EVENTS
Sportsman of the Year
Heisman Trophy
Swimsuit 2001
CENTERS
Fantasy Central
Inside Game
Video Plus
Statitudes
Your Turn
Message Boards
Email Newsletters
Golf Guide
Cities
CNNSI.com GROUP
Sports Illustrated
Life of Reilly
SI Women
SI for Kids
Press Room
TBS/TNT Sports
CNN Languages
COMMERCE
SI Customer Service
SI Media Kits
Get into College
Sports Memorabilia
TeamStore
|  |
Early decisions alter landscape
Posted: Wednesday May 16, 2001 1:33 PM
Two trends that have developed among elite high school basketball prospects during the 2000-2001 academic year may have established a new pattern of recruiting, although only time will tell.
As you're no doubt well aware, the nation's five best prep senior big men, plus another almost as highly regarded high school low post player, have, unprecedentedly in terms of numbers, announced their entries into this June's NBA draft. We're referring, of course, to 6-11 C Eddy Curry of South Holland (Ill.) Thornwood; 6-11 PF Kwame Brown of Brunswick (Ga.) Glynn Academy; 7-1 1/2 C/PF Tyson Chandler of Compton (Calif.) Dominguez; 6-9 PF Ousmane Cisse of Montgomery (Ala.) St. Jude and Mali; 7-0 C DeSagana Diop of Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy and Senegal; and 6-11 C Tony Key, a Russellville, Ky., native who played part of this past season at Compton (Calif.) Centennial.
Each possesses considerable potential, so much so that three of them (Curry, Brown and Chandler) are widely projected among the top four selections -- ahead of 6-8 NCAA player of the year Shane Battier (a senior!) of national champion Duke and every other collegian except perhaps 6-9 Seton Hall freshman Eddie Griffin. Will this become a trend that continues next year and thereafter? Stay tuned in the future as we monitor the progress of blue-chip prep juniors such as 6-10 Orlando (Fla.) Cypress Creek C/PF Amare Stoudemire (already verbally committed to Memphis but expected to go to the NBA); 6-10 PF Shavlik Randolph of Raleigh (N.C.) Broughton; and 6-11 C/PF Sani Ibrahim of Winchendon (Mass.) Winchendon School and Nigeria.
Speaking of prime high school juniors, they are the subject of the other fascinating development. In the past few months and continuing as we write, there has been a virtual epidemic of very early verbal commitments to colleges by high school underclassmen, particularly juniors but even one prominent sophomore! A close examination of our latest rankings of prep juniors (class of 2002) shows that five of the top 14, nine of the top 30, 15 of the top 52, and 18 of the top 100 juniors have announced collegiate commitments already. This is far more than in any previous year. Will it become a lasting feature of the recruiting landscape?
Besides Stoudemire (ranked No. 1), who has committed more than a year before he will be able to matriculate and six months or more before he can sign a binding national letter-of-intent? In current rank order: 6-1 Latta (S.C.) High PG Raymond Felton (No. 5, North Carolina); 6-4 New Hampton (N.H.) New Hampton School WG Rashad McCants (No. 8, North Carolina); 6-5 Roanoke (Va.) Cave Spring WG J.J. Redick (No. 12, Duke); 6-7 1/2 Towson (Md.) Catholic (but expected to transfer to Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va.) SF Carmelo Anthony (No. 14, Syracuse); 6-10 Rochester Hills (Mich.) Rochester C/PF Paul Davis (No. 17, Michigan State); 6-6 Fort Washington (Pa.) Germantown Academy SF/WG Matt Walsh (No. 22, Florida); 6-7 Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy (but likely to transfer to Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va.) PF/C Mario Boggan (No. 27, also Florida); and 6-11 New Lenox (Ill.) Providence Catholic center Michael Thompson (No. 30, Duke).
