While his future teammates prepared for the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Shaquille Cleare was making things official with Maryland.
Video surfaced this week of Cleare, a four-star center, signing his letter of intent with the Terps last week at the Village School in Houston. Check it out below.
The first recruiting class of the Mark Turgeon era at Maryland was unveiled to high acclaim Wednesday.
Most recruiting analysts were impressed by the Terps' three-man group of center Shaquille Cleare, small forward Jake Layman and combo guard Seth Allen.
Scout.com gave the Terps a No. 12 ranking for their 2012 class. Right behind was CBSSports.com, which handed out the No. 13 ranking. Next came MaxPreps.com, which put Maryland at No. 14 nationally, followed by ESPN.com's No. 17 ranking. Maryland didn't crack Rivals.com's Top 25.
"We're very pleased with our class for 2012 so far," Turgeon said in a news release. "We've added three quality players with great character who will fit in with our Maryland Basketball family."
The first-year coach said he expects to add others to Maryland's 2012 class.
Maryland quarterback commitment Caleb Rowe is a finalist for South Carolina's Mr. Football award.
Blue Ridge quarterback Caleb Rowe: Rowe, a Shrine Bowler who has committed to Maryland, has thrown for more than 1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns.
• McDonogh defensive end and Terps commitment Roman Braglio was the focus of this week's Baltimore Sun Varsity Q&A.
Is it true when you committed to Maryland you had just met with the coaches, walked out, talked to your dad and then went back in and said, "I want to be a Terp"?
Yeah. [Maryland defensive line coach Greg] Gattuso told me to come down and watch practice to see if I like the way he coaches, if that would fit my style of playing. After the practice it was me, Coach Gattuso, Coach [Keith] Dudzinski and my father. We sat there and talked for two or three hours. I had been to a lot of schools, but that was the first time we had a talk like that and we talked as friends, so I could see a future relationship building right there. I just didn't know how to say it. I walked out and asked my father, "How do I say it?" He said, "What do you mean, how do you say it? Walk back in there and say you want to be a Terp." Coach Gattuso was walking out and he was like, "Roman, what's wrong?" I said, "Nothing, Coach. I want to be a Terp." He threw me over his shoulder and ran into Coach Edsall's office like, "We got him. We got him."
Maryland's chances with two of its top power forward targets appear to have gone from slim to none.
In a blog post for ESPN.com, Brewster (N.H.) Academy's Mitch McGary wrote that he's focusing on Duke, Florida and Michigan.
I love Maryland, but I just don’t think that it’s the best fit for me and I’m still looking at North Carolina, but, like I said, I don’t really know what’s going on with their scholarship situation after their latest commitments.
The father of Amile Jefferson, meanwhile, gave Adam Zagoria a list of seven schools that did not include the Terps.
Musgrove said his son is considering seven schools at this point: Kentucky, Stanford, N.C. State, UConn, Villanova, Temple and Ohio State.
Other 2012 power forward targets that Maryland has been mentioned in connection with include Robert Carter, a four-star prospect from Snellville, Ga., and Charles Mitchell, a three-star player from Marietta, Ga.
The Maryland men's basketball program hosted Sam Cassell Jr. on an official visit last weekend, but it'll be awhile before the Terps learn whether or not the Baltimore native will end up in College Park.
According to MidAtlanticHoops.com, Cassell "will not make his decision until spring." The former Towson Catholic combo guard, who is spending a post-grad year at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass., is reportedly also receiving interest from Butler, Missouri, Florida State and Washington, among others.
A familiar name to Baltimore basketball followers is scheduled to be on hand for Maryland Madness tonight.
According to InsideMDSports, former St. Frances and Towson Catholic combo guard Sam Cassell Jr. will make an official visit to College Park this weekend.
Cassell, a 6-foot-4, 180-pound prospect in the 2012 class, is in his second year at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass. The Terps first became involved with Cassell over the summer thanks to his play on the circuit with Nike Baltimore Elite.
NBE coach Carlton "Bub" Carrington told Recruiting Report in August that the level Cassell ended up at "was up to Sam."
“If he wants to be a passer first and a scorer second, I think he can play high-major ball because he has skills that translate,” Carrington said. “He can make shots. To what level he goes, it’s really up to him. He’s definitely a high-major talent.”
Check out video below of Cassell from the 2010-11 season at Notre Dame Prep.
The recruitment of Amile Jefferson does not appear -- at least publicly -- to be wrapping up any time soon.
The Daily Orange -- Syracuse's student newspaper -- profiled the Maryland power forward target this week, checking in with coaches and analysts about the five-star prospect's recruitment.
Jefferson, the No. 12 power forward in his class, is currently in the midst of making official visits to schools and meeting with coaches. He's already taken unofficial visits to North Carolina State, Villanova, Temple and Maryland, and he took an official visit to Ohio State last weekend, [Friends' Central head coach Jason] Polykoff said. The head coach said Jefferson also plans to visit Connecticut and is interested in Syracuse, among others.
Cedric Jones coaches Jefferson's AAU team, Team Philly, and said Jefferson met with Stanford on Tuesday. Polykoff said four more colleges were meeting with him at home or in school on Wednesday.
Much of the talk involving Maryland's power forward targets for the 2012 class has centered on Charles Mitchell, Mitch McGary and Amile Jefferson. But there's at least one other highly rated prospect who still has the Terps on his list.
Robert Carter, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound power forward from Shiloh High in Snellville, Ga., was a standout performer at the Under Armour Grind Session in Chicago last weekend. Maryland was one of five schools that the four-star prospect mentioned to ESPN.com's Reggie Rankin.
PF Robert Carter (Thomasville, Ga./Shiloh) has terrific skill and the ability to score inside and out with 3-point range in addition to being able to handle and pass. Carter is visiting Georgia, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Florida and Florida State.
Maryland's 2012 basketball recruiting class of Seth Allen, Shaquille Cleare and Jake Layman will undoubtedly add members sooner rather than later. But for now, the three-man group is considered one of the Top 25 classes in the country.
Rivals.com this week updated its team rankings, and the Terps checked in at No. 20 on the list
Four-star post player Shaquille Cleare is a physical presence who should have a significant impact on the ACC. Layman is a talented combo forward with a smooth shooting stroke and upside. Allen, a shooting guard, rounds out the class.
Other ACC teams listed are North Carolina (11), Florida State (13) and Virginia (16).
Three-star shooting guard Christian Sanders is in College Park this weekend for an official visit, giving the Maryland men's basketball staff a chance to impress one of its top targets.
Sanders, who also has offers from Colorado, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Texas and Vanderbilt, was a teammate of Terps center commitment Shaquille Cleare on the Houston Defenders. Brad Sanders, Christian's father, spoke to InsideMDSports.com this week about his son's visit to Maryland.
“This is not a four-year decision, it’s a 40-year decision. At least that’s the way we view it. I don’t know if that makes us unusual. It’s the way that Christian is approaching this decision,” Brad Sanders said. “The idea for this weekend is to be fully informed. When we’re ready and we feel completely comfortable with a specific situation, we will [make a commitment]. We’re not saying we’re definitely going to go to all of these places, but that’s the plan right now.”
Maryland landed a commitment Monday from Jake Layman, pairing the four-star small forward with four-star center Shaquille Cleare and three-star combo guard Seth Allen in its 2012 recruiting class.
The next position that could be addressed in the Terps' class is shooting guard. Terry Henderson from Neuse Baptist Christian School in Raleigh, N.C., set up official visits this week to Boston College, George Mason, Maryland, Miami and Richmond, according to ScoutsFocus.com's Joe Davis. Henderson's College Park trip is scheduled for Sept. 30.
Christian Sanders, a three-star shooting guard and Cleare's Houston Defenders teammate, is also still reportedly in the mix for Maryland. He's scheduled for an official visit to Colorado this weekend.
ESPN.com's Adam Finkelstein, meanwhile, provided a short-term and long-term analysis on Layman's Terps pledge.
Short term: Another definite recruiting victory for a suddenly very hot Mark Turgeon. Layman is the No. 53-ranked player in the ESPNU 100 and his commitment boosts Maryland's class into the top 10 in the country. Here's the thing with Layman though, Terps fans are going to need to be patient. While incredibly talented, he's still fairly raw and not used to high-level competition outside of the AAU circuit. Consequently, his learning curve may be a little longer than most would expect from a borderline top 50 prospect.
