Rickey Brice was looking for more than just a college where he could continue his basketball career when he began sorting through a long list of scholarship offers over the last few months.
The Pantego Christian Academy standout also wanted to find a place with coaches and players who felt like family.
The 6-11 center discovered what he felt was a perfect fit both on and off the floor at North Texas and committed to play for the Mean Green on Tuesday.
Brice has been on UNT’s campus on multiple occasions over the last few weeks and took his official visit to the school Oct. 18, when he watched coach Tony Benford and the Mean Green work out.
“The coaching staff is great and it’s not that far from home,” Brice said. “I am big on family. I feel like coach Benford is a family man. He will take good care of me. It’s a great fit. I will have a lot of help and support.”
Oral commitments are nonbinding. The NCAA’s early signing period for basketball begins Nov. 12.
Brice is No. 23 on TexasHoops.com’s list of the top seniors in the state in the class of 2015. He averaged 15.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a junior last season.
Brice said he chose UNT over offers from Stephen F. Austin, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, La Salle, Temple and St. Louis.
“North Texas is getting a tremendous sleeper,” said Alan Branch of TexasBoysBasketball.com. “When Tony Benford was at Marquette, I talked [then-head coach] Buzz Williams into recruiting Chris Otule out of Fort Bend Bush, and he is not nearly the athlete that Rickey Brice is. Rickey is a little further along than Chris Otule was at the same time. Chris Otule was a good player on a team that that went to two Sweet 16s and an Elite 8.”
UNT finished 16-16 in its second season under Benford and will lose two of its key forwards in seniors Colin Voss and Armani Flannigan to graduation after this upcoming year.
Brice could help fill that void.
“The coaches absolutely told me that I could make an impact,” Brice said. “They said there is a possibility I could play right away if I work hard on and off the court.”
Brice said UNT’s staff had been recruiting him ever since they arrived at the school before the 2012-13 season.
He is the second player to commit to UNT for its 2015 class, joining point guard Ja’Michael Brown, who will play the upcoming season at Houston Pro-Vision Academy. Brown is ranked No. 37 in the state by TexasHoops.com.
The more Brice got to know UNT’s players and coaches, the more comfortable he felt with playing for the Mean Green and spending his college career close to home.
“I would like to have my family come and see me play,” Brice said. “My grandmother will be able to come and see me play. I have family all around Texas who will be able to come that might not have been able to fly to see me play in St. Louis or Philadelphia.”
BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870 and via Twitter at @brettvito.
