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Jucos offer quality frontcourt talent
Posted: Wednesday January 31, 2001 11:19 AM
During the past seven months, we've paid relatively little attention to junior colleges as a source of talent for Division I programs. However, for many years jucos around the nation have showcased a plethora of high quality players, many of whom have gone on to NBA stardom. For example, more than 30 years ago we saw a spectacular 6-foot-9 scorer named Bob McAdoo playing in the state tournament for Ben Smith High in Greensboro, N.C. You may remember that his next stop was Vincennes (Ind.) Junior College, followed by one year at North Carolina before jumping to the NBA. He's now a Hall of Famer.
Today there are many thriving junior college basketball programs, primarily because of the NCAA's 2.5 GPA/13 core-curriculum courses/820 SAT requirements for freshmen eligibility, combined with the rule that academic nonqualifiers (in contrast with partial qualifiers) cannot receive an athletic grant-in-aid. Our focus is upon junior college (or community college or city college) sophomores, since individuals who do not qualify for collegiate freshmen eligibility must complete two years at a JC and receive an Associate's Degree in order to then play for a Division I university.
Note, nevertheless, that occasionally an academic qualifier elects to attend a junior college in order to (hopefully) raise the level of his recruitment. These individuals, such as 5-9 1/2 Barton County (Kan.) Community College freshman point guard Jason Carter, can transfer directly to a Division I university after just one year at a JC, if they choose. Thus, Carter (who's not on our JC sophomore list below), a former prep star who graduated last year from Horace Mann High in Gary, Ind., is expected to sign a national letter-of-intent this spring with Houston, Texas A&M, Hawaii, or conceivably Louisiana State or Mississippi State.
In our rankings of high school players, about 99 percent of the time we have actually seen the individual in action. Many of the jucos, however, were not highly touted high school performers, hence we are less likely to have seen them play. Consequently, we must rely more on the opinions of college coaches and scouts when trying to rank and rate the premier JC sophomores.
The consensus this year is that there is a better crop of frontcourtmen than guards (especially point guards) in the junior college sophomore class of 2001. We've tentatively identified the top 60 JC sophomore prospects, all of whom appear to be capable of playing successfully at the high-major collegiate level. Exactly half of the top 60 have either signed binding national letters-of-intent (in November) or made public verbal commitments to their universities of choice. Colleges that had considerable success recruiting more than one juco product in the fall include Louisiana State, Kansas State, UNLV, Texas Tech, Southern Mississippi, Louisiana Tech, Nebraska, Utah State and Northeastern.
What kind of JC talent remains available for the spring? Well, arguably five of the best six JC sophomore small forwards and four of the best five power forwards have already signed. On the other hand, all of the top five point guards (a relatively unexceptional group), four of the top five centers, and three of the top five wing guards are unsigned at this writing. Bear in mind that one of the very best JC sophs, 6-8, 260-pound Memphis power forward signee Chris Massie, was suspended indefinitely from the Oxnard (Calif.) Junior College team in January. Regardless, assuming Massie stays in school and completes his academic requirements, he'll be playing next season for John Calipari's Tigers.
We've listed our top 60 junior college sophomore prospects in order by position, rather than attempting to rank them Nos. 1-60. In case you are wondering whom we consider to be the truly elite jucos (regardless of position or signing status), the Sweet 16 JC sophs are as follows: 1) C Uche Okafor, 2) PF/C Hiram Fuller, 3) SF/WG Darmetreis Kilgore, 4) Massie, 5) SF/PF Kei Madison, 6) C Ermal Kuqo, 7) C Moustapha Diagne, 8) WG/PG Marcus Hatten, 9) C/PF Shawnson Johnson, 10) SF Ebi Ere, 11) WG Antonio Falu, 12) SF Jerry Dupree, 13) SF Tommie King, 14) PF/C Mike Mackell, 15) PG Chauncy Leslie, and 16) C/PF Ryan Randle. More details (including collegiate choices) are provided on each below. Note that Fuller originally signed with Cincinnati, but his mother would only sign a Fresno State letter-of-intent, so that's where he's headed!