While the Maryland football team opens its season Monday night against Miami, the Terps men's basketball staff will stay busy by hosting several notable visitors.
Philadelphia forward Amile Jefferson, Wrentham, Mass., forward Jake Layman and Gonzaga (D.C.) junior point guard Nate Britt were among the prospects tentatively scheduled to be in College Park this weekend. The Washington Post's Josh Barr caught up with Britt's father to discuss the Terps.
As for Maryland, in addition to the feeling out process between a recruit and a coach, there is an interest in seeing new coach Mark Turgeon’s style up front and personal.
“You want to see how he is going to coach his team this coming year,” Britt Sr. said. “He wanted to do that before saying, ‘I do,’ because at the end of the day, that [coach] is who he is going to be working for.”
More than three months lapsed between the commitment of Seth Allen to Maryland and Wednesday's pledge from Houston center Shaquille Cleare. It's safe to say Terps fans won't have to wait that long for recruit No. 3 to come on board.
The next couple months could feature a flurry of recruiting-related activity, with the Maryland men's basketball staff working now to line up official visits for several 2012 targets. According to ESPNBoston.com, four-star forward Jake Layman will be in College Park next weekend.
Maryland, whom some have viewed as the favorite, has made the cut, and will be his first visit over Labor Day weekend. Syracuse, Florida, Louisville and Wake Forest will be the other schools he will visit.
The past week has been an eventful one for Dominic Woodson.
The 6-foot-9, 255-pound power forward from Round Rock, Texas transferred to Vermont Academy for his junior season and reportedly picked up a Maryland offer.
Woodson, a three-star prospect, also has offers from Connecticut, Michigan State, TCU, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UTEP and Vanderbilt, according to Rivals.com.
At Vermont Academy, Woodson will team up with Baltimore natives Jamel Artis and Daquein McNeil, both of whom have received interest from the Terps. Check out a quick video of Woodson after the jump.
An ACC rival's loss could potentially be Maryland's gain.
Torian Graham, a four-star shooting guard from Durham, N.C., withdrew his commitment this week to North Carolina State.
"Nothing bad happened at State," said Graham, who's ranked the No. 24 prospect in the country by ESPN. "I felt like I made my decision too fast and didn't give other colleges a chance to recruit me."
Joe Davis of ScoutsFocus.com tweeted Thursday that Graham has heard from Baylor, Clemson, Florida State, Kentucky, Maryland and Texas since he backed out of his N.C. State pledge.
Graham has played in the past for D.C. Assault, the Washington-based AAU program where Terps assistant Dalonte Hill got his coaching start. Graham's guardian, meanwhile, told the Louisville Courier-Journal that Kentucky was "at the top" of Graham's list.
In the aftermath of last month's open period, at least three new names have since popped up on the Maryland men's basketball program's radar.
ESPN.com's Dave Telep tweeted Wednesday that the Terps have offered Terry Henderson, a 6-foot-4, 170-pound shooting guard from Raleigh, N.C.
Mom and dad are from [Maryland]. Said he'll officially visit Terps.
The Terps are also now reportedly in the mix with Daniel Dingle, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward from the Bronx.
Wing Daniel Dingle, one of the city’s top unsigned seniors out of St. Raymond, was offered by Miami and Maryland. The two ACC schools join Temple, UMass, Seton Hall, Auburn and Arizona in colleges he is considering.
Rivals.com reported that UM has also offered Andrew White, a 6-foot-6 small forward and a four-star prospect. White plays for Mychal Parker's alma mater, The Miller School.
The Houston Defenders won the AAU Super Showcase in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Wednesday, thanks in large part to contributions from a host of Maryland targets.
Andrew and Aaron Harrison led the way for the Under Armour-sponsored team in its 55-45 win over BABC.
Aaron led the Defenders with 18 points and seven rebounds in the final, while Andrew was a passing machine, notching 10 assists to go along with eight points.
"It really is a lot of fun to have this time with my brother and enjoy this experience," said Andrew. "I trust his abilities and I know he is going to make things happen when I get him the ball. He's pretty much unstoppable."
Scott Phillips, a Scout.com analyst, tweeted an updated list of schools for the twins.
Andrew Harrison gave a top 5 of Villanova, Kentucky, Baylor, Maryland, and Texas. Added interest from Kansas, Georgetown and Texas A&M.
Testudo Times' Ben Broman offered his overall impressions of the Houston Defenders.
There appears to be a trend emerging when it comes to Maryland basketball recruiting.
First, the Terps decide which players they want to target. Then those targets give interviews about their recruitment to various media outlets, and when asked which programs are recruiting them the hardest, Maryland is frequently mentioned.
The latest example of this comes from Northstar Basketball, which caught up this week with Garland, Texas center Prince Ibeh.
Although he is still raw, Ibeh listed offers from Texas, Maryland, Vanderbilt, Florida, Texas A&M, Baylor, Arkansas, "and a couple others."
Ibeh said he does not have any favorites, but said of who is coming after him the hardest, "Probably Texas, Maryland and Vanderbilt."
Turtle Soup contributor DBR spoke this week to Ibeh's high school, Jeff Clarkson, about his star player.
With coaches calling him almost daily and new schools trying to get involved, Clarkson didn’t speculate on Maryland’s chances but indicated that the recent visit to College Park helped the Terps. “He went from being leery to definitely considering it.”
Boston Amateur Basketball Club forward Jake Layman was one of many Maryland targets that impressed this week at the Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C.
Rivals.com's Eric Bossi noted that the Wrentham, Mass., native is drawing quite a bit of high-major attention.
One of our contemporaries dubbed Layman "40-love" because he moves like a jumbo sized tennis player. Boston College and Providence have been well represented for him and Maryland appears to be making a push while Texas is looking to get involved. He shoots, moves extremely well for a 6-foot-8 guy and seems to have high upside.
Layman spoke to Adam Zagoria at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League event and named Maryland his favorite. Check out the video below.
The Maryland men's basketball coaching staff has been out in full force for the beginning of July's open evaluation period, which started this week.
Never was that more evident than Thursday at the adidas Invitational in Indianapolis during the Houston Defenders' game against D.C. Assault. The Washington Post's Josh Barr reported that Mark Turgeon, Bino Ranson and Dalonte Hill were on hand to watch point guard targets Andrew Harrison and Nate Britt do battle.
In the end, Britt — perhaps tired in his second game of the day after an overnight bus trip — struggled a bit against the 6-foot-6 Harrison’s size, and finished with 10 points, Harrison had 19 and Houston squeaked out a 65-64 victory.
Andrew Harrison gave MaxPreps.com a list of schools after the game.
Harrison, ranked No. 5 by CBSSports.com/MaxPreps, listed Maryland, Kansas, Kentucky, Baylor, Arizona, Texas, Texas A&M and North Carolina.
Thanks to his play at the NBPA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va., last month, Nate Britt's stock is at an all-time high.
CBSSports.com called Britt, a rising junior from Gonzaga (D.C.) and Terps target, the "best point guard in the country" regardless of class.
Georgia Tech, Florida, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Marquette, Duke, Maryland and Seton Hall have all reached out.
Britt isn’t ready to think about trimming his list or taking unofficial visits yet.
The Maryland men's basketball program continues to expand its list of 2012 targets.
This week Robert Carter, a five-star prospect from Thomasville, Ga., reportedly made an unofficial visit to College Park.
CBS Sports profiled Carter earlier this week. The 6-foot-8, 245-pound power forward already has a lengthy list of interested schools involved.
He currently holds offers from a number of schools, including Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Ohio State and Virginia Tech. Most of the ACC and SEC schools are on his trail as well.
Continue reading "Weekly recruiting roundup" »
Brewster (N.H.) Academy center Mitch McGary was one of the most sought after players Thursday at the NBPA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va.
The five-star prospect spoke to Kentucky.com during a break in the action, telling the website that Maryland is recruiting him the hardest.
Maryland's advantage is assistant coach Orlando "Bino" Ranson. He's longtime friends with one of McGary's coaches and a tireless recruiter.
"Like an aggressive salesman," McGary said with a smile. "Like a car salesman trying to get you to buy."
