32 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Looking forward to getting each of these players in a MD uniform.

From October 12:

Baltimore Sports and Life: “With the current commitments of PG Seth Allen, along with C Shaq Cleare, and SF Jake Layman; Maryland currently has the 23th ranked 2012 Class in the updated Rivals.com rankings (http://basketballrec...asp?CID=1274853) posted on October 5th. This compares to the 7th, and 11th rated classes according to Scout.com, and ESPN. The primary difference appears to be the evaluation of Layman. What are your thoughts on the SF?”

Eric Bossi, Rivals.com: “Layman is a guy who has caused quite a bit of difference in opinion, not just among different ranking services but inside of the ranking services. Layman is a very fluid guy who can shoot and has all of the athletic tools that you would like to see. Right now, I don’t know that he’s a pure wing and would classify him as more of a face-up four man or combo forward. Either way, I like him a lot. Once he adds weight and looks to impact the game a bit more consistently — at least in the summer with BABC he was somewhat inconsistent — he could turn into a very good player for the Terps.”

From July 8th:

Baltimore Sports and Life: “The first player that Coach Turgeon added here at Maryland was the ’12 PG Sean Allen. I know Allen’s stock had been rising prior to his verbal, and he is described as having good athleticism and a decent shot. Where does he need to improve?”

Jeff Borzello, CBS Sports: “To be honest, I didn’t think Seth Allen was a lock high-major player when I saw him a few weeks before his commitment. He’s basically an undersized two guard, since he’s barely 6’1 1/2″ and not a point guard. Allen can score with the best of them but I’m interested to see if he holds up in the ACC.”

Borzello: “Cleare's a space-eating big man with good hands who knows how to score around the rim. Cleare hasn’t played basketball for very long, coming to the US only three years ago. He still has growing to do in his game.”

From May 31st: (Same question about Allen)

Paul Biancardi, ESPN: “Have not seen him yet. But Texas AM had him on their radar early and knew a lot about this young man. With Coach Turgeon landing a job closer to Allen who is from Fredericksburg, VA it all makes sense.”

[BSLChrisStoner]

Maryland’s currently projected 2012-13 roster looks like:

Guards: Stoglin (Jr), Howard (Jr), Allen (Freshman)
Wings: Faust (Soph), Parker (Jr), Layman (Freshman)
Bigs: Padgett (Sr), Pankey (Soph), Len (Soph), Cleare (Freshman)

This means Maryland can add up to 3 additional players in the Class. Of course, if Coach Turgeon and his Staff did that, it would be a very heavy class, and there would be only one current available scholarship (a departing Padgett) for the Class of ’13.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Ideally, I think the Terps would add one more post player. I would think the priority remains Amile Jefferson, but that appears to be a very long shot.

Three other names we were once hearing connected to MD, were:

Cinmeon Bowers: http://espn.go.com/c...=cinmeon-bowers

Charles Mitchell: http://espn.go.com/c...harles-mitchell)

&

Jakarr Sampson: http://espn.go.com/c...=jakarr-sampson

I’m not sure any of these three would be considered the ‘missing piece’ but I do think the addition of anyone out of this trio would give MD a very deep Front-court for next year.

Jeff Borzello from CBS Sports reported in late November that the Terps had been mentioned with 6’8 French native William Howard (http://espn.go.com/c.../william-howard), who is Prepping at New Hope Academy here in Maryland. The reports I saw described Howard as a SF/Wing type, who is playing the 4 with New Hope. If he is strictly a 3 at the next level, I think you would really need to love him to take him in the same class as Layman.

Sam Cassell Jr. attended Maryland Madness, and is also being recruited by UConn, GaTech, VaTech, Seton Hall, FSU, USF, Clemson, Butler, and UNLV. Despite his last name, he has been under the radar during most of the recruiting process. I’ve seen him described as a guy that can defend with his long arms, and score in bunches. He is currently getting that additional year of experience at Prep School. If he wants to come, and join Allen as PG’s in this Class of ’12, do you take him? My sense is that he is probably a bit under ranked, but like W. Howard, I’m not sure he makes a ton of sense for this Class. You’ve signed a PG in Allen. Howard will have two years remaining. Coach Turgeon made Allen an early priority. Is there a real need for another PG in the same Class?

In late December, ZAGS.blog reported, "Maryland is in the mix for two players from Monroe (N.Y.) College, the No. 1 junior college program in the nation. Marco Bourgault is a 6-foot-6, 215-pound wing originally from France and Orlando Sanchez is a 6-9 forward from The Dominican Republic."

