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| Wednesday, February 7 |
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| USC landing strong local recruits By David Benezra and Mark Mayemura Special to ESPN.com | |||
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USC could stand for University of South Carolina, or, it could stand for University of Spoiled Children, according to UCLA fans.
But in this case it stands for the University of Southern California, and they have already received three verbal commitments this summer, giving them a recruiting class of players that will likely play for four years.
The class might not only maintain the current level of a program on the rise under head coach Henry Bibby and assistants Sylvie Dominguez and Dave Miller, but could also help the Trojans erase that old recruiting bugaboo of, "SC's just a football school," that recruits have heard so often over the years.
Recruiting a strong group from the class of 2001 is especially important as the state of California may have the strongest class of quality recruits in the nation this year.
Any Pac-10 program that normally recruits the state and aspires to be one of the league's elite teams will face a rough road in the next few years if it can't take advantage of that and sign a good class this year.
First, 6-foot-2 twins Errick and Derrick Craven (Bishop Montgomery HS/Torrance, Calif.), committed. Now granted, due to their style of play on the all-star circuit and questionable shooting ability, schools like Arizona, Stanford and UCLA, the perennial powers of the Pac-10 were passing, especially since they all valued Errick more than Derrick and the twins had to go to the same school.
However, the mad-dunking twins are well known and well respected in Southern California among not only high school players, but current youth ball players as well. That won't hurt recruiting. In addition, the twins are "throwbacks." They only know how to play one way -- like junkyard dogs driving pedal to the metal on the NASCAR circuit -- and they are winners.
So, regardless of where they rank, they bring some valuable intangibles to the table, along with their athleticism.
the most recent verbal commitment to USC came this week from 6-11 Rory O'Neil (Burroughs HS/Ridgecrest, Calif.). He's USC's main man of this recruiting class, who selected the Trojans over Stanford, California, UCLA and Oregon.
Big men are always at a premium, and O'Neil is not the most athletic or most developed big man, but he is the most skilled big man in the class -- and being a good athlete, has a big upside.
The work ethic that these incoming freshmen will bring to the program will influence the freshmen and players to follow and provide a platform for future success.
Bibby's recent three-year contract extension and a long sought after new arena that should be available for the 2001-02 season, doesn't hurt, either.
Southern California isn't the only school off to a good early start as unofficially, roughly seventy seniors have already made verbal commitments.
Two familiar rivals with big time histories who have slipped somewhat by varying degrees are creating recruiting buzz.
Louisville is hoping that the commitment of one of the nation's top point guards, 6-0 Carlos Hurt, who is leaving the state of Texas and relocating, will be a catalyst in the revival of their once vaunted recruiting power.
Legendary head coach Denny Crum seems to have gotten a second wind. The Cardinals are being strongly mentioned with 6-7 power forward Ousmane Cisse (St. Jude/Montgomery, Ala.), a fearsome presence in the paint who has made every opponent he's played against this summer contemplate ballet as a future career. The Cards have a good head start on the competition, as Cisse's brother is enrolled at Louisville.
John Calipari, a coach who can teach, has returned from his NBA "prom" and has Memphis involved with high-profile players all over the map. Calipari didn't waste any time in securing a commitment from the best player in the class, 6-1 Dajuan Wagner (Camden, N.J.).
Memphis had been a longtime power a while ago, and it always did it by running a very provincial program that basically just took the cream of Memphis prep basketball. In recent years, however, top Memphis players left the area and the program has been mediocre by Memphis standards.
Coach "Cal" is not afraid to go anywhere, and he is turning Memphis into a national recruiting power like Jim Calhoun did for Connecticut several years ago.
Despite great success and a rich history in hoops, Ohio State -- like USC -- has been known as a football school. It will be difficult to change the perception, but Buckeye hoops has a shot.
By the by, Ohio State has already secured their three recruits for this year. According to international scouts, head coach Jim O'Brien and assistants Dave Spillers and Paul Biancardi were last seen wearing skimpy speedos while vacationing with the Brits on the Spanish Riviera ... NOT!
Actually, they are doing what any recruiter worth his salt would be doing -- getting a jump on the next class of recruits, the class of 2002. David Benezra and Mark Mayemura cover the national college basketball recruiting scene, both high school and junior college recruiting, at their Recruiting USA (www.recruitingusa.com) website. | |
ALSO SEE Recruiting: It's more than high school Recruiting: Will Kuqo follow Self? Updated list of top basketball recruits Recruiting: A look into the future Recruiting: Adidas shows its depth Recruiting: Still Dajuan Recruiting: Chandler an early star at Nike | |
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