LaChance's coach on Minnesota official visit: 'He likes the coaches'

Riley LaChance was one of two official visitors for the Gophers over the weekend, and the experience was a positive one for the point guard, Brookfield high school coach Mark Adams said.

“He likes the coaches – he really commented on that,” Adams said. “He went to a practice they had and was really impressed with the intensity and the effort that was out there.”

LaChance -- a 6-2, prolific shooter -- leaves on Thursday for his fourth official visit, and only other currently scheduled, at Iowa. The Hawkeyes and the Gophers still represent the only two Big Ten schools that have offered LaChance, but Michigan State (where LaChance unofficially visited) and Indiana have both expressed a lot of interest. Hoosiers head coach Tom Crean was in Brookfield last week, along with Gophers coach Richard Pitino, for an open gym. One of LaChance’s AAU teammates and good friends, wing Brady Ellingson, was at Iowa for an official visit this past weekend; the Hawkeyes are going after the pair hard, but Adams said they have both said a package deal situation would be circumstantial, not something they’ve actively worked toward.

After his Iowa visit, LaChance could be close to making a decision. Adams said he expects the two of them will sit down sometime during the first week of October to discuss the options. While LaChance has considered waiting for the spring signing period, Adams said he is still leaning strongly toward making a decision before the basketball season.

Currently, his short list includes Minnesota, Iowa, Vanderbilt, Creighton, Butler and Michigan State and Indiana, were either to offer.

“This process has been OK for him but after this weekend, he’s taken four officials and two or three unofficials, it’s been a lot of stuff since the middle of August,” Adams said. “The short list has got some pretty darn good choices on it.”

Though Minnesota was just in Brookfield the day before LaChance headed to Minneapolis for his official, the Gophers could be back in Wisconsin this week, along with expected open gym visitors Iowa, Creighton and Vanderbilt.

The Gophers are also after another point guard, Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn, who could make his decision soon as well. The sense is that Minnesota would take both players if both were willing to commit.