SBNation.com User Blog: David P Funk

Kevin Slaten v. Barb Shelly

David P Funk — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 21:29:38 -0000

Kevin Slaten took on Barb Shelly, a columnist for the Kansas City Star who wrote this column about Joe Paterno without doing the research. It's a pretty fun listen. Slaten rips her apart.

Check it out here.

This is the same St. Louis sports radio host who made Sara Lampe look silly a few weeks ago after she criticized Gary Pinkel for calling Paterno a friend and saying "you can't take away the greatness of this man."

Kevin Slaten took on Barb Shelly, a columnist for the Kansas City Star who wrote this column about Joe Paterno without doing the research. It's a pretty fun listen. Slaten rips her apart.

Check it out here.

Nebraska Recruiting: Not Just Yet

David P Funk — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:09:06 -0000

Nebraska's fancy new stadium is almost ready. The fancy new training facility is already in use. And the fancy new coach is midway through his first offseason recruiting period.

The Husker's cushy new digs have helped Tom Miles lure some major talent out for a visit, but no top-100 athletes have committed to college in Lincoln.

Adam Woodbury, a 6-11 center from Sioux City, briefly considered Nebraska before deciding to stay in state and play for Iowa. North Carolina Forward Montay Brandon picked Florida State, Alex Caruso Texas A&M and Marcus Hunt Georgia Tech.

Each of these kids is rated a four-star player by at least one of the major organizations (Rivals, Scout, ESPN or 24/7). And while the Huskers were never front-runners for any of them, Nebraska was on the radar for each. That's a change. It's only a matter of time before they land a program-changer and make some noise in the conference picture.

Returning Strengths: Dylan Talley, Sr., G -- He's going to have to carry the load in the absence of Bo Spencer and Toney McCray.

Needs: Scoring, rebounding, defense, depth -- Conhusker fans shouldn't really feel comfortable about this roster in any way.

Biggest Get: Shavon Shields 6-6, 210, F, 2012 -- A scorer who should be able to contribute offensively fairly early.

Class of 2012

Shavon Shields 6-6, 210, F

Benny Parker 5-9, 165, G

Deverell Biggs 6-0, G

Sergej Vucetic 7-1, 235, C

Shields is clearly the star of this group. Parker was obviously overlooked by many because of his size and could be a diamond in the rough after a year or two of polish. Vucetic is a big European center. You've seen him before.

Class of 2013

No Commits

Class of 2014

No Commits

Nebraska Week at Big Ten Powerhouse

David P Funk — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:39:57 -0000

Nebraska Week at Big Ten Powerhouse

We at Big Ten Powerhouse, a conference basketball blog, are dedicating this week to the Huskers. Come check us out a be sure to stop by later in the week.

Miles to go, but Nebraska is headed in the right direction

David P Funk — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 22:17:08 -0000

Things are changing in Lincoln and it's not hard to see why.

New coach Tim Miles is the latest piece in a puzzle that includes the new 16,000-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena (ready in 2013), a new training facility and a new conference. Miles, though, just may be the most important part.

The Cornhuskers haven't been to the NCAA tournament this century and finished dead last in the Big Ten last season. But Miles, who had other suitors, wouldn't have taken the job if he didn't think he could turn Nebraska basketball around in a hurry.

The new facilities, Miles told ESPN, will rank among the best in the country. That has drawn the interest of much better potential student-athletes than the Huskers are used to seeing in hoops. Once the arena is finished, there could be more than just interest from four and five-star recruits.

This isn't Miles' first go at turning around a program. At Colorado State, his previous stop, he steered the Rams to their first NCAA bid in nine seasons last year. CSU won 20 games before falling to Murray State. He improved the win total each year he was with the Rams.

Miles isn't afraid of the underdog label, either. At North Dakota State, he upset a No. 8 ranked Marquette team and a No. 14 Wisconsin team while the school was in the middle of a transition from Division II to Division I.

The guy can coach.

He can tweet, too. During games, he would have his sports information director tweet his pep talks and even promoted his twitter feed on CSU commercials. He jokes about referees, his team and his opponents. But Miles also tweets like a teenager, dropping off-the-cuff remarks about the weather and how his day is going or sharing pictures of things he finds interesting or funny (like the Scooby Doo van parked somewhere in Lincoln.)

He's embraced social media and he's ready to move forward. In the video introduction to the main Husker basketball page, Miles lays it out. "This is Nebraska. This is our future," he says. "Our program can be among the elite. Come check us out."

McCaffery signs 7-year extension

David P Funk — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 19:47:22 -0000

McCaffery signs 7-year extension

Iowa has signed Fran McCaffery to a 7-year extension.

According to Hawkeyesports.com, the deal guarantees the coach a minimum average of $1.66 million per year, beginning with a base salary of $1.3 million in 2012-13. That pushes him past Michigan's John Beilein, giving McCaffery the eighth-highest coaching salary in the conference.
The Hawkeyes coach is 29-37 overall and 12-24 in the Big Ten over two seasons in Iowa City.

Recruiting: Chambers has Brightened PSU's Future

David P Funk — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 19:22:34 -0000

At his introductory press conference, newly hired Penn State coach Pat Chambers talked about a culture change as PSU.

Basketball would be important and the Nittany Lions would strive for championships, he said. And sure, Penn State went 12-20 last year after 19-15 and NCAA berth a season before. But the caliber of player taking the court in the Bryce Jordan Center is on the uptick. A new plan is in place for the future, and that's exactly what Chambers has been selling to potential Penn Staters.

Returning Strengths: The frontcourt. Tim Frazier led the conference in assists while scoring almost 19 points per game en route to being named media first-team All Big Ten last season. He's a stud. Throw in D.J. Newbill, a Southern Miss transfer, and the Lions should have one of the top guard combos in the conference.

Needs: Outside of the starting point guard slot, there's not an area where PSU couldn't use at least some improvement. Depth will be a big concern.

Biggest Get: Brandon Austin 6-6, 170, PG, 2013 -- Rated four-stars by both Scout and ESPN, the lanky guard chose PSU over Syracuse, Tennessee and Miami (Fla.). He's not a program changer, but Austin will be a big contributor early if he can put on a few pounds.

Class breakdowns after the jump.

Class of 2012:

Donovon Jack 6-9, 210, PF

Brandon Taylor 6-8, 235, PF

Akosa Maduegbunam 6-3, 185, SF/G

Each of these kids needs some polish, but each are potential future starters. Taylor is a big body and will probably see the most PT early but Maduegbunam may have the biggest upside. The Boston-native flew under the radar with an AAU team that missed many of the more prominent events.

Class of 2013:

Brandon Austin 6-6, 170, PG

Geno Thorpe 6-3, 175, G

Austin is the biggest commit the Lions have landed in a long time. He should work out to be Frazier's successor. Thorpe could be Austin's frontcourt mate as an upperclassman and will contribute from the bench early.

Class of 2014:

Isaiah Washington, 6-3, 175, G

Washington, a guard who can score, was quick to commit to PSU, letting Chambers know his plans within a week of his offer. Villanova, Syracuse and Baylor were sniffing around but Washington chose Happy Valley before any serious interest was shown. Landing a verbal this young is also new territory for Penn State, more evidence of Chambers's effect on the program.

Penn State Week at Big Ten Powerhouse

David P Funk — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 22:59:43 -0000

Penn State Week at Big Ten Powerhouse

All PSU men's basketball, all week.

