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          ESPN Boston High School Report

          KP's Jake Layman commits to Maryland

          • Brendan C. Hall, ESPN Staff WriterSep 5, 2011, 11:57 PM ET
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              Brendan C. Hall joined ESPNBoston.com as a high schools reporter/editor in May 2010, after four years covering high schools for The Boston Globe. The Westminster, Mass. native also served on the Globe's Bruins beat in 2009.
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          King Philip Regional forward Jake Layman told ESPNBoston.com earlier this evening that he has verbally committed to Maryland and head coach Mark Turgeon for the 2012-13 season.

          Layman is the No. 53 overall player in the Class of 2012 in ESPNU's latest rankings, and the nation's No. 11 small forward. He was considering offers from at least 15 other high-major programs.

          Late last month, Layman had initially set up official visits for September, starting with College Park this Labor Day weekend followed by subsequent visits to Syracuse, Louisville, Florida and Wake Forest. But his relationship with Turgeon and the rest of his staff has been notably strong, going back to when he was first offered a scholarship by Texas A&M last February.

          Layman called Turgeon this afternoon, driving back to his home in Wrentham, and gave him his commitment over the phone.

          "My relationship with the coaches has been real strong, with every single coach," he told ESPNBoston.com.

          "I like Coach Turgeon's style of play, his offense is a good fit for me," he continued. "The ACC is a good conference for me, too. I think it's the most skilled conference in the country, I like it a lot. I've spent a lot of time with the players [on my visits], I know them real well, and they're easy to talk to, so that’s good. Plus, I have the opportunity to be an impact player my freshman year."

          Layman was named to the starting five of ESPNBoston's inaugural MIAA All-State Team last March, after leading the Warriors to a surprise appearance in the Division 2 South Finals and averaging 24.6 points, 13.6 rebounds, 4.6 blocks, 3.1 steals and 2.3 assists. He also took Hockomock League MVP honors to cap off a historic season for the program, which set a school record for most wins in a season (17).

          After a run with the Boston Amateur Basketball Club on the AAU circuit this summer, which included winning the Nike EYBL Championship on national television in July, Layman saw his recruitment explode. Syracuse, Louisville, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, DePaul, Virginia Tech, Iowa, Gonzaga and Florida all jumped in with offers for his services.