K-State recruit Fincher fails to qualify

The Kansas State basketball team has lost the big man in its incoming freshman recruiting class.

Wildcats coach Bruce Weber confirmed Thursday that Neville Fincher has not achieved NCAA academic qualifying standards and will not enroll at K-State.

“At this point it does not look like Neville is going to meet NCAA qualifications and he probably will pursue going to a community college,” Weber said. “We are going to continue to watch him and recruit him and hope someday that we’ll be able to recruit him again.”

Fincher is a 6-foot-10, 240-pound post player signed out of Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia where he averaged 12 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks last season. The Teaneck, N.J., native was rated the No. 26 center prospect by ESPN.

With a scholarship now open, Weber and his staff could pursue a junior college player to help fill the void on the front line. Fincher was part of a five-man freshman class that includes guards Marcus Foster, Jevon Thomas, Nigel Johnson and forward Wesley Iwundu.

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K-State also added two Division I transfers, guard Justin Edwards from Maine and forward Brandon Bolden from Georgetown, who must sit out the 2013-14 season.