Rating
the Big East recruiting classes
Tuesday, June 23 , 2004
By RICHARD COREN Special to
projo.com
When Connecticut captured the national championship for a second time in March,
it reaffirmed the Big Easts status as one of the top three or four
basketball conferences in America. As always, recruiting plays a major role
in keeping any conference near or at the top. Connecticut has had national
top ten recruiting classes more often than not, and that success has
translated to on the court success.
Once again, schools in the Big East have enjoyed a monster haul of talent in
the past recruiting year. In fact, after the Huskies, who once again had the
clear cut top class in the league, there is a group of about five or six
schools who had remarkably similar classes in terms of quality, and that
made ranking this group the toughest in memory. From slots two through
seven, you could throw the names in a hat and pick them out one by one, and
you wouldnt necessarily be wrong.
As in the past, Friar Insider has attempted to take into consideration the
impact that players in each class will have in the upcoming season, and that
impact plays a big part in our rankings. For that reason, the recruiting
classes of incoming schools Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette and
South Florida are not included here, because those schools, and their
recruits, will not participate in the Big East next season.
The numbers in parenthesis after each recruits information represent the
recruiting rankings from three different recruiting services. Included are
PrepStars (PS), which offers a Top 300 listing; Rivals (RV), which has a Top
150 list; and The Insiders (IN), which is from a Top 100 list. Here then,
are the annual Friar Insider Big East recruiting class rankings:
1. Connecticut
Rudy Gay, F, 6-9, 215, Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Spalding (#4-PS, #5-RV,
#4-IN)
Antonio Kellogg, G, 6'1", 180, California (#146-PS)
Ed Nelson, F, 6'8", 265, Florida- transfer
A.J. Price, G, 6-0, 170, Amityville, N.Y./Amityville (#32-PS, #32-RV, #27-IN)
The premier program in the league just keeps rolling on with the clear-cut number
one class in the league. Gay is probably the top high school player in the nation
to attend college this season, and UConn fans have high hopes for Price, a quick
shooter who could fill Taliek Browns shoes right away. Gay will be the odds-on
pick to be Big East Rookie of the Year. Kellogg will probably sit and learn
behind Rashad Anderson, but Nelson is a banger with excellent experience as
a transfer who will provide immediate help to a frontcourt that lost Emeka Okafor.
Jim Calhoun has elevated this program to a position of a national recruiting
power, and the Huskies classes reflect that each year.
2. Georgetown
Tyler Crawford, G/F, 6-4, Staunton, Va./Robert E. Lee (#201-PS)
Cornelio Guibunda, F, 6-9, Mozambique/King & Low-Heywood Thomas School (Conn.)
(#82-PS, #107-RV)
Roy Hibbert, C, 7-2, 275, Rockville, Md./Georgetown Prep (#87-PS, #99-IN)
Jeff Green, F, 6-8, Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern (#159-PS, #73-IN)
John Thompson III steps in for the Hoyas and inherited a number of Craig Esherick-recruits.
Certainly, the Hoyas have continued their reputation of being one of the bigger
teams in the league. Hibbert has battled numerous injuries throughout his prep
career and that may slow down his development at the college level. If healthy,
he can be a force. Guibunda is a very talented, mobile forward who was a key
signing for the Hoyas, and Green is a big-time sleeper who may be very underrated
by some. The Hoyas didnt do much to address their lack of perimeter shooting
with this class, but they got bigger and tougher inside, and Thompson can always
look to fix the backcourt in the next class.