Check out more from McGary, who said he's "wide open," in the video below.
Maryland is still in the mix with Amile Jefferson, but the Terps have plenty of company in the competition for the four-star forward's services.
Jefferson spoke to NBE Basketball Report this week after the Rasual Butler All-City Classic in Philadelphia. The Friends Central (Pa.) rising senior provided an updated list of schools and discussed some of his summer plans.
“Soon I’m hoping to get a visit down to NC State, hope to get a visit to Maryland,” Jefferson said. “I talked to a coach at Ohio State [and I am] hoping to get a visit there [and] however many schools I can.”
The Maryland men's basketball program continues to expand its list of targets for the 2012 class.
Never was that more evident than during the third session of Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League, which ended Monday in Torrance, Calif. Jake Layman, a 6-foot-8 power forward from Wrentham, Mass., was just one of many Terps targets that fared well.
A legitimate 6-foot-8, he looks like a genuine small forward. He has a pretty shot with deep range, is swift in the open floor and an excellent finisher on the break. According to Layman Providence, Boston College and UMass have offered while Maryland and Notre Dame have been showing more recent interest.
NBADraft.net also offered a positive scouting report of Layman.
He is long and skilled. He can shoot the long ball, showed some ability to put the ball on the floor, can get out and fill a lane and has very good athleticism at the rim. He reminds you of a Gordon Hayward type but with more length and athleticism. Could be a face up four, but I think he is skilled enough to eventually move to the wing. With added strength, he can be a very good player at the college level and possibly beyond.
By switching his commitment from Maryland to Virginia this week, Montrose Christian small forward Justin Anderson left the Terps' 2012 recruiting class with a gaping hole at small forward.
The Terps coaching staff, however, wasn't caught flat-footed by Anderson's decision. The Washington Post's Josh Barr wrote Thursday that Maryland could "intensify its effort to recruit" Episcopal (Va.) forward Arnaud Adala Moto.
“I think that there is a lot of people in the area who believe that since Anderson is heading to Virginia, that Arnaud might be a natural wing player Maryland might go after,” Episcopal Coach Jim Fitzpatrick said. "But the impression I get from Coach [Mark] Turgeon and his staff is that they are not going to move hastily. I think Coach Turgeon needs to see him with his own eyes in the July recruiting period. I guess they’re going to have interest, but how strong that interest is remains to be seen.”
The top commitment of Maryland's 2012 basketball recruiting class could be slipping away.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Montrose Christian small forward Justin Anderson, a five-star prospect who committed to the Terps in March, visited Virginia this week.
Anderson is believed to looking around after Maryland’s new coach Mark Turgeon opted not to retain assistant coach Rob Ehsan, who had done much of the work recruiting Anderson. Virginia had been one of Anderson’s final choices and Virginia Tech might be in the mix if, as expected, Ehsan joins the Hokies’ coaching staff.
While Mark Turgeon deals with a 2011 recruiting class in flux, the new Maryland men's basketball coach also has his eyes on 2012.
The Washington Post's Josh Barr reported Thursday that Turgeon will play host to an unofficial junior visitor this weekend.
Seth Allen, a 6-foot-1 junior guard from Fredericksburg Christian, is scheduled to visit College Park with his family and high school coach on Saturday. Turgeon had offered Allen – who is friends with Montrose Christian forward Justin Anderson, a junior who committed to Maryland in March - a scholarship to Texas A&M before making the move to Maryland.
InsideNoVa.com caught up with Allen for his reaction to Maryland's sudden interest.
“I’m going to go in and be myself and meet with the coaches,” Allen said. “If [Turgeon] offers, I would make my decision sometime soon.”
It's been more than 24 hours since word broke that Gary Williams was retiring after 22 years as Maryland's coach, but my reaction to the news remains the same today as it was yesterday: complete and utter shock.
I caught up yesterday with Sterling Gibbs, Justin Anderson and
Nick Faust's father Anthony, all of whom expressed a similar sentiment of surprise bordering on disbelief.
The gist from those brief conversations is that those three Terps recruits -- I haven't reached anyone close to Martin Breunig -- will wait and see who Maryland names as Williams' successor before making a decision on their commitment statuses. Stay tuned to baltimoresun.com/sports throughout the weekend for more on the coaching search. As Williams said today, "things will be moving very quickly here."
The Maryland men's basketball program's search for a 2011 big man has turned to the junior college ranks.
InsideMDSports.com reported Thursday that the Terps are "moving" on Robert Goff, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound power forward from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College.
Goff, who will have two years of eligibility, signed with Oklahoma last fall. But the three-star prospect came back on the market this week.
Goff signed with OU in November prior to his sophomore season at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. When Goff signed, it was to play for former Sooner coach Jeff Capel. When he was fired last month, it led to a change of heart. He asked OU to release him from the letter of intent.
Just a couple of weeks on the AAU circuit was all it took for Brewster (N.H.) Academy center Mitch McGary to emerge as one of the most highly recruited players in the 2012 class.
The four-star prospect from Chesterton, Ind., told NY2LASports.com that his recruitment is "wide open."
McGary indicated that he’s already received offers from Maryland, Mississippi, Miami (FL), Marquette, Purdue, Indiana, Oregon State, etc. He indicated that over the past few weeks he’s also heard from the likes of Texas, Arizona, Florida, Florida State, West Virginia, Connecticut, Duke, Cincinnati, Illinois, Michigan, Rutgers, Iowa, Iowa State, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Providence, and Washington State amongst others.
SLAM also offered a scouting report this week on the Terps target.
[McGary] has no problem getting a defensive board, begin the break himself, and finish with a crazy dunk. You don’t see guys who can eat up space in the middle with those type of skills, which is why schools ranging from the up and down PAC-10 to the slower paced Big Ten are all throwing their names in the Mitch McGary lottery.
Maryland's options for the 2011 basketball recruiting class dwindled a little bit more Thursday when Desmond Hubert committed to North Carolina.
The pickings appear slim for other available post players. Two prospects who have reportedly drawn interest from the Terps are former Bladensburg star Wally Judge -- a Kansas State transfer -- and Charis Prep (N.C.) forward Jared Guest.
Continue reading "Weekly recruiting roundup" »
The Maryland men's basketball program might not be done identifying prospects for its 2011 recruiting class.
Joe Davis of ScoutsFocus.com tweeted Thursday that Jared Guest, a 6-foot-7 power forward from Charis Prep in Wilson, N.C., plans to visit Maryland "early next week." According to Davis, Maryland coach Gary Williams has already been in to see the post-grad prospect play.
A Columbia, S.C., native, Guest is also being recruited by Georgia, Xavier, Western Kentucky, East Carolina and Clemson, according to ESPN.com.
Check out video of Guest, playing for Richland Northeast two years ago, below. Guest is No. 23 in white.
Continue reading "Weekly recruiting roundup" »
Justin Anderson's quest for a national championship got off to a good start Thursday afternoon.
The Maryland-bound small forward scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Montrose Christian's 64-59 win over John Carroll in the first round of the National High School Invitiational at Georgetown Prep.
Anderson’s best moment came late in the third quarter, when he stole the ball and went in for an uncontested dunk, then grabbed a loose ball in the lane and scored just before the buzzer, giving Montrose Christian a 51-43 lead.
The Mustangs will play Boys & Girls of New York at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
Thanks to Justin Anderson's commitment last week, the Maryland coaching staff has now turned its attention toward finding a post player for the 2012 class.
Shaquille Cleare, a 6-foot-9, 285-pound center from The Village School in Houston, has emerged as a top target.
Head coach Gary Williams and his staff watched Cleare play earlier in the week and have made him a priority on the recruiting trail.
Continue reading "Weekly recruiting roundup" »
Maryland's 2012 basketball recruiting class got off to a strong start Thursday when Montrose Christian small forward Justin Anderson committed to the Terps.
Anderson joined Stu Vetter's Montrose Christian program as an athletically precocious, nationally known ninth-grader. Vetter said Anderson was a natural leader for the Mustangs from Day One.
"Justin had what embodies a leader the day he walked onto the court," Vetter said. "Unfortunately, when you’re a freshman, you’ve got [upperclassmen] like Mouph Yarou and Isaiah Armwood and Josh Hairston, those kind of guys. As an underclassman, you don’t take over. Now he’s moved on as a junior and assumed a lot of leadership skills. Next year, as we always do, it’ll be his team. It’s his senior year, he has to be a leader. He expresses himself very well. He’s one of the more personable guys you’ve ever wanted to meet. He handled the press conference [Thursday] like a veteran NBA player."
