at the start of the letter-of-intent inking period, there have been a series of movements in the hoops recruiting world, with uncommitted players making their decisions, some re-classifying of 2011 prospects into the 2010 class, and releasing of fall signees as a result of coaching changes.
The latter has the most intrigue, with destinations being switched for some, while others kept their pledge with a vote of confidence to the new staff at the school they originally signed with during November’s signing period.
CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
ACC – All five Wake Forest signees are staying put – Tony Chennault (6-1 PG/Philadelphia/Neumann-Goretti), Carson Desrosiers (6-11 C/Windham, N.H./Lawrence, Mass./Central Catholic), Travis McKie (6-7 WF/Richmond, Va./John Marshall), Melvin Tabb (6-8 CF/Raleigh, N.C./Enloe) and J.T. Terrell (6-4 SG/Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte).
Boston College lost its three that signed in the fall as Brady Heslip (6-2 CG/Burlington, Ontario, Canada/New Hampton, N.H./New Hampton Prep), Kevin Noreen (6-10 PF/Minneapolis, Minn./Transitions Charter) and Papa Samba Ndao (6-9 PF/Senegal/Orlando, Fla./Montverde Academy) all want to look elsewhere.
Clemson granted release to its lone recruit from the early period in Marcus Thornton (6-8 WF/Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) but gained Cory Stanton (5-11 PG/Springfield, Tenn./Springfield) when he followed the Tigers’ new head coach after signing with him previously at Wright State.
BIG EAST – Ronald Roberts (6-7 CF/Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter’s Prep) was released from St. John’s but Seton Hall and DePaul kept their classes intact while Rutgers is still in the process of determining a new head coach.
Fuquan Edwin (6-6 WF/Paterson, N.J./Paterson Catholic) is sticking with the Pirates and the Blue Demons’ trio of Moses Morgan (6-5 SG/Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde), Walter Pitchford (6-10 C/Chicago/Richmond, Ind./New Creations) and Brandon Young (6-4 PG/Washington, D.C./Edison-Friendship Collegiate) are all expected to remain.
Rutgers is yet to name a new coach but Gilvydas Biruta (6-8 PF/Lithuania/Newark, N.J./St. Benedict) and Austin Carroll (6-3 SG/Bedford, Mass./Wolfeboro, N.H./Brewster Academy) have said they are taking a wait-and-see approach.
BIG TEN – Iowa lost Cody Larson (6-9 PF/Sioux Falls, S.D./Roosevelt) to Florida, but Zach McCabe (6-7 CF/Sioux City, Iowa/Bishop Heelan) and Devyn Marble (6-5 SG/Southfield, Mich./Lathrup) are staying. Ben Brust (6-2 SG/Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) is looking elsewhere.
BIG 12 – In the latest of moves, Iowa State changed regimes just this week but Melvin Ejim (6-6 CF/Brampton, Ontario, Canada/Wolfeboro, N.H./Brewster Academy) and its two spring signees, Eric McKnight (6-9 PF/Raleigh, N.C./Lanham, Md./Princeton Day Academy) and Jordan Railey (6-10 PF/Beaverton, Ore./Beaverton), are on board to remain Cyclones.
SEC – Auburn granted Jalen Steele (6-2 SG/Knoxville, Tenn./Fulton) his release and he’s now headed to conference rival Mississippi State. Shawn Kemp (6-10 C/Canton, Ga./Chatham, Va./Hargrave Military Academy), Heath Houston (6-7 PF/Powder Springs, Ga./Hillgrove) and Allen Payne (6-6 CF/Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods)are sticking with the Tigers.
PAC 10 – Andre Winston (6-1 CG/Lakewood, Wash./Lakes) was originally ticketed for James Madison but will stay home at Washington State.
OFF THE BOARD
Deonte Burton (6-1 PG/Los Angeles/Compton Centennial) – NEVADA
Jelani Hewitt (6-2 SG/Oakland Park, Fla./Northeast) – GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Trey Zeigler (6-5 SG/Mount Pleasant, Mich./Mount Pleasant) – CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Josh Langford (6-7 CF/Huntsville, Ala./Lee) – AUBURN
Darrious Curry (6-7 CF/Houston, Texas/Stratford) – WEST VIRGINIA
Brice Kofane (6-8 PF/Cameroon/Charlottesville, Va./Miller School) – PROVIDENCE
Godwin Okonji (6-9 PF/Nigeria/Henderson, Nev./Findlay Prep) – LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
Gorgui Sy Dieng (6-9 PF/Senegal/Huntington, W.V./Huntington Prep) – LOUISVILLE
Jordair Jett (6-1 PG/St. Paul, Minn./Fitchburg, Mass./Notre Dame Prep) – SAINT LOUIS
Bo Barnes (6-5 SG/Phoenix, Ariz./Westwind Prep) – HAWAII
Michael Haynes (6-7 PF/Chicago/Martinsville, Va./Heat Academy) – TEXAS EL-PASO
Jason Carter (6-8 PF/New Orleans, La./Humble, Tex./Christian Life Center) – ALABAMA
Isaiah Massey (6-8 PF/McDonough, Ga./Tampa, Fla./TAAG Academy) - MISSISSIPPI
Oto Osenieks (6-8 CF/Latvia/Carbondale, Ill./Brehm Prep) - MINNESOTA
A trio of 2011 prospects are re-classifying and will now be entering school in 2010, with Matt Carlino (6-2 SG/Gilbert, Ariz./Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South) to UCLA, Shabazz Napier (6-0 PG/Randolph, Mass./Groton, Mass./Lawrence Academy) to Connecticut and James Siakam (6-7 CF/Cameroon/Carbondale, Ill./Brehm Prep) to Vanderbilt.
Carlino chose UCLA over Florida and Butler while Siakam chose Vanderbilt over Virginia. Both made their decisions this past week while Napier committed to UCONN earlier in the month.
And of course, those much talked about seven All-Americans who waited for the spring signing period to make their decisions have all done so by now with Brandon Knight to Kentucky, Ray McCallum to Detroit, Josh Selby to Kansas, Doron Lamb to Kentucky, Cory Joseph to Texas, C.J. Leslie to North Carolina State, and Terrence Jones announcing his decision today at 3:30 p.m. PST.