Big Ten Draft Pick History

David P Funk — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:57:57 -0000

Since 2000, a total of 45 Big Ten basketball players have been drafted, including those picked last night. Here's a breakdown by school:

And here's a breakdown of how many of those picks are still in the NBA.

Robbie Hummel: Respect and Perseverance

David P Funk — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:00:46 -0000

After Purdue's heart-breaking loss to Kansas in the round of 32, broadcaster Steve Kerr made a suggestion.

"When Matt Painter gets back to Purdue, the first thing he should do is retire Robbie Hummel's jersey," Kerr said.

The idea caught fire, as #retire4 exploded on Twitter. But it's not the fact that Boilermakers want to retire Hummel's number that's significant. Numbers are retired every year all over the country. It was the urgency of it. Kerr suggested it be the first thing Purdue did when their plane touched down in West Lafayette and many agreed.

The reason for the rush was that Hummel was different, even special.

It's difficult to find a basketball fan who doesn't respect and even admire the Valparaiso, Ind. native. Even most Indiana fans appreciate him.

Everybody remembers Hummel's two knee surgeries. Most of Boiler nation can recall exactly where they were the moment they heard about each ligament tear.

The angle of what might have been had he and E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson been able to finish out their junior and/or senior season together has been covered backwards and forwards. Few have discussed what that group really meant to Purdue fans, though.

That trio helped bring Purdue basketball back after a stretch of six straight sub-20 win seasons. This is part of the reason Hummel has been so endeared to Purdue fans. He and the rest of the "Baby Boilers" are seen as part of the rebirth of the program when Gene Keady passed the torch to Matt Painter.

Moore and Johnson are tops in wins as a player in Purdue history with 107. Hummel isn't far down that list.

Hummel also finished his career in the top 10 in Purdue history in points, rebounds, free throw percentage and blocks. He was a three-time All Big Ten player, preseason conference player of the year, second team All American, two-time academic All Big Ten and Wooden award finalist. But he was more than his statistics and awards. He did the little things.

The broken vertebrae in his back didn't prevent him from winning a Big Ten tournament MVP award. Therein lies another portion of the reason for Hummel's nearly universal appeal.

He always picked himself up and came back to play at a high level.

He played good defense. He hustled. He played smart basketball and rarely made mental mistakes. He was a leader. And he was always humble and appreciative.

Perhaps no player in Purdue history has meant more to its fan base than Robbie Hummel.

The legacy of number five

David P Funk — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:17:07 -0000

Matt Gatens is about as Iowa as it gets. He's an Iowa City native, former state Mr. Basketball, his father Mike played for the Hawkeyes while his mother Julie was a cheerleader. Gatens never would've looked quite right in anything except Hawkeye black and gold.

After a stellar senior season that earned Gatens second team media and third-team coaches all-conference honors, he's gone.

Gatens finished sixth in Iowa history with 1,635 points. He's also one of only two Hawkeyes to finish with more than 1,600 points, more than 400 rebounds, more than 250 assists and over 125 steals. During his final season, he averaged 15.2 points and 1.4 steals per game while shooting .410 from beyond the arc.

"Matt Gatens is one of the greatest Hawks of all-time," coach Fran McCaffery told The Hawkeye. "I'll always remember him."

With McCaffery in his second season, Gatens looks to be a catalyst for change. After five consecutive losing campaigns, Iowa finished a game over .500 this season at 18-17.

Another cog in the wheel of change, freshman Aaron White, called Gatens the best teammate with whom he'd ever played.

But it wasn't just players and coaches who loved Gatens. Hawkeye fans understand what they'll be losing as Gatens moves on.

As he left the court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the last time last week, fans gave him a resounding ovation. Gatens clapped back at them, as if to thank them for the support over the years.

"I'm really going to miss playing here," he said after the game. "The fans were incredible."

Iowa has a history of retiring numbers. It's done so nine times already. Surely, Gatens will be seriously considered to become the tenth.

The Wildest of Cats

David P Funk — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:35:28 -0000

John Shurna was arguably the best player in Northwestern history.

He's the Wildcats' all-time leading scorer. He's been a third-team, second-team and first-team All Big Ten player. He's led the conference in scoring. He holds a host of individual game scoring, shooting and rebounding records.

In short, John Shurna was Northwestern's best hope to break into the NCAA Tournament for the first time. And as he leaves, so goes the hope of ending that streak for the foreseeable future.

A fantastic high school career was barely noticed. Shurna set school records at Glenbard West with averages of 22.9 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. He was twice named special mention All State by the Chicago Tribune. Still, neither RIvals nor Scout had Shurna in their rankings at all. ESPN listed him as the 53rd best power forward in the country.

But it became clear early that the Wildcats had more than what was advertised.

Shurna dropped 17 while grabbing nine rebounds and blocking three shots against Texas A&M Corpus Christi in November of his freshman year. By the time the season was over he would score 16 or more four more times. In February, the baby-faced assassin endeared himself to all Northwestern fans forever when he hit a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds left to beat Ohio State.

Northwestern lost to Washington yesterday in the NIT. Fittingly, Shurna scored 24. He's always been the best player on the team that just wasn't quite good enough. As a result, he seemed to be perennially underrated.

The Wildcats were 77-54 with Shurna on the roster. Before he got to Evanston, Northwestern notched six consecutive losing seasons. Shurna changed the culture and gave fans and alumni a reason to hope.

He leaves a void the the Cats will struggle to fill. Shurna will go down as one of the best players in the history of the Big Ten.

A farewell to Novak and Douglass

David P Funk — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 12:35:31 -0000

It probably wasn't the way either had chosen to end their college careers.

Zack Novak and Stu Douglass will never again wear the maize and blue. They go out with Michigan the victim of a round-of-64 upset at the hands of Ohio, 65-60. The senior duo was a combined 3-13 from the field, scoring 10 points few than their season average.

When asked after the game what it was going to be like remembering their final game struggles, Douglass had a simple answer.

"Very tough," he said. "I really don't even know how to answer that. It's going to be hard to swallow."

Coach John Beilein said it was hard to watch his seniors go out that way.

"It's difficult because they've been the heart and sould of this team for four years," Beilein said. "You hate to see that, this happen when they end like that."

But as painful as this loss may be, the reality is that only one group of seniors gets to ride off into the sunset satisfied each season. Novak and Douglass will be remembered as the senior class that started to bring Michigan back from a low point, still suffering from the aftershock of the Ed Martin scandal.

A pair of Indiana kids who were virtually ignored by the in-state schools, Novak and Douglass have led the Wolverines to an 81-54 record, including 38-34 in the Big Ten and a share of the 2012 conference regular season championship.

The year before Douglass and Novak arrived in Ann Arbor, Michigan was 10-22 and didn't even make the NIT.

"It sucks (to lose Douglass and Novak)," Tim Hardaway, Jr. said after the loss to Ohio. "They've been leaders since their sophomore year here. They're gonna leave a great legacy."

Coming into this season, when Darius Morris left early for the NBA many wrote Michigan off. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment Novak and Douglass achieved was earned a share of a Big Ten title when few picked the Wolverines to do so.

"We proved a lot of people wrong," Novak said. "We won the best conference in the country."

