Weekly basketball recruiting roundup
While former Maryland recruit Gus Gilchrist awaits an NCAA ruling on his eligibility status for the upcoming season at South Florida, his longtime trainer/advisor Terrelle Woody is getting started on a new job at the Tampa university.
According to the Tampa Tribune, USF hired Woody this week as the men’s basketball team’s video and conditioning assistant.
Woody, who does not have a college degree, will be paid $30,000 and will not receive benefits from the school, USF coach Stan Heath said.
His job duties include recording games of upcoming opponents, making sure the televisions in the coaches' offices are connected to DirectTV and assisting a certified strength and conditioning coach with the players.
• The Terps are still in the running for power forward James Padgett, a 2009 prospect from Brooklyn, N.Y.
“Right now the schools that are still in it are West Virginia, Pitt, Maryland, South Carolina, Providence and St. John’s,” the 6-foot-8, 220-pound Padgett said by phone.
Padgett has already visited St. John’s unofficially and said he will visit South Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia and Pitt unofficially next week.
• Dix Hills, N.Y., power forward Tobias Harris continued his college tour this week with a stop in College Park. Harris’ father, Torrel, said his son “came away very impressed with Coach [Gary] Williams,” and was particularly moved by a speech on campus by Len Bias’ mother, Lonise.
“Mrs. Bias touched on several important issues that are important to young people,” Torrel said. “Len’s mother talked about being a leader in this world and knowing who you are as a person. She also said friends are important in anyone’s life. She also said it’s important knowing yourself as a person as opposed to trying to please your so called friends.”
• Rivals.com updated its class of 2010 prospect rankings this week, and numerous Terps targets cracked the top 150. Walbrook small forward Roscoe Smith (11), Plainfield, N.J., point guard Isiah Epps (40), Albany, N.Y., guard Taran Buie (53) and Calvert Hall power forward Jonathan Graham (77) are just a few UM prospects on the list.
Comments
Spoke with a friend who happens to be Andrew Fitzgerald's cousin. According to his cousin, my friend tells me that Gary has lost touch with today's HS athlete. That Gary is too strict and not well liked. Since my friend has no reason to lie to me about his cousin's comments, I am very concerned for the future of Terps Basketball.
Posted by: Jung | August 29, 2008 12:55 PM
Any news on Goins or Kim?
Posted by: Chris | August 29, 2008 1:00 PM
Hello Matt,
It seems as though things with Steve Goins are just about official, I was wondering if you knew when Jin Soo Kim would be accepted. Also, for the '09 class, who do you see most likely to be committing to the Terps out of the players they are after (I saw a recent article that had Terrell Vinson's renewed interest in Maryland)? As always, excellent job on the report and I hope you can cover the Terps one day!
Posted by: Kevin Litz | August 29, 2008 4:25 PM
Chris -- No news yet. When I spoke with Goins last week, he expected to hear something any day now. Still waiting, though.
Kevin -- Thanks for the kind words. Not sure when Kim will get through the Clearinghouse. It always gets backed up this time of year. I don't know if any of UM's targets are likely commitments, but I think they have a decent shot with Jordan Williams out of Connecticut. Not saying it'll happen, but Williams to Maryland makes sense on paper. There are a lot of other big-time schools after him, though, so it won't be easy.
Posted by: Matt Bracken | August 29, 2008 4:36 PM
Hey Jung!
I have a friend of a friend of a friend also. Its amazing how much that guy knows also!
Posted by: John | August 31, 2008 11:18 PM
USF is really bending over backwards for Gilchrest & company- hope it doesn't blow up in their face.
Posted by: Danno | September 11, 2008 1:52 PM