On the money: Xaverian's Bernardi picks up Iowa State offer, four others

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. – Brian Bernardi’s stock has never been higher.

Coming off an impressive week at Hoop Group’s Elite and Team Camps at Albright College, the Xaverian sharpshooter has become a hot commodity.

He received his first high-major scholarship offer Monday morning when Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg, the former NBA marksmen, personally made the offer over the phone. He was also offered last week by Atlantic-10 schools George Washington and LaSalle, Southern Methodist of Conference USA and the Colonial Athletic Association’s James Madison, Xaverian assistant Chris Alesi said.

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Xaverian's Brian Bernardi enjoyed a big week in Reading, Pa., and now has offers from Iowa State, George Washington, LaSalle and SMU to show for it.

“I wanted to show I’ve improved since the high-school season, that I’m not just a shooter,” the 6-foot-3 Staten Island native said of his performance in Reading, Pa. “I’m a lot stronger now. I can play at a higher level.”

A first team All-Brooklyn selected by The Post who averaged 16.4 points per game for Xaverian, he already had scholarship offers from Fordham, Hofstra, Manhattan, Iona, Boston University, Marist and Fairfield. Clearly, the standout rising senior has plenty of options as he’s visited Boston College, Georgetown, Providence, Hofstra and Fordham.

“The kid can shoot it, whenever it leaves his hand you think it’s going in,” one assistant coach involved in Bernardi’s recruitment said. “He will take huge leaps when he puts some weight on and adds strength.”

Bernardi was pleased to hear from Hoiberg, a potent long-distance bomber like Bernardi who enjoyed a standout career at Iowa State and played 10 NBA seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. In Indiana, Hoiberg teamed with Chris Mullin, the former Xaverian star who many have compared Bernardi to. He plans to visit Ames, Iowa the first weekend in August and get a feel for the team, which already includes Long Island product Tavon Sledge and has St. Raymond standout Kerwin Okoro in the fold for 2012, and the campus.

Most of all, he's going to get to know Hoiberg better.

“He makes a big impact, [Hoiberg] can show me how he did it and how he was successful in college, how he got to the NBA and I can try to follow his way,” said Bernardi, who has opted not to play the rest of the live recruiting period to work on individual skills. “He’s very similar to me. He knows how to get to the next level and be a better player.”

That’s not to say Bernardi is dead set on Iowa State. He still likes Hofstra and head coach Mo Cassara, who has recruited him the longest.

“Hofstra is still definitely near the top of the list, but I’m gonna check into Iowa State,” Bernardi said. “Hofstra still gives me an opportunity to come in and play right away. I know I can be a big factor at Hofstra.”

Hofstra, however, doesn’t have Fred Hoiberg. That, ultimately, could be the difference.

zbraziller@nypost.com