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PrepStar's Top 30 recruiting classes
Posted: Saturday May 22, 1999 01:17 AM
By PrepStar Magazine With the spring basketball signing period complete and nearly every big-name recruit claimed, we spent the better part of two days compiling our preliminary ranking of the top recruiting classes. Especially interesting is the fact that five of the top 10 classes and nine of our top 32 belong to schools from the normally football-centered SEC. But the top two classes (Duke, Virginia) are from the basketball-crazy ACC. The ACC also features four of the top 32 classes, as do Conference USA and the Big East. Another interesting note: Six of the top 10 programs were not in the NCAA Tournament last season. Of course, all this is subject to minor adjustment, academic casualties and change in the next two weeks as we continue to find out more player signings. Below is PrepStar's list with further explanation from CNN/SI for the top 10:
1) Duke. The Blue Devils' prize of four McDonald's All-Americans was bound to be No. 1 even before Alaskan power forward Carlos Boozer joined their ranks in April. Now, with Duke's sudden exodus of superstars, Boozer will likely be expected to start immediately. So will point guard Jason Williams (Plainfield, N.J.), and, possibly, guard Mike Dunleavy Jr. (Portland, Ore.), or centers Casey Sanders (Tampa, Fla.) or Nick Horvath (Arden Hills, Minn.). Other signees: G Andre Buckner, Hopkinsville, Ky. 2) Virginia. Pete Gillen severely upgraded the struggling Cavaliers' talent level with this class. Majestic Mapp is a superstar point guard out of New York City and forward Travis Watson is a big-time scorer who can bang the glass. Others: G Roger Mason, Wheaton, Md.; C Jason Rogers, Staunton, Va.; F Stephane DonDon, Collin County (Texas) CC. 3) Mississippi State. An asterisk here: The Bulldogs rank this high largely because of center Jonathan Bender, now an entrant into the NBA Draft. But guards Derrick Zimmerman (Monroe, La.) and Antonio Jackson (Butler Co. [Kan.] CC) were also late coups. Others: G Trey Sanders (Jackson, Miss.); F Jason Johnson, Vicksburg, Miss.; C Lincoln Smith, Hollandale, Miss. 4) Michigan. The Wolverines received a huge boost when All-American swingman LaVell Blanchard of Ann Arbor announced he would stay home. Blanchard joins a group that includes standout guards Kevin Gaines (Las Vegas) and Jamal Crawford (Renton, Wash.). Others: F Leland Anderson, Attenboro, Miss.; G Gavin Groninger, Plainfield, Ind. 5) Cincinnati. Most observers had 6-foot-9 scoring machine DerMarr Johnson pegged for the NBA before he signed with the Bearcats. There he joins another McDonald's All-American, point guard Kenny Satterfield. Others: C B.J. Grove, Grove City, Pa.; G Leonard Stokes, Buffalo, N.Y. 6) Florida. Billy Donovan secured another top class by landing the self-described "Rodman without tattoos," Donnell Harvey (Cuthbart, Ga.), plus guards Brett Nelson (St. Albans, W. Va.) and Matt Bonner (Concord, N.H.). Others: G Justin Hamilton, Sarasota, Fla.; F Sylbrin Robinson, Miami. 7) Kentucky. Keith Bogans , shooting guard from the famous DeMatha (Md.) High School program, and center Marvin Stone (Huntsville, Ala.) will have immediate impacts for the depleted Wildcats. Others: F Marquis Estill, Richmond, Ky.; F Nate Knight, Utah Valley State JC. Signee John Stewart of Indianapolis passed away in March. 