Words like leadership and legacy have been thrown around a lot in reference to the Wolverine's class of 2012. Neither were ever All Big Ten or won many individual awards. Neither ever averaged 10 points a game or even made a lot of highlight reels.

But Zack Novak and Stu Douglass did a lot to help make the Wolverine program a winner again. By all accounts, they did things the right way. And in the process, they earned the respect of the conference. They were the identity of Michigan basketball and things will be different without the two of them draining threes in the Crisler Center in the future.

What the loss of Barlow means to Purdue

David P Funk — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:45:59 -0000

Purdue played perhaps its best game of the season in a 67-62 win at Illinois Wednesday. The first 20 minutes were undoubtedly the best half the Boilermakers have put together since E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson wore Old Gold and Black.

That game was preceded by a nice win over Northwestern in Evanston and a near-upset of Ohio State in Columbus. Things were looking up.

But after Kelsey Barlow was dismissed from the program Friday, any momentum that had been built has been destroyed.

The loss of the junior guard is a huge blow to the Boilers. Barlow is easily the best perimeter defender on the team and has become an increasingly potent offensive threat.

And it all comes at just the right time to potentially destroy an NCAA tournament bid, or at least drop Purdue a few seeds.

The 24.3 minute per game void left will likely be filled by increased playing time for Anthony Johnson and John Hart. D.J. Byrd may also see more time on the court when he returns from his own suspension. Terone Johnson will likely see a bump in his 21.5 mpg, also.

Recovering the defense will be the tallest order -- one that Purdue may not have the personnel to fill. Johnson and Hart simply aren't up to the task. Byrd has the size and skill but may lack the quickness to guard speedier players. Anthony Johnson is quick enough and tall enough, but isn't strong enough. Lewis Jackson is another option, but his size is an issue.

When Barlow had the ball, he often appeared to have the ability to get to the rim at will. That ability --often just the threat of it-- forced opposing defenses to collapse, which opened up looks for Purdue's shooters like Byrd, Ryne Smith and Robbie Hummel. Without that, the Boilers will have to work a little harder for shots. And this team has shown that if it does not shoot well, it does not win.

It'll be even harder to do so without Barlow's defense.

Johnson and Johnson are not yet effective scorers and each has displayed poor shot selection. Neither is ready to fill the role that Barlow played.

Someone is going to have to step up, be that Hummel or Jackson or a hero by committee. Barlow's departure doesn't spell certain doom for Purdue's tournament hopes. But it does make things much, much more difficult.

Wait Til Next Year, Purdue

David P Funk — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:41:08 -0000

Purdue's 17-point loss to Indiana Saturday at Mackey Arena feels like the beginning of the end. And Boilermaker fans should have seen it coming.

Matt Painter is a great strategic coach and usually gets the most out of his players. At first glance, it would appear that he's not doing that this season. A deeper look reveals that there may just not be a lot of potential to be maximizing.

Outside of Robbie Hummel, not a single player on this team comes from a class that was ranked in the top 25 by Scout. There just isn't that much talent out there. And that is Painter's fault.

During the current stretch in which Purdue is 3-5, the team is shooting under 36 percent from the floor (145-403). That's not going to get it done. But maybe this is less an anomaly and more the norm with this group of shooters. They're only shooting 63 percent from the free throw line, after all. There are four players (Terone Johnson, Travis Carroll, Jacob Lawson and Anthony Johnson) who are shooting .500 or worse from the charity stripe.

Maybe they just can't shoot.

Defense. That's what Painter is supposed to be all about. Thusfar this season, the Boilermakers are allowing 63.5 points per game. That puts them right around 80th best in the country (last update was Feb. 2, when Purdue was ranked 69th). During the aforementioned eight-game period, the team is actually allowing five points more per game.

Defense may have lived in West Lafayette in the past and it may live there again in the future, but it's at least on vacation right now. It's probably in Wisconsin.

Sometimes defensive insufficiencies can be hidden with good shooting (which Purdue doesn't have) and rebounding, thus not allowing second chance shots. JaJuan Johnson left a big hole in the middle of the Boilermaker lineup.

Over the season, Purdue is averaging 33.8 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, it's opponents are averaging 35 rebounds per game. And those numbers are skewed because they include games against High Point, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Coppin State.

During these last eight games, the boilers are grabbing just over 30 boards while opponents are getting to over 43.

Painter's squad is now .500 in the conference. It hasn't been under .500 this deep into the Big Ten schedule in five years but that's about to change. Tuesday, Purdue will visit Colombus and the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes. They won't win that game.

And they're probably not going to get above .500 before the conference tournament. The schedule still includes games at Michigan and Illinois and a home game against Michigan State.

It's time for Boiler Nation to come around and realize that this team is not a world beater. Even if Purdue sneaks into the tournament, it will have a hard time competing.

But hey, La Lumiere had a good week. Just wait til next year, Purdue.

Why can't Matt Painter land the big fish?

David P Funk — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:13:37 -0000

After today's 83-58 stomping of Purdue by Michigan State, the name on everyone's lips was Branden Dawson.

Dawson led all scorers in the game with 14 points, including several posterizing dunks. At one point, Dawson passed Purdue coach Matt Painter on the sidelines and casually said something that clearly offended Painter. Regardless of the situation or what was said, it was a punk move from the Spartan freshman.

Nonetheless, it shows that Dawson still holds some sort of animosity from his recruitment. By all accounts, Painter and the Boilermakers wanted the Gary, Ind. product bad. It seemed all but a done deal that Dawson would wear old gold and black until Tom Izzo jumped into the picture. Once MSU was there, the Boilers had no chance. See, a pattern has developed and it's starting to show on the court.

According to Scout, Painter has not once signed a player who had an offer from Michigan State, Ohio State or Kentucky. When it comes to recruiting in the Midwest Izzo, Thad Matta and John Calipari are the big dawgs with whom Painter can't seem to run.

Yesterday, Bullitt East High School stud Derek Willis chose Kentucky over Purdue. Willis was once a Purdue verbal commit. He's just the latest name to be added to the list.

In November, Indianapolis guard Gary Harris chose Sparty over Purdue despite a strong Purdue pedigree. His parents, Joy and Gary, Sr., were both Purdue grads.

The Big Ten is filled with players who found the Boiler's pitch second best.

Cody Zeller was once on Painter's radar, as were Michigan commits Zak Irvin and Glenn Robinson III. Current Wolverines Zack Novak and Stu Douglass chose not to come to West Lafayette.

At Ohio State, Fort Wayne native Deshaun Thomas left the state to become a Buckeye rather than a Boiler.

Other major in-state players, like Indiana signee Yogi Ferrell, never even seriously consider Painter and Purdue.

It's time to ask why this continues to happen. Painter nearly fled to Missouri to earn a bigger recruiting budget, but he's got that now. The facilities on Purdue campus are updated and new. There is tradition. It may not be of the national championship variety, but tradition exists in West Lafayette.

With every four and five-star type player Painter doesn't sign, it becomes more difficult to land the next one. So, what is the problem? When will it be corrected? Painter had better figure it out soon before the uphill fight for an NCAA seed he's in this season becomes an annual occurrence.

Willis Picks Kentucky

David P Funk — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:47:18 -0000

Willis Picks Kentucky

Derek Willis, a four-star recruit from Bullitt East High School, chose Kentucky over Purdue, Indiana and Louisville. Willis originally committed to Purdue before backing off that decision.