3. Providence
Charles Burch, F, 6-6, 215, MA/Tabor Academy (#286-PS)
Randall Hanke, F/C, 6-10, 215, New York, N.Y./Trinity Pawling School (#267-PS)
Quinten Hosley, G/F, 6-7, 220, Denver, Colo./Lamar Community College (Top 10
JUCO)
Anthony Ivory, C, 6-9, 310, Mt. Rainer, Md./Marriott Charter Hospitality School
(#197-PS)
Robert McKiver, G, 6-2, 200, New Haven, Conn./Winchendon School/Hillhouse (#155-PS)
Jajuan Robinson, G, 5-10, 160, Baltimore, Md./Prince Avenue Prep (#145-PS)
DeSean White, F, 6-7, 250, Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal Dougherty (#76-PS, #79-RV,
#96-IN)
Providence welcomes the biggest class in the Big East, and the largest class
in recent memory at the school. The class is highlighted by White, who recently
gained his eligibility for the upcoming season, and Hosley, who is attending
summer school in hopes of gaining his eligibility. Hanke figures to see major
minutes at center, while Robinson is a jet-quick leaper who can shoot it and
will provide depth at the point. McKiver missed last season with an ankle injury,
but if fully recovered, could be a major steal for Tim Welshs Friars, while
Burch is a hard-working blue collar rebounder. Ivory is included here even though
he will likely prep, but he is also taking courses in hopes of becoming eligible.
If Hosley is eligible, watch out for the Friars in 2004-05. In any case, at
the risk of being accused of PC bias in these rankings, heres betting that not
too many classes at their respective schools will have more of an impact over
the course of next season, than this class, which will be undervalued by most.
4. Seton Hall
Justin Cerasoli, G, 6-5, Chicago, Ill./West Aurora (#20-PS, #76-RV, #66-IN)
Marcus Cousin, F/C, 6-10, Baltimore, Md./Randallstown
Stan Gaines, F, 6'7, 245 , Illinois
Brian Laing, G/F, 6-5, Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymonds (#80-PS, #141-RV)
Louis Orr continues to amp up his recruiting efforts with an excellent class.
Cerasoli is one of the top point guard prospects in the nation, and hails from
basket-rich Chicago. Hell be given every opportunity to run the team from the
get-go. Laing is a tough, hard-nosed swing player from well-respected St. Raymonds,
and Cousin elevated his stock with a great senior year. In the late spring period,
Cousin was a hot commodity, and while still a relative unknown, hell be a welcome
banger in the Halls frontcourt rotation next year.
5. Syracuse
Dayshawn Wright, F, 6-7, 235, Syracuse, N.Y./Oak Hill Academy (Va.) (#122-PS,
#51-RV, #92-IN)
Josh Wright, G, 6-1, Utica, N.Y./Proctor (#64-PS, #40-RV, #52-IN)
Jim Boeheim is hoping that Josh Wright can step in and quarterback his team
next year. If the slim point guard can accomplish that, a player like Gerry
McNamara will free up from handling the ball and can concentrate on his shooting.
Wright has a reputation as a fine passer and a superb offense runner, although
a weak shooter, so Boeheim may get his wish. When Hakim Warrick announced that
he was returning to school, it probably cut down on Dayshawn Wrights playing
time next season, but thats okay. Wright is a tough inside banger who will back
up and provide quality relief minutes this year, and hell probably benefit from
the learning experience.
6. Pittsburgh
Keith Benjamin, G, 6-2, 185, Mount Vernon, N.Y./Mount Vernon (#131-PS, #122-RV)
John DeGroat, F, Jr., 6-6, 210, Monticello, N.Y./Northeastern Colorado JC (Top
10 JUCO)
Ronald Ramon, G, 6-1, 175, Bronx, N.Y./All Hallows (#183-PS)
This is Jamie Dixons first class as a head coach, and its a good one. Benjamin
has a reputation as a good shooter, and Ramon is a gritty, floor leader at the
point guard, a real glue-type player. Without question, Dixon has solidified
his backcourt down the road, but are either Benjamin or Ramon ready for the
Big East? Ramon will probably see most of his time as a back up this season,
but Benjamin will be looking for big minutes. DeGroat is a potential super signing,
had a great year as a JUCO and will be ready to step in at forward, providing
Pittsburgh with another hard-nosed rebounder and inside scorer up front.