8) Providence. Top prospects for Providence include two swingmen, Romeo Augustin (Youngstown, Ohio) and Mark Jarrell-Wright (Newark, N.J.). Others: G Abdul Mills, New York; G Chris Rogers, Bossier Parish (La.) CC; C David Murray, New York. 9) Alabama. In addition to skilled big men Rod Grizzard and Kenny Walker, former California prep sensation Schea Cotton has finally found a collegiate home in Tuscaloosa. Others: F Erwin Dudley, Uniontown, Ala.; G Terrance Meade, Scottsboro, Ala. 10) Georgia. Jim Harrick kept standouts Ezra Williams (shooting guard) and Anthony Evans (small forward) in state while signing JUCO forward Shon Coleman. Others: G Shawn Fields, Lexington, Ky.; G Ramod Marshall, Charlotte, N.C.; G Moses White, Tallahassee, Fla. 11) Houston: C Chris Andersen, Blinn (Texas) JC; G Antonio Falu, Houston; F George Williams, Sugar Land, Texas; C Muhammed Lesage, Toronto; G Marcus Oliver, Charlotte, N.C. 12) South Carolina: F Calvin Clemmons, Charlotte, N.C.; G Chuck Eidson, Summerville, S.C.; C Trevor Harvey, Inagua, Bahamas; F Ivan Howell, Columbia, S.C.; F Travis Kraft, Mayville, N.D.; C Marijonas Petravicius, Kltenenu, Lithuania. 13) Georgetown: F Courtland Freeman, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; G Demetrius Hunter, Las Vegas; F Victor Samnick, Cameroon; C Lee Scruggs, Franklin, N.C.; C Wesley Wilson, Vallejo, Calif. 14) Tennessee: F Marcus Haislip, Lewisburg, Tenn.; F Carlton Aaron, Chesapeake, Va.; G Jon Higgins, Shaker Heights, Ohio; F Ron Slay, Nashville; G Harris Walker, Chattanooga, Tenn.; G Terrence Woods, Memphis. 15) Clemson: G Ronald Blackshear, Camilla, Ga.; C Raymond Henderson, Charlotte, N.C.; C Arturas Javtokas, W. Nebraska JC; F Tomas Nagys, Montgomery, Ala.; G Ed Scott, Hopkins, S.C.; G Pasha Bains, Richmond, Canada. 16) DePaul: G George Baker, Lexington, Ky.; C Steven Hunter, Maywood, Ill.; G Paul McPherson, Kennedy-King JC; F Jonathan Oden, Phoenix; G Joe Tulley G, Rockford, Ill. 17) San Jose State: 10 players, including C Lawrence Felder, Washington D.C.; F Ronald Strange, Fullerton (Calif.) JC; F Darnell Williams, Long Beach CC; G Les Norman, Lebanon, Ill. 18) Nebraska: G Danny Walker, Compton, (Calif.) CC; F Steffon Bradford, Compton CC; F Kenny Booker, Mt. Zion (N.C.) Academy; C Brian Conklin, Hubbard, Ohio; Kimani Ffriend, Gulf Coast (Fla.) CC; F George Mazyck; Coffeyville (Kan.) CC. 19) UNC-Charlotte: F KenKay Jones, Lillington, N.C.; G James Zimmerman, Indian Hills CC; F Rodney White, Morrisville, Pa.; G Demon Brown, Maine Central Institute. 20) Stanford: G Julius Barnes, Rowland Calif.; C Curtis Borchardt, Redmond, Wash; F Justin Davis, Alameda, Calif.; G Casey Jacobsen, Glendora Calif; F Joe Kirchofer, Elk Grove, Calif. 21) Connecticut : G Marcus Cox, Bridgeport, Conn.; G Tony Roberts, Barrington, R.I. 22) Arkansas: F Carl Baker, Palestine, Ark.; F Joe Johnson, Little Rock, Ark.; F Alonzo Lane, Canton, Miss.; C Kevin Robinson, Butler (Md.) CC; F Larry Satchell, Waco, Texas; G Charles Tatum, Midland, Texas. 23) UNLV: 10 players, including F Dalron Johnson, Verbum Dei, Claif.; G Kenny Dye, Connors State (Okla.) JC; G Marcus Banks, Las Vegas. 24) North Carolina: F Jason Parker, Charlotte, N.C.; G Joe Forte, Hyatsville, Md.; G Jon Holmes, Bloomington, Ind. 25) Rutgers: C Josh Moore, Jersey City, N.J.; F Sean Axani, Red Bank, N.J.; G Todd Billet, Middletown, N.J.; G Luis Flores, New York; F Mike Thompson, Winona, Minn.; C Kareem Wright, Mercersburg, Pa. 26) Mississippi: C John Gunn, Oxford, Miss.; G Aaron Harper, Jackson, Miss.; F Josh Hayes, Little Rock, Ark.; F Richard Kirklin, Pine Bluff, Ark.; G Emmanuel Wade, Marianna, Ark. 27) Arizona State: F Donnell Knight, Tempe, Ariz.; F Chris Osborne, Los Angeles; F Shawn Redhage, Lincoln, Neb.; F Tanner Shell, Mesa, Ariz.; F Tommy Smith, Phoenix. 28) Missouri-Kansas City: F Herb Brown, Penn Valley CC; F Marcus Golson, Butler County CC; F Michael Jackson, Butler County CC; G Cory Jones North Little Rock, Ark.; G Matt Suther, Butler County CC; Michael Watson, Kansas City, Mo. 29) Kansas: F Nick Collison, Iowa Falls, Iowa; F Drew Gooden, El Cerrito, Calif.; G Kirk Hinrich, Sioux City, Iowa. 30) Michigan State: C Jason Andreas, Sugar Creek, Ohio; G Jason Richardson, Saginaw, Mich.; F Adam Wolfe, Westerville, Ohio; F Aloysius Anagoyne, Detroit.
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