The next step? Purdue will have to wait

David P Funk — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:46:26 -0000

The IPFWs and Coppin States are in the past. Here come the Ohio States, Michigan States and...gulp... Indianas. If this team doesn't turn some things around in a hurry, it could be the first Boilermaker team since Matt Painter's first season in West Lafayette to miss the NCAA tournament.

Some of the problems were things most Boiler fans could have and should have seen coming like the lack of any major post presence, sporadic rebounding issues and inability to create a shot in clutch situations.

Others, like shooting only 62 percent from the free throw line, were an unwelcome surprise. The inability to close out close games against good teams is something most wouldn't expect from a veteran squad led by the likes of Robbie Hummel and Lewis Jackson. The heartbreaks against Butler and Xavier were both avoidable.

Some in the Boiler community are more optimistic. Hummel told the Indianapolis star "If we can turn this thing around, then (the early season struggles) could be a good thing."

I, for one, feel like the ship would have been righted a few weeks ago if were ever going to be.

That's not to say that this Purdue team doesn't have any talent; Hummel should earn some All-American votes and some of the younger players look like they have real potential. It's just a team in transition.

When Jacob Lawson develops, his athleticism will be something Boiler fans haven't seen in years. Players like Kelsey Barlow, Sandi Marcius and Terone Johnson are solid role players who are only going to get better. The recruits coming in next year are easy to get excited about.

But this team can't compete with the best teams in what is probably the top conference in the nation this season. Purdue is a middle of the pack Big Ten squad. It hurts to think, but the Boilers may even lose both games to a resurgent team from Bloomington.

And that's not something we're used to at Purdue, anymore. Painter has brought us to the brink of national success in ways we haven't seen since Glenn Robinson and Cuonzo Martin were hitting jumpers in Mackey Arena. We wanted progress. We wanted to take the next step.

But this Purdue team won't be the one to do that. We're just going to have to wait.

Ranking the Big Ten 2012 Recruiting Classes

David P Funk — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:45:11 -0000

With the early signing period come and gone, it's time to take another look at how the Big Ten recruiting battle for the class of 2012 is shaping up.

The latest big shoe to drop was Indianapolis guard Gary Harris's commitment to Michigan State. Sparty won out over Purdue and Indiana. Harris is ranked as the No. 1 shooting guard in his class nationally by ESPN, No. 3 by Rivals and No. 2 by Scout.
Harris adds to an MSU class that already had three four-star recruits in power forwards Matt Costello and Kenny Kaminski and small forward Denzel Valentine. Michigan State is at the top of our rankings.

Big Ten Powerhouse Class of 2012 Rankings

1. Michigan State

2. Indiana

3. Michigan

4. Purdue

5. Iowa

6. Wisconsin

7. Minnesota

8. Northwestern

9. Nebraska

10. Penn State

11. Illinois

12. Ohio State

Indiana comes in at No. 2. Nothing has changed much here, as the Hoosiers got their last commit when Jeremy Hollowell announced he'd wear the Crimson and Cream in March. But this class is a good one.

Joining Hollowell are fellow four-star players Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell and Hanner Perea, who will both see early playing time at point guard and power forward, respectively. Perea is an athletic beast and Ferrell will compete with Harris for Indiana's Mr. Basketball award. Ron Patterson and seven-footer Peter Jurkin round out Tom Crean's group.

Michigan takes the third spot with a class that includes Mitch McGary, the No. 3 overall recruit in his class by Rivals, No. 2 overall by ESPN and consensus No. 1 center in the nation. Glenn Robinson III, son of the former Purdue star, has shot up the rankings in the last year. He's a big-time scorer who will join Harris and Ferrell in pursuit of Indiana's Mr. Basketball.
Nick Stauskas, a 6-5 swingman from the east coast, tops off the Wolverines class.

Purdue's class may not have a player on the level of McGary or Harris, but it does have four players who will all be big contributors. The Boilers are our No. 4 class.
A.J. Hammons, a seven-foot center from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia by way of Carmel, Ind. by way of Gary, Ind., was the last signee in October. He joins three other four-star recruits in point guard Ronnie Johnson, power forward Jay Simpson and swingman Rapheal Davis, who could be a tough matchup at the two at 6-5, 200 pounds.

Iowa rolls in at No. 5 in a surprise. The Hawkeyes signed four players, including four-star center Adam Woodbury and four-star point guard Mike Gesell, in August and September. Kyle Meyer will provide some size at 6-10 and guards Anthony Clemmons and Patrick Ingram will add depth.

WIsconsin adds only Sam Dekker, but he could be a good one. The Sheboygan native is the No. 6 small forward as ranked by Scout, No. 7 by ESPN and No. 5 by Rivals. Dekker's stock climbed over the summer, as the 6-8 future Badger had an outstanding AAU season.

Tubby Smith loves to recruit big guys (the Minnesota roster currently boasts seven players 6-7 or taller), and the 2012 incarnation is Charles Buggs. Buggs is a 6-8 power forward who had offers from the SEC and ACC but chose the Gophers. Wally Ellenson, who's father John played at Wisconsin, is the other Minny signee in the seventh best class in the conference.

Northwestern's biggest get is Kale Abrahamson out of Valley High School in Iowa. He's a 6-7 small forward who's a consensus three-star recruit. Swingman Sanjay Lumpkin and center Alex Olah also committed to the Wildcats.

There are five kids in the ninth best recruiting class in the Big Ten at Nebraska. When combined with last year's group, the Huskers could be much-improved in a year or two. Rivals ranks Keith Coleman, Benny Parker and Shavon Shields at three stars. Fahro Alihodzic and Jerran Young have also signed.

Penn State falls in at No. 10, and only because of the lack of signees at the remaining schools. Brandon Taylor is a three-star player according to Rivals, while Akosa Maduegbunam is about as easy to handicap as his name is to pronounce (Mah-do-way-boo-nam).

Illinois adds only Michael Orris out of Crete-Monee High School. Orris is a two-star point guard who's only other interest came from Creighton.

Ohio State signed no players in the class of 2012.

A Handful in the book: Observations after five Purdue games

David P Funk — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:57:25 -0000

The good news is Purdue is 4-1. The bad news is this team is showing some definite holes.

After last night's 65-56 loss to No. 15 Alabama in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship, a few things have become clear.

The first is that the Boilers are going to have to shoot well to win. Purdue made only three of its first 19 shots and was 35 percent from the field. Had this team shot like it has in the first four games, it could have easily earned a win over an Alabama team that appears to be the real deal.

True, the Tide played great defense last night. But the Boilers had open shots that simply didn't fall. Ryne Smith made only one of five shots. If Purdue is going to have success, Smith is going to have to not only make more shots, he's going to have to take a lot more than five per game. He'd come into the game averaging almost 15 points per game.

Overall, though, the Boilers simply don't have a player like JaJuan Johnson or E'Twaun Moore to feed the ball to when the offense doesn't create a shot. Robbie Hummel is averaging exactly 20 points per game to this point, but Hummel is more of a spot shooter or one-dribble guy. Lewis Jackson has shown some ability to break down a defense on his own, particularly in his 26-point performance against Temple, but needs to be more consistent. The same goes for Kelsey Barlow who can drive to the bucket with the best of them when he's on his game.

