BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

September 8, 2009

2009 COMMITMENT ALERT: Muhamed Hasani (2011), 6'2 G from Prischtina, Kosovo


With Corey Chandler being dismissed from the Rutgers basketball team just prior to the start of the 2009 fall semester, the Scarlet Knights had an immediate need for guard depth. To help fill the hole, Fred Hill and his staff acted quickly and Rutgers Basketball Lands 6's Guard Muhamed Hasani of Kosova (Star-Ledger) for the 2009-2010 season.



Projected 2009-2010 Roster:


SENIORS: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
JUNIORS: Mike Cobourn (PG), Jonathan Mitchell* (F), James Beatty (PG)
SOPHOMORES: Mike Rosario (G), Patrick Jackson (SF), Greg Echenique (PF/C)
FRESHMEN: Dane Miller (F), Austin Johnson (F), Brian Okam (C), Muhamed Hasani (G)
2010 Commitments: N/A
2011 Commitments: Andrew Nicholas (SF)

* Sitting out 2008-2009 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Will have two years of eligibility left beginning with the 2009-2010 season.


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Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

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While it seemed as if they just recently closed out their 2009 recruiting class by adding James Beatty at the end of June, Rutgers was forced to act quickly in the light of Corey Chandler being dismissed from the program in late August. Chandler ultimately wound up at Binghampton and to add depth to a thin backcourt, fred Hill reached overseas with the addition of Muhamed Hasani.

Hasani is definitely a roll of the dice not unlike betting you will land the card needed on the flop while you play Texas Hold'em, but with just 10 players on scholarship, it was a bet the Scarlet Knights felt they needed to make with another long year expected in the Big East. Coach Hill had only been able to view a few game tapes and a highlight video of Hasani, who is expected to arrive on campus tomorrow and is fully eligible to play in 2009-2010.

According to the NJ Star-Ledger, Hasani, who played for the National Team of Kosovo, comes highly recommended from Boban Savovic, the former standout guard at Ohio State who played at East Side High School in Newark prior to heading to the Buckeyes back in 1998.

So while 2009 recruiting has continued throughout the summer, and being in the midst of 2010 recruiting during the open evaluation period of July, somehow, Rutgers found the time to secure a commitment from the class of 2011 when Andrew Nicholas verbally pledged to the Scarlet Knights this week.

Nicholas, nicknamed 'Red', is a 6-foot-6 lefty with an accurate three-point shot that attends Eastern York (PA) High School and runs with the Jersey Shore Warriors on the AAU circuit. According to Keith Sargeant's article at mycentraljersey.com on his commitment, Nicholas averaged 21.2 points per game as a sophomore this past winter to earn Pennsylvania Associated Press Third-team Class AAA All-State honors.

Virginia Tech, St. Joseph's, Florida State, Notre Dame and others were involved early on with Nicholas on the recruiting trail.

Its been a trying several months for the Rutgers men's basketball program. A season that was met with excitement and raised expectations with the additions of Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique to a team that had several veterans who have paid their dues in the Big East. However, the opening round of the Big East Tournament closed the chapter on a disappointing season, one where the Scarlet Knights finished 2-16 in the Big East and 11-21 overall, with a 61-50 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the 2009 Big East Tournament.

After a lengthy search this past winter and spring, Fred Hill Jr. and his staff finally landed a point guard when James Beatty signed on with the Scarlet Knights in early July after committing at the end of June. Beatty joins an incoming class that will also include Dane Miller, Austin Johnson and 6'11 center Brian Okam.

"James is a very good player and does a great job of running a team," Beatty's coach at Miami Dade, Matt Eisele, told NBE back on June 30th. "He can really shoot the ball as well."

Rutgers has been on a mission this spring, looking high and low, to add a point guard. They recently went to Europe for several games last month and used a walk-on and (rising) junior swingman Corey Chandler predominately in the point guard position. Another junior, Mike Coburn, also will see time as a lead guard, but none of the candidates would be classified as true point guards, like Beatty.

"He does so many little things to help a team win," said Eisele.

Beatty, a native of Wilmington (NC), set a Miami-Dade school record with 16 assists in a game and finished the 2008-2009 season averaging 13.4 Points, 7.9 Assists, and 2.7 Steals per game. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound point guard also shot 39% from three-point range.

Beatty is the second spring addition for the Scarlet Knights, joining 6'11 center Brian Okam, who verbally committed in March and signed in April.

"He made his decision over the weekend and let Coach Hill know Monday afternoon," Lake Highland Prep coach Jeff Turner informed the NBE Basketball Report of Okam's verbal commitment last March. "It was a difficult decision but ultimately, I think he just felt in his heart that Rutgers was the right place for him. He felt a connection to the players and coaching staff."

The name Jeff Turner is certainly a familiar one to many basketball fans. The Lake Highland (FL) coach was a former all-SEC player at Vanderbilt University and a member of the 1984 gold medal winning USA Basketball team. Coach Turner was 1st round pick of the New Jersey Nets and spent 10 of his 12 professional seasons in the NBA, seven with the Orlando Magic, where he also served as nine years as the team's radio analyst following his playing days before joining the Lake Highland Prep Basketball Program in 2005.

Coach Turner did not have Okam available in games this season as Florida High School Athletic Association rules deemed the big man ineligible because he had exhausted his four-year window of eligibility once completing the 8th grade. Still, coach Turner has played a big role in his development and has seen excellent growth in Okam while attending the central Florida prep school.

"We have spent a lot of time working with Brian on his skills around the basket," says coach Turner. "He is a true post player. He has unbelievable athleticism, so we have concentrated on working with him on his balance and footwork in the post and developing a go to move and then a counter to that move. One of my assistance is former NBA [and]Cal-Berkeley center, Michael Stewart. Michael has spent a lot of time working one-on-one with Brian."

Previously, the Nigerian-born big man had attended Montrose Christian in Rockville (MD) and played on the AAU circuit with the DC Blue Devils, with other African imports headed to the Big East in the 2009 class including Mouphtau Yarou (Villanova) and Talib Zanna (Pitt), on a program that has sent many to the Big East and other top programs, including Jerome Dyson (UConn), Dante Cunningham (Villanova), Billy Edelin (Syracuse), Jonathan Flowers (WVU), Roy Hibert (Georgetown), Kene Obi (DePaul), Ricky Shields (Rutgers), Michael Sweetney (Georgetown) as well as Kevin Durant and Stevie Francis, among others.

When NBE saw Okam last spring at the King James Shooting Stars Tournament, Brian was making the most impact on the defensive end as he was still raw offensively, but his athleticism was very evident, and that adds to his upside potential that his future coaches and current coach both believe very much in.

"His size and physical strength are a big plus," says coach Turner when asked about the impact Okam will have in the Big East in the future. "I think he could add another 20 pounds to his frame! As I said before, he is a true center which, from watching the Big East this season, seems like a must to be competitive. He needs to play to improve which is something he has not had the opportunity to do, unfortunately, but I believe he will improve quickly when he gets that chance. It’s up to him!"

Okam was also recruited very heavily by Georgia Tech and in the end, it was between Rutgers and the Yellow Jackets. Coach Turner talked more about the person, not just the player, that the Scarlet Knights are getting for their program.


With just one senior on the 2009-2010 roster and the transfers of guards Earl Pettis earlier this spring and Corey Chandler in August, Rutgers looks to have three spots open for the class of 2010 on the recruiting trail. At the recent Rumble in the Bronx, several area players in the classes of 2010 and 2011 mentioned interest in Fred Hill's program.

Doron Lamb would tell NBE that Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, St. John's, Connecticut, Louisville, Arizona, UCLA and Rutgers were schools in the mix. He has visited Louisville and plans to see Kentucky, Kansas and Oklahoma in the relatively near future.

