Duquesne men’s basketball coach Dru Joyce received his first verbal commitment from the class of 2025 when three-star guard Arness Lawson said he plans to enroll next year.

Lawson (6-foot-2, 165 pounds) is a senior at Pickerington North (Ohio) High School. He chose the Dukes over scholarship offers from Tulane, Northern Kentucky and Utah State.

He is ranked No. 7 overall in Ohio by 247Sports, 238th in the U.S. and the 42nd guard.

The commitment is not binding until he signs a letter of intent. The early signing period will be between Nov. 13-20.

Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.