Anderson quickly proved to be "one of the best athletes" Vetter has ever coached. While the expectations for Anderson "were way too high," the future Terp has developed into a vital player for the powerhouse Mustangs -- the top-ranked team in Washington.
"He’s playing at the highest possible high school level, and he’s done very, very well," Vetter said. "He’ll continue to develop and he will have an impact at Maryland from the beginning. I think he should be a McDonald’s All-American and be an outstanding recruit for Coach [Gary] Williams at the university."
Sterling Gibbs is just one win away from ending his high school career with a state championship.
The Maryland-bound point guard turned in a clutch performance for Seton Hall Prep on Wednesday night in the Pirates' 55-47 win over St. Peter's Prep in the North Jersey Non-Public A tournament championship game.
Senior Sterling Gibbs, who connected on 10 of 13 free throws in overtime, led Seton Hall with 23 points and junior Dallas Anglin chipped in with 17 points, hitting four 3-pointers.
Gibbs will lead Seton Hall Prep against St. Augustine Prep on Saturday for the Non-Public A title.
Continue reading "Weekly recruiting roundup" »
Desmond Hubert's senior season has been extended, right along with the timeline for his recruitment.
The 6-foot-9 center scored 20 points Thursday to power New Egypt to a 60-35 win over Metuchen in a Central Jersey Group 1 quarterfinal.
After the win, phillyburbs.com's Tom Rimback asked Hubert when he planned to make his college decision.
Then he can turn his attention to another matter. He still hasn't announced whether he'll accept a college scholarship offer from Maryland or North Carolina. He's hoping to have plenty of time before making that choice.
"No, I haven't decided yet," Hubert said. "Hopefully, I'm going to decide as soon as the season's over. I just want to finish out the high school season and get to a state championship first."
The Maryland men's basketball program got a boost in the frontcourt Thursday when St. John's Northwestern Military Academy forward Martin Breunig committed to the Terps.
Breunig, who joins Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) point guard Sterling Gibbs and City shooting guard Nick Faust in Maryland's 2011 class, picked the Terps over Virginia and several mid-major schools.
Maryland still has one scholarship to give for the 2011 class. So with Breunig's pledge, where does that leave the Terps in their pursuit of Oakland Mills forward Greg Whittington?
Scorpions coach Jon Browne said in a text message Thursday night that Maryland coach Gary Williams visited Oakland Mills for a practice that day. Williams "specifically told me that there is a full scholarship for Greg should he choose to attend Maryland," Browne wrote.
When Angelo Chol committed to Arizona on Thursday, Desmond Hubert took note.
North Carolina was involved with both 2011 big men, but with Chol now out of the picture for the Tar Heels, their focus could turn to Hubert. ZagsBlog.com spoke to Hubert about how Chol's choice affects him.
Had Chol picked the Tar Heels instead of the Wildcats during his Thursday press conference at San Diego Herbert Hoover High, Hubert might have headed to Maryland by default.
Instead, Hubert is still considering both schools.
Asked what he planned to do now, Hubert said, “I’m not sure. I’m going to see if I can take a visit to UNC.”
The grades and rankings for the Maryland football program's 2011 recruiting class have begun to roll in.
Rivals.com ranked the Terps' group as the ninth-best class in the ACC.
Even before the coaching transition from Ralph Friedgen to Randy Edsall, the Terrapins were not having a great recruiting year in-state. The coaching change definitely did not help that matter however, and they ended up with only one player ranked in the state's top ten. That one player is defensive back Jeremiah Hendy, who re-opened his recruitment after the coaching change, but re-confirmed back to Maryland on signing day. Joining Clarke from Fork Union will be Tyrek Cheeseboro, who also originally signed with Maryland last year but needed a prep year.
ESPN gave Maryland a C+ for its recruiting class.
Analysis: It was a solid class for first-year coach Randy Edsall, but nothing flashy. Maryland loaded up on offensive tackles, and finished with a good mix of skill players. It’s an unheralded class with three two-star recruits and three unranked players who we’ll find out more about once they see some playing time.
With Signing Day less than a week away, a top priority for Randy Edsall and the rest of the Maryland coaching staff will be to solidify the commitment of Bowie cornerback Jeremiah Hendy.
Rivals.com reported this week that the Terps target has been looking elsewhere.
The Terrapins would love to find a way to get back into the picture with Jeremiah Hendy, a former strong Maryland commitment who has since shifted his attention to schools such as Virginia, Iowa and NC State.
FootballNewsNow.com reported that a recent meeting between Hendy and Edsall went well.
Hendy met with Randy Edsall after his hiring and was impressed, but has continued to go on official visits to other schools. Hendy went to Charlottesville last weekend and also is considering Iowa.
A decision from Maryland center target Desmond Hubert should come at some point this spring, Adam Zagoria reported this week.
Hubert, a 6-foot-9 senior, has narrowed his list to the Terps and North Carolina.
“It’s hard not to be excited about it a little bit just because it’s North Carolina,” Hubert told Alex Kline of The Recruit Scoop, who first reported the news.
The No. 15 center in the Class of 2011, Hubert would be willing to redshirt a year “to build his body up,” a source with knowledge said.
On Monday, Hubert helped his Warriors squad to a 50-38 win over Westampton Vo-Tech.
Mark Pryzbylkowski, who was 8 of 8 from the foul line down the stretch, added 16 points and Desmond Hubert finished with a triple double, scoring 12 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and blocking 15 shots
Three Maryland football recruits suited up for the North squad Thursday night at the inaugural Chesapeake Bowl at Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium. The statuses of their commitments, however, vary.
Red Lion (Pa.) offensive lineman Andrew Zeller said that while it was “a shame” to see Ralph Friedgen let go, he’s still on board with the Terps.
“Right now I’m currently committed. I’m going to stay committed,” Zeller said. I need to reevaluate the coaching situation and the whole new staff that’s going to be brought in. They said that a coach should be named by Jan. 4, so that’s just a couple days away. We’re going to see what happens, go down there and check things out and possibly take some more official visits.”
Zeller said the other schools that he’ll consider are Miami, Michigan State and Oregon.
No matter whom Maryland names as its next football coach, at least two of the Terps' commitments from Florida are planning to be in College Park come fall.
The Naples (Fla.) Daily News spoke this week to cornerback Makinton Dorleant and safety Lukas Foreman, both of whom committed to the Terps this month before the coaching change was announced. Both players told their hometown paper that their commitments stand.
“Mike Leach is a great coach and will bring a high-powered offense,” said Dorleant, who has ran a 4.37 seconds in the 40 yard dash. “Coach [Don] Brown told me he’s staying, and if he’s there, I’m there. If he were to go, I’m sure Coach Leach or whomever they hire would come talk to me. I’d see what he has to say.
“The ACC is where I want to be.”
... “I’m committed to Maryland,” Foreman said. “I’m sad Coach Friedgen is gone, but I’m looking forward to playing safety for them.”
What had been rumored for nearly a week became official Friday morning when Maryland offensive coordinator James Franklin was named Vanderbilt's new football coach.
While there was plenty of uncertainty regarding Maryland's head-coach-in-waiting, it didn't stop the Terps' staff from continuing to plug away at the 2011 recruiting class. Maryland landed four commitments over the past week: Lely (Fla.) cornerback Makinton Dorleant, Quince Orchard linebacker Alex Twine, Naples (Fla.) safety Lukas Foreman and DeMatha cornerback Michael Williams.
Patch's Aaron Kraut wrote about Twine's season to remember.
"He was a hell of a lot more consistent this year than he was last year," [QO coach Dave] Mencarini said. "He just started making plays from the very first practice all the way through the last game of the year. I mean, the plays that he was making are plays Division I players make."
Franklin's departure hasn't led to any defections from the Terps' 2011 class just yet. Bowie defensive back Jeremiah Hendy dispelled rumors that he backed out of his pledge in a premium article for Scout.com.
The three-star defensive back says that he is still committed to Maryland.