Other top-100 juniors who have already made verbal commitments are 6-2 Mason City (Iowa) High PG/WG Jeff Horner (No. 33, Iowa); 5-10 Glasgow (Ky.) High PG Brandon Stockton (No. 35, Kentucky); 6-3 Portland (Ore.) Woodrow Wilson PG/WG Chris Rodgers (No. 37, Arizona); 6-1 Scranton (Pa.) Bishop Hannan PG Gerry McNamara (No. 46, Syracuse); 6-7 Marrero (La.) Ehret SF/PF Derek Burditt (No. 51, California); 6-7 1/2 Fort Washington (Pa.) Germantown Academy SF Lee Melchionni (No. 52, Duke); 6-5 Fayetteville (Ark.) Smackover WG/SF Jonathan Modica (No. 81, Arkansas); 6-5 Mount Airy (N.C.) High (but planning to transfer to Oak Hill) SF/WG Richard Joyce (No., 84, Wake Forest); and 6-9 Omaha (Neb.) Burke PF Roy Enright (No. 91, Nebraska).
Additional members of the class of 2002 who have announced their collegiate plans, in alphabetical order: 6-2 Hillsdale (N.J.) Pascack Valley WG John Blackgrove (Seton Hall); 6-5 Carroll (Iowa) Community SF Adam Haluska (Iowa State); 6-10 Buffalo (N.Y.) Traditional (but apparently transferring to Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, Maine) C Darryl Jacobs (Pittsburgh); 6-9 Spokane (Wash.) Ferris PF/C Sean Mallon (Gonzaga); 5-10 Antioch (Tenn.) High PG Mario Moore (Vanderbilt); 6-4 North Bridgton (Maine) Bridgton Academy WG David Teague (Purdue); 6-9 Grand Island (Neb.) High C/PF Wes Wilkinson (Nebraska); and 6-1 Dublin (Ohio) Coffman PG Chris Quinn (Notre Dame). Whew! And it's just the middle of May!
The potential big-time high school sophomore who has publicly proclaimed his collegiate intentions is 6-9, 204-pound C/PF Darian Townes (No. 19 in the class of 2003) from Alexandria (Va.) T.C. Williams. Townes, who blocked 183 shots and averaged 9.9 points and 8.0 rebounds as T.C. Williams reached the state Class 3A semifinals, wants to stay close to home and says he'll attend Georgetown in the fall of 2003.
Of the juniors mentioned above, Anthony, Walsh, Boggan, Modica, Joyce and Quinn announced their decisions within the past two weeks, as did Townes. Anthony, who averaged 23 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season for Towson Catholic, picked the Orangemen over Virginia, Maryland and Georgia Tech, after North Carolina backed off. He reportedly needs to improve his grade-point average as a senior in order to qualify for freshman eligibility.
Walsh, as expected, chose the Gators over Villanova, Virginia, Maryland, Stanford and Syracuse. This past season, he averaged 20.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 blocked shots as Melchionni's teammate at 27-3 Germantown Academy. Noted as a perimeter shooter, Walsh connected on 45 percent of his 3-pointers. Boggan, who also is headed to Billy Donovan's powerful program, turned down finalists Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Clemson and many others. A Durham, N.C., resident, he averaged 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting an incredible 81.6 percent (231 of 283!) from the field in 2000-2001 for 33-0 Oak Hill.
Modica, whose national stock soared during a junior season in which he averaged 33.4 points per game, opted for the home-state Razorbacks over Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida and others. His other statistics include 8.9 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game while shooting 67 percent from the field (46 from 3-point range).
Joyce verbally committed to the nearby Demon Deacons during the past season but temporarily backed off when coach Dave Odom suddenly bolted for South Carolina. However, after meeting on May 2 with new Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser, Joyce elected to recommit to the Deacs, even though coaches from Virginia, Tennessee and others recently had been in touch with his high school coach. As a junior Joyce averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds as the tallest player for 21-6 Mount Airy.
Quinn, who performed solidly if unspectacularly last summer at the Nike All-America Camp in Indianapolis, should become a solid floor general for the Fighting Irish. Last season he averaged 18.7 points and 7.0 assists for Coffman.
Regional Notes
As the April 11-May 15 spring national signing period comes to a close, our focus again is upon recent signings and announced transfers from one university to another.
EAST
7-0, 213-pound York (Pa.) Crispus Attucks senior C Chris Charles (No. 136 in the class of 2001), a native of Milwaukee, signed with Villanova over Seton Hall and Michigan. He previously had verbally committed to the Pirates but reneged when coach Tommy Amaker took the Michigan job.
6-5, 190-pound Lonoke (Ark.) High senior swingman Chad Wise signed with Connecticut over Arkansas. This past season he averaged 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
6-8 Brooklyn (N.Y.) Robeson senior PF Kenny Adeleke (No. 208) apparently will attend Hofstra, perhaps as a partial academic qualifier, rather than DePaul. The Blue Demons reportedly have released him (due to academic shortcomings?) from his fall national letter-of-intent.