[bnickle]

We need a true PG. Not going to be too critical of PeShon but he's too inconsistent. If we had more consistent PG play in the ACC this year I think we'd have a few more wins.

[ScoutTeamJoe]

Can Cassell shoot from long range? I feel like going forward we can't have too many bombers. It's been an issue for awhile.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Can Cassell shoot from long range? I feel like going forward we can't have too many bombers. It's been an issue for awhile.

Good question Joe. Matt Bracken with The Sun had a good piece on Cassell last August, where the AAU Coach seemed to think he could.

I like that as a legacy, Cassell probably is a heady player. If he plays anything like his Dad though, he is not a pass-first PG. I remember his Dad with FSU (good team), and Houston early on as a pro. That guy wanted the ball in his hands when it mattered.

http://weblogs.balti...jor_talent.html


Every so often during his junior year at St. Frances, Sam Cassell Jr. showed flashes of high-major potential.

After leaving the Panthers to spend his senior year at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass., moments where Cassell looked like a future big-time college player became increasingly regular. A standout summer on the circuit with Nike Baltimore Elite subsequently vaulted the 6-foot-4, 180-pound point guard to a different level of attention from colleges.

“Right now I’m getting interest from [schools in] the Big East, ACC and SEC,” Cassell said Monday. “I always dreamed about it and it’s coming true.”

Cassell, who will return to Notre Dame Prep this fall for a postgrad year, said he grew “an inch-and-a-half” and added “probably 15, 20 pounds” of muscle over the past year. He said he averaged “around 14 or 15 points and … six assists” for the Crusaders, demonstrating an assertiveness his game may have lacked earlier in his high school career.

“My ball-handling and my aggressiveness [improved],” Cassell said. “I wanted to score all the time. I wasn’t very aggressive [at St. Frances]. I was a laid-back type of player. Now I go after everything.”

Nike Baltimore Elite’s Carlton "Bub" Carrington said “maturity” was the biggest difference he saw in Cassell this summer. Carrington said he thinks Cassell could be an even better 3-point shooter than his father.

“At the end of the day, he can make shots. He can make the mid-range shot, and he can shoot the long ball,” Carrington said. “He was our leading scorer at one time until he had to miss the L.A. trip because he was doing his schoolwork. Then he came back and he [said], ‘I’ll do whatever you need me to do right now.’ I thought he was terrific.”

Several high-major programs are now involved with Cassell, including Arkansas, Butler, Clemson, Florida State, Maryland, Missouri, South Florida, TCU, Villanova and Washington. Being recruited by the Terps and Wildcats, in particular, was unexpected.

“All the Big East and ACC schools, they were all surprising,” Cassell said. “That shows how hard I’ve been working.”

Cassell admitted that he has “always thought about going to Florida State” – his father’s alma mater. And having grown up in Baltimore, Cassell is also intrigued by what Maryland has to offer.

“The thing I really like is [that the Terps] have a new coach,” Cassell said. “I’m looking forward to watching this year, the offense they run and all that stuff. The fan base that they have, I love schools that have a lot of fans [like Maryland].”

Cassell said he currently has no favorites in his recruitment, but he’s hoping to trim his list of schools to five by the time school starts this fall. He’ll take his official visits, but is not necessarily set on signing during the fall period in November.

Carrington isn’t sure where Cassell will eventually end up, but the level at which the point guard plays is “up to Sam.”

“If he wants to be a passer first and a scorer second, I think he can play high-major ball because he has skills that translate,” Carrington said. “He can make shots. To what level he goes, it’s really up to him. He’s definitely a high-major talent.”

[Mackus]

So apparently MD just grabbed a commitment from a guy almost nobody knows.

http://www.testudoti... ... commitment

He's listed at 6'9" and 230, so he's big. That's all I know. Maybe he redshirts next year and is a bit of a project? We'll already have four big men in Padgett, Len, Pankey, and Cleare.

[BSLChrisStoner]

So apparently MD just grabbed a commitment from a guy almost nobody knows.

http://www.testudoti... ... commitment

He's listed at 6'9" and 230, so he's big. That's all I know. Maybe he redshirts next year and is a bit of a project? We'll already have four big men in Padgett, Len, Pankey, and Cleare.

