By Dylan Fearon
Returning its core for next year didn’t stop Quinnipiac men’s basketball coach Tom Moore from reeling in a recruit with high major offers. Peter Kiss, a six-foot-five shooting guard out of Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts, is heading to Hamden next season because he was made a priority and he wants to win.
“Coach (Eric) Eaton definitely made me a priority early, he’s been recruiting me for a long time and so has coach Moore,” Kiss said. “They just stayed persistent and told me I needed to be a priority, not someone’s second option. (Eaton) coming up every so often, every week in the preseason plus my visit just made me realize where I wanted to go.”
Kiss, who also had offers from Fordham, Tulsa, High Point, Stony Brook and Liberty among others, is originally from New York and is No. 19 in the state according to ESPN’s recruiting database. Ahead of him in the rankings are some of the top players in the country, who have signed with schools such as Virginia, Miami (FL), Maryland, Butler, Indiana and UConn.
After taking several visits and meeting with dozens of coaches, Kiss felt most at home in Hamden.
“My family and I felt really comfortable with the coaching staff and the team,” Kiss explained. “There’s a huge family atmosphere and my parents just felt really comfortable. When they feel comfortable and I also like the situation, that’s the place.”
Moore thinks Kiss can play a multitude of positions when he arrives in the summer, but it’s his decision making and competitiveness that will translate the most at the Division I level.
“He works really hard and is a fearless kid,” Moore said. “He likes going up against better people and doesn’t back down from a challenge. He also has high offensive confidence and IQ. He can shoot it, he drives it, and passes the ball at a high level. There’s also a lot of different ways he can break pressure and he’ll pass the ball well in transition.”
Although Kiss has had a great high school career to date, he knows there is a lot to work on before he puts on a Quinnipiac jersey for the first time.
“Getting in tip top shape and getting in the weight room,” Kiss said. “Trying to get my body to translate to the Division I level is a challenge. Getting my shot more consistent and getting lower on offense is something else I want to work on.”
Kiss wants to do that something no Quinnipiac men’s player has ever done: Reach the NCAA Tournament. That most likely means winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, and Kiss sees that dream becoming a reality in the next four years.
“I’m looking forward to it happening while I’m there. Very excited for it.”
At the end of the day, Kiss just wants to win at all costs. And that’s a coach’s dream.
“The competitiveness and the offensive IQ and feel are big things that I think will help him a lot at the next level,” Moore said. “And he’s got athleticism and size. His versatility will help us too.”
“I just care about winning. Whatever they want me to do, I’ll do. Box out, play the five, the four, anything. Anything just to win. Anything.”
