1.UNC--After a major down year, their huge incoming class should make them pretty competitive immediately. Felton is a solid PG, McCants is a great player, and after a year like last, the returning players have more experience and only better things to look for. 2.Arizona--Yeah, yeah I know they're preseason #1, but damn should they be fun to watch this year. Great guards in Gardner, Stoudemire, and Bynum. Watch out for Bynum... Not to mention Frye stepping up last March and Walton unbelievably being one of the best SFs in college. 3.Villanova-Big-time freshman Allen Ray and Fraser should make an immediate impact. 4.UVa-Jennifer was a VERY underrated PG. Underachieved to the greatest extent last year, and although they lost Mason Jr. earlier, could still turn some heads 5.Marquette: Two words...Dwayne Wade...A baller...They also got some good recruits including top Houston player Karon Bradley 6.UCONN--This team could've been #1 if Caron stayed. I can't believe how low they are ranked. They have an awesome backcourt with Gordon, Robertson and Talik. Emeka is a stud, plus they have some other good frontcourt players. Other teams: Duke: Ridiculous recruiting, this incoming class is LOADED. Watch out especially for the beast of a PF from OK, Shelden Williams and Sean Dockery out of the crilla...Yeah J.J. Reddick isn't bad at all... UT:This team has many returning players and the starters should all remaing the same except for perhaps Buckman, an All-American, taking over. TJ has to prove himself, the frontcourt is tough, BUT...This team doesn't seem like a #4 in the nation team. THey are playing in the Big 12, but their non-conference opponents are ridiculous (Other than GA). I wouldn't be surprised if they lost to Seton Hall. Probably will finish 3rd in Big XII, I hope they prove me wrong. Cincinatti, UCLA, KU, & IU are always solid. IU has Texas prospect Bracey Wright, plus several returning players with NC game experience. Cincinatti always is fun to watch with their fast-paced style and freakishly athletic ghetto players. Don't forget:Tech...Bobby Knight, enough said, NC State...Julius Hodge, St. Johns...Just because of HATTEN, a freaking player, Notre Dame...Chris Thomas is good and was amazing the Big10 tournament, Oregon...RIDNOUR Off the radar:Tulsa...Who cares about the WAC. We'll see in March... Maryland, yeah I know, they're defending NC but let's see how Gary Williams does... Wyoming beats Gonzaga and still gets no love... Has everyone forgot about Florida?
you forgot someone..... Oklahoma: Returns EVERYONE but 2 players from a Final Four team last year. Have one of the best guards in the nation, Hollis Price. Quannas White, Ebi Ere, Jabahri Brown and super-freshman Kevin Bookout round out the starting 5, with a bench of OK Fab Fiver DeAngelo Alexander, Jason Detrick(possible redshirt though), 6-11 Larry Turner, Johnnie Gilbert, Blake Johnston..... Watch out in the next couple of years, Kelvin Sampson is putting together some great recruiting classes with Rashaad Carruth, Andrew Lavendar, Brandon Foust, and possibly 1 of Cartier Martin and Ronnie Brewer....some great things happening in Norman
So not only are there too many Jason Williams to keep straight, but now we have both a Ray Allen and an Allen Ray??
I don't think UNC will do much this year. They MAY make the tourney, but will not be close to the usual UNC. Duke is rebuilding, and is still better.
Don't remind me... Cartier isn't going to OU anymore though... As much as I hate OU, I like your basketball team because of Hollis and your coach. While football may be close between us, there is still a huge gap with basketball. Maybe if Texas recruits would actually stay in TEXAS...cough...EBI... UNC shouldn't do too much this year, but they should be an exciting up and coming team. Hopefully McCants doesn't pull as Forte and leave WAY too early...
MDuke, Kansas grabbed the nation's best class (#3 per ESPN), and Brewer is begging to take KU's last scholly (Hawks are holding off to see if they can get another 7 footer - Brian Butch, first). OU is only "in the mix" with Brewer.... definately not his first choice (KU, then Ark, then OU). Got committments last week from David Padgett (#5 player overall, 6'11", 250#) and Omar Wilkes (Jamar's son and the top player on the West Coast). Wilkes is a 4.0 student (like many of Kansas' players) and quite a leader, I hear. Again, KU will rule the Big 12 and has set the table for many more great seasons. Oh yeah, I love Kelvin Sampson, so this ain't no diss.
I have been told by reliable recruiting gurus that Brewer will NOT go to Kansas.....either way, we already have a great future, so I doubt it really matters, especially if we redshirt Detrick......
MDuke, I forgot to mention that Kansas also signed the State of Oklahoma's ONLY McDonald's All American..... JR GIDDENS. Also got verbal from another Okie.... Jeremy Case (led 5A in scoring last year as a Jr.).
yeah I know. From what I hear, Case won't play much, if at all.......Giddens is supposed to be a stud though. And you may have the more talented team......but who won last year when they weren't supposed to? Ah, the Sooner Magic....