Pretty interesting. I have not been paying as much attention to recruiting as I should lately, but this is not a name I'm familiar with. I will have to do some digging. If Dodd does not Redshirt:

Maryland’s currently projected 2012-13 roster looks like:

Guards: Stoglin (Jr), Howard (Jr), Allen (Freshman)
Wings: Faust (Soph), Parker (Jr), Layman (Freshman)
Bigs: Padgett (Sr), Pankey (Soph), Len (Soph), Cleare (Freshman), Dodd (Freshman)

Comments in that Testudo Times piece from different posters:

- Keith Cavanaugh (Rivals) was on 105.7 within the past hour saying Dodd had late offers from Georgetown, and Seton Hall.
- Dodd's weight according to one of the posted articles is up to 240, after he gained weight/strength preparing for this year.

[bnickle]

I'll say this, at this point I trust Turge, Spinelli, Ransom when it comes to bringing in a big or any player for that matter this late in a class vs Gary doing it. That doesn't mean this kid is going to be any better than the stiffs Gary brought in but for now I give them the benefit of the doubt. Turg said he wasn't going to bring in warm bodies for the sake of bringing in warm bodies and I believe him. I'm sure they've seen this kid play and believe he has some the upside of an ACC caliber player.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Nice report on Dodd from The Sun / Matt Bracken:
http://www.baltimore...0,7783576.story

[BSLMikeLowe]

I'll say this, at this point I trust Turge, Spinelli, Ransom when it comes to bringing in a big or any player for that matter this late in a class vs Gary doing it. That doesn't mean this kid is going to be any better than the stiffs Gary brought in but for now I give them the benefit of the doubt. Turg said he wasn't going to bring in warm bodies for the sake of bringing in warm bodies and I believe him. I'm sure they've seen this kid play and believe he has some the upside of an ACC caliber player.

Based on what Spinelli has done with Padgett in just a few months to make him an improved player in the post, I certainly won't rule out anything with Dodd. Of course who knows how long Spinelli will be in CP? Someone over on OH suggested Dodd might prep for a year before coming to UM, just because playing on the Eastern Shore he hasn't faced any of the big-bodied players that he's going to see in college.

[8istheman]

I like the size of Dodd. It will be nice to have some size for a change at Maryland. We will have some girth and size next year. No more being pushed out of the paint. I look for the Terps to become one of the best rebounding teams in the ACC next year.

[Mike B]

I think Turgeon is building a physical half court team, sort of like Pitt or Temple. They will be long and physical, next year. I still think they need more shooters to play that way but Rome was not built in a day or this case a season.

[Mike B]

We need a true PG. Not going to be too critical of PeShon but he's too inconsistent. If we had more consistent PG play in the ACC this year I think we'd have a few more wins.

I agree, but I have a feeling they are going to make due with Allen and Pe for next year. They are seemingly holding spots for the Harrison twins.

[Luke Jackson]

I would not be surprised if we see more of Nick Faust at the point next year. Pe'Shon is the best ball-handler on the team and probably has the best court vision for finding passing lanes, but his big downside is that his athleticism leaves a lot to be desired. As a PG, you're expected to be a really good perimeter defender, but Howard just doesn't have the speed and quickness to keep up with above-average guards in the ACC. He gets killed on D. And on the offensive end, he struggles to get to the hoop and create his own time and space on the perimeter. Some of this might have been exacerbated due to his ankle injury, but it's not like he was a lightning quick guard during his freshman year. Faust wasn't brought up as a point guard so he still has a lot of learning to do -- quickly digesting defenses, for one -- man or zone? Pressure on the ball or no pressure? He's not nearly the ball-handler in tight spaces that Pe'Shon is, nor is he the passer, but these things can develop over time. I think Faust is blessed with more physical attributes -- he's quicker and longer, allowing him to get to the hoop and be a solid perimeter defender. I fear Pe'Shon's physical limitations -- and this is assuming he's even healthy come the fall -- make him a "he is what he is" kind of player.

