RECRUITING: Findlay Prep duo commits to West Coast Conference schools

The Findlay Prep basketball program learned Friday it will send two seniors to Texas next season when point guard Cory Joseph committed to the Longhorns, joining teammate Tristan Thompson.

Another pair of Pilots will be rivals in the West Coast Conference.

Power forward Godwin Okonji has given an oral commitment to Loyola Marymount and shooting guard Marko Petrovic will attend San Francisco, said Findlay Prep coach Michael Peck. Both players made official visits to the schools last weekend.

“I’m very excited for both of them to get it behind them so they can look to the next step and be able to contribute,” Peck said. “They’re great fits. Those guys will go in there and be able to contribute sooner rather than later.”

Peck said Okonji also had scholarship offers from Marquette, Missouri, Texas Christian and Texas Tech.

The 6-foot-8-inch native of Nigeria averaged 8.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game as a senior, helping the Pilots (32-2) to the ESPN RISE National High School Invitational title.

Petrovic, a 6-3 native of Croatia, also had offers from Cal State Fullerton and Delaware. The nephew of former NBA player Drazen Petrovic averaged 9.5 points as a senior.

The Pilots went 96-3 the past three years with Okonji, including a No. 1 national ranking in USA Today’s final poll his junior year. No single player in Findlay Prep’s four-year history has won more games.

While Okonji has been on the recruiting radar for some time, Petrovic burst onto the scene after joining the program as a senior.

“The objective of whenever we bring kids in is to help them have that opportunity to select from Division I offers,” Peck said. “He did all the work in terms of buying in. He’s reaping those rewards.”

It’s the second consecutive year Findlay Prep has sent at least three seniors to the Division I level. Last season, guard Avery Bradley signed with Texas, guard D.J. Richardson chose Illinois, and post player Carlos Lopez headed to UNLV.