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DePaul, Memphis rule C-USA

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This is the fourth installment of our in-depth examination of the results of the fall national signing period. The focus this week is upon the 12 members of Conference USA, which has quickly become one of the most powerful in the nation. Conference USA schools overall finished in fourth place among all leagues in fall recruiting, narrowly trailing the ACC, Pac-10 and SEC, but ahead of the Big Ten, Big East and Big 12.

FALL 2000 CONFERENCE USA RECRUITS 1. 6-11 Ill. C Eddy Curry (DePaul) 2. 6-2 N.J. PG/WG Dajuan Wagner (Memphis) 3. 6-1 Ky. PG Carlos Hurt (Louisville) 4. 6-8 Calif. JC PF/SF Chris Massie (Memphis) 5. 6-6 Fla. SF/PF Quemont Greer (DePaul) 6. 6-8 Texas PF Jason Maxiell (Cincinnati) 7. 6-10 Iowa JC C Kenny Brown (Saint Louis) 8. 6-2 N.C. WG Von Baldwin (Charlotte) 9. 6-5 Ga. SF/WG Karl Hollingsworth (Tulane) 10. 6-4 Ill. WG/PG LaVar Seals (DePaul) 11. 6-4 Ga. WG Anthony Rice (Memphis) 12. 6-8 Mich. JC PF Sam Hoskins (DePaul) 13. 6-9 Ala. PF/C Duane Erwin (Memphis) 14. 6-9 N.C. PF/C Terry Licorish (Louisville) 15. 6-1 Wis. PG Travis Diener (Marquette) 16. 6-6 Fla. SF Kelvin Brown (South Florida) 17. 6-4 Ala. JC Leroy Davis (Louisville) 18. 6-9 Fla. JC PF/C Benjamin Lambert (Southern Mississippi) 19. 6-2 N.C. PG Randy Pulley (Saint Louis) 20. 6-8 Pa. PF Brandon Brigman (South Florida) 21. 6-5 Ind. WG/SF Dennis Coutee (Louisville) 22. 6-8 N.Y. PF Kenny Adeleke (DePaul) 23. 6-5 Ill. WG/SF Ron Howard (Marquette) 24. 5-10 Ohio PG Brian Swift (South Florida) 25. 6-7 Miss. PF Jasper Johnson (Southern Mississippi) 26. 6-4 La. WG Ben Benfield (Tulane) 27. 6-9 Okla. JC C/PF Carey Rigsby (Southern Mississippi) 28. 6-5 Wis. WG/SF Drake Diener (DePaul) 29. 6-4 Fla. SF/WG Marlyn Bryant (South Florida) 30. 6-6 Ill. PF/SF Kevin Menard (Marquette) 31. 6-4 Texas WG Bryan Shelton (Houston) 32. 6-8 Mont. PF John Seyfert (Saint Louis) 33. 6-2 Texas PG/WG Dante Stiggers (Southern Mississippi) 34. 6-9 Texas PF Darrius Brannon (Houston) 35. 6-1 Texas PG Rickey Huckaby (Houston) 36. 6-1 Ga. PG James Pattman (Southern Mississippi)

Conference USA members landed four of the top 50 high school seniors, nine of the top 100, 16 of the top 200, 24 of the top 300, and five of the top 100 junior college sophomores (plus another from the top 150). Potentially of great importance is the fact that the high school seniors currently ranked No. 1 and 2 nationally, 6-foot-11, 290-pound Chicago-area center Eddy Curry and 6-2 New Jersey combo guard Dajuan Wagner, inked during the Nov. 8-15 signing period with Conference USA schools DePaul and Memphis, respectively. In addition, the favorite to corral arguably the best unsigned prep senior, 6-8 Mali import Ousmane Cisse (ranked No. 3) now playing in Montgomery, Ala., appears to be another Conference USA member, Louisville, where his brother Daouda is a freshman.

