Post by elp525 on Apr 15, 2011 4:18:44 GMT -5
April 14, 2011
Huggins lands JC forward, high school point guard
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN - By the end of the second day of the NCAA's month-long spring signing period for basketball, West Virginia had one letter in hand and another on the way.
And with the signing period not ending until May 18 and the Mountaineers still in need of some help, don't be surprised if the suspense drags on for a while.
The letter in hand came Thursday from Dominique Rutledge, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward from Newark, N.J., who has spent the past three years at three different junior colleges. He has two years of eligibility remaining because he did not play this past season.
The letter on its way is from Gary Browne, a 6-1 point guard from Arlington Country Day in Jacksonville, Fla. Browne is from Puerto Rico and his letter of intent - which he signed Wednesday - had to go through there for his parents' signature. West Virginia had not announced that it had received the document as of Thursday.
Rutledge and Brown bring to seven the number of binding letters received by coach Bob Huggins for next season. Five were signed during the November period.
But with only five returning players on scholarship - seniors-to-be Kevin Jones and Truck Bryant, juniors Deniz Kilicli and Dalton Pepper and freshman Kevin Noreen (who is expected to receive a medical redshirt for last year) - that leaves one opening on the scholarship roster. Division I teams are permitted by the NCAA to award 13 scholarships.
Huggins could hold that one if he does not find what he is looking for, but there are a handful of possibilities among uncommitted players. The one that is seemingly highest on his radar is 6-11 junior college center Phillip Jurick, who played a year at Tennessee before leaving and going to junior college. He has just one season of eligibility remaining.
As for the players who signed this spring, Rutledge is perhaps the one most suited to make an immediate impact. He averaged 8.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a freshman at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, then transferred to Miami Dade Junior College after a coaching change and averaged 11.6 points and 8.5 rebounds before breaking his wrist during the season.
With no offers he liked to play Division I the following year, Rutledge went to Western Texas Community College, where he was allowed to work out and practice with the team. He did not play, but he did use his redshirt season, so he has two years to play two.
"Dominique is a big body who gives us athleticism and versatility on the front line," Huggins said. "He should be able to defend all of the front line positions and will give us an effective midrange scorer. He was highly recommended by former WVU great Da'Sean Butler."
Butler is also from Newark and played with and against Rutledge.
Browne played just one year in the United States, but is a guard with good shooting range and the ability to play the point, which he did not do until going to Jacksonville. He was a member of the Puerto Rican under-18 national team.
Last November, West Virginia's five signees were:
Aaron Brown of Penn Wood High School in Darby, Pa.; Pat Forsythe of Brunswick (Ohio) High School; Jabarie Hinds of Mount Vernon (N.Y.) High School; Tommie McCune of Saginaw (Mich.) High School; and Keaton Miles of Lincoln High School in Dallas.
Huggins lands JC forward, high school point guard
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN - By the end of the second day of the NCAA's month-long spring signing period for basketball, West Virginia had one letter in hand and another on the way.
And with the signing period not ending until May 18 and the Mountaineers still in need of some help, don't be surprised if the suspense drags on for a while.
The letter in hand came Thursday from Dominique Rutledge, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward from Newark, N.J., who has spent the past three years at three different junior colleges. He has two years of eligibility remaining because he did not play this past season.
The letter on its way is from Gary Browne, a 6-1 point guard from Arlington Country Day in Jacksonville, Fla. Browne is from Puerto Rico and his letter of intent - which he signed Wednesday - had to go through there for his parents' signature. West Virginia had not announced that it had received the document as of Thursday.
Rutledge and Brown bring to seven the number of binding letters received by coach Bob Huggins for next season. Five were signed during the November period.
But with only five returning players on scholarship - seniors-to-be Kevin Jones and Truck Bryant, juniors Deniz Kilicli and Dalton Pepper and freshman Kevin Noreen (who is expected to receive a medical redshirt for last year) - that leaves one opening on the scholarship roster. Division I teams are permitted by the NCAA to award 13 scholarships.
Huggins could hold that one if he does not find what he is looking for, but there are a handful of possibilities among uncommitted players. The one that is seemingly highest on his radar is 6-11 junior college center Phillip Jurick, who played a year at Tennessee before leaving and going to junior college. He has just one season of eligibility remaining.
As for the players who signed this spring, Rutledge is perhaps the one most suited to make an immediate impact. He averaged 8.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a freshman at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, then transferred to Miami Dade Junior College after a coaching change and averaged 11.6 points and 8.5 rebounds before breaking his wrist during the season.
With no offers he liked to play Division I the following year, Rutledge went to Western Texas Community College, where he was allowed to work out and practice with the team. He did not play, but he did use his redshirt season, so he has two years to play two.
"Dominique is a big body who gives us athleticism and versatility on the front line," Huggins said. "He should be able to defend all of the front line positions and will give us an effective midrange scorer. He was highly recommended by former WVU great Da'Sean Butler."
Butler is also from Newark and played with and against Rutledge.
Browne played just one year in the United States, but is a guard with good shooting range and the ability to play the point, which he did not do until going to Jacksonville. He was a member of the Puerto Rican under-18 national team.
Last November, West Virginia's five signees were:
Aaron Brown of Penn Wood High School in Darby, Pa.; Pat Forsythe of Brunswick (Ohio) High School; Jabarie Hinds of Mount Vernon (N.Y.) High School; Tommie McCune of Saginaw (Mich.) High School; and Keaton Miles of Lincoln High School in Dallas.