Rebounding hasn't been the problem it was expected to be and probably will be later in the year. Against a bigger and more athletic Alabama team, Purdue only lost the rebounding battle 38-36 and has not been significantly out-rebounded yet this season. I do expect that to change, though.

The defense has been great at times, terrible at others thus far. When you can hold a team like Alabama under 70 points and give up 90 to Iona, consistency is an issue. But even on a play-to-play basis, the Boilermakers have left guys wide open when on the previous defensive possession they forced a bad shot as the shot clock expired. I trust in coach Matt Painter to have this fixed as the games start to mean a little more, though.

Sandi Marcius has looked good down low. He's a big body who can be a great asset on the boards and defensively. He had the Tide's talented JaMychal Green frustrated at times. Unfortunately, Marcius is a liability on the offensive end outside of setting screens.

Personally, I'm hoping Jacob Lawson sees more playing time as the season progresses. The kid is almost certainly the most athletic player on the the team and if he can start to make plays, he could be a difference-maker.

Taking everything into account, this team appears to be just about the team we all expected it to be. It's not a national championship contender, but it's not a cellar-dweller, either.

2011-2012 Purdue Preview

David P Funk — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:20:08 -0000

In consecutive seasons, Boiler Nation thought it had visions of the Final Fours dancing in their heads...only to have their hearts ripped out.

Things are different this year. Expectations from the outside world are down. It could be Purdue that sneaks up on the unsuspecting giant in 2011-12.

Any personnel discussion of the Boilers 2011-12 campaign begins and ends with one player; Robbie Hummel.

It's not that Hummel is all Purdue has to work with. There are other weapons. The fifth-year senior returning on a twice surgically-repaired knee is just the biggest, most beloved and possibly most fragile gun in the cabinet.

Few in the basketball community, even rivals, want to see the Valparaiso, Ind. native do anything but succeed. And word is Hummel has looked good in early practices. Assuming he stays healthy, all indications are that the two-time All Big Ten forward will again play at a very high level.

The biggest question mark on this squad is probably scoring. Losing E'Twaun Moore (18 ppg) and JaJuan Johnson (20.5 ppg) leaves a gaping hole in the offense. Aside from Hummel, guards Ryne Smith and Lewis Jackson will be expected help alleviate that problem. But the team as a whole will have to contribute more offensively.

Defense is always a major focus of coach Matt Painter and he has said this season's Boilermakers could very good on the opposing end of the court.

This year's jack of all trades will be 6-5 junior D.J. Byrd. He'll be expected to play at least four positions at some point on both ends of the floor.

Kelsey Barlow is back after off-court issues led to his suspension from the 2011 NCAA tournament. Barlow will be the first guard off the bench and needs to get to the bucket and make things happen offensively. Redshirt freshman Anthony Johnson will also play a significant role in the front court. He's a former four-star recruit out of the basketball factory that is Whitney Young in Chicago who can reportedly shoot the lights out. Terone Johnson and John Hart will also figure into the mix once they fully recover from injuries.

Travis Carrol and Sandi Marcius return down low. One of the two 6-9 sophomores will probably have to start early. Carroll's jumper and motor improved as last year went on while Marcius (pronounced Mar-Chew-Ch) seemed to see less playing time as the games became more important.

A pair of newcomers --Donnie Hale and Jacob Lawson-- will help out on the block. Hale, a 6-8 New Albany, Ind. native, spent a year at Bridgton Academy refining his skills. He's a lefty whose defensive game is ahead of his offensive one. Lawson is the more talented of the two and could see major minutes by season's end.

Purdue is dealing with several health issues right now. Jackson is nursing a foot injury but is practicing. Terone Johnson went under the knife for a torn meniscus during the offseason and redshirt junior Hart is dealing with a fracture in his foot and may miss some time.

Overall, the Boilers are a team that could surprise some people. If Hummel can play like his old self and others improve in key areas, this could be a darkhorse conference champion candidate.

OSU's Ross ineligible

David P Funk — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 23:59:28 -0000

via r.bf.m.yahoo.com

Ohio State would-be freshman LaQuinton Ross was declared a non-qualifier today according to various sources, including the Columbus Dispatch.

The ruling means Ross will not be eligible to attend Ohio State during the fall semester. The Dispatch also reports that Ross has gone home to Mississippi. He'll attempt to improve his ACT score and try to join the Buckeyes in January.

Purdue Basketball Schedule Analysis -- Set up to be Let Down

David P Funk — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:48:27 -0000

Purdue fans can take time away this week from the gathering of pitchforks, lighting of torches and mapping of routes to Danny Hope's house to think about something slightly more pleasant: the 2011-2012 basketball schedule.

Rejoice, Boiler Nation, as Mackey Arena should remain the home of an undefeated team for the calendar year of 2011. The early schedule includes a slew of directional schools and the Puerto Rico Tipoff.

No team invited to the PRT should be much trouble for Robbie Hummel and company. The field is, as follows: Alabama, Colorado, Iona, Maryland, Temple, Western Michigan and Wichita State. Only Temple made the NCAA tourney last season. Purdue should consider itself the favorite in San Juan. Screw the Tide.

The Boilermakers get Miami in the Big Ten/ACC challenge and it will be in West Lafayette. The Hurricanes finished ninth in the conference last year and shouldn't pose much of a threat to what should be a 10-0 record.

After Xavier and two more directional schools, Purdue gets Butler in the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis. Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard are both gone. 11-0.

After IPFW (now 12-0, if you're keeping track), the conference slate begins. After avenging last season's loss to Iowa and beating Illinois, the Boilers will enter the 2012 calendar year unblemished, probably with a single-digit ranking.

The Big Ten schedule can be grueling and no one in their right mind would expect a team that lost two NBA players to graduation to maintain an undefeated record. I don't know where or when (other than to say that at least one loss will come at the hands of Michigan State), but Purdue will lose a handful of conference games.

The Boilers will finish around third or fourth in the conference. They'll earn a four, five, six, seven-type seed in the tourney and win a game or two.

That's what Purdue has done in both major sports this decade. It's got us up to let us down. The 2011-2012 basketball season will be no different.

That is, unless the trend continues and a major player tears an ACL. Then we'll be let down a little earlier.

Buckeyes reload

David P Funk — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:25:43 -0000

During Thad Matta's tenure at Ohio State, the Buckeyes have been no stranger to the national recruiting rankings.

Unfortunately for the rest of the Big Ten, 2011 won't be any different. Rivals ranks OSU's five-player class no. 10 in the country. ESPN has the Bucks no. 6 and Scout has them at no. 8.

"Matta and his coaching staff have done a tremendous job when it comes to recruiting," Matt Barker from Buckeye Banter said. "They have, for the most part, kept the best players from leaving the state of Ohio that fit the system while going into enemy territory to take some of the better players away from the states of Indiana, Illinois and Michigan."

This year's bunch includes a foursome of four-star athletes, led by Georgia-native Shannon Scott.

The 6-2 Scott, who could see some major playing time as a freshman, is a point guard's point guard who thinks pass first. Folks in Columbus are excited about his knowledge of the game.

"Not sure if the word is 'excited,' but I'm really looking forward to watching Scott play," Barker said. "He's been compared to former Buckeye point guard Mike Conley, who was the catalyst for Ohio State's run through the NCAAs back in 2007."

Amir Williams, a McDonald's All-American from the storied Country Day High School in Detroit, will help OSU in the paint with his 6-10, 220-pound frame.