Both 6-8 Paris (Texas) JC sophomore PF Troy Wiley and 6-3 Winchendon (Mass.) Winchendon School fifth-year WG/SF Dustin Hellenga inked with Rhode Island. Wiley, a Delaware native who averaged 13 points and seven rebounds for Paris JC, was also sought by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Maryland-Eastern Shore and St. Bonaventure. Hellenga is an aggressive athlete who hails from the Washington, D.C., area.
6-4 rising junior WG/PG Marcus Cox announced he is transferring to Massachusetts from Connecticut.
SOUTH
Both 6-5 Greenbelt (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt senior SF/WG Eddie Basden (No. 111) and 6-4 Wisconsin-Green Bay rising sophomore WG Chris Sager are headed to Charlotte. Basden, who turned down finalists Villanova, West Virginia and Providence after being released by Massachusetts from his November letter, averaged 18.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, four assists and three steals. He was named Prince Georges County Player of the Year and first-team All-Metro Washington (D.C.). Marksman Sager made the Midwestern Collegiate Conference's All-Newcomer team this past season, when he averaged a team-high 11.8 points and knocked in 44.2 percent of his 3-pointers and 89.5 percent of his free throws. He also considered Wisconsin and Gonzaga as transfer possibilities.
6-5, 230-pound combination forward Antonae Roberson, a sophomore at San Jose (Calif.) CC, signed with Alabama-Birmingham.
6-10, 245-pound rising junior C/PF Nick Vander Laan, who averaged 6.2 points and 5.3 rebounds while starting the first 21 games last season at California before injuring an ankle, announced he's transferring to Virginia. Vander Laan, a native Californian, also visited Georgia Tech and SUNY-Albany, and he canceled a trip to Villanova.
6-10, 230-pound Eastern Oklahoma JC sophomore C/PF Michal Ignerski, a native of Poland, signed with Mississippi State over Georgia State.
6-9, 255-pound Los Angeles CC sophomore PF/C Rafael Berumen, who attended New Mexico as a freshman in 1999-2000, signed with Miami (Fla.). He averaged 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists for LACC.
6-2 1/2 N.C. State freshman WG Trey Guidry, who started six games and averaged 3.1 points over 25 contests (43.2 percent on 3-pointers), announced he is transferring from the Wolfpack to a yet undetermined school.
Dave Odom's first signee at South Carolina is 6-7, 220-pound lefty SF/PF Carlos Powell, who averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds and four assists for 26-6 state Class 3A quarterfinalist Florence (S.C.) Wilson while shooting 62 percent from the field, 39 percent on 3-pointers and 78 percent from the line. Powell, who has not yet qualified academically but is waiting on an SAT score, was also sought by UNC Wilmington, Idaho, College of Charleston and West Virginia.
Without explaining why, Louisville announced that it has released 6-4 Southern Union (Ala.) JC sophomore WG Leroy Davis from the letter-of-intent he signed in November with the Cardinals.
6-7, 215-pound Dixie State (Utah) JC sophomore PF/SF Josh Clark, an Atlanta native who averaged 13 points and eight rebounds for a 35-2 team that finished third in the NJCAA tournament, signed with Virginia Commonwealth.
Both 6-2 Dunnellon (Fla.) High senior WG/PG Stanley Jackson (No. 191) and 6-7 Tallahassee (Fla.) CC freshman SF Bernard Jackson signed with the College of Charleston. Stanley Jackson scored more than 3,000 points in his prep career, averaging 26 per outing. Bernard Jackson, who has three seasons of NCAA eligibility, averaged six points and three rebounds last season for strong Tallahassee CC.
Both 6-5 1/2 Riverdale (Ga.) High senior WG/SF Chris McFarland and 6-6, 200-pound Dodge City (Kan.) CC sophomore SF/PF Nathan Carson signed with Appalachian State. McFarland, who had a scholarship offer withdrawn by South Carolina, averaged 19 points, nine rebounds and 4.5 assists for 26-4 Riverdale while shooting 53 percent from the field and 51 percent on 3-pointers. College of Charleston and Tulane were his other finalists. Carson averaged 12 points and five rebounds for 19-13 Dodge City CC. He made 54 percent of his field goals and 41 percent of his 3-pointers.