Kadeem Jack told NBE that his top three schools are Seton Hall, Pittsburgh and St. John's. Rutgers, Miami, Arkansas, George Mason, Albany, Siena and others are also involved.

Pe'shon Howard, who plays for Oak Hill during the school season, listed Stanford, Arkansas, Harvard, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Virginia, Rutgers, South Carolina, Arizona and Xavier as colleges of interest.

One of the hottest prospects of the spring, J.J. Moore, will have plenty of Big East coaches checking him out this summer. His list already sounds like that of an elite prospect with Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Marquette, St. John's, Rutgers, Oklahoma and Florida recruiting him. Moore mentioned favorites as Louisville, Pitt, UConn, Syracuse and Marquette. He plans to visit UL, UConn, Marquette and Providence.

Another player in the class of 2010 that RU has been tracking considerably lately is Eli Carter, a guard with St. Athony's. Carter also performer well at the Rumble in the Bronx playing with the Sports University AAU program.

Also at the Primetime Shootout, Branden Frazier of Bishop Loughlin (NYC) and Shane Southwell of Rice (NYC) were a couple 2010 targets that mentioned their interest in the Scarlet Knights. Fred Hill and staff have also worked hard in developing a relationship with forward Tobias Harris long being one of the favorites in recruitment of the Long Island high school star.

In addition to Nicholas, other prospects in the class of 2011 have recently told NBE Rutgers is on their list of options. Jerrelle Reischel, 6-5 forward out of Pt. Pleasant Beach (N.J.) gave NBE a school list that included Penn State, Maryland, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Providence and West Virginia at the Reebok All-American Camp. Others listing RU in Philly included Derrick Wilson, 6-1 point guard out of The Hotchkiss School (Conn.), who rattled off a list of Ohio State, Stanford, Georgia Tech (offer), UNC, Washington, Syracuse (offer) and Rutgers (offer) as schools on his list. Tyrone Johnson of Plainfield told NBE that he has visited Georgetown, Villanova and Rutgers, his top three, and also has UNLV, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Kentucky, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Florida in the mix.

Seton Hall Prep point guard Sterling Gibbs is also on the Scarlet Knights' radar. The younger brother of Pitt's Ashton Gibbs played in front of the watchful eye of Fred Hill Jr. and other staff at the Reebok Summer Classic East earlier this month.

At the Rumble in the Bronx, Myles Davis, the hot shooting guard from St. Peter's Prep told NBE he likes Virginia, Marist, Pittsburgh, Kentucky, Louisville, Wake Forest, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Arizona. Trevor Cooney, a 2011 prospect out of Delaware playing for Team Final gave his current schools of interest as Boston U, Delaware, Syracuse, Villanova, Ohio State, Rutgers, Texas and Maryland. Shaq Thomas will most likely decide on a college this August. However, he is planning to re-classify into the class of 2011 when he picks his new school for 2009-2010 as he is not returning to Mountain State Academy. The colleges on his list are Syracuse, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Florida, Providence, Seton Hall and Rutgers.

Elite 2012 prospect DeJuan Coleman, who was a high school teammate of Brandon Triche at Jamesville-DeWitt HS near Syracuse (NY) this past year, lists Syracuse, Ohio State, Georgetown, Rutgers, Kansas, Kentucky and LSU, according to Jeff Borzello.

Another player in the class of 2012 that is getting some strong college interest already is Alex Murphy. The younger brother of Florida-bound Erik Murphy and son of former Big East player Jay Murphy of Boston College, young Alex told NBE he already hears from Florida, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Rutgers, Boston College, Providence, Arizona and Connecticut.

After gaining some positive momentum with some recruiting success with the class of 2008 and 2009, it remains to be seen how the results of the 2008-2009 season will impact the recruiting efforts of the Scarlet Knights. Fred Hill came to Rutgers with a big recruiting reputation, and he has fared well in that area, but results on the court need to be seen quickly, or that recruiting momentum will likely disappear quickly.

Check back for more updates as the AAU summer circuit gets underway and the RU staff will be working hard to give the Knights the opportunity to improve in the Big East as soon as next season.

Read more!

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

July 21, 2009



VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Andrew Nicholas (2011), 6'6 F from Eastern York (PA) High School



Projected 2009-2010 Roster:


SENIORS: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
JUNIORS: Corey Chandler (G), Mike Cobourn (PG), Jonathan Mitchell* (F), James Beatty (PG)
SOPHOMORES: Mike Rosario (G), Patrick Jackson (SF), Greg Echenique (PF/C)
FRESHMEN: Dane Miller (F), Austin Johnson (F), Brian Okam (C)
2010 Commitments: N/A
2011 Commitments: Andrew Nicholas (SF)

* Sitting out 2008-2009 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Will have two years of eligibility left beginning with the 2009-2010 season.

Rutgers Men's Hoops Secures Commitment for 2011 (mycentraljersey.com) class as Andrew 'Red' Nicholas makes an early pledge to the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers and head coach Fred Hill get off to an early start for 2011 as they continue to hit the trail for 2010.


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Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

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While they just recently closed out their 2009 recruiting class by adding James Beatty at the end of June and being in the midst of 2010 recruiting during the open evaluation period of July, somehow, Rutgers found the time to secure a commitment from the class of 2011 when Andrew Nicholas verbally pledged to the Scarlet Knights this week.

Nicholas, nicknamed 'Red', is a 6-foot-6 lefty with an accurate three-point shot that attends Eastern York (PA) High School and runs with the Jersey Shore Warriors on the AAU circuit. According to Keith Sargeant's article at mycentraljersey.com on his commitment, Nicholas averaged 21.2 points per game as a sophomore this past winter to earn Pennsylvania Associated Press Third-team Class AAA All-State honors.

Virginia Tech, St. Joseph's, Florida State, Notre Dame and others were involved early on with Nicholas on the recruiting trail.

Its been a trying several months for the Rutgers men's basketball program. A season that was met with excitement and raised expectations with the additions of Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique to a team that had several veterans who have paid their dues in the Big East. However, the opening round of the Big East Tournament closed the chapter on a disappointing season, one where the Scarlet Knights finished 2-16 in the Big East and 11-21 overall, with a 61-50 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the 2009 Big East Tournament.

After a lengthy search this past winter and spring, Fred Hill Jr. and his staff finally landed a point guard when James Beatty signed on with the Scarlet Knights in early July after committing at the end of June. Beatty joins an incoming class that will also include Dane Miller, Austin Johnson and 6'11 center Brian Okam.

"James is a very good player and does a great job of running a team," Beatty's coach at Miami Dade, Matt Eisele, told NBE back on June 30th. "He can really shoot the ball as well."

Rutgers has been on a mission this spring, looking high and low, to add a point guard. They recently went to Europe for several games last month and used a walk-on and (rising) junior swingman Corey Chandler predominately in the point guard position. Another junior, Mike Coburn, also will see time as a lead guard, but none of the candidates would be classified as true point guards, like Beatty.

"He does so many little things to help a team win," said Eisele.

Beatty, a native of Wilmington (NC), set a Miami-Dade school record with 16 assists in a game and finished the 2008-2009 season averaging 13.4 Points, 7.9 Assists, and 2.7 Steals per game. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound point guard also shot 39% from three-point range.

Beatty is the second spring addition for the Scarlet Knights, joining 6'11 center Brian Okam, who verbally committed in March and signed in April.

"He made his decision over the weekend and let Coach Hill know Monday afternoon," Lake Highland Prep coach Jeff Turner informed the NBE Basketball Report of Okam's verbal commitment last March. "It was a difficult decision but ultimately, I think he just felt in his heart that Rutgers was the right place for him. He felt a connection to the players and coaching staff."

