The fruition of years spent by grown men frantically phoning teenagers, letters and more letters sent, countless winter nights in high school gyms, and, when necessary, strained jokes, feigned laughter and groveling to big brothers, AAU coaches and parents, behold, the latest additions to the future of the Big Ten Conference:
Illinois: Another strong big man for Bruce Weber to develop. He continues to save and use scholarships for future recruiting classes, including next year’s big one, not to mention Jereme Richmond down the road.
Stan Simpson PF 6-10 220 Chicago, IL
Indiana: An athletic class led by New Yorker Devin Ebanks (formerly of Bishop Loughlin HS, home to Mark Jackson-St. John’s fame). No longer on this list is Bud McKay after his run-in with law enforcement in Kentucky.
Devin Ebanks SF 6-8 185 Oakdale, CT
Terrell Holloway PG 6-0 175 Cincinnati, OH
Tom Pritchard C 6-8 240 Lakewood, OH
Matt Roth SG 6-3 175 Metamora, IL
Iowa: Like Bo Ryan’s been doing for years, Lickliter dips his toe in the Minnesota lakes. Tubby Smith will need to nix that jazz and quick. Matt Gatens looks tough plus his dad played for Hayden Fry.
Andrew Brommer PF 6-9 215- Rosemount, MN
Jermain Davis SG 6-4 200- Cedar Rapids, IA
Matt Gatens SG 6-5 201 Iowa City, IA
Anthony Tucker SG 6-3 175- Apple Valley, MN
Michigan: Beilein’s first class includes a sharpshooter and a old-fashioned low-post center.
Ben Cronin C 7-0 250- Syracuse, NY
Stuart Douglass SG 6-2 180- Carmel, IN
Michigan State: As Izzo has done for the better part of a decade, plucks a gem from Northern Ohio in Delvon Roe, e.g. Raymar Morgan, Travis Walton, AJ Granger, Andre Hudson, Eric Snow.
Draymond Green PF 6-7 230 Saginaw, MI
Korie Lucious PG 5-10 160 Milwaukee, WI
Delvon Roe PF 6-7 215 Lakewood, OH
Minnesota: Tubby gets some big kids, makes a statement with Colton Iverson and goes back South to get Little Ralph Sampson.
Devron Bostick SF 6-5 215- Racine, WI
Paul Carter PF 6-8 190- West Plains, MO
Colton Iverson PF 6-9 240 Yankton, SD
Ralph Sampson III C 6-11 220 Duluth, GA
Northwestern: Back to back solid recruiting classes for Carmody’s system. Not only because they’re from Chicago, but because they’re very good, especially Shurna.
Nick Fruendt SG 6-6 195 Batavia, IL
John Shurna PF 6-8 195- Glen Ellyn, IL
Ohio State: BJ Mullens, before his freshman year in high school at Harvest Prep in Columbus, accepted the first scholarship offered by Thad Matta when he took over at Ohio State. He’s a senior now and next year, hopefully, the Buckeyes will find a way to utilize (and in the process develop) him more effectively than they did Terrence Dials and disgruntled Greg Oden in an offense that prefers the three-pointer above dominant post-play.
William Buford SG 6-5 185 Toledo, OH
Anthony Crater PG 6-1 170 Wolfeboro, NH
B.J. Mullens C 7-0 260 Canal Winchester, OH
Walter Offutt SG 6-3 180 Indianapolis, IN
Penn State: A shallow early signing effort from Ed DeChellis with two remaining scholarships out there for the taking.
Billy Oliver PF 6-8 190 - Chatham, NJ
Purdue: Big news was the last minute loss of Indiana schoolboy Tom Zeller (who committed to Carolina). Instead, with two more scholarships in his back pocket, Painter adds two more guards. Ryne Smith is shooter from Northern Ohio and described a young Scott Skiles sans driving arrests and pot possession charges.
Lewis Jackson PG 5-9 165 Decatur, IL
Ryne Smith SG 6-3 170 Toledo, OH
Wisconsin: Bo continues to pluck talent from Minnesota. Berggren bares an uncanny resemblance to Brian Butch. Somehow, you trust Wisconsin will develop these guys as they have with players from Mark Vershaw and Andy Kowske under Dick Bennett to Mike Wilkinson, Devin Harris and Alando Tucker under Bo.
Jared Berggren C 6-10 220 Princeton, MN
Ian Markolf C 7-0 260- San Antonio, TX
Jordan Taylor PG 6-1 168 Bloomington, MN
Robert Wilson SG 6-5 175- Garfield Heights, OH
n.b. Several of the above-mentioned players will be formally sending their commitment letters at the end of the signing period.
Posted by TD Lawlor on Thursday, November 15th, 2007 at 11:35 pm.
