North Carolina wins another title
With 93 of the nation's top 100 seniors and 180 of the top 200 committed to college basketball programs before the November signing date, it doesn't take a computer to determine that defending NCAA champion North Carolina and Ohio State have harvested the top classes for 2006.
According to recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons of Lenoir, N.C., who has been evaluating high school talent for more than 30 years, this is an above-average senior class that is headed by Ohio State-bound Greg Oden of Indianapolis, whom Gibbons rates as the best big man to come out of the high school ranks since Lew Alcindor, a k a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
"There are two benchmarks in evaluating a class -- the number of quality big men and the number of true point guards,'' Gibbons said. "This class has an ample number of both. Oden is in a class by himself, bigger and better and more dominating than Moses Malone.''
Gibbons also is impressed by the number of true point guards, including North Carolina-bound Tywon Lawson, Kansas-bound Sherron Collins of Crane, DePaul-bound Will Walker of Bolingbrook and California-bound James Randle of Hales Franciscan.
"True point guards are the most difficult players to find and the most highly sought,'' Gibbons said. "Every college program is looking for a floor leader who is team-oriented. In today's fast-paced game, those kind of unselfish players are hard to find, even harder to evaluate.''
Gibbons agrees with Van Coleman of Hoopmasters.com in giving North Carolina an edge over Ohio State, despite Oden's presence.
In Gibbons' view, coach Roy Williams landed the nation's best point guard (Lawson), the best shooting guard (Wayne Ellington) and the best power forward (Brandan Wright). The Tar Heels added three other top-100 players: 6-9 Deon Thompson (36), 6-8 Alex Stepheson (39) and 6-6 William Graves (67).
Ohio State is second "by a coin toss,'' Gibbons said. The Buckeyes have Oden and his high school teammate, point guard Mike Conley Jr., whose father, Mike Sr., starred in the triple jump at Luther South from 1979 to '81 and later won gold (1992) and silver (1984) medals in the Olympics. They got two other top-35 players in 6-5 Daequan Cook (20) and 6-5 David Lighty (34).
But only three Big Ten schools are listed among the top 30 in the nation. Is that a harbinger of things to come? Why is the Big Ten having trouble recruiting blue-chip prospects?
Gibbons insists the debate is much ado about nothing, that history is on the Big Ten's side. The league had two teams in the Final Four and three teams in the final eight last season.
"The Big Ten just needs to recruit better players,'' he said. "There has been a talent drought in the Midwest in general, in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan in particular. The region hasn't been as fertile as it was in the early 1990s. But the future looks bright.''
Gibbons cites his national rankings over the last five years. Last year, five Big Ten programs ranked among the nation's top 40 recruiting classes. In 2004, Indiana and Michigan State rated in the top 10. In 2003, only Michigan State. In 2002, Illinois' class of Dee Brown, James Augustine and Deron Williams ranked No. 7 in the nation. In 2001, three Big Ten teams ranked among the top 12.
"When the Big Ten is good, the talent in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana is good, too,'' Coleman said. "Now the Big Ten finally is realizing that it must go out and recruit nationally, into areas where the ACC, Big 12 and SEC are getting blue-chippers. When you don't have great athletes in your backyard, you must go out and find them. They haven't found them in the Midwest in the last few years.
"Illinois is on the rebound. To succeed, they must get their share of the best kids in the state. But recruiting runs in cycles. Memphis, New York and Southern California have experienced the same up-and-down as Illinois.
When your area is down, you struggle unless you are able to recruit nationally.''
TOP 10 MEN'S CLASSES
According to Van Coleman, Hoopmasters.com
1. NORTH CAROLINA: The defending NCAA champion landed six top-100 players, including three of the top 11: 6-9 Brandan Wright (4), 6-4 guard Wayne Ellington (5) and point guard Tywon Lawson (11).
