU has not signed a 4-star prospect out of high school since DeAngelo McDaniel in the class of 1998. Current 2021 Tulsa commit Teafale Lenard is rated No. 111 in the Rivals150 and could be elevated to a 4-star ranking prior to signing.
Holiman chose Tulsa over offers from Ole Miss, Arizona State, Arizona, St. Louis, DePaul and others. He recently had a virtual visit with Tulsa coaches via Zoom and has been on campus in the past.
“I’ve been on the Tulsa campus twice,” he explained. “Once for a team camp and then once when I was about 11, just to watch a game. I haven’t seen the new locker room though.”
McAlester had a unique season this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“We had like four or five games canceled due to COVID,” Holiman said.
The Buffaloes season ended in the first round of the regional playoffs at Bishop Kelley. Holiman had 22 points in the loss.
As a junior, Holiman averaged an impressive 32 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals per game. He shot 53-percent from the field, 43-percent beyond the arc and 85-percent at the free-throw line.
In McAlester’s final home game of the season on February 22, Holiman scored 11 points in the opening period, followed by nine more before halftime. He finished the game with 38 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.
“I feel like I can score the ball from anywhere on the court, and I can shoot the ball really well,” Holiman described. “I can get my teammates involved and play defense to help any team win.”
At McAlester, Holiman is coached by his father, Will. Will Holiman was an Oklahoma All-State player and AAU teammate of the aforementioned DeAngelo McDaniel in the late 90s.
“Being Adante’s head coach has been a joy. He is a very disciplined, hardworking kid who takes learning the game and playing the game very serious,” said Coach Holiman. “He’s a fierce competitor that plays both ends of the floor, gets rebounds, steals, can run a team well, plus does a great job of getting his teammates involved.
“Adante has a jump shot with major range from all over the floor, great ball handling skills and a 40-inch vertical. I feel he will continue to develop all those things even more in the years to come.”
The younger Holiman is also an excellent student in the classroom and someone his teammates look to both on and off the court.
“As a teammate, Adante is as respectful a young man as they come and treats all his teammates with the utmost respect,” said Coach Holiman. “He leads by example and also encourages the whole team in timeouts when adversity hits. I’m looking forward to having Adante one more year.”
Holiman is Tulsa’s first basketball commitment in the 2022 class. Tulsa has recently offered several of Oklahoma’s top prospects in the 2022 and 2023 classes, and having Holiman on board early could help lure other in-state talent to the Hurricane.
