Post by elp525 on Feb 11, 2011 8:28:24 GMT -5
February 10, 2011
By Mitch Vingle
The Charleston Gazette
YE OLDE notebook:
West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins realizes his program needs help if it's to compete within the brutal Big East.
So, yes, he's been out there, recruiting. Same as it ever was in that regard. He once said he's flown 2.7 million miles. With one airline alone. (And he doesn't fly on commercial flights during the season.)
So where has he been of late?
"All over the damn place,'' he said.
Huggins, you may know, can't talk to the media about recruiting specifics, and he wouldn't if he could. It's not unprecedented for him to discover a gem, have word leak and watch recruiters from other schools swarm.
Recently, though, word leaked he'd watched Todd Mayo, brother of former West Virginia player of the year and current Memphis Grizzlies player O.J., play for Notre Dame (Tenn.) Prep School. We'll track how that goes. The younger Mayo is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound shooting guard with other schools like Marquette, Memphis and Baylor interested. WVU has not yet offered.
Here, however, is what Huggins said about the current recruiting effort and the possibility of bringing in more players, perhaps of the junior college ilk, for next season.
"We're looking to fill needs," he said. "If we find someone who can come in and play, we'll go after them. But we're not going to recruit someone just to take a spot."
Apparently, Huggins has checked out a couple junior college players lately, but none that tickled his fancy. He didn't, however, discount the possibility of signing some.
"We could bring in a couple," he said.
"We're trying to make sure we're doing our due diligence with underclassmen," he added, "and fill needs."
As we've reported, Huggins' most recent recruiting class turned into a disaster. But what of the incoming class?
So far, so good.
Aaron Brown, a 6-5, 205-pound small forward from Penn Wood High in Lansdowne, Pa., is averaging 20.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists for a team currently 13-7.
Center Pat Forsythe, a 6-10, 210-pound standout from Brunswick, Ohio, is averaging 23.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 6.2 blocked shots. He's shooting 66 percent from the field, which would be a school record if it holds up.
"He's probably a first-team All-Ohio pick," Brunswick coach Joe Mackey said Thursday. "He's having a phenomenal year considering the circumstances. We have a freshman point guard and two sophomore wings. We're very young, but he's kept us afloat."
Brunswick plays in the tough, 18-team Northeast Ohio Conference within the elite division. The team is 11-5, but with a chance to land a No. 2 seed when sectional play rolls around.
"He's been double- and triple-teamed and still has astronomical numbers," Mackey said. "He's got the eyes of all northeast Ohio on him since signing. He's brought a lot of people to our games."
The star of the incoming class, of course, is expected to be lefty Jabarie Hinds, a 6-foot point guard from Mount Vernon, N.Y. He's being coached by Bob Cimmino, who has been named to coach the East team in the upcoming McDonald's All-America game in Chicago on March 30.
"It's just been such a pleasure to coach Jabarie," Cimmino said. "He's a great person and leader. Been playing for us since February of his eighth-grade year, and he continues to flourish. He's a hard worker, faster than a speeding bullet and enjoys playing defense as well as offense."
Hinds is averaging 19.6 points, 3.5 assists and three rebounds. Cimmino said it's tough to judge his player's worth from those stats, however, because in some games he barely plays because of lopsided competition. He played just six minutes in a recent game. Against national power St. Anthony (N.J.), though, he scored 22 points. Mount Vernon, playing in New York's largest classification, is 13-4.
The coach of Tommie McCune, a 6-7, 185-pound power forward, said WVU should also be happy with the progress of its Saginaw, Mich., signee.
"They're getting a good one," said Saginaw High coach Lou Dawkins. "He's our leading scorer, but we already knew he could score. He's also become a leader on and off the court. Players are following. He's made great strides."
McCune is averaging 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks for the No. 5 team in Michigan's A class, tops there. McCune's team has a big showdown Saturday against No. 3 Kalamazoo Central.
Keaton Miles, meanwhile, another 6-7 forward, is having a fine season for one of the nation's top programs - Texas' Lincoln High, currently ranked No. 10 nationally by ESPN Rise.
The Tigers are 25-2 and Miles is averaging 14.2 points and 10.4 rebounds. He's the team's No. 2 scorer to stud LeBryan Nash, a top-10 national recruit headed to Oklahoma State.
"Keaton is improving overall," said coach Leonard Bishop. "His knowledge of the game is improving. He plays real hard. He anticipates rebounds. He's getting to know where he's best. He's getting there. A student of the game. An honor student."
While on the subject of hoops, the Mountain State's Huntington Prep, coached by Rob Fulford, recently joined the MaxPreps list of Top 25 teams. According to Fulford, the Express is now 19-3.
And finally . . .
A nugget for all those who follow the travails of state native and former WVU and (now) Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez.
Rich Rod made an appearance this week on Colin Cowherd's ESPN radio show. Many sent e-mails here asking if I'd heard the coach express regret at leaving West Virginia.
Well, here is exactly what Rodriguez said when asked if he now has second thoughts about departing WVU for UM:
"That's a very fair question. You know, again, I've never reflected before. But I think there are always, always regrets. Looking back on it now, you know, I think the way things worked out, certainly there's regrets in that regard. But, you know, I've learned a lot; I've met a lot of great people; not all the [UM] experiences were poor.
"There was a great experience here [in Michigan]. Met a lot of outstanding people. I just wish we had a little bit more opportunity and time to succeed and finish the job. ... I know it's self-serving to say that, but it's the truth from where I'm coming from."
Perhaps it's just me, but the answer didn't exactly drip with regret and sorrow.
