Desure Buie is going to be asked to lead at Hofstra and the Wings Academy senior it preparing himself for that challenge.
Wing coach Billy Turnage has been on his point guard since his sophomore season to be more vocal on the court and in practice. The need to do so finally sunk in while watching how the player handled themselves a college practices this fall during the recruiting process. It’s lite a fire under Buie, who picked Hofstra over Manhattan last week. He knows he will have a chance to play right away for the Pride with a number of its guards graduating after this season. He needs to be ready.
“The point guards in college they are usually the one that is the loudest,” Buie said. “I saw them going hard. I went to practice and did the same thing and just doing it every day.”
One of the reasons he picked Hofstra was his relationship with assistant coach Craig ‘Speedy” Claxton. The former Christ the King, Hofstra and NBA point guard and him have build a strong bond. Buie also had Construction guard and fellow Hofstra commit Justin Wright-Foreman and Red Hawks coach Cory Semper in his ear telling him head to Long Island. The pair wants to be the first of a continuing pipeline of New York City talent going to Hofstra.
“I think we can dominate the CAA together,” Buie said. “We can do a lot together,”
He will give the Pride one of the areas’ best all-round point guards. Buie averaged 16 points, 10 assists and four rebounds a game to help Wing wins in the PSAL Bronx AA title. His quickness, strength and smarts make him a tough cover. It is why Turnage believes he will excel at Hofstra
“I think he will do outstanding,” he said. “He played at a high level his entire life. Some people want to say it is a step below where he could have went.”
Buie’s focus now is on helping the Wings take a step up this season after Brooklyn Collegiate upset them in the quarterfinals last year. Wings will again be one of the favorites to win the city title with Buie and Georgetown bound center Jessie Govan at the helm.
“I’m very happy,” Buie said. “I’ve been waiting for the process to be over with. Now I’m just focused on books and winning a championship this year.”