Top 60 Junior College Sophomores
(in order by position) |
|---|
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Juco | College |
| Uche Okafor | C | 7-0 | Southern Idaho | NCSU, Mo., Conn., Utah, UNC, Kans., Ill., Aub., FSU, UNLV, NBA |
| Ermal Kuqo | C | 6-10 | Seminole State (Okla.) | Ill., Conn., Kans., Day., FSU, Ala., Charlotte, GW, Kans. St. |
| Moustapha Diagne | C | 7-0 | Trinity Valley (Texas) | New Mex., Miss. St., Ala., Cincy, L'ville, Miami-Fla. |
| Shawnson Johnson | C/PF | 6-9 | Lee (Texas) | LOUISIANA STATE |
| Ryan Randle | C/PF | 6-9 | Allegany (Md.) | MARYLAND |
| Pervis Pasco | C | 6-9 | Pensacola (Fla.) | Ala., Kans. St., Cincy, Ga., Xav.-Oh., S. Fla. |
| Kenny Brown | C | 6-9 | Iowa Western | ST. LOUIS |
| Trevor Harvey | C | 6-11 | Marshalltown (Iowa) | FSU, Ia. St., Ia., Haw., others |
| Bobbye Hill | C/PF | 6-9 | Tyler (Texas) | So. Miss., Va. Tech, Purd. |
| Jerry Holman | C/PF | 6-10 | Minneapolis Tech | MINNESOTA |
| Joe Sykes | C | 6-10 | Marshalltown (Iowa) | LOUISIANA TECH |
| Jeremy McGuire | C | 6-10 | Tyler (Texas) | Wash. St., New Mex. St., UNLV, others |
| Hiram Fuller | PF/C | 6-9 | Wabash Valley (Ill.) | FRESNO STATE |
| Chris Massie | PF | 6-8 | Oxnard (Calif.) | MEMPHIS |
| Mike Mackell | PF/C | 6-9 | Porterville (Calif.) | Conn., Ky., Okla. St., Pitt, S. Fla., Ore., Ia. St., San Diego St. |
| Kedrick Brown | PF | 6-7 | Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.) | LOUISIANA STATE |
| Sam Hoskins | PF | 6-8 | Schoolcraft (Mich.) | DePAUL |
| Bakare Konate | PF/SF | 6-9 | Cincinnati State | Colo., Tulane, Marq., W. Va., Cincy, Memph., Nev., E. Ky. |
| Jamal Brown | PF | 6-7 | Seward County (Kan.) | UNLV, Kans. St., Prov., New Mex., St. Louis, Wis., Ga. |
| Garnett Thompson | PF | 6-9 | Suffolk (N.Y.) | PROVIDENCE |
| Antwyon Jones | PF | 6-9 | Dodge City (Kan.) | Texas Tech, Wich. St., Aub., ECU, Tenn. Tech, URI, Rut., others |
| Jamal Holden | PF/C | 6-9 | Westark (Ark.) | TEXAS TECH |
| Benjamin Lambert | PF/C | 6-9 | Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.) | SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI |
| Sylbrin Robinson | PF | 6-9 | Odessa (Texas) | NORTHEASTERN |
| Darnell Tyler | PF/C | 6-9 | Tallahassee (Fla.) | RHODE ISLAND |
| Darmetreis Kilgore | SF/WG | 6-5 | Tyler (Texas) | PURDUE |
| Kei Madison | SF/PF | 6-8 | Southern Union (Ala.) | ALABAMA |
| Ebi Ere | SF/PF | 6-6 | Barton County (Kan.) | Texas Tech, Okla., ECU, Ia., Ill., Hous., Prov. |
| Jerry Dupree | SF | 6-7 | San Bernardino (Calif.) | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
| Tommie King | SF | 6-7 | Western Nebraska | IOWA STATE |
| Thomas Davis | SF/PF | 6-8 | Kilgore (Texas) | LOUISIANA STATE |
| Hector Romero | SF | 6-6 | Independence (Kan.) | Charlotte, Aub., Va. Tech, W. Va., Prov., St. Bonav. |
| Pawel Storozynski | SF | 6-8 | Dodge City (Kan.) | SOUTH CAROLINA (commitment) |
| Carlton Baker | SF/PF | 6-7 | Barton County (Kan.) | Hous., Ill. St., W. Va., Haw., Memph. |
| Janerio Spurlock | SF | 6-6 | Chipola (Fla.) | KANSAS STATE |
| Jimmy Hubbard | SF | 6-6 | Johnson County (Kan.) | Cincy, Okla., Okla. St., UNLV, Creigh. |
| Travis Robinson | SF | 6-7 | Barton County (Kan.) | Jacksonville, others |
| Greg Johnson | SF/PF | 6-8 | Southern Union (Ala.) | AUBURN |
| Terrance Saulsberry | SF | 6-5 | Moberly Area (Mo.) | SW Mo. St., Tenn., others |
| Eric Washington | SF | 6-7 | Barton County (Kan.) | Purd., Hous., UAB, Prov., Ia., Mich. |
| Donnie Jackson | SF | 6-5 | Utah Valley | Kans. St., Texas Tech, Aub., Texas, others |
| Marcus Hatten | WG/PG | 6-2 | Tallahassee (Fla.) | St. John's, S. Fla., Memph., Minn., Cincy, Ia. St., FSU |
| Antonio Falu | WG/PG | 6-5 | San Jacinto (Texas) | VALAPRAISO |
| Andre Stanley | WG | 6-3 | Globe Tech (N.Y.) | Mass., Charlotte, Ia. St., St. John's, others |