If, however, he'd played Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up," as he did at UM's banquet, while answering the question . . .
By Mitch Vingle
The Charleston Gazette
YE OLDE notebook:
West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins realizes his program needs help if it's to compete within the brutal Big East.
So, yes, he's been out there, recruiting. Same as it ever was in that regard. He once said he's flown 2.7 million miles. With one airline alone. (And he doesn't fly on commercial flights during the season.)
So where has he been of late?
"All over the damn place,'' he said.
Huggins, you may know, can't talk to the media about recruiting specifics, and he wouldn't if he could. It's not unprecedented for him to discover a gem, have word leak and watch recruiters from other schools swarm.
Recently, though, word leaked he'd watched Todd Mayo, brother of former West Virginia player of the year and current Memphis Grizzlies player O.J., play for Notre Dame (Tenn.) Prep School. We'll track how that goes. The younger Mayo is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound shooting guard with other schools like Marquette, Memphis and Baylor interested. WVU has not yet offered.
Here, however, is what Huggins said about the current recruiting effort and the possibility of bringing in more players, perhaps of the junior college ilk, for next season.
"We're looking to fill needs," he said. "If we find someone who can come in and play, we'll go after them. But we're not going to recruit someone just to take a spot."
Apparently, Huggins has checked out a couple junior college players lately, but none that tickled his fancy. He didn't, however, discount the possibility of signing some.
"We could bring in a couple," he said.
"We're trying to make sure we're doing our due diligence with underclassmen," he added, "and fill needs."
As we've reported, Huggins' most recent recruiting class turned into a disaster. But what of the incoming class?
So far, so good.
Aaron Brown, a 6-5, 205-pound small forward from Penn Wood High in Lansdowne, Pa., is averaging 20.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists for a team currently 13-7.
Center Pat Forsythe, a 6-10, 210-pound standout from Brunswick, Ohio, is averaging 23.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 6.2 blocked shots. He's shooting 66 percent from the field, which would be a school record if it holds up.
"He's probably a first-team All-Ohio pick," Brunswick coach Joe Mackey said Thursday. "He's having a phenomenal year considering the circumstances. We have a freshman point guard and two sophomore wings. We're very young, but he's kept us afloat."
Brunswick plays in the tough, 18-team Northeast Ohio Conference within the elite division. The team is 11-5, but with a chance to land a No. 2 seed when sectional play rolls around.
"He's been double- and triple-teamed and still has astronomical numbers," Mackey said. "He's got the eyes of all northeast Ohio on him since signing. He's brought a lot of people to our games."
The star of the incoming class, of course, is expected to be lefty Jabarie Hinds, a 6-foot point guard from Mount Vernon, N.Y. He's being coached by Bob Cimmino, who has been named to coach the East team in the upcoming McDonald's All-America game in Chicago on March 30.
"It's just been such a pleasure to coach Jabarie," Cimmino said. "He's a great person and leader. Been playing for us since February of his eighth-grade year, and he continues to flourish. He's a hard worker, faster than a speeding bullet and enjoys playing defense as well as offense."
Hinds is averaging 19.6 points, 3.5 assists and three rebounds. Cimmino said it's tough to judge his player's worth from those stats, however, because in some games he barely plays because of lopsided competition. He played just six minutes in a recent game. Against national power St. Anthony (N.J.), though, he scored 22 points. Mount Vernon, playing in New York's largest classification, is 13-4.
The coach of Tommie McCune, a 6-7, 185-pound power forward, said WVU should also be happy with the progress of its Saginaw, Mich., signee.
"They're getting a good one," said Saginaw High coach Lou Dawkins. "He's our leading scorer, but we already knew he could score. He's also become a leader on and off the court. Players are following. He's made great strides."
McCune is averaging 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks for the No. 5 team in Michigan's A class, tops there. McCune's team has a big showdown Saturday against No. 3 Kalamazoo Central.
Keaton Miles, meanwhile, another 6-7 forward, is having a fine season for one of the nation's top programs - Texas' Lincoln High, currently ranked No. 10 nationally by ESPN Rise.
The Tigers are 25-2 and Miles is averaging 14.2 points and 10.4 rebounds. He's the team's No. 2 scorer to stud LeBryan Nash, a top-10 national recruit headed to Oklahoma State.
"Keaton is improving overall," said coach Leonard Bishop. "His knowledge of the game is improving. He plays real hard. He anticipates rebounds. He's getting to know where he's best. He's getting there. A student of the game. An honor student."
While on the subject of hoops, the Mountain State's Huntington Prep, coached by Rob Fulford, recently joined the MaxPreps list of Top 25 teams. According to Fulford, the Express is now 19-3.
And finally . . .
A nugget for all those who follow the travails of state native and former WVU and (now) Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez.
Rich Rod made an appearance this week on Colin Cowherd's ESPN radio show. Many sent e-mails here asking if I'd heard the coach express regret at leaving West Virginia.
Well, here is exactly what Rodriguez said when asked if he now has second thoughts about departing WVU for UM:
"That's a very fair question. You know, again, I've never reflected before. But I think there are always, always regrets. Looking back on it now, you know, I think the way things worked out, certainly there's regrets in that regard. But, you know, I've learned a lot; I've met a lot of great people; not all the [UM] experiences were poor.
"There was a great experience here [in Michigan]. Met a lot of outstanding people. I just wish we had a little bit more opportunity and time to succeed and finish the job. ... I know it's self-serving to say that, but it's the truth from where I'm coming from."
Perhaps it's just me, but the answer didn't exactly drip with regret and sorrow.
If, however, he'd played Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up," as he did at UM's banquet, while answering the question . . .