Note, however, that potential superstar Curry (called "the next Shaquille O'Neal ") is widely believed to be headed directly to the NBA from high school. His signing also gives the Blue Demons six recruits, one more than permitted under recent NCAA legislation. Does this mean that Pat Kennedy already expects Curry or perhaps another fall signee not to be on campus next fall? With Curry, DePaul's fall recruiting ranks No. 2 in the nation, behind only Florida. Without him, the Blue Demons' November group drops to somewhere in the 15-20 range.

The fall recruiting crops of Memphis (ranked No. 8 among all schools) and Louisville (No. 18) are also quite impressive, while Saint Louis, South Florida, Marquette and Southern Mississippi are other Conference USA schools who fared well in November. In contrast, Alabama-Birmingham (with five scholarships to give!) signed no one, while Charlotte and Cincinnati corralled just a single prospect each, albeit a good one.

Note that we've limited our look at Conference USA to current league members, hence East Carolina, which switches from the Colonial Athletic Association to Conference USA next year, is excluded. The Pirates, incidentally, signed just one prospect, 6-1 Durham, N.C., Jordan point guard Devin Boddie (ranked in the top 350 prep seniors), and have two scholarships available for the spring.

Below are all of the fall recruits of Conference USA universities, along with a brief assessment of the results for each school. The table above lists all 36 of the league's recruits (counting 6-9 Canadian native Terry Licorish, who verbally committed to Louisville but won't sign a binding national letter of intent until April) in rank order.

FALL 2000 CONFERENCE USA RECRUITING

1. DePAUL (No. 2 class nationally) 6-11 South Holland (Ill.) Thornwood C Eddy Curry (No. 1); 6-6 1/2 Homestead (Fla.) Berkshire School SF/PF Quemont Greer (No. 48); 6-4 Chicago Providence St. Mel WG/PG LaVar Seals (No. 86); 6-8 Schoolcraft (Mich.) JC PF Sam Hoskins (top 75 JC soph); 6-8 Brooklyn (N.Y.) Paul Robeson PF Kenny Adeleke (top 225); and 6-5 Fond Du Lac (Wis.) Goodrich WG/SF Drake Diener (top 300).

Although Milwaukee native Greer and Seals, in particular, are fine prospects, the key signee is Curry, whose presence (combined with the rest of the talent in this strong program) would make the Blue Demons an immediate national title contender.

2. MEMPHIS (No. 8) 6-2 Camden (N.J.) High PG/WG Dajuan Wagner (No. 2); 6-8 Oxnard (Calif.) JC PF/SF Chris Massie (top 25 JC soph); 6-4 College Park (Ga.) North Clayton WG Anthony Rice (No. 99); and 6-9 Huntsville (Ala.) Robert E. Lee PF/C Duane Erwin (No. 113).

Although superstar Wagner isn't likely to remain in college very long before entering the NBA draft, this is a talented aggregation that also contains powerful (260 pounds) and experienced (23 years old) Massie, sharpshooting Rice, and insider operator Erwin, who disappointed UAB by choosing the Tigers.

3. LOUISVILLE (No. 18) 6-1 Louisville Moore PG Carlos Hurt (No. 13); 6-9 Durham (N.C.) Mount Zion Christian Academy PF/C Terry Licorish (No. 117, verbally committed); 6-4 Southern Union (Ala.) JC WG Leroy Davis (top 100 JC soph); and 6-5 Jeffersonville (Ind.) High WG/SF Dennis Coutee (No. 199).

The key signee is southpaw floor leader Hurt, a Texas native who could help bring back the glory years for the Cardinals, especially if combined with an inside force such as above-mentioned recruiting target Ousmane Cisse.

4. SAINT LOUIS (top 50) 6-10 Iowa Western CC C Kenny Brown (top 50 JC soph); 6-2 Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God Christian Academy PG Randy Pulley (No. 187); and 6-8 Stevensville (Mont.) High PF John Seyfert (top 350).

Brown, a highly regarded junior college product, is the vital recruit for coach Lorenzo Romar, and the Billikens have two available scholarships that could be used next spring.

