Terps basketball recruiting notes
Progressive Christian Academy forward Latay Darden got some good news late last week on the academic front, according to his coach.
Now the 2008 prospect is hoping for some good news regarding where he’ll play college basketball.
“He has an unofficial visit to Maryland [Wednesday] morning. They really want him,” said Progressive Christian head coach Russell Branch. “He just went through [the NCAA] clearinghouse and was cleared. Now Indiana wants him. Marquette is also talking really good right now. They’re talking about the kid coming in and playing right away.”
Branch said Darden, a 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 15 points, 13 rebounds, 11 blocks and four steals per game this season for PCA, which played a schedule composed of some of the top prep school basketball teams in the country.
According to Branch, the clearinghouse issue, which involved a few classes Darden took at a school in Houston, slowed the PCA standout’s recruitment. But Branch was always confident the issue would be resolved.
“It was nothing because [Darden] knew it was going to clear regardless,” Branch said. “I’ve known the kid since he was 13 and I told him it was etched in stone [that he would get through the clearinghouse]. Sometimes it just takes awhile to clear certain kids.”
Maryland hasn’t presented Darden with an official offer just yet, but if the UM staff does tender a scholarship and Darden accepts, Branch predicts big things for the Terps.
“If they get Latay Darden, they should contend for a national championship,” Branch said. “That’s how good the kid is, and I’m not talking about offensive-wise, I’m talking about defensively. He’s 6-8 and very athletic. With Gus Gilchrist on offense and Latay Darden on defense, they should make it to the Final Four.”
After Wednesday’s meeting with the Maryland staff, Darden and Branch will discuss Darden’s options and come to a decision soon after.
“No more than three weeks,” Branch said. “Hopefully it’s Maryland.”
• It’s looking more likely that Terps commitment Jin Soo Kim will reclassify and join Maryland’s 2008 recruiting class.
According to Owen Finberg, Kim’s coach at South Kent (Conn.) School, the 6-foot-8 small forward has completed the necessary coursework to graduate from high school and be eligible to enroll as a college freshman for the 2008-09 academic year.
“[Kim’s] been handling his own situation,” Finberg said. “Once he decided what he wanted to do, I was there to support him, but I haven’t had any direct contact [with the Maryland staff recently]. He just needs to get [his SAT results back] and then he’s going to be all set.”
So how likely is it that Kim joins Maryland for its upcoming season?
“I would say it’s a very strong probability,” Finberg said.
Update: I received a report Wednesday that Darden had not been cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse. I spoke with Branch about this, and he claimed there was a mix-up with Darden's social security number and birth date on one of the forms. So, Darden hasn't been cleared just yet. Either way, Maryland hasn't offered, and probably wouldn't unless everything was settled with the clearinghouse. It's wait-and-see at this point.
Comments
With this recent flurry of recruiting news, I'm a bit confused regarding its impact on Maryland's 2009 class. Assuming Mosely qualifies, with the addition of Gilchrist, Kim and, potentially, Darden, as I understand it, that would exhaust UM's scholarship quota for the next 2 years. If so, the Terps cannot offer Dante Taylor, any of the Montrose Christian trio (assuming that any of them truly has Maryland on their radar in the first place), etc. Further, wouldn't Kim's reclassification to 2008 effectively prohibit the Terps from offering Darden this year as Neal does not graduate until next year? Alternatively, with the continued recruiting of 2009 prospects, does that point to further player transfers from the present squad?
Posted by: Terp'nTexas | May 28, 2008 9:24 AM
Terp'nTexas -- Good questions. First, neither the Darden or Kim scenarios are certainties, just possibilities. Second, UM would still have a scholarship to give in 2009 even if they took both players in 2008. With Shane Walker's transfer and Tyree Evans' exit, here's how the roster stands now for the 08-09 season: Neal, Vasquez, Hayes, Milbourne, Dupree, Bowie, Tucker, Burney, Gregory, Gilchrist, Mosley. That's 11. If you add Darden and Kim, that's 13. For 2009, Dave Neal will have graduated, opening one scholarship for 2009. Taylor is the biggest target. None of the Montrose players are likely to come to UM.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | May 28, 2008 10:26 AM
I am hoping for Sean Mosely's arrival at UMD as much as any fan of the Terps but I AM NOT counting on him being there next year (ALOT if difficulty in achieving the needed SAT/ACT score with only 2 chances left in June).
Posted by: Sean Gone | May 28, 2008 10:42 AM
Looks like Gary may pull a rabbit out of the hat. I have been confused by the potential addition of Maze and Evans to go along with Mosley. Now, this potential roster to include Kim and Darden looks like a much better fit . We have enough guards with GV, Hayes, Bowie and Tucker. Our need is big men to compliment the guards. Darden and Gilchrist sounds imposing. Kim will not be a banger but can spell Milbourne when he disappears from the offense, which he does occasionally.
Posted by: bob b | May 28, 2008 11:50 AM
If maryland gets Darden what year would he be in the upcoming season.
Posted by: Eric | May 28, 2008 12:41 PM
Eric -- If it happens, he'd be a freshman.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | May 28, 2008 1:31 PM
Matt - you may want to check your sources on this. Latay has yet to even submit his clearnighouse papers yet.
Posted by: Earl | May 28, 2008 6:13 PM
Earl -- I've read some similar reports. The coach might have jumped the gun a bit, but those are his words. Either way, Maryland hasn't offered Darden, and probably wouldn't unless every academic hoop has been jumped through. At this point, he's just another prospect to watch.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | May 28, 2008 7:52 PM
If Darden is half as good as his coach is preaching than the 2008 UM team might have a shot at making the tournament. He is talking about a National Title....easy, I would settle for the tournament. The Kim situation doesnt really have an immediate effect on next year, from reports that I have been reading. He severely lacks strength and finishing skills around the hoop. He might bring a little more of a outside presence for the big guys, but nothing major to account for an increase in the win column. We needed more help down low anyway so if both of them do come to College Park, it would be better for immediate help. I just hope Mosley gets in and anything after that is icing.
Posted by: Steve | May 28, 2008 10:01 PM
I liked the sound of Bobby Maze, and was intrigued/uncomfortable with Evans, but you don't put either of them on our existing roster above. Our guards killed us last year, Mosley sounds great, but we still need a backup point guard who can ideally push GV to the 2 unless Bowie is that guy.
Posted by: Ben | May 29, 2008 2:52 PM
I have a hopefully simple question....how many scholarships can we have each year? I've been under the impression it's only 12 per year (we only had 12 last year, and I assumed we would have utilized all of our scholarship spots). And since only 2 scholarship players were seniors (Gist & Osby), and Walker left, that should leave 9 spots. We're supposedly getting Mosely, Gilchrist & Maze (I think), which makes 12 again, but then we're also talking about possibly getting Darden, Kim, and god knows who else, so......how many scholarship positions can we actually have each year?
Posted by: Dennis McMullen | May 29, 2008 3:45 PM
Dennis -- Men's basketball gets 13 scholarships per year. Also, Maze ended up signing with Tennessee after Maryland signed Tyree Evans (who is also not coming to UM ... that was announced late last week). Mosley still has to qualify, and Gilchrist is already enrolled.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | May 29, 2008 3:53 PM
Darden not ACC good!!! Seen him play
Posted by: Dave | June 29, 2008 11:51 PM
I heard Steve Goings is signed for '08 in bb for the Terps.
Whe is he ?
Posted by: NCTERP | July 1, 2008 7:36 AM