With the news this week of Adjehi Baru's signing with College of Charleston, the spotlight for Maryland's 2011 post recruiting shines brighter on Desmond Hubert.
A three-star center from New Egypt, N.J., Hubert heard this week from the North Carolina coaching staff. Testudo Times offered its analysis on the Tar Heels' interest and how it affects Maryland.
North Carolina was a big player with Adjehi Baru and needed a top-flight big. Now they'll be as empty-handed as Maryland if they don't land Angelo Chol, and that's not gonna fly in a down-trodden (for the moment) Chapel Hill. Hubert happens to be one of about two or three legitimate top-150 bigs left on the board, so it's no surprise that Roy Williams would see it as a smart move to get involved.
Busting the Bracket caught up with Hubert, who said Baru's decision wouldn't affect his choice.
Andrew Zeller has a shot Saturday night at ending his high school football career with a championship.
The Maryland-bound offensive lineman will lead Red Lion against Cumberland Valley for the Pennsylvania District 3 Class AAAA title. Zeller has been dominant on the offensive and defensive lines for the Lions throughout their playoff run.
He's recorded 68 tackles and 61/2 sacks, caused four fumbles, recovered two fumbles and broken up numerous passes.
Zeller and his defensive mates haven't allowed a point in the last seven quarters.
• ESPN.com's Jamie Newberg recently wrote an ACC recruiting overview, which included thoughts on Maryland's wish list for the 2011 recruiting class.
After being eliminated by five-star offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio (Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha), the Terps are still in the hunt for Under Armour All-American athlete Darius Jennings (Baltimore, Md./Gilman School). He would be a great get for this class. Secondary is still a need and Maryland is after Corey Tindal (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Boyd Anderson), Dondi Kirby (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway), Blake Countess (Baltimore, Md./Our Lady of Good Countess) and Steven Montgomery (Hollywood, Fla./McArthur).
A relaxing holiday weekend isn't in store for at least two Maryland football commitments.
Mill Creek (Ga.) fullback Tyler Cierski and Red Lion (Pa.) offensive lineman Andrew Zeller both have playoff games scheduled for Friday night.
Cierski's Hawks have a road matchup with Colquitt County in a Georgia Class AAAAA quarterfinal.
Then there is senior Tyler Cierski, a 6-foot-1, 260-pound fullback, who has (sic) rshed for 745 yards and 11 [touchdowns].
And Cierski is no plodder. He is often the pitch man when [Hawks quarterback John] Russ runs the option.
Zeller's Red Lion squad, meanwhile, faces Daniel Boone in a Pennsylvania District 3-AAAA semifinal Friday. In last week's win over Dallastown, Zeller was a force on the defensive line.
"In our last game, (defensive tackle) Andrew Zeller had eight solo tackles, four assisted tackles, three tackles for a loss, one sack and one pass deflection," Red Lion coach Pat Conrad told the York (Pa.) Dispatch.
Ralph Friedgen will be back in College Park next season and Maryland is still in contention for the ACC championship. According to one recruiting analyst, that stability is helping the Terps on the recruiting trail.
Rivals.com's Mike Farrell was asked this week how the Terps are benefiting from this positive momentum, especially in their efforts to recruit top prospects like Gilman's Darius Jennings.
I expect Maryland to close on a few top guys between now and National Signing Day, mainly Darius Jennings and possibly pull a surprise for Blake Countess, Darian Cooper, Travis Hughes or Brandon Clemons.
• Good Counsel cornerback Blake Countess -- who earlier this week was presented his jersey for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl -- updated Rivals.com with his schedule of college visits.
"I will take an unofficial visit to NC State probably after Thanksgiving," he said. "They recently offered me and I have family in that state. I will take my first official to Michigan on Dec. 3, Georgia Tech on Dec. 10 and Maryland on Dec. 17. I'd like to be able to make a decision after that but there are other schools like Purdue, Louisville and Arkansas that are also high on my list. If I'm not ready to decide, I will take some more officials in January and figure things out then."
One year ago the Maryland men's basketball program received a post-Signing Day surprise when Montrose Christian guard Terrence Ross decided against inking with the Terps during the fall period.
(Ross eventually ended up at Washington, while the Terps quickly rebounded by landing a commitment from Oak Hill (Va.) point guard Pe'Shon Howard, who was last seen shooting Maryland to a last-second win over College of Charleston.)
The early signing period for the 2011 class brought significantly less drama for the Terps, with Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) point guard Sterling Gibbs officially on the board and City shooting guard Nick Faust scheduled to sign his letter of intent Monday during an 11 a.m. ceremony at his school library.
Scout.com's Evan Daniels ranked Maryland's two-man class the No. 7 group in the ACC. The Terps still have two prime post targets on their wish list: Adjehi Baru of the Steward School in Richmond, Va., and Desmond Hubert of New Egypt High in N.J.
Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News reported that Hubert was down to Maryland, Princeton and Wake Forest. Baru, meanwhile, is still focused on College of Charleston, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia Tech. A timeline for his decision, however, remains unclear.
The Maryland football program is still in the running for one of its top remaining targets of the 2011 class.
The Baltimore Sun's Katherine Dunn reported Thursday that Gilman quarterback Darius Jennings is now considering six college programs.
Gilman All-Metro quarterback Darius Jennings has narrowed his college list to six schools: Ohio State, UCLA, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
The senior, who had 30 initial offers, dropped Penn State, Pittsburgh, Boston College and Connecticut from his top ten.
What had been rumored for months became official Thursday when City shooting guard Nick Faust announced his commitment to the Maryland men's basketball program during a live broadcast on ESPNU.
Faust's pledge gave the Terps one of their most high-profile recruits in years, which was noted in Thursday's commitment story that ran on the blog and in the paper. Here's a little more from Faust from Thursday's interview.
Faust said he made his decision “probably about a week ago” after sitting down with his family. Staying close to home was “kind of a deciding factor” for Faust. He told the Maryland coaches of his decision earlier in the week.
“They were just very happy for me,” Faust said. “But I don’t think they were too happy because they wanted it to actually [be said] nationally.”
Faust said the Terps’ staff is expecting a lot from him, but they’ve cautioned him that he has “to fill some shoes.” A good connection with the Maryland coaches was also an important factor for Faust. He called Gary Williams a “great guy” who was very straightforward throughout the recruitment.
Another high-major program may soon get involved in the Adjehi Baru sweepstakes.
The 6-foot-9 center from the Steward School in Richmond, Va., had narrowed his choices to College of Charleston, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia Tech. But now it appears Kentucky is interested in the four-star prospect, according to a tweet from Scout.com's Evan Daniels.
"Kentucky is definitely heavily interested in Adjehi Baru, but despite rumors has not stepped up with an offer yet. They'll see him soon."
The Washington Post's Hokies Journal blog noted that Baru was in attendance last weekend for Virginia Tech's Late Night with the Hokies.
With the signing of Dorian Finney-Smith a few weeks ago, Virginia Tech already has the No. 12 recruiting class in the nation according to ESPN, and grabbing a commitment from Baru would likely launch the Hokies into the top 10. I will say this, though. Baru looked pretty bored Friday night except for when Greenberg was cracking jokes during one portion of the program. Hopefully for Virginia Tech, the visit went well otherwise.
The Maryland men's basketball program is still in the mix for the services of New Egypt (N.J.) center Desmond Hubert.
According to Adam Zagoria, the 6-foot-9, 195-pound Hubert is considering Georgia Tech, Maryland, Princeton, Villanova and Wake Forest.
His only official so far will be to Maryland over Halloween weekend. Seton Hall Prep point guard Sterling Gibbs, who has committed to Maryland, will also visit that weekend.
A prime Maryland post target is reportedly off the board, while another has listed the Terps in his top group of schools under consideration.
Rivals.com reported Thursday that Cleveland, Miss., big man Johnny O'Bryant is headed to LSU.
Besides Ole Miss and Mississippi State, O’Bryant also considered Alabama, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Miami.
The Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch, meanwhile, reported that four-star power forward Adjehi Baru has narrowed his list of schools to College of Charleston, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech and Maryland recently informed Baru that as far as they're concerned, they see him as the No. 3 big man in the Class of 2011 nationally.
Continue reading "Weekly recruiting roundup" »
The Maryland men's basketball program is reportedly hosting a four-star prospect this weekend.