Trey McDonald, at 6-9, will also work on the block.

That leaves a pair of swingmen in Sam Thompson and LaQuinton Ross. Both are around 6-7 with athletic ability to spare. Ross has a better jumper but Thompson may be slightly more talented.

With Deshaun Thomas and J.D. Weatherspoon already on the roster, Ohio State now has an abundance of small-forward types.

"I already know that Thomas is going to get his share of P.T., (I'm) just not sure how the others will fair minutes-wise," Barker said. "But with Matta, you have to play defense. David Lighty earned playing time as a freshman because of that and that will now apply to those vying for minutes."

"The 2011-12 season is shaping up as the deepest team Matta has had at Ohio State," Barker said. "There's still two sophomore shooting guards --Jordan Sibert and Lenzelle Smith-- who are hoping to get off the pine and contribute.

"It's going to be very interesting how everything unfolds personnel-wise as the season progresses."

The 2012 class doesn't yet have a commitment, but only one scholarship will be available, for certain, depending on which players return for the 2012-13 season.

Read Matt Barker at Buckeye Banter.

Purdue recruits: Good, but good enough?

David P Funk — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:24:03 -0000

Purdue has done well on the recruiting front lately.

The Boilers' class of 2012 is currently ranked No. 9 in the country by ESPN. Matt Painter and company have recruited talented, high-quality athletes to West Lafayette.

But the team has missed out on the biggest names it went after, especially within the state of Indiana. Players like Marquis Teague (Kentucky), Cody Zeller (Indiana), Yogi Ferrell (Indiana) and Branden Dawson (Michigan State) have all chosen to go elsewhere.

Hammer and Rails' Andrew Bastnagel says there's a reason for that.

"Painter has had a few misses that have caused many to question Painter's ability to land the 'big fish,'" Bastnagel said. "However, Painter has done a great job of not getting involved in some battles that he realizes he either a) won't win or b) won't win without a bloody recruiting battle. Many are circumstantial, or at least he's cut his losses. But at the end of the day, he's rebounded quite nicely."

The one major miss those in the know are willing to admit to is Dawson. Boilermaker fans were shocked when the Gary, Ind. swing announced his decision to join Tom Izzo's squad.

Bastnagel said Dawson, a McDonald's All-American, was wooed by Izzo himself and the Michigan State track record.

"Another side effect of missing out on Dawson was the fact that (Painter) missed out on many other players he could have been recruiting," Bastnagel said. "Painter virtually went 'all-in' on Dawson and when he came up short, he had very little options left that late in the game."

What Purdue has managed to reel in, though, should keep them near the top of the Big Ten for the next few years.

Rafael Davis is perhaps the biggest get in 2012. Davis, a consensus four-star player, is a big (6-foot-5) guard out of Fort Wayne, Ind. If nothing else, Davis is a big-time scorer.

"Davis has proven he can score in bunches already at the high school level," Leroy Bridges of The Boiling Points said. "It's hard telling how good anyone can truly be. But it appears Davis could be in line to be one of the next big scoring options once he gets to campus."

Ronnie Johnson, younger brother of current Purdue guard Terone Johnson, is five-feet 10-inches of speed. Johnson stock has been sky-rocketing in the last few months.

Competing with Johnson for minutes at the point will be Kyle Molock, a 6-2 commit from Dublin, Ohio. Molock missed his junior season in high school with a knee injury. Bastnagel said Molock has been cleared to play the July evaluation period with his AAU team, the Ohio Basketball Club.

"How effective he will be is another question given he's been out of competitive basketball for a year," Bridges said.

Jay Simpson, a 6-foot 9-inch power forward from Champaign, Ill., rounds out the 2012 group. He's a three or four star recruit, depending on the ranking service. Simpson could develop into a strong low-post presence if he can stay in shape.

The class of 2011 will add some much-needed size to the Purdue frontcourt.

Donnie Hale, originally a 2010 commit who spend a year in prep school, is a 6-8 forward from New Albany, Ind. Jacob Lawson is a 6-7 power forward from Greensboro, N.C.

"With Patrick Bade moving across the street for football, both Hale and Lawson will need to be ready," Hammer and Rails' Travis Miller said. "Especially if Travis Carroll and Sandi Marcius don't take a step forward."

Size could be an issue for the Boilers, who don't have any players taller than Hale in the coming years. Most Boiler fans think Carroll, Marcius and company will be sufficient, considering the amount of talent they'll be surrounded by.

"Matt Painter doesn’t really need to bring on another traditional big until 2014," Bastnagel said. "Right now, (2014 recuit) Tyler Wideman is one of Matt Painter’s targets to fill this void, but obviously it’s insanely early to anticipate how things work out."

"Sure, a lack of size could concern someone," Bridges said. "But let's not act like highly skilled 6-foot-8-plus players grow on trees. They don't."

Lawson suffered a torn achilles tendon in January and missed much of his senior basketball season. He is in West Lafayette, though and is expected to begin practicing with the team soon.

Still on the 2012 radar is Indianapolis five-star guard Gary Harris, who named his top five schools Friday as Purdue, Louisville, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Indiana. Harris would put to bed any ideas of Painter not being able to land the big fish.

"Gary Harris is an immediate impact player and obviously he’d make that impact anywhere in the nation. Matt Painter has made it clear that he will have a spot on the roster if he’d like to attend Purdue," Bastnagel said. "Without Harris, I feel very good about Purdue’s future with the class of 2012 and beyond. With Harris, I’d feel more comfortable tossing around the national championship contender label."

Read Travis Miller and Andrew Bastnagel (Purdue Pete) at Hammer and Rails and follow them on twitter @purduebball and @HammerAndRails. Read Leroy Bridges at The Boiling Points and follow him on twitter @PUBoilingPoints.

Same old, same old for Wisconsin (But that might be a good thing)

David P Funk — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 03:01:45 -0000

Wisconsin doesn't usually sign the McDonald's All-American types. Bo Ryan and his staff tend to consistently recruit three-star athletes, occasionally landing a four-star kid, rarely raising eyebrows on the national recruiting scene.

That said, the results have spoken for themselves. Under Ryan, the Badgers have been the model of consistency, winning three Big Ten titles, never finishing with less than 19 regular season wins or lower than fourth in the conference.

The classes of 2011 and 2012 are no exception to the rule. Neither class appears anywhere near the top of the rankings at Rivals, ESPN or Scout, but expect UW to continue to contend for Big Ten championships.

The biggest get in either group is Sam Dekker, a 6-foot 7-inch swing from Sheboygan. He's a top 50 player in his class according to ESPN and a top 100 according to Rivals.

"The Dekker family was told at some point that Sam was the type of player Bo Ryan had waited 30 years to coach," Phil Mitten of Bucky's 5th Quarter said. "He's the total package. Dekker has great size at 6-7 for someone who can lead the break, finish at the tin and drain threes."

Mitten said he wouldn't be surprised to see Dekker start immediately.

The prize of the coming winter's freshmen is Jarrod Uthoff, a power forward from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Uthoff is another player ESPN is high on, ranking him no. 88 in his class. Rivals has him at no. 149.

Mitten projects him as a player similar to Robbie Hummel.

"Skill-wise, the slender Uthoff is ready. He brings some things to the table, i.e. court vision (and) passing, that Wisconsin could really use right away," he said. "However, his strength and weight will be the determining factor since the Badgers need help up front."