The name Jeff Turner is certainly a familiar one to many basketball fans. The Lake Highland (FL) coach was a former all-SEC player at Vanderbilt University and a member of the 1984 gold medal winning USA Basketball team. Coach Turner was 1st round pick of the New Jersey Nets and spent 10 of his 12 professional seasons in the NBA, seven with the Orlando Magic, where he also served as nine years as the team's radio analyst following his playing days before joining the Lake Highland Prep Basketball Program in 2005.

Coach Turner did not have Okam available in games this season as Florida High School Athletic Association rules deemed the big man ineligible because he had exhausted his four-year window of eligibility once completing the 8th grade. Still, coach Turner has played a big role in his development and has seen excellent growth in Okam while attending the central Florida prep school.

"We have spent a lot of time working with Brian on his skills around the basket," says coach Turner. "He is a true post player. He has unbelievable athleticism, so we have concentrated on working with him on his balance and footwork in the post and developing a go to move and then a counter to that move. One of my assistance is former NBA [and]Cal-Berkeley center, Michael Stewart. Michael has spent a lot of time working one-on-one with Brian."

Previously, the Nigerian-born big man had attended Montrose Christian in Rockville (MD) and played on the AAU circuit with the DC Blue Devils, with other African imports headed to the Big East in the 2009 class including Mouphtau Yarou (Villanova) and Talib Zanna (Pitt), on a program that has sent many to the Big East and other top programs, including Jerome Dyson (UConn), Dante Cunningham (Villanova), Billy Edelin (Syracuse), Jonathan Flowers (WVU), Roy Hibert (Georgetown), Kene Obi (DePaul), Ricky Shields (Rutgers), Michael Sweetney (Georgetown) as well as Kevin Durant and Stevie Francis, among others.

When NBE saw Okam last spring at the King James Shooting Stars Tournament, Brian was making the most impact on the defensive end as he was still raw offensively, but his athleticism was very evident, and that adds to his upside potential that his future coaches and current coach both believe very much in.

"His size and physical strength are a big plus," says coach Turner when asked about the impact Okam will have in the Big East in the future. "I think he could add another 20 pounds to his frame! As I said before, he is a true center which, from watching the Big East this season, seems like a must to be competitive. He needs to play to improve which is something he has not had the opportunity to do, unfortunately, but I believe he will improve quickly when he gets that chance. It’s up to him!"

Okam was also recruited very heavily by Georgia Tech and in the end, it was between Rutgers and the Yellow Jackets. Coach Turner talked more about the person, not just the player, that the Scarlet Knights are getting for their program.


With just one senior on the 2009-2010 roster and the transfer of guard Earl Pettis earlier this spring, Rutgers looks to have three spots open for the class of 2010 on the recruiting trail. At the recent Rumble in the Bronx, several area players in the classes of 2010 and 2011 mentioned interest in Fred Hill's program.

Doron Lamb would tell NBE that Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, St. John's, Connecticut, Louisville, Arizona, UCLA and Rutgers were schools in the mix. He has visited Louisville and plans to see Kentucky, Kansas and Oklahoma in the relatively near future.

Kadeem Jack told NBE that his top three schools are Seton Hall, Pittsburgh and St. John's. Rutgers, Miami, Arkansas, George Mason, Albany, Siena and others are also involved.

Pe'shon Howard, who plays for Oak Hill during the school season, listed Stanford, Arkansas, Harvard, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Virginia, Rutgers, South Carolina, Arizona and Xavier as colleges of interest.

One of the hottest prospects of the spring, J.J. Moore, will have plenty of Big East coaches checking him out this summer. His list already sounds like that of an elite prospect with Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Marquette, St. John's, Rutgers, Oklahoma and Florida recruiting him. Moore mentioned favorites as Louisville, Pitt, UConn, Syracuse and Marquette. He plans to visit UL, UConn, Marquette and Providence.

Another player in the class of 2010 that RU has been tracking considerably lately is Eli Carter, a guard with St. Athony's. Carter also performer well at the Rumble in the Bronx playing with the Sports University AAU program.

Also at the Primetime Shootout, Branden Frazier of Bishop Loughlin (NYC) and Shane Southwell of Rice (NYC) were a couple 2010 targets that mentioned their interest in the Scarlet Knights. Fred Hill and staff have also worked hard in developing a relationship with forward Tobias Harris long being one of the favorites in recruitment of the Long Island high school star.

In addition to Nicholas, other prospects in the class of 2011 have recently told NBE Rutgers is on their list of options. Jerrelle Reischel, 6-5 forward out of Pt. Pleasant Beach (N.J.) gave NBE a school list that included Penn State, Maryland, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Providence and West Virginia at the Reebok All-American Camp. Others listing RU in Philly included Derrick Wilson, 6-1 point guard out of The Hotchkiss School (Conn.), who rattled off a list of Ohio State, Stanford, Georgia Tech (offer), UNC, Washington, Syracuse (offer) and Rutgers (offer) as schools on his list. Tyrone Johnson of Plainfield told NBE that he has visited Georgetown, Villanova and Rutgers, his top three, and also has UNLV, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Kentucky, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Florida in the mix.

Seton Hall Prep point guard Sterling Gibbs is also on the Scarlet Knights' radar. The younger brother of Pitt's Ashton Gibbs played in front of the watchful eye of Fred Hill Jr. and other staff at the Reebok Summer Classic East earlier this month.

At the Rumble in the Bronx, Myles Davis, the hot shooting guard from St. Peter's Prep told NBE he likes Virginia, Marist, Pittsburgh, Kentucky, Louisville, Wake Forest, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Arizona. Trevor Cooney, a 2011 prospect out of Delaware playing for Team Final gave his current schools of interest as Boston U, Delaware, Syracuse, Villanova, Ohio State, Rutgers, Texas and Maryland. Shaq Thomas will most likely decide on a college this August. However, he is planning to re-classify into the class of 2011 when he picks his new school for 2009-2010 as he is not returning to Mountain State Academy. The colleges on his list are Syracuse, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Florida, Providence, Seton Hall and Rutgers.

Elite 2012 prospect DeJuan Coleman, who was a high school teammate of Brandon Triche at Jamesville-DeWitt HS near Syracuse (NY) this past year, lists Syracuse, Ohio State, Georgetown, Rutgers, Kansas, Kentucky and LSU, according to Jeff Borzello.

Another player in the class of 2012 that is getting some strong college interest already is Alex Murphy. The younger brother of Florida-bound Erik Murphy and son of former Big East player Jay Murphy of Boston College, young Alex told NBE he already hears from Florida, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Rutgers, Boston College, Providence, Arizona and Connecticut.

After gaining some positive momentum with some recruiting success with the class of 2008 and 2009, it remains to be seen how the results of the 2008-2009 season will impact the recruiting efforts of the Scarlet Knights. Fred Hill came to Rutgers with a big recruiting reputation, and he has fared well in that area, but results on the court need to be seen quickly, or that recruiting momentum will likely disappear quickly.

Check back for more updates as the AAU summer circuit gets underway and the RU staff will be working hard to give the Knights the opportunity to improve in the Big East as soon as next season.

Read more!

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

June 30, 2009


VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: James Beatty, 6'2, PG currently attending Miami-Dade (FL) College



Projected 2009-2010 Roster:


SENIORS: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
JUNIORS: Corey Chandler (G), Mike Cobourn (PG), Jonathan Mitchell* (F), James Beatty (PG)
SOPHOMORES: Mike Rosario (G), Patrick Jackson (SF), Greg Echenique (PF/C)
FRESHMEN: Dane Miller (F), Austin Johnson (F), Brian Okam (C)

* Sitting out 2008-2009 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Will have two years of eligibility left beginning with the 2009-2010 season.

"James Beatty is going to Rutgers!"

Those were the excited words typed by Miami Dade College head coach Matt Eisele in an e-mail to NBE earlier today to inform us that is point guard has chosen a college to attend in 2009-2010. With Beatty's decision, Rutgers finally can end their exhaustive search for a point guard that has lasted throughout the spring recruiting period and into the summer.