According to Scout.com, DeSoto (Texas) High power forward Antwan Space is headed to College Park for an official visit. Space recently impressed at the Dallas Great American Shootout.
Forward Antwan Space (DeSoto, Texas/ DeSoto) showed why he has turned heads on the recruiting trail this summer. He is a long, active athlete who excels in transition. Arkansas is in strong position for his services as he said he "loves the Hogs."
• Terps power forward target Johnny O'Bryant will make a visit to Miami.
The Canes are joined by LSU, Maryland, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, and Alabama.
A big weekend of visits is on tap for the Maryland men's basketball program.
The Terps will play host to two four-star prospects making official visits: City shooting guard Nick Faust and Cleveland (Miss.) power forward Johnny O'Bryant.
InsideMDSports.com -- which recently switched from ESPN.com to the 247sports.com network -- caught up with Faust to discuss his impending visit.
Is there a chance he makes a commitment?
“I would say it’s 50-50,” said the 6-foot-5 Faust. “I’m really not sure if I’m going to make it or not.”
With in-home visits starting and official visits being scheduled, the Maryland men's basketball program remains in the mix for several highly touted big men.
New Egypt (N.J.) center Desmond Hubert has a list of seven schools he's still considering.
Hubert’s list currently includes Villanova, Ohio State, Georgia Tech, Princeton, Maryland, Virginia and Wake Forest.
Testudo Times, meanwhile, pulled a tweet from Phenom Hoop Report that lists five official visits for Maryland power forward target Adjehi Baru.
Report Baru Official Visit dates: Charleston 9-24/25, VT 10-15/16, MD 10-22/23, UNC 10-29/30, USC TBA
For several Maryland-bound football players, this weekend marks the start of their final high school season.
That includes the Terps' most recent pledge, Ryan Malleck, a wide receiver and safety for Point Boro in New Jersey.
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Malleck, who has made a non-binding commitment to the University of Maryland, will line up at both wide receiver and tight end on offense. He had 20 receptions for 364 yards and two TDs in the nine regular season games last season. A safety on defense, he had four interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD.
With the fall signing period for basketball three months away, the Maryland staff continues to identify new targets for the 2011 recruiting class.
InsideMDSports.com's Jeff Ermann reported this week on Jacob Lawson, a 6-foot-8, 230-pound power forward from Oak Ridge (N.C.) Military Academy. The three-star prospect is considering the Terps.
Lawson is focused on six schools, said his father, Louis Lawson: Maryland, Ole Miss, Purdue, Seton Hall, Tennessee and West Virginia. Others, such as Georgetown, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech, have offered, and Lawson's father said he hasn't shut the door on anything.
The city's best high school basketball players will take the court Saturday at The Dome in East Baltimore.
Bmorehoops.com's sixth anniversary celebration will feature seven games, starting with youth boys at 1 p.m and leading up to the showcase event for seniors at 8:30.
Two seniors with Maryland offers are scheduled to play in the main event -- City shooting guard Nick Faust and St. Frances center Greg Lewis. Other seniors slated to play include St. Frances point guard R.J. Williams, Huntington (W.Va.) point guard Kevin Smith, St. Frances shooting guard Sam Cassell Jr., John Carroll combo guard Ronald Scott and John Carroll forward Jarred Jones.
The game for juniors, set for 7:15 p.m., will feature Digital Harbor point guard Daquan Cook, Glenelg Country forward Isaiah Miles, City forward Charles Tapper, Dunbar forward Jamel Artis, City guard Lionel Greene and St. Frances center Josh Forney, among others.
The sophomore game, scheduled for 6 p.m., will include Patterson point guard Aquille Carr.
The Madison Square Dome is located at the corner of Biddle and Eden. There's no charge for admission. Visit bmorehoops.com for more details.
A new power forward prospect has emerged on the Maryland men's basketball program's wish list.
Johnny O'Bryant, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound rising senior from Cleveland, Miss., has added the Terps to his list of schools. The four-star prospect is focused on seven programs.
Rivals.com reported earlier today that O'Bryant has trimmed his list to Maryland, Miami, Alabama, Ole Miss, Miss. State, LSU & Georgia Tech.
Rivals High named O'Bryant the best big man at last weekend's Nike Global Challenge in Oregon.
If there was one glaring omission from the All-Tournament team, J.O.B. was it. The stocky 6-foot-10 center owned the paint for USA West all three days while averaging 19.3 points and 12 rebounds a game.
Rivals.com's Jerry Meyer said this week that he'd put O'Bryant as a bench player on his all-star team for the class of 2011.
And at center, the problem here is that the best low-post players in the class aren't physical players. [Anthony] Davis would be my pick, with James McAdoo of Norfolk (Va.) Norfolk Christian School right behind him. But then I would want a physical grinder like Johnny O'Bryant of Cleveland (Miss.) East Side to come off the bench.
City shooting guard Nick Faust is spending his weekend on the West Coast.
The 6-foot-6 Maryland target will suit up for USA East in the Nike Global Challenge in Hillsboro, Ore. The eight-team tournament features three regional U.S. All-Star squads, plus teams from Asia, Brazil, Canada, France and Nigeria.
Faust wasn't a huge name coming out of his junior year at City College in Baltimore, but he has blown up on the summer circuit.
Kansas fan site The Shiver spoke with Faust -- who will visit Louisville on Sept. 4 -- about his feelings on the Jayhawks.
“I know a little bit,” said Faust about Kansas. ”Not really though. They just recently, like last week, got on board,” he added about Kansas getting involved in his recruitment.
One of the top surprise players at the Fab 48 tournament in Las Vegas last weekend is apparently hearing from the Maryland coaching staff.
ESPN.com's Joel Francisco called Antwan Space, a 6-foot-7, 180-pound small forward from DeSoto, Texas, a "prototypical wing who can do a little bit of everything on the court."
He has a long, lean frame that oozes potential and a feathery touch from the outside. His stroke is effortless out to 22 feet, but it's not as consistent when he has to shoot it off the bounce because he has a tendency to drift. In addition to his shooting, he even posted up and dropped in a nice-looking jump hook. ... He has Gonzaga, Maryland, Texas A&M, and FIU tracking his talents.
Rivals.com's Jerry Meyer was also impressed with Space's game.
He is a crafty four man with a deadly stroke from behind the arc. Although he is not a great athlete, he has a feel for the game, plays with energy and is guaranteed to stretch the defense.
Earlier this month Maryland lost Boyd Anderson (Fla.) linebacker commitment Shaun Ward to Texas A&M. On Thursday, the Terps lost another recruit from the Sunshine State.
Dillard (Fla.) cornerback Allen Ramsey, whose first scholarship offer came from Maryland, will now suit up for one of the Terps' ACC rivals.
[Ramsey] has committed to Wake Forest after decommitting from Maryland, according to ESPN Recruiting. Florida State, Minnesota and Rutgers have also offered. Wake Forest now has eight commitments.
Jabari Brown didn't waste any time this week in establishing himself as one of the top prospects in the country for the class of 2011.
The Oakland, Calif., shooting guard got off to a hot start in front of a host of high-major coaches on Day 1 of the Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C.
As usual, he burned up the nets from deep but it was what he did off the dribble, as a passer and as a defender. There's no fluff to his game and he's a kid who is about his business and nothing else when he hits the floor. Cal's Mike Montgomery and and Maryland's Gary Williams watched his move. Word is Kansas may be looking to make a move so it wasn't a surprise to see Bill Self tailing him closely. Washington's Raphael Chillious, among others, was on the trail as well.
FlagrantFouls.com's Alex Schwartz thought Brown was the catalyst in the Drew Gooden Soldiers' dominating performance against Wisconsin Playground Elite on the first day of the Peach Jam.
An elite 2011 prospect, Brown had over twice as many points as any other player on the court with 32 (12/21 FG, 1/3 3P, 7/8 FT) as well as 8 rebounds. Johnson is a special player due to the fact that he is an elite sharpshooter who also possesses phenomenal athletic ability. A strong, sturdy two with a quality handle, Brown was one of the top three performers I saw.
Maurice Harkless' reintroduction to the recruiting process has gotten off to a seemingly ideal start.
