In recruiting news, The Pantagraph.com reports that Zeke Upshaw, a 6'5" forward committed to Illinois State over interest from Princeton.Speaking of Princeton, the Tigers have a very solid incoming 2009-2010 recruiting class. Ian Hummer, a 6'6" forward from D.C. has to be among the top 5 preseason candidates in the conference for rookie of the year honors. While not ultra-athletic, Hummer is crafty and works hard inside while also maintaining tremendous perimeter skills. The Tigers also bring onboard 6'8" Will Barrett, a perimeter oriented forward who turned down a scholarship to Michigan to play in Jadwin Gym. Overall, very good class for the Tigers.
Over at Harvard, the Crimson's 2009-2010 roster will feature eleven highly recruited reshmen and sophomores. The bad news is that the Crimson can't truthfully promise playing time to future recruits with so many young players on the roster. The good news is that Harvard's young players are indeed talented and the Crimson have the pieces to become competitive within the league. Harvard's newest recruiting class is led by four high scoring guards--Christian Webster (6'5"), Kyle Casey (6'5"), Dee Giger (6'5"), and Brandyn Curry (6'1"). Curry should inherit the starting point guard role from day 1 and is a rookie of the year candidate. He is a score first point guard who likes to get into the paint. The balance of the class will compete for minutes at the other guard position and at small forward. Giger is a long range spot-up shooter, while Casey and Webster are athletic slashers and will flourish in an up tempo system. This group combined with sophomores 6'3" Max Kenyi and 6'2" point guard Oliver McNally, leaves Harvard's perimeter fully stocked and overloaded for the next three seasons. The Crimson also add highly sought after power forward, 6'8" Jeff Georgatos, who will team up with 6'10" red-shirt freshman Andrew Van Nest, 6'7" sophomores Keith Wright and Peter Boehm to create a youthful yet formidable frontcourt. Van Nest is a skilled, perimeter-oriented big man, while Georgatos is a physical interior player.
Other newcomers in the league to keep an eye include Columbia's Max Craig, an athletic and mobile 260 lb. 7-footer. Craig is a legitimate All-Ivy League prospect and brings two years of experience to New York after transferring from Loyola-Marymount. He will be a one-man wrecking crew in the paint. The Lions also add 6'7" transfer, Brian Grimes via La Salle. The question for Grimes is his health following an ACL tear from a year ago. When healthy, he is an inside and outside threat. Freshmen Jon Daniels (6'7") and Brian Barbour (6'3") could also push for playing time. Both had scholarship opportunities outside the Ivy League.
Yale recruited a pair of point guards, both with mid to long-term All-Ivy potential. Mike Grace, a slashing 6-footer from North Carolina and Austin Morgan, a 5'10" playmaker from California could find immediate playing time for the Bulldogs. Unfortunately, Yale was unsuccessful recruiting replacements for its departing All-Ivy forwards, Ross Morin and Travis Pinick.
Brown's class is anchored by Andrew McCarthy, a physical 6'7" power forward who is well-prepared for Division I basketball after prepping last season at Northfield Mt. Hermon School in Massachusetts. He could be a starter from the first game. The balance of class should all find immediate playing time in a shallow returning rotation. Tucker Halpern (6'7") and Matt Sullivan (6'4") can both shoot the ball from long range.
Penn's class is not jaw dropping by Quaker standards, but Penn has added some key pieces. in its rebuilding project. The group is led by 6'2" sharpshooter Carson Sullivan from North Carolina. While not an explosive athlete, Sullivan can bury the long ball. Meanwhile, 6'6" long range shooter, Sean Mullan from Australia will attempt to adjust to a much higher level of competition in the U.S. Additionally, 6'7" Northfield Mt. Hermon product, Brian Fitzpatrick should push or minutes in the often-injured Penn frontcourt as a true power forward. Malcom Washington, a 5'10" point guard is known as a solid defender with good ball handling skills, but is still developing an offensive game.
Dartmouth's recruits all bring some upside, but this group not have as much of an immediate impact as recruits at other schools. Mbiyimoh Ghogomu, a 6'5" wing from Texas is strong and athletic and could help in the frontcourt, while 6'9" Josef Brown is a developing post with shot blocking and rebounding skills. Garrett Brown, a 6'2" guard from Texas could fill a combo guard role.
7 comments:
Marginally important point, but is Van Nest really a red-shirt freshman? If he stayed enrolled at Harvard last year, he's going to be a sophomore with four years of eligibility but only three at Harvard.
Very true, but he is still a red-shirt freshman. In other words, the NCAA and Ivy League will allow him 4 years of eligibility starting 2009-2010.
Harvard will likely limit him to just three years, but that is just a school policy. But of course, Van Nest could transfer and play a 4th year elsewhere. In other words, Harvard does not determine his college basketball eligibility, just his graduation requirements.
How would you rank the incoming Ivy classes (not including transfers that must sit out for a year)?
So we're pretty much doomed to three years of Harvard calling him year n, and everyone else calling him a red-shirt year n-1. That shouldn't be confusing at all...
Ranking of Classes--
Well--- if you are going just based on freshmen---
1. Harvard
2. Princeton
3. Cornell
4. Brown
5. Columbia
6. Yale
7. Penn
8. Dartmouth
But going based on just freshmen is somewhat misleading. Transfers are real players and they have 2-3 years of eligibility each. Just not sure how you can't count guys like Max Craig, Brian Grimes, Mark Coury, Max Groebe, and Anthony Gatlin in a ranking.
Here is the full recruiting class ranking from us (with transfers)...
1. Cornell
T2. Columbia
T2. Harvard
4. Princeton
5. Brown
6. Yale
7. Penn
8. Dartmouth
CBB,
You speak with immense wiseness, all who do not understand please follow along within.
This Mr. Hummer et. al., you speak of: I sense your great humility when you discuss the great fallen power in ways reminiscent of the President Reagan after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
To some team who never won this great shiny trophy but yearn to through foul means : Please send your hordes of recruits against
us, we will chew them up, no?
Mr. Craig, we speak no ill will of you, hence the high marks for a typically inferior brother in conference. When you tire of your downstate-ness please inquire within. You shall find our College of Medicine a short enough bus ride away that is likely still in your advanced shadow.
And let others recruit Australians of questionable merit, with comparisons to Australians who could barely be drafted for the NBA. What is the value afterall of scoring against the defences of Guam and New Caledonia? If this were WW II then I would understand, but it isn't. Please repeat against the great state of Kentucky, then we can talk!
To all others: Congratulations! You have been accepted with flying colors to the second division nation of Ivy basket-ball teams.
Please form an allstar selection of cagers to do battle with us. Not that it would matter.
We will continue as we always have, recruiting the Charles Barkley-like Errick Peck and the Austin Daye-like Anthony Gatlin. Not to mention the tough-as-nails spice of Mr. Coury of Kentucky and the silky-soft sharpness of the shot of Mr. Groebe of Massachusetts.
Plus Eitan Chemerinski!
For these are recruits to believe in.
And Josh Figini also.
qed
That was beautiful.
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