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Read More...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

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Its been a trying several months for the Rutgers men's basketball program. A season that was met with excitement and raised expectations with the additions of Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique to a team that had several veterans who have paid their dues in the Big East. However, the opening round of the Big East Tournament closed the chapter on a disappointing season, one where the Scarlet Knights finished 2-16 in the Big East and 11-21 overall, with a 61-50 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the 2009 Big East Tournament.

Under coach Fred Hill Jr., the Scarlet Knights continue to plow forward on the recruiting trail, hoping to climb the Big East ladder. The latest addition, joining forwards Dane Miller and Austin Johnson and 6'11 center Brian Okam in the class of 2009 is Miami Dade College point guard James Beatty.

"James is a very good player and does a great job of running a team," Beatty's coach at Miami Dade, Matt Eisele, told NBE today. "He can really shoot the ball as well."

Rutgers has been on a mission this spring, looking high and low, to add a point guard. They recently went to Europe for several games last month and used a walk-on and (rising) junior swingman corey Chandler predominately in the point guard position. Another junior, Mike Coburn, also will see time as a lead guard, but none of the candidates would be classified as true point guards like Beatty.

"He does so many little things to help a team win," said Eisele.

Beatty, a native of Wilmington (NC), set a Miami-Dade school record with 16 assists in a game and finished the 2008-2009 season averaging 13.4 Points, 7.9 Assists, and 2.7 Steals per game. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound point guard also shot 39% from three-point range.

Beatty is the second spring addition for the Scarlet Knights, joining 6'11 center Brian Okam, who verbally committed in March and signed in April.

"He made his decision over the weekend and let Coach Hill know Monday afternoon," Lake Highland Prep coach Jeff Turner informed the NBE Basketball Report of Okam's verbal commitment last march. "It was a difficult decision but ultimately, I think he just felt in his heart that Rutgers was the right place for him. He felt a connection to the players and coaching staff."

The name Jeff Turner is certainly a familiar one to many basketball fans. The Lake Highland (FL) coach was a former all-SEC player at Vanderbilt University and a member of the 1984 gold medal winning USA Basketball team. Coach Turner was 1st round pick of the New Jersey Nets and spent 10 of his 12 professional seasons in the NBA, seven with the Orlando Magic, where he also served as nine years as the team's radio analyst following his playing days before joining the Lake Highland Prep Basketball Program in 2005.

Coach Turner did not have Okam available in games this season as Florida High School Athletic Association rules deemed the big man ineligible because he had exhausted his four-year window of eligibility once completing the 8th grade. Still, coach Turner has played a big role in his development and has seen excellent growth in Okam while attending the central Florida prep school.

"We have spent a lot of time working with Brian on his skills around the basket," says coach Turner. "He is a true post player. He has unbelievable athleticism, so we have concentrated on working with him on his balance and footwork in the post and developing a go to move and then a counter to that move. One of my assistance is former NBA [and]Cal-Berkeley center, Michael Stewart. Michael has spent a lot of time working one-on-one with Brian."

Previously, the Nigerian-born big man had attended Montrose Christian in Rockville (MD) and played on the AAU circuit with the DC Blue Devils, with other African imports headed to the Big East in the 2009 class including Mouphtau Yarou (Villanova) and Talib Zanna (Pitt), on a program that has sent many to the Big East and other top programs, including Jerome Dyson (UConn), Dante Cunningham (Villanova), Billy Edelin (Syracuse), Jonathan Flowers (WVU), Roy Hibert (Georgetown), Kene Obi (DePaul), Ricky Shields (Rutgers), Michael Sweetney (Georgetown) as well as Kevin Durant and Stevie Francis, among others.

When NBE saw Okam last spring at the King James Shooting Stars Tournament, Brian was making the most impact on the defensive end as he was still raw offensively, but his athleticism was very evident, and that adds to his upside potential that his future coaches and current coach both believe very much in.

"His size and physical strength are a big plus," says coach Turner when asked about the impact Okam will have in the Big East in the future. "I think he could add another 20 pounds to his frame! As I said before, he is a true center which, from watching the Big East this season, seems like a must to be competitive. He needs to play to improve which is something he has not had the opportunity to do, unfortunately, but I believe he will improve quickly when he gets that chance. It’s up to him!"

Okam was also recruited very heavily by Georgia Tech and in the end, it was between Rutgers and the Yellow Jackets. Coach Turner talked more about the person, not just the player, that the Scarlet Knights are getting for their program.

"As a person, Brian has grown tremendously," Turner said. "This is the area where I am proudest of him. He has been forced to take a tough academic course load because he was way short of the core credits he needed to be NCAA eligible. He has worked hard in the classroom and will complete the academic year with a 3.5 GPA. No easy feat at our school! I think that has carried over into his work ethic on the court. I don’t think he had been pushed as hard as Michael and I pushed him. He will need to work even harder when he gets to college, but he understands that now and has really improved."

With just one senior on the 2009-2010 roster and the transfer of guard Earl Pettis earlier this spring, Rutgers looks to have three spots open for the class of 2010 on the recruiting trail. At the recent Rumble in the Bronx, several area players in the classes of 2010 and 2011 mentioned interest in Fred Hill's program.

Myles Davis, the hot shooting guard from St. Peter's Prep likes Virginia, Marist, Pittsburgh, Kentucky, Louisville, Wake Forest, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Arizona. He hopes to visit UVA and Pitt soon.

Trevor Cooney, a 2011 prospect out of Delaware playing for Team Final. His current schools of interest include Boston U, Delaware, Syracuse, Villanova, Ohio State, Rutgers, Texas and Maryland. He has been to Delaware and 'Cuse, 'Nova and Maryland and would like to see Ohio State and get a sense for what a Big 10 school is like.

Doron Lamb would tell NBE that Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, St. John's, Connecticut, Louisville, Arizona, UCLA and Rutgers were schools in the mix. He has visited Louisville and plans to see Kentucky, Kansas and Oklahoma in the relatively near future.

Kadeem Jack told NBE that his top three schools are Seton Hall, Pittsburgh and St. John's. Rutgers, Miami, Arkansas, George Mason, Albany, Siena and others are also involved.

Another player in the class of 2012 that is getting some strong college interest already is Alex Murphy. The younger brother of Florida-bound Erik Murphy and son of former Big East player Jay Murphy of Boston College, young Alex told NBE he already hears from Florida, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Rutgers, Boston College, Providence, Arizona and Connecticut.

Shaq Thomas will most likely decide on a college this August. However, he is planning to re-classify into the class of 2011 when he picks his new school for 2009-2010 as he is not returning to Mountain State Academy. The colleges on his list are Syracuse, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Florida, Providence, Seton Hall and Rutgers.

Pe'shon Howard, who plays for Oak Hill during the school season, listed Stanford, Arkansas, Harvard, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Virginia, Rutgers, South Carolina, Arizona and Xavier as colleges of interest.

Elite 2012 prospect DeJuan Coleman, who was a high school teammate of Brandon Triche at Jamesville-DeWitt HS near Syracuse (NY) this past year, lists Syracuse, Ohio State, Georgetown, Rutgers, Kansas, Kentucky and LSU, according to Jeff Borzello.

One of the hottest prospects of the spring, J.J. Moore, will have plenty of Big East coaches checking him out this summer. His list already sounds like that of an elite prospect with Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Marquette, St. John's, Rutgers, Oklahoma and Florida recruiting him. Moore mentioned favorites as Louisville, Pitt, UConn, Syracuse and Marquette. He plans to visit UL, UConn, Marquette and Providence.

Tyrone Garland, the Philadelphia guard from Bartram High School, provided a school list that included offers from Temple, LaSalle, Nebraska, St. Bonaventure and Drexel. Many high-majors are paying attention, including Seton Hall and Rutgers from the Big East, Maryland, Virginia Tech and Virginia out of the ACC as well as Memphis and Western Kentucky.