6-7 Durham (N.C.) Jordan senior PF Sheldon Bailey, who averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds after transferring from nearby Mount Zion Christian Academy, signed with Winthrop. Bailey played as a sophomore at Hope Mills (N.C.) South View and sat out his junior year while recuperating from reconstructive knee surgery.
6-5 Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High senior SF Quinton McCleod signed with Elon. He averaged 20.8 points this past season.
6-0 PG/WG Adrian Borders, who started for state Class 4A (large-school) championship teams the past two seasons at Lilburn (Ga.) Berkmar, signed with Wofford.
6-10 Fork Union (Va.) Fork Union Military Academy C John Chappell (No. 240), a native of the Milwaukee area and son of former Wake Forest great Len, will sign with either South Carolina, Tulane or St. Louis. He had verbally committed to the Deamon Deacons, but new coach Skip Prosser urged him to look elsewhere.
MIDWEST
6-0 Odessa (Texas) JC PG Taron Barker (No. 20 JC sophomore) signed with Cincinnati over finalists Connecticut and Auburn.
6-1 Lincoln (Ill.) JC sophomore PG Marlon Brooks signed with DePaul. The former Peoria (Ill.) Manual prepster averaged 17 points and five assists for 26-7 Lincoln JC.
6-3 1/2, 220-pound sophomore swingman Blandon Ferguson of the College of Southern Idaho (JC) signed with Illinois over San Jose State, Wisconsin, Long Beach State and others. The Oakland resident averaged 14.4 points and 5.6 rebounds in 2000-2001, when he hit 53 percent of his field goals and 41 percent of his 3-pointers.
6-8, 215-pound sophomore PF Mike Hayes of Cowley County (Kan.) CC recommitted to Xavier. The Hartford native averaged 13.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists, and shot 59.8 percent from the field last season.
6-5 Oakdale (Minn.) Tartan senior SF Eric Crawford signed with Bowling Green, where he could prove to be a real steal.
6-7 rising sophomore SF Ross Varner announced he is transferring to St. Louis. As a freshman in 1998-1999 at Pepperdine, he played for coach Lorenzo Romar, who is now at St. Louis. Varner has been on a Mormon mission the past two years.
6-8 rising senior Danny Miller, a former McDonald's All-American prepster, is transferring from Maryland to Notre Dame, where he will sit out next season and then have one remaining year of eligibility. Miller picked the Irish (where he visited April 27-29) over Rutgers and Villanova.
SOUTHWEST
6-4, 195-pound sophomore WG/SF/PG Terrell Ross of Allegany (Md.) JC signed with Texas after also considering Maryland and Mississippi State. He averaged 9.3 points, 7.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds for the 32-3 NJCAA tournament runner-up while shooting 55 percent from the field and 36.5 percent on 3-pointers.
6-6 senior SF/WG DeMario Eddins, a Chicago native who prepped last season at Winchendon (Mass.) Winchendon School, signed with Arkansas over Colorado, La Salle, Nebraska and others. He averaged 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists for strong Winchendon.
5-10 College of Southern Idaho (JC) sophomore PG Bradley Jackson signed with Texas A&M. Jackson, who played for San Diego State as a freshman in 1999-2000, averaged 4.5 points and 4.6 assists for Southern Idaho, where he started 27 of 33 games. He likely will back up recent 6-0 PG signee Michael Gardener from Garden City (Kan.) CC.
6-3, 180-pound sophomore PG Lee Green, Terrell Ross' teammate at Allegany (Md.) JC, signed with North Texas State. For powerful Allegany, steady Green averaged 8.3 points, 5.4 assists and three rebounds last season and shot 36.2 percent on 3-pointers.
WEST
6-5 sophomore WG/PG Lamar Bigby, who played for both Schoolcraft (Mich.) JC and San Francisco CC, signed with UNLV. He committed last fall to San Jose State but was later released from his national letter-of-intent.
6-10 rising junior C/PF Tim Frost announced he will transfer to Utah from Portland, where he was team MVP and averaged 14.9 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots this past season.
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.
|
Copyright © 2001
CNN/Sports Illustrated
An AOL Time Warner Company.
All Rights Reserved.
|
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.
|
|