2. OHIO STATE: The Buckeyes boast the nation's No. 1 player, 7-foot Greg Oden, 6-5 guard Daequan Cook (20) and Oden's high school teammate, point guard Mike Conley Jr. (24), son of the former Luther South Olympian.
3. CONNECTICUT: UConn lost highly touted Ramar Smith but landed Doug Wiggins (56), who decommitted from St. John's. Coach Jim Calhoun also got 6-9 Stanley Robinson (16) and 6-9 Curtis Kelly (30).
4. LOUISVILLE: Coach Rick Pitino continues to work his magic. He has four top-100 players, including 6-9 Derrick Caracter (10) and 6-7 point guard Earl Clark (22).
5. TEXAS: The Longhorns have four top-100 players: 6-9 Kevin Durant (3), point guard D.J. Augustin (26), 6-11 Dexter Pittman (58) and 6-10 Matt Hill (79). They also are bringing in two shooting guards to balance the class.
6. WASHINGTON: The balance of power in the Pac-10 is shifting to the north. The Huskies have four top-100 players, including 6-11 center Spencer Hawes, the nation's No. 2 prospect, and 6-7 Quincy Pondexter (27).
7. OKLAHOMA: The Sooners have three top-50 recruits: 6-8 Damion James (17), 6-8 Keith Clark (43) and point guard Scott Reynolds (49). They added prep school star Jeremy Mayfield.
8. DUKE: Glenbrook North's Jon Scheyer (31), who dropped in the national rankings because he was slowed by an injury over the summer, is joined by 6-4 guard Gerald Henderson (21) and 7-foot center Brian Zoubek (25).
9. GEORGIA TECH: The Yellow Jackets got a big boost when 6-8 Thaddeus Young (6) committed. He joins 6-5 point guard Javaris Crittenton (19) and two other talented big men, 6-11 Brad Sheehan and 6-8 Zachary Peacock.
10. MEMPHIS: John Calipari's team leaped into the top 10 when point guard Trevon Willis (88) made a last-minute commitment. He joins two other top-100 players, 6-7 Pierre Niles (40) and point guard Willie Kemp (47).
Next 10: Tennessee, Kentucky, Villanova, Wake Forest, Michigan State, Syracuse, Georgetown, Arkansas, Arizona, Stanford.
TOP 10 WOMEN'S CLASSES
According to Joseph Smith, Women's Basketball News Service
1. Stanford: Jayne Appel, 6-4, C, Pleasant Hills, Calif.; J.J. Hones, 5-7, G, Southridge, Ore; Melony Murphy, 5-7, G, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Michelle Harrison, 6-2, F, Orem Utah.
2. Connecticut: Tina Charles, 6-4, C, Queens, N.Y.; Kristen Phillips, 6-5, C, Greensboro, N.C.; Kaili McLaren, 6-2, C, Washington, D.C.
3. USC: Jackie Gemelos, 5-11, G, Stockton, Calif.; Morgan Medlock, 6-0, F, Harbor City, Calif.
4. Texas: Brittainey Raven, 6-0, G, Fort Worth, Texas; Niqki Hughes, 5-11, G, Fort Worth.
5. Purdue: Amber Harris, 6-5, C, Indianapolis; Dee Dee Jerrigan, 5-10, G, East Chicago, Ind.
6. Rutgers: Epiphany Prince, 5-8, G, New York; Brittany Ray, 5-10, G, Bronx, N.Y.
7. Oklahoma: Amanda Thompson, 6-0, G/F, Whitney Young; Rose Hammdon, 5-8, G, Depew, Okla.
8. Ohio State: Lesslee Mason-Cox, 6-1, F, Cincinnati; Cherise Daniels, 5-10, G, Columbus, Ohio.
9. Baylor: Latara Darrett, 5-10, G, Bradenton, Fla; Jessika Bradley, 6-3, C, Sacramento, Calif.
10. Georgia: Ashley Houts, 5-6, G, Trenton, Ga.; Christy Marshall, 6-1, F, Savannah, Ga.
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