One more on Kansas (ESPN). No mention of Brewer. It's been said that offers to both he and Marcus Dove have been rescended in favor of big, highly-recruited players. article from yesterday...... History does count for something in Lawrence, Kansas. 6-11 David Padgett (Reno/Reno, Nev.) chose Kansas over North Carolina. Arizona (of course) was also strongly involved in the recruiting. Padgett is probably the most polished big tuna in the class and is also a Top 10 prospect. This was huge for the Jayhawks, who always seem to land top recruits even though they operate without a talented home recruiting base. Padgett's decision should make it a little easier for 6-11 Brian Butch (West HS/Appleton, Wis.) who was also considering Kansas and Arizona, along with North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Marquette. North Carolina, Wisconsin and Arizona must be given a slight edge over Marquette now for Butch. And North Carolina, which was mentioned at one time or another with every quality big man prospect in the class, will now really bring it for Butch. Kansas also received a commitment from 6-3 combo guard (2/1) Omar Wilkes (Loyola HS/Los Angeles, Calif.) on Wednesday. While there was no "package deal," Padgett and Wilkes are very familiar with each other. Wilkes is a solid player and also a high character/no maintenance person with good grades -- a trifecta that is very rare these days. http://espn.go.com/recruiting/s/bbrecruitupdate.html
MDuke, What's the story on Case? He wasn't listed on anyone's boards. Coaches kid and a high scorer.... all I know about him. Speculation is that he'll be a solid player off the bench for a full 4 years. Heard that Sampson did go after Giddens (who really just wanted to play out of state), but did not pursue Case. True? You're correct, too. KU did have better talent last year, and probably will this year, too. That said, OU beat KU (in the tourney) and will at least split with them this year. Chalk it up to heart, Price, and one helluva coach. When Williams, Olson, and K retire, Sampson is next in line for the mighty crown.
Zona should be the best this year. One thing to remember is no matter how good your fresh are (the Fab Five couldn't even win a ring), it is your upperclassmen that usually lead you to a college NC. Zona's top 8 players, including all 5 starters, return from last year. This year's incoming class also addressed Zona's weaknesses from last year (that Kansas, OU, Oregon, and a few others were able to exploit)--by bringing in wing players/SFs with decent size and athleticism. But again the team is sr lead with some pretty experienced sophs too, so they only need to mix in the talented fresh a little--that is a good position to be in (in contrast to Duke or UNC who will need fresh to produce consistently). As far as new recruits, obviously Ebi is a gem for us (Zona) if he doesn't go to the pro's early and assuming he formally signs. Zona is also close to signing the #1 PG in the land (between us and NCstate--who would you choose?). Put in Butch (who apparently the Wis homies are really trying to confuse him into staying home) with Ebi and the PG, that could easily be the #1 class next year. Honestly after Zona I think Kansas is probably the next best team next year. OU may be close too, but they are going to need an inside game (more questions than Kansas or Zona). Zona has relatively early season visit to Lawrence--should be the regular season game of the year, but I expect Zona to return the favor from last year and beat the Hawks by a nose on their home court. It will be electric.
Arizona got a verbal comittment from Mustafa Shakur, the #1 PG in the land last night. You have your Jason Gardner replacement right there. I actually don't know how Arizona is going to divey PT between Shakur (traditional PG), soph Bynum (combo PG/SG), fresh Chris Rogers (combo PG/SG), soph Stoudamire (traditional pure shooting college SG) and fresh Hassan Adams (SG/SF). Maybe they will do a lot of 3 guard combos like they did with any combination of Bibby, Simon, MD and Terry. It will work if you have 2 inside guys than can hold down the middle--Frye and Ebi probably could do it. That is going to be a sick line up. What I really like about what Zona is doing is they keep getting a mix of experienced talent while young talent. This year we have Walton and Gardner to lead the team. The next two years you have Stoudamire, Frye & Bynum to be the leaders (currently sophs), and who do you plug in for some young talent to groom--Ebi and Shakur. The main questions then becomes how long can Lute keep these guys in Tucson (if he can even get Ebi there at all). Also I wouldn't be surprised if guys not happy with PT or position (maybe Bynum, Rogers) transfer. I don't know the status on Butch. I do know Zona has only two players they are still targeting--Butch and a forward named Kirk Walters from Grand Rapids Michigan.
Desert Scar AZ is going to be incredible this year. Polls are split between them and KU for Preseason #1. Personally, l like AZ's chances best because of their depth. KU, right now, looks only to be 5-deep. A couple of injuries and they're a 5 seed. That said, both have killer schedules and will be lucky to go unscathed through their conference play. My guess: KU will lose 2 to 3 games in Conf. play; AZ will lose same #. UCLA and OS will be tough, as will USC, Stanford, and AS. In the Big 12, OU is awesome (again), and UT and Missouri look to be in strong form. My final 4 prediction: KU, AZ, OU, and MS. Win it all...... ????? KU or AZ ?????
and wheres alabama?!?!? theyre the defending sec champs; they have the sec player of the year from last year, erwin dudley!!! everyone is returning except rod grizzard. the tide is ranked #4 in some polls!!! watch out for em; theyll be top 5 in march!!!
I don't think they'll ever be top 5. They're an underachiever and never played to their ability last year with their best player, so I don't see why they will this year.
FYI-Sounds like Zona thinks Butch is going to sign elsewhere. They are likely to sign this guy Walters though.
Scar, Don't 'ya love the KU-AZ game? This is turning into a serious-ass rivalry! Lute vs. Roy. It don't get any better, dude. Imagine what it'll be like in 3 or 4 years?