Also at the Primetime Shootout, Branden Frazier of Bishop Loughlin (NYC) and Shane Southwell of Rice (NYC) were a couple 2010 targets that mentioned their interest in the Scarlet Knights. Fred Hill and staff have also worked hard in developing a relationship with forward Tobias Harris long being one of the favorites in recruitment of the Long Island high school star.

After gaining some positive momentum with some recruiting success with the class of 2008 and 2009, it remains to be seen how the results of the 2008-2009 season will impact the recruiting efforts of the Scarlet Knights. Fred Hill came to Rutgers with a big recruiting reputation, and he has fared well in that area, but results on the court need to be seen quickly, or that recruiting momentum will likely disappear quickly.

Check back for more updates as the AAU summer circuit gets underway and the RU staff will be working hard to give the Knights the opportunity to improve in the Big East as soon as next season.

Read more!

JUCO POINT GUARD VISITIN RUTGERS SOON

March 23, 2009



James Beatty, a native of Wilmington (NC), is a hot commodity this spring recruiting period as one of the top uncommitted JUCO prospects on the market. This past season, Beatty set a Miami-Dade College school record with 16 assists in a game and finished the 2008-2009 season averaging 13.4 Points, 7.9 Assists, and 2.7 Steals per game. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound point guard also shot 39% from three-point range.

"The Biggest impact was his leadership and knowledge for the game," Miami-Dade head coach Matt Eisele told NBE. "He is a basketball player!"

Currently, Beatty is being recruiting by Rutgers, St. John's and DePaul from the Big East as well as the likes of Baylor, LSU and Kentucky among others.


The process of heading towards a decision is likely to be put into motion in the very near future. Beatty will head out on an official visit this coming weekend and one Big East school is definitely going to try and put their best foot-forward while he is on their campus.

"He will visit Rutgers next weekend," said his coach. "That is the only visit he has committed to at this time."

With point guard being a point of emphasis on the recruiting trail for Fred Hill Jr. and the staff of the Scarlet Knights, it definitely looks like Beatty has become their priority recruit at the position this spring. Will a Rutgers visit tempt Beatty to pull the trigger? That will be the question RU fans will be wondering for the next week as they await the answer anxiously, although coach Eisele believes the process will play out a little longer.

“James has expressed to me he will be patience with his decision and there is no leader at this time,” said coach Eisele.

For more on Beatty and his recruitment...please check out the NBE Basketball Report.

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BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

March 11, 2009


VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Brian Okam, 6'11, 245 lb C currently attending Lake Highland FL) Preparatory School



Projected 2009-2010 Roster:


SENIORS: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
JUNIORS: Corey Chandler (G), Earl Pettis (G), Mike Cobourn (PG), Jonathan Mitchell* (F)
SOPHOMORES: Mike Rosario (G), Patrick Jackson (SF), Greg Echenique (PF/C)
FRESHMEN: Dane Miller (F), Austin Johnson (F), Brian Okam (C)

* Sitting out 2008-2009 season due to NCAA transfer rules. Will have two years of eligibility left beginning with the 2009-2010 season.

It has been almost one full year since we have written about a Rutgers recruiting commitment. Well, that finally changes this week as, according to Lake Highland Preparatory School basketball coach Jeff Turner, the Scarlet Knights have picked up a commitment from 6'11 center Brian Okam for the class of 2009.

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Its been a trying several months for the Rutgers men's basketball program. A season that was met with excitement and raised expectations with the additions of Mike Rosario and Greg Echenique to a team that had several veterans who have paid their dues in the Big East. However, Tuesday night closed the chapter on a disappointing season, one where the Scarlet Knights finished 2-16 in the Big East and 11-21 overall, with a 61-50 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the 2009 Big East Tournament.

Under coach Fred Hill Jr., the Scarlet Knights continue to plow forward on the recruiting trail, hoping to climb the Big East ladder. The latest addition, joining forwards Dane Miller and Austin Johnson in the class of 2009, is 6'11 center Brian Okam.

"He made his decision over the weekend and let Coach Hill know Monday afternoon," Lake Highland Prep coach Jeff Turner informed the NBE Basketball Report of Okam's verbal commitment. "It was a difficult decision but ultimately, I think he just felt in his heart that Rutgers was the right place for him. He felt a connection to the players and coaching staff."

The name Jeff Turner is certainly a familiar one to many basketball fans. The Lake Highland (FL) coach was a former all-SEC player at Vanderbilt University and a member of the 1984 gold medal winning USA Basketball team. Coach Turner was 1st round pick of the New Jersey Nets and spent 10 of his 12 professional seasons in the NBA, seven with the Orlando Magic, where he also served as nine years as the team's radio analyst following his playing days before joining the Lake Highland Prep Basketball Program in 2005.

Coach Turner did not have Okam available in games this season as Florida High School Athletic Association rules deemed the big man ineligible because he had exhausted his four-year window of eligibility once completing the 8th grade. Still, coach Turner has played a big role in his development and has seen excellent growth in Okam while attending the central Florida prep school.

"We have spent a lot of time working with Brian on his skills around the basket," says coach Turner. "He is a true post player. He has unbelievable athleticism, so we have concentrated on working with him on his balance and footwork in the post and developing a go to move and then a counter to that move. One of my assistance is former NBA [and]Cal-Berkeley center, Michael Stewart. Michael has spent a lot of time working one-on-one with Brian."

Previously, the Nigerian-born big man had attended Montrose Christian in Rockville (MD) and played on the AAU circuit with the DC Blue Devils, with other African imports headed to the Big East in the 2009 class including Mouphtau Yarou (Villanova) and Talib Zanna (Pitt), on a program that has sent many to the Big East and other top programs, including Jerome Dyson (UConn), Dante Cunningham (Villanova), Billy Edelin (Syracuse), Jonathan Flowers (WVU), Roy Hibert (Georgetown), Kene Obi (DePaul), Ricky Shields (Rutgers), Michael Sweetney (Georgetown) as well as Kevin Durant and Stevie Francis, among others.

When NBE saw Okam last spring at the King James Shooting Stars Tournament, Brian was making the most impact on the defensive end as he was still raw offensively, but his athleticism was very evident, and that adds to his upside potential that his future coaches and current coach both believe very much in.

"His size and physical strength are a big plus," says coach Turner when asked about the impact Okam will have in the Big East in the future. "I think he could add another 20 pounds to his frame! As I said before, he is a true center which, from watching the Big East this season, seems like a must to be competitive. He needs to play to improve which is something he has not had the opportunity to do, unfortunately, but I believe he will improve quickly when he gets that chance. It’s up to him!"

Okam was also recruited very heavily by Georgia Tech and in the end, it was between Rutgers and the Yellow Jackets. Coach Turner talked more about the person, not just the player, that the Scarlet Knights are getting for their program.

"As a person, Brian has grown tremendously," Turner said. "This is the area where I am proudest of him. He has been forced to take a tough academic course load because he was way short of the core credits he needed to be NCAA eligible. He has worked hard in the classroom and will complete the academic year with a 3.5 GPA. No easy feat at our school! I think that has carried over into his work ethic on the court. I don’t think he had been pushed as hard as Michael and I pushed him. He will need to work even harder when he gets to college, but he understands that now and has really improved."

With the verbal commitment of Okam, Rutgers still has two scholarships available in the class of 2009. Their most immediate need is for help in the back court, specifically at point guard. Miami-Dade CC point guard James Beatty has become a top target of Hill and his staff, as well as a few others in the Big East. They have also reportedly offered a scholarship to Mesa (AZ) point guard Donte Medder, one of the top players still available from the West in the class of 2009. Also, Puerto Rico's Raymond Cintron Jr. is a player that has appeared on the RU radar and his play at the 2009 Primtetime Shootout has proven he could play at the high-major level.