7. Villanova
Dwayne Anderson, G/F, 6-5, Mitchellville, Md./St. Johns HS (#270-PS)
Kyle Lowry, G, 6-0, Philadelphia, Pa./Cardinal Dougherty (#47-PS, #28-RV, #37-IN)
The gem in this class is Lowry, along with Price, Cerasoli and Wright, one of
the top four point guards entering the Big East. A teammate of PCs DeSean White,
Lowry ran the show at Cardinal Dougherty and is considered an excellent quarterback
and adequate shooter. Like the aforementioned trio of point guards, Lowry will
be given the keys to Novas offense, and it will be his job to lose. Anderson
may not play much as he faces a slew of experienced players at his position.
8. Boston College
Akida McLain, F, 6-7, Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills (#195-PS)
Gordon Watt, F, 6-6, Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township (#214-PS)
Sean Williams, F, 6-9 Arlington, Texas/Mansfield (#202-PS, #104-RV)
Every year Al Skinners recruiting efforts are underrated and underappreciated
by the national services, and this class will be no different. None of the recruits
are highly rated, but they will surprise. In the Eagles last year in the Big
East, expect at least two of these recruits to step in and contribute.Williams
is a tough rebounder and shotblocker, and may fill Uka Agbais spot, while McLain
is a glue-type player. Never undersetimate Skinners eye for undervalued talent,
and he recruits players that fit his system.
9. Notre Dame
Rob Kurz, F, 6-8, 225, Gwynedd, Pa./William Penn Charter (#102-PS,
#85-RV, #81-IN)
Dennis Latimore, F, 6-8, Arizona - transfer
Mike Brey signed only one player but hes a good one. Kurz had a solid season
in Phillys tough Catholic League, and can shoot the ball well for a big man.
Latimore is a transfer from Arizona and is another tough banger. The Irish certainly
have added to an already good frontcourt, and only a dearth of depth kept this
class from rating a little higher.
10. Rutgers
Ollie Bailey, F, 6-7, 225, Chicago, Ill./Farragut (#119-PS)
Manny Quezada, G, 6-2, 185, Washington Heights, N.Y./St. Albans (D.C.) (#224-PS)
Dan Waterstradt, C/F, 6-11, 220, Redford, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central (#263-PS)
Gary Waters added much needed inside help when he signed Bailey, a tough post
player who could move right in at the power forward slot. Hed better, because
Waterstradt is a Herve Lamiziana-type post player, meaning more finesse than
power, although not as talented as Lamiziana. Quezada is a sweet shooting point
guard who didnt play in DCs top leagues. Hell be counted on to provide depth,
not start, early in his career.
11. St. Johns
Rodney Epperson, F, 6'7, 200, New York JUCO Dexter Gray, F, 6'6, 220, New York
Cedric Jackson, G, 6'2, 185, New Jersey (#189-PS) Eugene Lawrence, G, 5'11,
190, New York
Jermaine Maybank, G, 6'4, 180, New York JUCO
Norm Roberts walked into a tough situation at St. Johns, but he certainly knew
what he getting into. The Red Stoerms top recruit, Quinton Hosley, backed out
of his verbal and fled to Providence. Epperson and Maybank were inherited recruits
and could step right in out of neccesity. Maybank is reportedly a weak shooter,
but Roberts signed Jackson, who is regarded as a potential early contributor
and should develop into a solid player. Gray was a late signee and is an undersized
forward. In all, this class may play early because St. Johns desperately needs
bodies, but it is not an overwhelmingly talented class.
12. West Virginia
Luke Bonner, C, 6-11, Concord, N.H./Trinity (#143-PS)
Darris Nichols, G, 6-2, Radford, Va./Radford (#228-PS)
Rob Summers, F, 6'11, 230, Ohio
West Virginia brings up the bottom of the league for its recruiting efforts.
Bonner was a luke-warm commodity early on last year, but the more people saw
him play, the more he came to be regarded as soft. Nichols is a marginal Big
East guard who may get some run out of necessity, while Summers was a late recruit
and is a true sleeper. John Beilein must get better recruits, especially with
some of the high-powered new programs coming into the league.