Joining Uthoff in Madison next season will be Frank Kaminsky, George Marshall and Traevon Jackson.

"The 2011 class will provide depth and a foundation for the future backcourt with a true point in George Marshall and a muscular combo guard in Traevon Jackson," Mitten said. "Wisconsin also brings in more versatile frontcourt players to replace Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil. Both Jarrod Uthoff and Frank Kaminsky need to add weight, but their skills are made for the swing offense."

Perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch is Kaminsky. A 6-10 center from the Chicago suburb of Lisle, Ill., he began to grow into his body during his last year of high school. At times, he even ran the point for Benet Academy.

"He truly is the biggest wild card in the class -- the difference between more fourth place finishes and winning a Big Ten title or two down the road," Mitten said. "I think Kaminsky will be a solid piece by the time he's a junior."

Marshall is a 6-foot point guard from Brooks Prep in Chicago and Jackson is a 6-2 shooting guard from Westerville, Ohio.

"I am not overly enamored with Jackson, yet, but I do think his potential as a perimeter defender is something to get excited about," Mitten said. "Marshall is a really quick guard with a nice mid-range game and I really hop that (Ryan) allows him to get out and run a bit more with Dekker down the line."

There is one more scholarship available in 2012 after the Badgers missed out on J.P. Tokoto, the top player in the state according to wissports.net. Tokoto will play at North Carolina.

For more information on Wisconsin basketball recruiting, check out Bucky's 5th Quarter's recruiting hub and scholarship grid. Follow Phil Mitten @hoopsmarinara and Bucky's 5th Quarter @B5Q.

Bade to play football?

David P Funk — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:30:42 -0000

According to reports from John Michael Vincent of ESPN 1070 The Fan in Indianapolis and the Twitter page of goldandblack.com's Brian Neubert, Purdue's Patrick Bade will give up the round ball in favor of the pigskin.

Neubert broke the news with this tweet Tuesday:

If all goes as expected, junior Patrick Bade will leave #Purduebasketball team and join #Boilermakers football team. Not finalized yet. -- Brian Neubert via Twitter

If Bade does indeed decide to become a tight end, as has been reported, it will leave the Purdue basketball team in a rough situation in the post. Only Robbie Hummel, Travis Carrol, Sandi Marcius and incoming freshmen Donnie Hale and Jacob Lawson will remain. Each of them is only 6-foot-8 and only Hummel, who's coming back from a second knee injury, has played significant minutes.

The move would also free up a scholarship for the next two seasons for Matt Painter. The 2011 ride will likely go to a walk on. The 2012 class was already one signing over the scholarship limit after the commitment of Ronnie Johnson.

Bade saw major interest from several major football programs while in high school, including Ohio State, USC and Texas.

The fab... four?

David P Funk — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 19:07:54 -0000

For any school to be competitive, recruiting the top talent in the immediate geographical area is vital. For Illinois, that means the talent-rich gyms of Chicago.

And Bruce Weber and company sure did their job with the class of 2011, landing four Chicago kids who are all consensus four-star players. The resulting class is ranked the ninth best in the country by Rivals, 11th by ESPN and 13th by Scout.

The biggest catch is Mycheal Henry, a 6-6 guard out of Orr Academy rated the third best recruit in the state for 2011 by chicagohoops.com and the 39th best in the country by Rivals.

Henry is a long wing who could end up playing the two or the three but is as explosive as they come. He may need a little polish, but this kid should make an impact fairly early.

The others are Nnanna Egwu, Tracy Abrams and Mike Shaw. The group is mostly underclass verbal commitments. After losing out on some of the big in-state talent in recent years --Derek Rose and Jon Sheyer come to mind-- it was important for the Illini to find a way to put a border around the Land of Lincoln.

Getting to players early was the solution and it looks like it may pay dividends.

Egwu, a 6-foot 10-inch center from St. Ignatius, has a big, athletic body and knows how to use it on both ends of the floor. He blocks shots and has a host of moves with his back to the basket.

At only 220 pounds, though, Egwu needs to put on some weight to bang on the block in the Big Ten.

Shaw, ranked number eight by Chicago Hoops and number 59 nationally by Rivals, is a 6-8 power forward with a knack for rebounding on the offensive end. He's also a big time player around the bucket. His defense and range need to improve and there's no reason to not expect that they will under Weber's tutelage.

Abrams is one ranking ahead of Shaw by Rivals (number 58) but eight behind (number 16) by Chicago Hoops. From Mt. Carmel high school, Abrams is a 6-1 point guard is a hard-nosed, hard-working player with a blue-collar approach to the game.

Obviously, size could be an issue. But Abrams is also a bit of a streaky player on both ends of the court and must become more consistent.

A pair of out-of-state products, Ibrahima Djimde and Devin Langford, round out a six-player class for the Illini. Djimde is a 6-foot 9-inch Mali native who will likely back up Egwu in the future. Langford is a 6-5 wing with the potential to be a major contributor.

The class of 2012 has no recruits, as of yet, but because Illinois loses no one to graduation in 2011 no scholarships are available.

It's been a long time since the Fab Five, but Michigan is again landing talent

David P Funk — Fri, 27 May 2011 16:33:27 -0000

It's been 20 years since the Fab Five exploded onto the college basketball scene. Jalen Rose, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson were arguably the best recruiting class in basketball history.

Michigan hasn't been back to that level since 1991, but the program is on the upswing in terms of talent. Last year's class included three impact players -- Tim Hardaway Jr., Jon Horford and Evan Smotrycz. The classes of 2011 and 2012 have their shares of quality commits, as well.

Unfortunately for the Wolverines, the team's best player Darius Morris has decided to leave for the NBA draft. The Maize and Blue should recover, though.

Ann Arbor will see the beginnings of Max Beilfeldt, Trey Burke and Carlton Brundidge in 2011.

Brundidge, a four-star guard from Southfield, Mich., may be expected to step into Morris's shoes. While his jumper isn't what it probably should be, he can get to the bucket with the best of them. He's a scorer who gives it 100 percent every second he's on the floor.

It remains to be seen, however, if Brundidge can score around the hoop at this level with his 6-foot, 1-inch frame.

The highlight of the class of 2012 is Glenn Robinson III, son of the former NBA All-Star and Naismith winner at Purdue.

A consensus four-star wing, Robinson was an early commit and has the potential to be special. He needs to build strength, but has a lot of tools to work with. His understands the game and uses his length to his advantage on both ends of the floor.

Burke, a four-star or three-star player depending upon whom you ask, is a similar-sized guard who may end up being better than Brundidge. He certainly has more range.

Beilfeldt isn't a stud athlete, but he is a hard working 6-8 forward who can hit a midrange shot.

German post Martin Breunig may still be part of the class of 2011, too. He's a big body with a lot of upside but needs to develop. Breunig originally committed to Maryland but was released from his letter of intent and has taken visits to Michigan.

Nik Stauskus, a guard from Massachusetts, is another four-star and the other half of Michigan's class of 2012. He has range to 25 feet and isn't afraid to shoot from that distance. He has little trouble getting to the basket, as well.

Questions have been raised about Stauskus, though. He put on weight in the last year and has noticeably lost a step. His defense, while never a strong point, is now a serious issue for a kid who will be expected to guard major conference twos. Still, it's not too late for him to get in shape and maximize his potential.