With just one senior on the 2009-2010 roster, the Scarlet Knights are likely to keep a scholarship open for the 2010 recruiting class. If additional players transfer from the program this spring (we have all seen the Corey Chandler stories), their plan could change and they look for some additional help this spring, but their attention has been on the class of 2010 for quite sometime.

Also at the Primetime Shootout, Branden Frazier of Bishop Loughlin (NYC) and Shane Southwell of Rice (NYC) were a couple 2010 targets that mentioned their interest in the Scarlet Knights. Fred Hill and staff have also worked hard in developing a relationship with forward Tobias Harris long being one of the favorites in recruitment of the Long Island Lutheran star. Also, St Patrick's highly recruited guard Kyrie Irving and St. Anthony's big men Ashton Pankey and Devon Collier, along with St. Peter's Prep forward Ronald Roberts are getting plenty of attention from the RU staff during the local high school season.

After gaining some positive momentum with some recruiting success with the class of 2008 and 2009, it remains to be seen how the results of the 2008-2009 season will impact the recruiting efforts of the Scarlet Knights. Fred Hill came to Rutgers with a big recruiting reputation, and he has fared well in that area, but results on the court need to be seen quickly, or that recruiting momentum will likely disappear quickly.

Check back for more updates as the AAU spring circuit nears and the RU staff will be working hard to give the Knights the opportunity to improve in the Big East as soon as next season.

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RUTGERS RECRUITING NOTES

August 21, 2008


Kyrie Irving has had a big summer and the 2010 recruit is a Summer Stock booster (Northstar Basketball) that has been getting a lot of recruiting interest. Irving recently told Alex Schwartz that Wake Forest, Ohio St., Providence, Pittsburgh, Kansas, Memphis, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Rutgers, among others have shown great interest with offers from the New Jersey contingent of the Big East, RU and SHU.

Adam Zagoria also has a Givon Crump Update (ZagsBlog.net) as the 6-foot-6 small forward has several Big East schools on his list after an impressive summer. Givon Crump lists Rutgers and Seton Hall, as well as Oregon State, Michigan, DePaul, Wake Forest, South Florida and SMU.

Crump has already taken unofficial visits to Rutgers and Wake Forest and the Scarlet Knights made a nice impression on him. For now, only the official visits the have been decided are to Oregon State and Michigan.

Raymond Balter of the NBE Basketball Report Tevin Baskin, rising senior from Trinity Catholic in Stamford, Conn to get a feel for his recruiting situation.

“Right now, everyone is equal.” Those schools that would all seem on equal footing in their pursuit of him would be UMass, St John’s, Xavier, Providence, Rutgers, Auburn, and “a couple of others,” he said. He paused for a moment, perhaps drawing a momentary blank, then added that “Virginia had been coming pretty hard, Clemson too.”

“Right now,” he went on, “I’m just trying to see what everyone has to offer aside from basketball. I’m trying to see what schools really want me or need me.” He said distance is not a factor, and also said that at the moment there is nothing that specific education-wise about any school that would be a factor, although he did state that he would like to look into the graduation rate for student-athletes at each school.


Rutgers is definitely a long shot in the Odds to Win the 2009 NCAA National Championship (400/1), but adding some of these recruits will definitely help in the future.

Adam Zagoria reports that Seton Hall, St. John’s and Rutgers, among others, are Trying to Get (Jarrid) Famous (ZagsBlog.net), a 6-foot-11, 235 pound C from Westchester Community College.

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RUTGERS ON MINDS OF MANY AT RBK SUMMER CLASSIC

July 17, 2008


Jeff Borzello spent a couple days at the Reebok Summer Classic East in New Jersey last weekend. For his full report at the NBE Basketball Report, you can see it in his article: Reebok Summer Classic East Review.

James Padgett: Playing without his Juice All-Star partner-in-crime down low in Joel Wright, who was out with an injured ankle, Padgett picked up the slack. The 6-foot-8 class of 2009 post player is a very solid scorer inside, and demonstrated a variety of post moves. He turns to the basket well and can finish with both hands around the rim. He is a very good offensive rebounder and is also active defensively. However, he does not dominate as much as he could, and is not as imposing defensively as his height and athleticism would seem to suggest.

Padgett sees a lot of Big East interest with West Virginia, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Rutgers, Seton Hall and Providence as well as Maryland (offered) and South Carolina.

Keith Spellman: While he was also solid defensively, Spellman’s offensive game was extremely impressive. The 6-foot-3 guard has a quick crossover and consistently got into the lane. He can finish at the rim with both hands and knocked down plenty of difficult shots over the course of two days. He can knock down pull-up jumpers in the lane and also demonstrated the ability to dish it off to his teammates or score himself. Spellman is a very smooth offensive player.

Spellman lists St. John’s, Rutgers, George Mason, Seton Hall and Hofstra as schools of interest.

Jayvaughn Pinkson: Pinkston, despite having a generally poor body language, was one of the most difficult match-ups in the entire tournament. He has a big, strong body in his 6-foot-6 frame and uses a wide variety of skills that made him near impossible to defend down the stretch of games for New Heights 2010. He can score in the paint with his back-to-the-basket, but is at his best when taking his defender off the dribble and getting to the rim. Pinkston is also effective in the high post, where he can face-up or get good position and back down defender.

Pinkston rattled off a list of St. John’s, Villanova, Xavier, Rutgers (all offered), Florida and Memphis as schools he is interested in.

Isaiah Epps: Epps remains one of my favorite players in the class of 2010, mainly due to his unbelievably smooth offensive game and sweet shooting stroke. The 6-foot-2 lefty is a tremendous outside shooter with deep range who can get off his shot in a hurry. He steps into his shot well and looks calm and confident at all times. He has a slick dribble and can beat his defender to get into the lane. However, he struggles to take care of the ball at times and commits sloppy turnovers.

Epps has Maryland as a favorite because of the opportunity for immediate playing time and also has a trio from the Big East in Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and Rutgers heavily involved.


Fuquan Edwin: Like the Sterling Gibbs, Edwin looked like a completely different player than he did at the Reebok U All-American camp. The 6-foot-5 forward really is an outstanding all-around player who can do a little bit of everything on the court. Edwin loves to get out in transition and push the ball for fast-break points; he can find people or take it to the basket himself. Offensively, he has a decent mid-range game, but his shooting stroke from three-point range is fairly ugly. Defensively, Edwin has quick hands and routinely picks off errant passes.

Edwin continues to grow on the recruiting radar of many as his list has expanded to include South Carolina, Rutgers (offered), Seton Hall (offered), La Salle (offered), Providence and Texas. Indications are that Rutgers holds an early lead for his services.


Trevor Clemmings: Despite being listed at only 6-foot-6, Clemmings is an absolute beast on the inside. He has an extremely strong and wide body, and his broad shoulders make it difficult for defenders to keep him off the low block for the Playaz. He consistently gets great position and is very tough to stop once he gets the ball near the basket. Clemmings has a variety of moves and fakes inside, and draws fouls constantly. He can also finish with contact and is a strong rebounder.

Clemmings, another Playaz and Paterson Catholic 2010 star is also sees his list of colleges growing more impressive with each event. Currently Rutgers (offered), Seton Hall (offered), La Salle, Providence and Massachusetts are schools of interest.

Sterling Gibbs: As opposed to the passive, unaggressive Gibbs we saw at the All-American camp, this version of the rising sophomore was much more confident and, as a result, more productive here with the Panthers. He was a completely different player, taking the ball to the basket and trying to create his own shot inside the lane. Gibbs was not afraid to shoot the ball from the perimeter and also found holes in the defense to get to the rim for either finishes at the rim or floaters in the paint.

Gibbs, although just a member of the 2011 class, has Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and Rutgers from the Big East with Florida and Maryland on his list.