5. SOUTH FLORIDA (top 55) 6-6 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard SF Kelvin Brown (No. 148); 6-8 Philadelphia St. John Neumann PF Brandon Brigman (No. 197); 5-10 Warrensville Heights (Ohio) High PG Brian Swift (top 225); and 6-4 Leesburg (Fla.) High SF/WG Marlyn Bryant (top 300).

Coach Seth Greenberg has landed a solid aggregation of recruits, but are these good enough players to contend for the top echelon of Conference USA?

6. MARQUETTE (top 60) 6-1 Fond Du Lac (Wis.) Goodrich PG Travis Diener (No. 146); 6-5 Chicago Whitney Young WG/SF Ron Howard (top 225); 6-6 New Lenox (Ill.) Lincoln-Way PF/SF Kevin Menard (top 300).

Diener, who may be underrated, drills three-pointers and makes good decisions, while Howard is quite athletic, but an equally important addition next year will be 6-5 N.C. State wing transfer Marshall Williams, who must sit out this season under NCAA rules.

7. SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI (top 65) 6-9 Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.) CC PF/C Benjamin Lambert (top 100 JC soph); 6-7 Hollandale (Miss.) Simmons PF Jasper Johnson (top 250); 6-9 Western Oklahoma JC C/PF Carey Rigsby (top 150 JC soph); 6-2 Alief (Texas) Hastings PG/WG Dante Stiggers (top 350); and 6-1 Lilburn (Ga.) Berkmar PG James Pattman (top 400).

The two jucos plus strong (242 pounds) lefthander Johnson should provide lots of frontcourt help, as coach James Green seeks to move up within the league.

8. TULANE 6-5 Jonesboro (Ga.) Mount Zion SF/WG Karl Hollingsworth (No. 81); and 6-4 River Ridge (La.) Curtis WG Ben Benfield (top 250).

New coach Shawn Finney doesn't have a roster that's overloaded with talent, hence this is a crucial recruiting year. Hollingsworth and unsung Benfield can both play, but at least one of the remaining two scholarships needs to go to a blue-chipper who'll become a main man.

9. HOUSTON 6-4 Friendswood (Texas) Clearbrook WG Bryan Shelton (top 350); 6-9 Port Arthur (Texas) Lincoln PF Darrius Brannon (top 400); and 6-1 Mexia (Texas) High PG Rickey Huckaby (top 400).

Shelton is a good shooter and Brannon supposedly a better than advertised sleeper, but are they close to the same caliber as current Cougar stars Alton Ford and George Williams?

10. CINCINNATI 6-8 Carrollton (Texas) Newman Smith PF Jason Maxiell (No. 62).

Bob Huggins, who was left at the altar by 6-9 juco star Hiram Fuller (bound for Fresno State, his mother's preference), usually recruits more successfully than this, although Maxiell is a sensational run/jump athlete. Look for the Bearcats to add a quality recruit (or two) in the spring.

11. CHARLOTTE 6-2 Winston-Salem (N.C.) R.J. Reynolds WG Mitchell (Von) Baldwin (No. 76).

Coach Bobby Lutz has a young team and thus recruited selectively this fall, snaring only speedster Baldwin, whose last name formerly was Bittle. The 49ers have four available scholarships to work with in the spring and likely will ink at least a couple of prospects.

12. ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM No recruits.

Coach Murry Bartow recruited quite effectively last year, but this fall was a different story, despite having five available scholarships. Hopefully the spring will bring better tidings for the Blazers, who will scour the junior colleges for both frontcourtmen and guards.

Regional Notes

This week we'll identify two outstanding senior ballhandlers/playmakers from each geographic region. Their collegiate destinations are indicated in parentheses that immediately follow each name.

EAST

6-2 Fresno (Calif.) Clovis West PG Chris Hernandez (Stanford)

Note that 6-1 Boca Raton (Fla.) Pope John Paul II PG Charles Frederick (No. 32) recently verbally committed in football (he's a superb wide receiver) to Washington over Florida State, Florida, Tennessee, Miami (Fla.), Clemson, Virginia Tech and others. He'll sign a football national letter of intent in February but plans to play both sports in college and is a major catch for the Huskies.

 

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