In closing, Harrison twins, please come to College Park

[bnickle]

I would not be surprised if we see more of Nick Faust at the point next year. Pe'Shon is the best ball-handler on the team and probably has the best court vision for finding passing lanes, but his big downside is that his athleticism leaves a lot to be desired. As a PG, you're expected to be a really good perimeter defender, but Howard just doesn't have the speed and quickness to keep up with above-average guards in the ACC. He gets killed on D. And on the offensive end, he struggles to get to the hoop and create his own time and space on the perimeter. Some of this might have been exacerbated due to his ankle injury, but it's not like he was a lightning quick guard during his freshman year. Faust wasn't brought up as a point guard so he still has a lot of learning to do -- quickly digesting defenses, for one -- man or zone? Pressure on the ball or no pressure? He's not nearly the ball-handler in tight spaces that Pe'Shon is, nor is he the passer, but these things can develop over time. I think Faust is blessed with more physical attributes -- he's quicker and longer, allowing him to get to the hoop and be a solid perimeter defender. I fear Pe'Shon's physical limitations -- and this is assuming he's even healthy come the fall -- make him a "he is what he is" kind of player.

In closing, Harrison twins, please come to College Park

FPeople were way too down on this kid early. I still think he'd be better as the SG. He'd be a quick 2 with good ability to get to the rim with an improving jumpshot that should only be better next year. Still, if Allen doesn;t have any ability to play the 1 it seems likely Faust will be getting a lot of run there again next year. He's definitely shown much better ability to do it the last few weeks and in general has been much improved in all areas of his game the last few weeks.

[Mackus]

FPeople were way too down on this kid early. I still think he'd be better as the SG. He'd be a quick 2 with good ability to get to the rim with an improving jumpshot that should only be better next year. Still, if Allen doesn;t have any ability to play the 1 it seems likely Faust will be getting a lot of run there again next year. He's definitely shown much better ability to do it the last few weeks and in general has been much improved in all areas of his game the last few weeks.

I think I'd prefer him on the wing with Pe'shon running things. Faust's jumper isn't good enough right now to be a suitable 2-guard, especially not with Stoglin on the team. If the worst happens and Terrell leaves, then Faust at the 2 makes sense.

But heading into next year my starting 5 would be Howard, Stoglin, Faust, Padgett, and Len. Cleare, Parker, Layman, Pankey, and Allen in the rotation in roughly that order PT wise to start the season. It'd be interesting to see what happens if Faust can develop into a decent PG or if Allen is better at that than the combo/2-guard label he's got coming in. I agree with the criticisms of Howard as being less than ideal in terms of a starting ACC PG, but we really don't have any other true PGs on the roster or even on the horizon.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Stardem.com: Dodd goes for 31 pts, 30 boards in final HS game
http://www.stardem.c...2da4554915.html

[BSLChrisStoner]

Per an email from Scout.com, Charles Mitchell has apparently committed to MD! I'll track down more info after the game.

From October:

Baltimore Sports and Life: “Maryland is involved with two other talented bigs in Robert Carter, and Charles Mitchell. How do you compare the two, and which do you see as a better post combination with Cleare?”

Dave Telep, ESPN: “Carter would be the better one next to Cleare for two reasons. 1) he’s got a higher ceiling and more developed skill set. He would be a great fit next to an anchor like Cleare. Mitchell is much more like Cleare than Carter. He’s a slightly undersized four man. Putting him next to Cleare or presumably backing him up would give the Terps two anchors inside and a beefy front-line.”

Eric Bossi, Rivals: “Both are similar body typed guys, big dudes who aren’t exactly high flyers. Mitchell is more interior oriented where he’s a crafty scorer with a big motor. Carter can score on the interior, but is also capable of facing up and has better range and is a little bigger. His versatility would probably make him preferable.”

[BSLChrisStoner]

Maryland’s currently projected 2012-13 roster looks like:

Guards: Stoglin (Jr), Howard (Jr), Allen (Freshman)
Wings: Faust (Soph), Parker (Jr), Layman (Freshman)
Bigs: Padgett (Sr), Pankey (Soph), Len (Soph), Cleare (Freshman), Dodd (Freshman), Mitchell (Freshman)

I guess it is a good 'problem' to have, but if Len and Pankey return; that is a very full Front-Court.

With Mitchell; Jeff Ermann (Inside MD Sports) is reporting that attention will turn to Cassell Jr.
If you added Cassell Jr, and there were no other departures, that would mean MD had only 1 scholarship to give for '13 (Padgett).

My sense is Coach Turgeon is not loading up in case of people moving on, but because he wants to make a statement in year 2. You get everyone back, with this incoming class, and MD should be a Top 3 team in the ACC, and a Top 15-20 team overall.

Scott Greene, TerpsInsider.com, reported that Cassell had 27 points (6 3's) yesterday for Notre Dame Prep in their 78-74 loss to Brewster.