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Rutgers is definitely a long shot in the Odds to Win the 2009 NCAA National Championship (400/1), but adding some of these recruits will definitely help in the future.
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2010 NJ STANDOUT HAS RU OFFER

June 2, 2008


The NJ Playaz U-16 AAU squad is loaded with talent and the star class of 2010 at Paterson Catholic is a big reason why. Future stars such as FuQuan Edwin, Trevor Clemmings, Jayon James and Shaquille Thomas all team up together with PC during the regular season and the Playaz on the AAU circuit. Ron Bailey recently caught up with Jayon James, Who Has Skills & Big East Offers already, even as just a high school sophomore.

James is a versatile 6'5 guard forward who can handle, pass, score in a variety of ways and defend multiple positions. These traits have caught the attention of Fred Hill Jr, of Rutgers and Bobby Gonzalez of Seton Hall as both local Jersey schools have tendered the class of 2010 prospect scholarship offers. Atlantic 10 schools such as Xavier, LaSalle and Fordham have also jumped on board with early tenders.

With his versatiling, expect James to get more looks from schools outside the immediate New Jersey area, in the Big East and beyond, as the College Basketball Odds of winning are MUCH greater with players like James' and all the skills he brings to the court.

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BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

March 24, 2008


VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERTs: Greg Echenique, 6'9 C from St. Benedict's Prep and Austin Johnson, 6'7 PF from Blair Academy.



Projected 2008-2009 Roster:


SENIORS: Anthony Farmer (PG), Jaron Griffin (G/F), JR Inman (F), Courtney Nelson (PG)
JUNIORS: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
SOPHOMORES: Corey Chandler (G), Justin Sofman (G), Earl Pettis (G), Mike Cobourn (PG)
FRESHMEN: Mike Rosario (G), Christian Morris (C), Patrick Jackson (SF)
EARLY 2009 COMMITMENT: Dane Miller (F), Greg Echenique (C), Austin Johnson (F)


Austin Johnson and Greg Echenique have given Fred Hill and his Rutgers program an exciting Daily Double today as the news has hit of Echenique, Johnson to Rutgers (zagsblog) with 2009 verbal commitments.

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Piece by piece, Fred Hill is bringing Rutgers into the mix of the Big East and today might have been the biggest step in the right direction when Greg Echenique and Austin Johnson made verbal commits to the rising Rutgers program.

Echenique is the BIG prize as the highly coveted 6'9 true post C passed up offers from schools such as Villanova, Duke, Maryland and others to stay in New Jersey and play at Rutgers. Echenique attends St. Benedict's Prep in Newark (NJ) and this past season for Danny Hurley's squad, Echenique averaged 11.2 ppg, 9.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocks a game. Echenique recently made a trip to Rutgers with his parents who were visiting from Venezuela and they felt the most comfortable with Fred Hill's program, who was the first to offer Echenique a scholarship.

After the news of Echenique's commitment to Rutgers began to circulate, Austin Johnson also desided to pull the trigger and join the Scarlet Knights program. Johnson is a power forward that can play inside and out, making him a nice compliment to Echenique. This past season at Blair Academy, Johnson, a native of Cheltenham (PA), averaged 19 pts and 11 rebounds and was also being recruiting by Seton Hall, Boston College, Virginia and much of the Atlantic 10.

Echenique and Johnson join versatile forward, Dane Miller, a very good athlete from Rush-Henrietta (NY) in the class of 2009. Miller, who can play inside and out, is just 6'6, so his success at the college level will be determined by his ability to transition fully on the wing. He is a solid ballhandler and passer for a big man, but the wing skills still need to develop to be a full time small forward in the Big East. Still, only a junior, so he will have plenty of time to work on his skill development. There is a lot to work with here and the potential to be a quality Big East player is very evident.

Rutgers is likely not done in the class of 2008, either. The still have one scholarship open and are in definite need of a power forward. The Knights lost out late in their attempts to land Quintrell Thomas and Dwight Miller, so the power forward position will likely be addressed this spring.

The most imeediate target for 2008 is Indiana de-commitment Devin Ebanks, one of the elite talents in the class of 2008. The 6'8 forward also has Texas and Memphis very much involved, along with Rutgers, as he takes a second go-round in his recruitment after Kelvin Sampson and Indiana parted ways this past season.

I expect Fred Hill and staff to leave no stone unturned this spring while trying to add help at the power forward position. The off-again, on-again recruitment of Marvel Waithe could be re-opened as well as a look into the JUCO ranks. From the perspective of balancing classes, a JUCO could be a wise direction as Hamady N'Diaye would be the only other junior on the roster and the pickings in the high school class of 2008 is very slim.

The rest of the 2008 class is solid, led by St. Anthony's (NJ) guard Michael Rosario who is a 2008 McDonald's All-American. Rosario is joined by Boys & Girls (NYC) HS small forward Patrick Jackson and NYC big man Christian Morris.

Other 2009 early targets include guards St. Anthony's star win Dominic Cheek, Justin Crosgile of DePaul Catholic (NJ), Russell Smith of Archbishop Molloy (NYC) and Durand Scott of Rice HS (NYC). Wings Paris Bennett of St. Patrick (NJ), Sherrod Wright of Mt. Vernon (NY) and Brian Oliver of Oak Hill Academy have been followed closely by RU. Big men, David Bruce of Linden (NJ), James Padgett of Lincoln HS (NYC) and Dan Jennings of Oak Hill are also hearing a lot from the Rutgers staff, but with the addition of Echenique and Johnson, they might be looking at other positions, especially if they can land someone this spring to help out on 2008-2009.

Fred Hill and his staff have a lot of good contacts in the NYC/NJ area and there is a lot of talent there to land. Rutgers is, piece by piece, laying a foundation for their future. Pieces like Mike Coburn, Corey Chandler and Mike Rosario seem to have the ball rolling and now a major piece like Greg Echenique has many people talkig about the Scarlet Knights.

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BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

February 8, 2008


VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Dane Miller, (F) Rush-Henrietta HS (NY)



Projected 2008-2009 Roster:


SENIORS: Anthony Farmer (PG), Jaron Griffin (G/F), JR Inman (F), Courtney Nelson (PG)
JUNIORS: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
SOPHOMORES: Corey Chandler (G), Justin Sofman (G), Earl Pettis (G), Mike Cobourn (PG)
FRESHMEN: Mike Rosario (G), Christian Morris (C), Patrick Jackson (SF)
EARLY 2009 COMMITMENT: Dane Miller (F)


Fred Hill and staff have landed a commitment in the class of 2009 when Dane Miller of Rochester, NY decided to pledge to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights program. Hill, Rutgers Land Big-time Recruit (Home News Tribune) from an area that Syracuse has long dominated for recruits.

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Versatile forward Dane Miller hopes to start a trend by committing to Rutgers. The 6'6 forward as been his area's top college prospect for a few years and is having a big season for Rush-Henrietta High School, averaging 21 ppg, 17 rebounds and 4 blocks a game. Miller has long been on the Big East radar and Syracuse has followed his development closely, however the Orange seem pretty full at the forward position, opening up Miller's recruitment. Providence, Cincinnati and St. John's were also heavily involved among the Big East schools, but Rutgers was the one showing him the most attention as a priority in their class.

Miller is a very good athlete than can play inside or out. He is just 6'6, so his success at the college level will be determined by his ability to transition fully on the wing. He is a solid ballhandler and passer for a big man, but the wing skills still need to develop to be a full time small forward in the Big East. Still, only a junior, so he will have plenty of time to work on his skill development. There is a lot to work with here and the potential to be a quality Big East player is very evident.

Rutgers is likely not done in the class of 2008, either. The still have one scholarship open anre in definite need of a power forward. The Knights lost out late in their attempts to land Quintrell Thomas and Dwight Miller, so the power forward position will likely be addressed this spring.