The 6-foot-6 small forward from Queens, N.Y., who withdrew his commitment to Connecticut last month, spent the past week at the Hoop Group's annual elite camp in Reading, Pa., earning Most Outstanding Player honors for his efforts.
This week he picked up additional offers from DePaul and South Florida, to go with Memphis, Rutgers, St. John’s, Maryland, Arizona and Xavier. “He’s the best player here and he’s one of the better ones I’ve seen in a [while], he’s got it,” former Syracuse star John Wallace told [Harkless' adviser Nate] Blue.
St. Frances center Greg Lewis has spent all summer traveling the country with Nike Baltimore Elite on the AAU circuit.
Last weekend, the rising senior and Maryland target showed off his game locally at the D.C. Metro Showcase, helping Nike Baltimore Elite to the 17-and-under championship. i95ballerz.com reported on the action.
[Nick] Faust recently received an offer from Maryland, as did Elite teammate, rising senior forward Greg Lewis. The Terps hosted both after they participated in the NBAPA Top 100, an event Lewis enjoyed as he had “more flexibility, they allowed me to play my natural position of power forward instead of center”. He is 6’8”, weighs around 220 pounds and believes Maryland’s flex offense a good fit.
The Maryland men's basketball program has entered the Maurice Harkless sweepstakes, according to the New York Daily News.
A four-star prospect and the No. 95 player nationally according to Rivals.com, Harkless -- a 6-foot-8 forward from Queens, N.Y. -- withdrew his commitment to Connecticut on Monday.
Harkless said he hasn’t heard from any schools yet, but [adviser Nate] Blue said his phone was ringing off the hook Monday. Blue said he received 16 scholarship offers from schools in high-major conferences, including St. John’s, Maryland and Memphis.
It didn't take long for Nick Faust to get comfortable at the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va.
The City shooting guard and Maryland target scored 17 points in the first game Thursday and followed that up with an eight-point performance later that night. After the first day of play, Faust is tied for seventh in scoring at the camp at 12.5 points per game.
One wouldn't call the skinny 6-foot-5 wing's jumper conventional, but Faust gets it off quickly and has legitimate NBA range already. He can score in transition and isn't one to back down. Would like to see him attack a little more off the dribble.
The Terps have claimed a spot on the six-school list for Dorian Finney-Smith, a small forward from Portsmouth, Va.
Norcom junior Dorian Finney-Smith has narrowed his list of colleges down to Virginia Tech, Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Wake Forest and Old Dominion.
• Los Angeles power forward Norvell Pelle continues to list the Terps.
Pelle hasn't even begun to narrow a list of more than 20 suitors that includes UCLA, Washington, Kansas, Syracuse, Maryland and Miami. But he said he likes the excitement that's surrounding St. John's.
Local basketball fans who missed April's Super 60 Showcase at St. Paul's have another chance Saturday to see the best players Baltimore and Washington have to offer.
The third annual I-95 Elite Challenge is scheduled for Saturday at Baltimore City Community College, with tip-off for the first game set for 2 p.m.
St. Frances center Greg Lewis, former Lake Clifton small forward Durand Johnson and ex-Baltimore Freedom Academy point guard Kevin Smith are just a few of the top prospects playing for the Baltimore team in the Class of 2011 game.
The Class of 2012 game features a loaded Baltimore squad, including Glenelg Country forward Isaiah Miles, Digital Harbor point guard Daquan Cook, Dunbar forward Jamel Artis and several more. Montrose Christian forward Justin Anderson, a prime Terps target, is scheduled to play with the Washington team.
Headlining the Class of 2013 game will be Patterson's Aquille Carr, the 5-foot-6 point guard and first-team All-Metro selection. Carr is fresh off a standout performance with Team Melo at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions in North Carolina. North Star Basketball ranked Carr the top player at the event. Others to watch on Baltimore's team are Glenelg Country forward Warren Powers Jr. and IBE forward Anton Waters. For the Washington squad, Princeton Day Academy point guard Chris Thomas and Bishop O'Connell point guard Will Ferguson -- a standout at the Super 60 Showcase -- lead the way.
Check out InsideMDSports.com for rosters and directions, and visit CharmCityFinest.com for a look at the key matchups.
InsideMDSports.com launched an occasional series this week looking back at the past 15 recruiting classes for the Maryland men's basketball team.
For the first installment, Jeff Ermann highlighted the Terps' three-man group from 1995: center Obinna Ekezie, small forward Laron Profit and point guard Terrell Stokes.
A highly-sought recruit who gained notoriety while starring alongside eventual North Carolina and NBA star Rasheed Wallace at powerhouse Gratz, Terrell Stokes was considered the gem of the class. Rated among the top point guards in the country, he chose Maryland over Temple moments before his announcement press conference was to begin.
• Norcom small forward Dorian Finney-Smith, a Terps target, was named the Associated Press Group AAA Boys Basketball Player of the Year in Virginia.
Finney-Smith averaged 19.7 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks.
He also was the Virginia High School Coaches Association State Player of the Year and the All-Tidewater Player of the Year.
After a little more than a month of play on the AAU circuit, the two major recruiting services -- Rivals.com and Scout.com -- updated their class of 2011 rankings this week.
Maryland point guard commitment Sterling Gibbs earned a spot on both lists. Scout rates the 6-foot, 170-pound junior as a four-star prospect and the No. 78 player nationally. Rivals has Gibbs listed as a three-star prospect and the No. 135 player in the country.
One Baltimore junior made the cut for both lists. City shooting guard Nick Faust is a four-star prospect and the No. 91 player nationally on Scout, while Rivals rates him a three-star prospect and the No. 125 player in the country. Lake Clifton small forward Durand Johnson also cracked the Rivals150, checking in at No. 116.
Several other ranked juniors who have received interest from Maryland were selected to both lists. Click here for the Rivals150 and here for the Scout 100.
The Maryland men's basketball roster got a little bigger Thursday with Berend Weijs' commitment to the Terps.
The 6-foot-10, 210-pound center from Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pa., was a late discovery by the Terps' staff. InsideMDSports.com caught up with Weijs soon after his pledge. The Netherlands native explained how a random trip to play pickup ball in College Park three weeks ago led to his Maryland commitment.
At that point Weijs wasn’t expecting anything to come out of playing—just some experience. But he asserted himself against Maryland’s players, and they began talking. They told the Terps’ coaching staff, which is not allowed to be present for pickup games, that Weijs could play.
About a week later, Weijs returned to participate again. Same result. Freshman center Jordan Williams, Weijs said, was particularly impressed. The staff invited Weijs to take an official visit this week.
Atlantic Christian (N.J.) forward Luke Piotrowski reportedly has offers from Maryland, Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon State, but the 6-foot-11 junior might not necessarily go the high-major route.
Piotrowski's older brother Mat recently committed to Boston University. Tom Piotrowski, the boys' father, told the Press of Atlantic City that Luke will also consider mid-major programs.
"Luke's got quite the following," Tom Piotrowski said. "The question for Luke is what is the most important criteria for his college selection. He has the potential to play at the highest level. But he might be a kid who says I can do what I want to do and get where I want to go at a mid-major. I get the feeling that may be the direction he goes."
The past week saw the Maryland men's basketball program land its first commitment of the 2011 class, and several senior big men with varying degrees of Terps interest go elsewhere.
On Tuesday night, Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) point guard Sterling Gibbs pledged to the Terps.
"Sterling came into my office and started talking about Maryland, asking what I thought about it," [Seton Hall Prep coach Bob] Farrell said. "My exact words were, 'Go home, talk it over with your parents and if you want to go public with it, let me know."’
Click here and here for more on Gibbs' commitment.
Continue reading "Weekly recruiting roundup" »
One year ago, local basketball fans were treated to the inaugural I-95 Elite Challenge, a Baltimore vs. Washington all-star event featuring Mychal Parker (Maryland), Will Barton (Memphis), Eric Atkins (Notre Dame), C.J. Fair (Syracuse) and a host of other high-major prospects.
On Saturday, the Maryland Super 60 Showcase will attempt to do the same. The Baltimore vs. Maryland all-star event -- presented by InsideMDSports.com, DTLR and World Fed Apparel -- features three games Saturday afternoon at St. Paul's.