Dawson, Costello lead two more big MSU classes

David P Funk — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:48:09 -0000

It's no surprise that Michigan State's 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes are among the nations best. The Spartans have pulled in classes that ranked in the Rivals top 25 in five of the last six years.

The difference for these classes --especially the 2011 group-- is how much State fans are putting on these kids' shoulders.

"Last season, in particular, Michigan State was often a step too slow or too small and that hampered their ability to play with the aggressiveness that has been a Michigan State trademark under (coach Tom) Izzo," Patrick Hayes of The Only Colors said. "If (the recruits) develop, Michigan State will have a lot of depth and many ways to attack opponents over the next two seasons."

Spartan nation wasn't happy with a 19-15 (11-10 Big Ten) effort last season. The incoming freshmen are being counted on to help turn the page.

"You’ve got a true point, some versatile wings, and two forwards with inside/outside ability," Josh Moon, also of The Only Colors, said. "What more could we ask for?"

The bulk of the responsibility will fall on five-star forward and McDonald's All-American Branden Dawson from Lew Wallace high school in Gary, Ind. Dawson is a 6-foot, 6-inch wing who has been touted as the best rebounder in his class.

"It’s a great fit for Dawson at MSU," Moon said. "He’s going to a school that will help develop him into an athletic NBA wing in the model of Jason Richardson and Shannon Brown, yet his rebounding skills and post-friendly game will be utilized 100 percent. The wing roster is very young at Michigan State this year and there should be lots of playing time up for grabs among the freshman."

Dawson is, perhaps, the biggest name grabbed by a Big Ten school this year.

"Oh, man. Expect to hear Branden Dawson’s name early and to hear it often," Alex Brooks of Spartan Avenue said. "His size, athleticism and mental toughness have drawn him comparisons to ex-Spartan Raymar Morgan. And if history is any indication, the Spartans would love to have another Raymar Morgan."

Dawson chose Michigan State over Purdue, UCLA, Indiana and Georgetown.

The 2011 class is rounded out by 5-11 point guard Travis Trice, Detroit-product Brandan Kearney and consensus four-star commit Dwaun Anderson.

Anderson is a shooting guard from Suttons Bay, Mich. with sneaky athleticism who may develop into a star.

"With the emergence of Michigan's program last year, Michigan State no longer has a monopoly as the state's only basketball power. Even mid-majors like Oakland and Detroit have emerged over the last few years, giving MSU more of a run for in-state recruits," Hayes said. "It's going to be even more important for Michigan State to maintain that brand recognition in the face of greater competition."

Izzo also managed to land Valparaiso transfer and All-Horizon League guard Brandon Wood, who will spend his final year of eligibility in green and white. The word is Wood will play a major role, probably starting at one of the guard spots.

The 2012 class is highlighted, at the moment by power forward Matt Costello, a four-star recruit from Linwood, Mich. Costello was the 2011 Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year, averaging 19.8 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game.

"Costello’s been the talk of (Michigan) prep basketball circles for a couple years now and it’s nice to see him now get recognition in the national rankings from the major services," Moon said. "For more casual fans, I know from experience on The Only Colors that I had to talk certain fans into Matt but that’s passed for the most part."

Costello took his Bay City Western high school, which had never before won more than 14 games or finished above .500 in its conference, to the state semifinals.

A pair of wings, Denzel Valentine and Kenny Kaminski, round out the official commits for 2012. But Izzo has still been seen hanging around talented 6-foot, 4-inch Indianapolis guard Gary Harris.

"Rumor has it that he has been eyeing Purdue, Indiana and Michigan State as his top choices," Brooks said. "He is one of the most promising prospects in the class and is driving Spartan Nation crazy with his decision."

Harris is a consensus five-star ranked number 13 in his class by ESPN and number 26 by Rivals.

Check out The Only Colors at theonlycolors.com and follow Patrick Hayes on Twitter @patrick_hayes. Spartan Avenue is at spartanavenue.com.

More of the same in PSU commits

David P Funk — Sat, 14 May 2011 14:03:05 -0000

Mediocre. Average. Alright. Sufficient.

These words that have been used to describe Penn State's basketball recruiting in recent years. The good news is, though, that's better than what was going on before the reign of Ed DeChellis. The bad news is, that doesn't win championships.

"They've shown they can pull top schools' plan B guys from just about anywhere and they rarely whiff or get stuck with stop gaps, anymore," Adam Bittner, of Black Shoe Diaries and BT Powerehouse, said. "That said, they can't steal plan A kids from Syracuse or Pitt to save their lives and let the Philly teams dominate there. They're not good. They're not bad. They're Penn State."

"If the middle of the road Big Ten team is what you expect out of Penn State, you would have to say that DeChellis has done a solid job," Wade Vanlandingham, of Penn State Central, said. "But if your expectations are that DeChellis should turn this team into a upper-tier big Ten team --meaning they finish consistently in the top half of the conference-- the recruits are not there. No one is in the NBA. No one, other than (Talor) Battle make the all Big Ten squad, etc."

This year's class, another stable of two and three-star commits, is at least being advertised as the best since the 2007 class that included Battle and Jeff Brooks.

The highlights are 6'10" big man Pat Ackerman and small forward Ross Travis. Both are kids with plenty of potential, but have an equal chance of flopping.

Ackerman, from Worcester Academy in Mass., has the body but needs to develop his abilities with the ball in his hand. Travis has struggled with back problems and could spend a lot of time in the trainer's room.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what Travis can bring to the three spot. David Jackson was serviceable there, but if Travis can attack the basket and shoot a decent percentage from the outside, he should be more versatile than Jackson was there pretty quickly," Bittner said. "Everything I've heard about Ackerman suggests he has a lot of work to do. The frame is definitely worth getting excited about, but I'm not sure he's ready for the college game, physically, yet."

Vanlandingham says most three-star recruits in recent years haven't worked out.

Penn State Central's Wade Vanlandingham's assessment of the Lions' recent three-star recruits
2010: Jonathan Graham and Taran Buie – Graham has yet to play and Buie transferred

2009: Tim Frazier – seemed to turn the corner last year, but can he carry the team this year is the real question

2008: Chris Babb – transferred to Iowa State

2007: Jeff Brooks (four-star) and Talor Battle – Brooks took three years of playing time before he finally developed his senior year into 17-plus points per game. And we all know what Battle did.

2006: Andrew Jones and David Jackson – both good contributors, Jones regressed after his sophomore year and Jackson was a consistent 10 point per game player

2005: Jamelle Cornley – probably my favorite player DeChellis has ever had. He delivered.

2004: Travis Parker – I honestly don’t remember this kid, so I am going to say he did not pan out.

Trey Lewis, a 5'10 point guard from Garfield Heights, Ohio, and Sheridan Community College shooting guard Matt Glover are both two-star wild cards in the class as well. Peter Alexis, from Wilkes-Barre, Penn., is a 6-11 insurance policy in case Ackerman doesn't pan out.

Penn State fans expect this class to be more of the same, meaning the Nittany Lions will continue their run of mediocrity on the hardwood.

"This year is a big year from (DeChellis) if he wants to turn the corner," Vanlandingham said. "If he finds a way to finish in the top half of the conference, I will give him the 'turn the corner' vote. We go back to cellar dwellers in the Big Ten adn I say DeChellis is not different than Bruce Parkhill or Jerry Dunn."