I expect Fred Hill and staff to leave no stone unturned this spring while trying to add help at the power forward position. The off-again, on-again recruitment of Marvel Waithe could be re-opened as well as a look into the JUCO ranks. From the perspective of balancing classes, a JUCO could be a wise direction as Hamady N'Diaye would be the only other junior on the roster and the pickings in the high school class of 2008 is very slim.

The rest of the 2008 class is solid, led by St. Anthony's (NJ) guard Michael Rosario who is rumored to be headed to the McDonald's All-American Game. Rosario is joined by Boys & Girls (NYC) HS small forward Patrick Jackson and NYC big man Christian Morris.

With Miller on board for 2009, and likely three more scholarships left after adding a big man this spring, St. Benedict center Gregory Echenique, St. Anthony guard Dominic Cheek and St. Raymond (N.Y.) swingman Kevin Parrom believed to be among the top targets of the Scarlet Knights. Parrom plays a position similar to Miller and Echenique has Duke on his mind. Cheek is definitely looking to stay close to home, but Rutgers would have to pass Villanova and Seton Hall in the pecking order to land him of the local schools in consideration.

Other 2009 early targets include guards Justin Crosgile of DePaul Catholic (NJ), Russell Smith of Archbishop Molloy (NYC) and Durand Scott of Rice HS (NYC). Wings Paris Bennett of St. Patrick (NJ), Sherrod Wright of Mt. Vernon (NY) and Brian Oliver of Oak Hill Academy have been followed closely by RU. Big men, David Bruce of Linden (NJ), James Padgett of Lincoln HS (NYC) and Dan Jennings of Oak Hill are also hearing a lot from the Rutgers staff.

Fred Hill and his staff have a lot of good contacts in the NYC/NJ area and there is a lot of talent there to land. Rutgers is, piece by piece, laying a foundation for their future. Pieces like Mike Coburn, Corey Chandler and Mike Rosario seem to have the ball rolling, now they need to address their frontline.

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BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

October 22, 2007


VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Patrick Jackson (SF), Boys & Girls's High School (NYC)



Projected 2008-2009 Roster:


SENIORS: Anthony Farmer (PG), Jaron Griffin (G/F), JR Inman (F), Courtney Nelson (PG)
JUNIORS: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
SOPHOMORES: Corey Chandler (G), Justin Sofman (G), Earl Pettis (G), Mike Cobourn (PG)
FRESHMEN: Mike Rosario (G), Christian Morris (C), Patrick Jackson (SF)


It has sounded this way for quite some time and late last week the news became official as Boys & Girls Senior Patrick Jackson Commits to Rutgers (NYDailyNews.com).

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Rutgers landed the small forward they had prioritized over the last few weeks when Patrick Jackson, a Brooklyn Hoopster, Commits to Rutgers (Herald News). Jackson had narrowed his choices down to RU and Virginia Tech, but he cancelled a scheduled official visit to Blacksburg and commited to Fred Hill and the Scarlet Knights instead.

Jackson is a 6'5 small forward that has good athleticism and a nice looking outside shot. As a junior with Xaverian High School, Jackson averaged over 15 PPG and 8 rebounds a contest for the Clippers. Jackson also had recruiting interest, at times, from local Big East schools Seton Hall and St. John's. Fred Hill hopes that Jackson will immediately add a scoring punch from both wing positions once on campus.

The commitment of Jackson is the third verbal commitment for Rutgers in their class of 2008, joining big man Christian Morris and scoring guard Mike Rosario. Rutgers is now aggressively pursuing power forward prospects and are awaiting the decision of Quintrell Thomas out of St. Patrick's. Thomsas, a 6'8 banger, is expected to decide in the very near future and it looks like a battle between Kansas and Rutgers. For the longest time, Thomas wanted to leave the area, but not go too far. However, he has relaxed that stance and is very open to staying in New Jersey, but the basketball atmosphere at Kansas might have him leaning that way.

Rutgers also recently hosted Texan BF Dwight Miller for an official visit. Miller seems to be just getting into the recruiting process and has a lengthy list of schools. Miller is new to the game and is rapidly developing, he could find himself very much in demand in the spring if he chooses to wait until then to sign and take additional visits. Mount Vernon forward Kevin Jones also receives a lot of attention from the Scarlet Knights, but the Jones' family is very good at keeping the process under wraps and Rutgers is one of about eight schools that have a legitimate shot to land the inside/out threat.

Stay tuned...the Scarlet Knights will aggressively attempt to fill the last open scholarship. If all else fails, Canadaian Marvell Waithe could re-appear on the radar...

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BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

July 16, 2007



VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Christian Morris (C), South Kent Prep



Projected 2007-2008 Roster:


SENIORS: Byron Joynes (C)
JUNIORS: Anthony Farmer (PG), Jaron Griffin (G/F), JR Inman (F), Courtney Nelson (PG)
SOPHOMRES: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
FRESHMEN: Corey Chandler (G), Justin Sofman (G), Earl Pettis (G), Mike Cobourn (PG), Marvell Waithe (F)
2008 Early Commitment: Mike Rosario (G), Christian Morris (C)


The first part of the July evaluation period brough some bad news for Fred Hill and his Rutgers staff and some good news. Early in the month, Olu Ashaolu opted to re-open his recruitment after some spirited play at RBK U and other events. He still is considering the Scarlet Knights, but he wants to be able to play on the perimeter in college. However, today Fred Hill got some better news as Christian Morris decided to end his recruitment with the news that Morris is Headed to Rutgers (zagsblog)

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Recruiting is a funny game for sure. Over the weekend, while playing at the Joe Brown Memorial Tournament, Christian Morris indicated that he was going to look around in the recruiting process a little more and get a sense of who else is out there. This came as a bit of a surprise as many beleived he was on the verge of joining the Rutgers program as a verbal commitment. Well, Monday morning came and Morris thought the time was right and he made the verbal pledge to join the Scarlet Knights for the 2008 class.

Morris is a 6'9, 270 lb center that definitely will remind some of Byron Joynes. I am not completely sure how accurate the 270 lb measurement is, because Morris is DEFINITELY big and 270 seems a bit light right now for him. Morris is definitely an inside horse, but getting his weight and conditioning in control will make him effective at the Big East level. He definitely has the potential to be nimble in the post, but if he is not in shape, he has trouble staying out of foul trouble and being effective on both ends of the floor. Morris is a NYC native that Rutgers has made their top big man target for a few months now. Immediate playing time is very likely at Rutgers as he will team with hamady N'Diaye as the only true post players on their roster.

The additionl of Morris, on paper, leaves the Scarlet Knights with one scholarship left for the class of 2008 with the most obvious need still coming in the form of help upfront. St. Patrick BF Quintrell Thomas has seen his recruitment skyrocket this spring, but Rutgers was on him early. Forwards Mookie Jones (Peekskill, NY) and Kevin Jones (Mount Vernon) have also been high on the RU radar. Rutgers remains in the picture for Ashaolu, but their need for players on the frontline might steer him away from the program. There are ongoing concerns on whether Marvel Waithe will get through the clearinghouse to join Rutgers for the 2007-2008 season. He would be an athletic forward that might not help much underneath, but adds versatility and athleticism to the mix.

Rutgers seems to be pretty stacked at the guard positioin with 2007 recruits Corey Chandler, Mike Cobourn, Justin Sofman and Earl Pettis. Their earlier commitment for 2008 from Mike Rosario strenghtened their guard corps even more as Rosario looks to be the perfect compliment to Cobourn and Chandler in a future 3-guard set. Rosario was St. Anthony's leading scorer as a junior and has shown the ability to score in bunches, something Rutgers has struggled mightily to do.

Fred Hill continues to work his tail off to increase the recrutiing profile of the Scarlet Knights. We will keep following the recruiting stories of Rutgers going forward.

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