The turn of the calendar from March to April usually marks the start of anxious times for high schoolers nationwide, as they attempt to decide where to spend their next four years.
Star basketball players usually avoid that stress by signing letters of intent early in their senior year or even by giving verbal commitments during their junior season in high school.
For the second consecutive year, though, a Duke recruit has pushed his final college decision into the spring.
Last May, Lance Thomas picked the Blue Devils over hometown Rutgers. This year, Duke hopes for a similar decision from Patrick Patterson, scout.com's fourth-best power forward in the class of 2007.
Patterson, a chiseled 6-foot-8 big man from West Virginia, teamed with fellow star recruit O.J. Mayo to lead Huntington High School to the state championship. The forward averaged 18.8 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks during his senior year and impressed many at the McDonald's All-American Game in Louisville March 28.
"At the McDonald's game, he looked like one of the best power forwards there, and there's no doubt he's the best unsigned big man in the nation right now," said Dave Telep, scout.com's National Recruiting Director.
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski was on hand to watch Patterson, as well as signees Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, participate in the Nike Hoop Summit Saturday in Memphis.
"It meant a lot for me for him to come out and watch me play," Patterson said afterward.
Duke could use Patterson's presence in the paint. The Blue Devils were frequently forced to play four guards down the stretch of the season as Dave McClure and Lance Thomas struggled offensively. Patterson's rebounding and finishing skills on the block are even more crucial with the departure of sophomore Josh McRoberts for the NBA.
"Obviously from Duke's perspective, it's an opportunity to sell a guy on more playing time immediately," Telep said. "It's a huge plus, and it's a big chip for Duke to play in the recruiting pitch."
The Blue Devils, however, are far from alone in their pursuit of Patterson. Florida, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wake Forest and Virginia all remain in the hunt for him. Patterson initially planned on cutting that list of six suitors in half by mid-March and making a final decision in early April. A whirlwind of coaching changes and departing underclassmen, however, has complicated that process.
Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith left the Bluegrass State to take the job at Minnesota, but that has not eliminated the Wildcats from the Patterson chase. New Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie is a talented recruiter who showed how quickly he can turn around a program during his prior stops at Texas-El Paso and Texas A&M.
"I would not say [Kentucky is out of the running]," Telep said. "I can assure you Kentucky will be taking a stab at him this week. Their whole plan at this point has to be trying to package him and Jai Lucas together."
Lucas, an unsigned point guard from Bellaire, Texas, is a close friend of Patterson's, and the two have said they would enjoy playing with one another.
Kentucky may have been the favorite to land Patterson had they lured Billy Donovan from Florida to replace Smith. Last week, Donovan's Gators just became the first team to repeat as national champion since Duke in 1991-92. Although Florida loses all five of its starters from that team, the Gators have three key reserves returning as well as one of the nation's top recruiting classes.
"I think Florida is a formidable force in the recruitment of Patrick Patterson," Telep said. "And like Duke, they now have another nugget to offer."
West Virginia also lost its coach when John Beilein filled the vacancy at Michigan. The Mountaineers quickly hired Bob Huggins, whose emphasis on defense and rebounding may suit Patterson's game even more than Beilein's perimeter-oriented system.
Patterson must announce his decision by May 16, the final National Letter of Intent signing day.
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