| Marcus Banks | WG/PG | 6-2 | Dixie (Utah) | UNLV |
| Blandon Ferguson | WG/SF | 6-4 | Southern Idaho | San Jose St., Charlotte, Utah St., ECU, Wisc. |
| Gilson DeJesus | WG | 6-4 | Trinidad State (Colo.) | KANSAS STATE |
| Leroy Davis | WG | 6-4 | Southern Union (Ala.) | LOUISVILLE |
| Brennon Clemmons | WG/PG | 6-2 | Olney (Ill.) | NEBRASKA |
| Josh Bernard | WG/SF | 6-6 | Tacoma (Wash.) | WASHINGTON |
| Donta Richardson | WG | 6-2 | Sheridan (Wyo.) | WYOMING |
| Jibrahn Ike | WG | 6-2 | Southeastern (Iowa) | wide open |
| Franck Essis | WG/SF | 6-4 | Chaffey (Calif.) | CSU North., CSU Full., So. Calif., Aub., Fres. St., UNLV. Wyo., others |
| Chauncy Leslie | PG | 6-1 | Indian Hills (Iowa) | Ia., Pitt, Aub., others |
| Taron Barker | PG | 6-0 | Odessa (Texas) | Texas A&M, TCU, Cincy, Aub., Ill. |
| Eric Bush | PG | 5-10 | Barton County (Kan.) | Ford., Wyo., ECU, Wash. St., others |
| Mookie Felder | PG/WG | 6-3 | Daytona Beach (Fla.) | Amer., ECU, others |
| Bradley Jackson | PG | 5-9 | Southern Idaho | E. Wash., Utah St., ECU, others |
| Eric Tutt | PG | 6-1 | Calhoun State (Ala.) | GEORGIA STATE |
| Derrick Colvin | PG | 6-0 | Seminole State (Okla.) | UAB, LSU, others |
Regional Notes
After identifying the top centers in each geographic region of the nation last week, this week let's indicate the No. 1 senior and junior power forwards.
EAST
Top senior: Julian Sensley, a 6-8 1/2 native Hawaiian who's a senior at Oakdale (Conn.) St. Thomas More and has signed with California, is our choice over 6-9 Florida International recruit Taurance Johnson of Glassboro (N.J.) Faith Christian, among others.
Top junior: 6-8 Jason Fraser of Amityville (N.Y.) High is a deluxe rebounder who has been compared with former NBA star Buck Williams.
SOUTH
Top senior: Let's call it a tie between a pair of near-supers, unsigned 6-8 PF/C Ousmane Cisse of Montgomery (Ala.) St. Jude and Mali, and 6-11 Florida signee Kwame Brown of Brunswick (Ga.) Glynn Academy.
Top junior: The clearcut choice is Raleigh (N.C.) Broughton's 6-10 Shavlik Randolph, the most polished payer in the prep class of 2002.
MIDWEST
Top senior: Three Midwestern power forwards rank presently among the nation's top 20 senior prospects regardless of position, so let's give equal credit to each: 6-9 Florida signee David Lee of St. Louis Chaminade, 6-8 1/2 Kansas recruit Wayne Simien of Leavenworth (Kan.) High, and 6-11 Minnesota-bound Rick Rickert of Duluth (Minn.) East.
Top junior: A name to remember is 6-8, 255-pound Sean May of Bloomington (Ind.) North. His father is former Indiana All-American and NBA ace Scott May, and Sean is almost as talented as Dad.
SOUTHWEST
Top senior: 6-7 1/2 Cincinnati signee Jason Maxiell of Carrollton (Texas) Newman Smith leads the way, with 6-8 Baylor recruit Lawrence Roberts of Houston Lamar running a close second.
Top junior: This is also a two-way race between Texans, with 6-9 lefty Chris Bosh of Dallas Lincoln getting the nod narrowly over strong 6-7 leaper Chris William s of Cedar Hill High.
WEST
Top senior: We've decided to consider 6-6 1/2 Kentucky recruit Chuck Hayes of Modesto (Calif.) Christian a small forward, so at power forward we'll go with unsigned 6-9 senior Demarshay Johnson of Oakland Tech. Johnson reportedly needs to upgrade his academic credentials.
Top junior: Had 6-8 Charlie Rodriguez remained at Fresno (Calif.) Clovis West instead of reportedly returning to his native Dominican Republic for his junior year, our choice would have been obvious. Now, however, we give a slight edge to Los Angeles Crenshaw's physical 6-7 Jamaal Walls over 6-7 Mike Hendricks of Seattle Ben Franklin, among others.
Brick Oettinger is talent evaluator for the Prep Stars Recruiter's Handbook and recruiting columnist for the ACC Area Sports Journal. For more information on either publication, call 1-800-447-7667. |
