Vermonter Taylor Bowen makes college decision live on CBS Sports HQ

ESSEX - Taylor Bowen is taking his talents to the ACC.

The 6-foot-9, 195-pound basketball star from Jericho gave his commitment to Florida State, announcing his decision live on the CBS Sports HQ stream in the Bellcate School gym in Essex on Saturday afternoon.

"I just felt like home when I got to Florida State," Bowen said in an interview with the Free Press after his announcement. "It just felt like the perfect fit basketball-wise, on and off the court. It’s the right decision for me."

Bowen will enter his final year at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire this fall before starting his Seminoles career in 2023. Ahead of Saturday's event, Bowen had whittled his list of destinations to six schools: FSU, Duke, Iowa, Louisiana State, Providence and Vermont.

Bowen, a four-star recruit, said he heavily weighed his decision for months, ultimately picking a Seminoles program that has featured productive wing players such as himself.

FSU has also been one of the country's premier programs under head coach Leonard Hamilton. Since 2018 in the NCAA Tournament, the Seminoles have reached the Sweet 16 twice and made the Elite 8 once since 2018. They beat Vermont in the first round in 2019.

"It was really hard to narrow down and find the right fit and the school that prioritized my needs as well as everything else I need to take into account," Bowen said. "I just want to go in there with a dog mentality and win as much as I can. I’m just thankful to have the opportunity."

A product of youth programs in Jericho and who spent his freshman year of high school at Mount Mansfield, Bowen left Vermont for prep school in fall 2019. He spent two seasons at St. George's School in Rhode Island before moving on to Brewster Academy. Saturday, Bowen announced his decision in front of family and friends — a show of how strong his local ties remain.

"I’ve never forgotten that about my roots and where I’ve come from and everybody who’s helped me out," Bowen said. "It takes a tribe, that’s what I’ve always said. It didn’t just happen overnight. It took a lot of people at home and a lot of people from all over."

While admittedly nervous for the announcement, Bowen said he is ready for the next step of his basketball career.

"I’m really happy to be here and happy to continue the opportunity to play basketball at a high level," Bowen said. "I worked really hard for this moment."

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Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Taylor Bowen: Vermonter makes college decision live on CBS Sports HQ