Elijah Saunders: Class of 2022 power forward cuts list to 5

Elijah Saunders, a 6-foot-8 power forward out of Phoenix (Ariz.) Sunnyslope High School tells On3 he is down to five schools – San Diego State, Notre Dame, Miami, Virginia Tech, and South Carolina.

Saunders has set all five of his official visits. He will be at San Diego State on Aug. 27-29, Notre Dame on Sept. 3-5, Miami on Sept. 10-12, Virginia Tech on Sept. 17-19, and South Carolina on Sept. 24-26.

Elijah Saunders discussed each option with On3.

Saunders on San Diego State

“They’ve been really successful in the Mountain West,” Saunders said. “I think during that COVID year, they were the no. 1 team in the country. Coach (Brian) Dutcher is a really good coach. The appeal for them is me being able to come in and have a big role as a freshman. It’s a really nice campus, and close to home.”

Saunders on Notre Dame

“Coach (Mike) Brey has been really successful,” Saunders said. “He’s been there for forever so he doesn’t really have to worry about his job security. They were my last offer but that doesn’t mean anything for me. They’ve had success with players with my skill set.”

Saunders on Miami

“I talk to them every day,” Saunders said. “Coach L (Jim Larrañaga) sends me texts every day. It’s really nice…ACC.”

Saunders on Virginia Tech

“Coach (Mike) Young was just ACC coach of the year,” Saunders said. “They’ve had a lot of success in the past couple of years. They play through their bigs and they’re losing guys, so just an opportunity to play right away.”

Saunders on South Carolina

“They were my first high major offer,” Saunders said. “There’s a relationship there between my dad and someone he knows back in Chicago. I like Coach (Frank) Martin a lot. I feel like he’s a player’s coach. He’s tough. The SEC is a great conference to showcase your skills.”