The event tips off at 1 p.m. with the class of 2013 game. For the Baltimore team, two players to watch are Patterson point guard Aquille Carr and Glenelg Country forward Warren Powers Jr. Carr, a 5-foot-7 freshman and Baltimore Sun first-team All-Metro selection, is already being recruiting by Maryland. Powers, 6 feet 4, is the son of the former Terps football player of the same name. On the Maryland team, Princeton Day Academy point guard Chris Thomas is the headliner. The 6-foot-5 freshman from Denver could be another future Terps target.
The class of 2012 game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. On the Baltimore squad, Mount Carmel forward John Crowder (6-8) and Digital Harbor guard DaQuan Cook (6-2) are ones to watch for Maryland fans. Cook, according to event organizer Dwayne Wise, is hearing from Maryland, Indiana, Kansas State, Tennessee and Xavier, among others. The Maryland team, meanwhile, features at least two Terps targets in Montrose Christian swingman Justin Anderson (6-6) and Glenelg Country small forward Isaiah Miles (6-7). Gilman forward Ryan Ripken -- son of Cal -- will also suit up for the Maryland squad.
The 2011 game is scheduled to tip off at 4 p.m. A trio of St. Frances juniors (point guard R.J. Williams, shooting guard Sam Cassell Jr., center Greg Lewis), Friends forward Jon Schmidt (6-7) and City forward Rashaun Rasheed (6-5) will headline the Baltimore squad.
Check out CharmCityFinest.com and InsideMDSports.com for more info, and come back to Recruiting Report all weekend for coverage of the event.
Sagemont (Fla.) small forward Rod Days Jr. has one cousin headed to Georgia Tech to play football and another being recruited by the Yellow Jackets.
Days, a three-star junior basketball prospect, is seriously considering Georgia Tech as well. But the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Maryland is also in the mix.
There is some work left to be done. Georgia Tech is not Rod Days’ only opportunity. As the 12th-ranked small forward in the country (per Scout.com), he has a lot of them. From more than a dozen offers he has narrowed his choices down to five favorites: Georgia Tech, Richmond, Maryland, Michigan and Wake Forest.
The first day of the ESPN Rise National High School Invitational at Coppin State's Physical Education Complex saw one future Terp's high school career come to an end, and another survive to play at least one more game.
Oak Hill (Va.) Academy dropped a 59-53 decision to Mountain State Academy (W.Va.). Maryland-bound combo guard Pe'Shon Howard reached double figures in the loss for the Warriors.
Pe’Shon Howard, committed to Maryland, added 11 for Oak Hill.
“I told Pe’Shon he had to be more aggressive in the second half because I was getting tired,” [Doron] Lamb said.
Maryland's 2010 recruiting class might not be complete just yet.
The Terps have made contact with Huntington (W.Va.) Prep coach Rob Fulford regarding 6-foot-10, 210-pound power forward Gorgui Dieng, according to Rivals.com.
Memphis, Maryland, Colorado and Marquette are on the short list for potential visits once Dieng gets his SAT score according to Huntington Prep head coach Rob Fulford.
As it stands, though, those schools will be playing catch up with Louisville and Marshall for the 6-foot-10, 210-pound post player.
Testudo Times this week took a look at other big men still on the market that could draw Maryland interest.
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A new junior target has emerged on the Maryland basketball program's radar.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported this week that the Terps are watching Aaron Brown, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound small forward from Penn Wood High in Lansdowne, Pa.
Maryland and Providence have expressed interest. If Maryland is eliminated early from the NCAA tourney, Terrapins coach Gary Williams is scheduled to visit Penn Wood next week.
• Word of God Academy (N.C.) power forward C.J. Leslie revealed his top five this week in a diary for DimeMag.com.
The crazy thing is I have the same list, but I read stuff that says I’ve cut my list of schools. It’s still UCLA, Oregon, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky and N.C. State.
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Terps junior point guard target Sterling Gibbs came up one game short of a sectional title.
On Thursday, Gibbs' Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) squad dropped a 64-54 game to St. Peter's Prep in the North Non-Public A championship.
Gibbs scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the first three quarters and [John] Caprio contributed nine in that span. That duo would score just seven fourth-quarter points combined.
• UM point guard target Quinn Cook guided DeMatha on Monday to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship.
Cook matched his career high with 30 points and the Stags' other top players also shined as they beat No. 3 Gonzaga by a surprisingly comfortable margin, 71-52, before 4,000 at American University on Monday night.
Mychal Parker is just two wins away from a Virginia Independent Schools Division I title.
The Maryland-bound small forward scored 20 points Wednesday to lead the Miller School to a 68-52 win over Fork Union Military Academy.
Parker, who is headed to Maryland next season, cashed in on two three-point plays and scored 12 of Miller’s 19 points in the third quarter to give the Mavericks some breathing room against a pesky FUMA squad.
“My coach kind of got on me at halftime and told me I needed to step it up. That kind of got in my head and I didn’t want to let my team down so I had to step it up and play my game,” Parker said.
Terrell Stoglin has a chance to end his high school career as a state champion.
The Maryland-bound point guard led Tucson (Ariz.) Santa Rita to an 85-68 win over Palo Verde on Thursday in the 4A-II state semifinals.
Terrell Stoglin led the No. 2 Eagles with 27 points, and Santa Rita's ability to shut down Palo Verde guard Bryce Cotton came up equally huge.
Stoglin will lead Santa Rita against Amphitheater on Saturday for the championship.
Over the last 10 games, all of them victories, Stoglin has averaged 33.5 points, shot 58 percent from the field and produced far more assists (61) than turnovers (26). He is sizzling.
Passing Arizona State commitment Corey Hawkins and Atlanta Hawks point guard Mike Bibby on Arizona high school basketball's career scoring list might be unrealistic for Terrell Stoglin.
But tonight, the Maryland point guard recruit has a great chance of claiming third place on the list.
With 10 points tonight in the second round of the 4A-II boys hoops tourney against height-blessed Chandler Seton Catholic, Santa Rita point guard Terrell Stoglin can bypass Portland Trailblazers guard Jerryd Bayless - a Phoenix St. Mary's grad - for third place on the state's all-time scoring list.
• Terps small forward signee Mychal Parker guided the Miller School (Va.) to a 90-83 double-overtime win over Blue Ridge.
Maryland-bound Mychal Parker led the way for Miller with a game-high 28 points off the bench to help his team win its sixth straight contest.
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Senior year has been good to Oak Hill (Va.) Academy's Pe'Shon Howard.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound combo guard committed to Maryland last month, has improved his scoring ability throughout the season and become something of "a hoops socialite" on the circuit. Earlier this week InsideMDSports.com profiled the future Terp.
To top off all of the above, Howard has proven to be something of an advanced scout for the Warriors. A gym rat with an outgoing personality, he’s gotten to many of the top high school players in the country, both personally and in terms of learning their abilities and tendencies on the court. His phone is filled with numbers of other players, and when Oak Hill is facing a tough opponent, [Warriors coach Steve] Smith knows where to go for a scouting report.
• C.J. Leslie is apparently no longer considering Maryland. In his bi-monthly diary for HighSchoolHoop.com, the five-star power forward from North Carolina gave this Terps-less list of schools.
I’ve basically got the same list of schools: UCLA, Oregon, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky and N.C. State. That’s pretty much it. I’m looking to set some visits up soon. I’m not sure when, but my next visit will be to Florida. I’m still looking to cut my list down, I just have to find time to do that.
The chances of four-star shooting guard Terrence Ross ending up at Maryland likely moved from slim to none this week.
The Washington Post's Steve Yanda reported Tuesday that the former Terps commitment had left Montrose Christian.
"I’m not going to talk about it other than to say that Terrence has withdrawn from Montrose," [Mustangs coach Stu] Vetter said. "It was a parental decision, and we wish him well."
Now it appears that Ross, a Portland, Ore., native, is headed back west. Yanda reported Thursday that Ross' destination will likely be Westwind Academy in Phoenix.
Assuming Ross does, in fact, end up at Westwind Academy, he will be coached by Gary Trousdale on a team that currently is 24-2. Among Trousdale's former coaching stops, he once was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Portland. A call to Trousdale's listed work number at Westwind Academy on Thursday was not immediately returned.
Vetter told Recruiting Report in December that the Terps were "still very much in the picture" to land Ross. His transfer from Montrose Christian, however, has likely closed the door on that possibility.
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