Teams

REWIND: LOOK BACK AT THE 2005 BE RECRUITING CLASSES

PART III

Now that we have all gotten a chance to see the 2005 recruits in action, lets take stab at ranking those classes based on their first season of play, who has been lost due to attrition and what we can project from them over the next couple of years.

Since they have played one season, it is a little easier to rank them based on some actual action at the college level. However, some players got more of an opportunity because they walked into situations on lower-level teams that allowed them to put up impressive numbers, while others are still biding their time and waiting for their opportunities, so this ranking is still based heavily on potential and a guess at future results.

For a reminder, this was our Preseason Ranking of the 2005 Big East Recruiting Classes.

Now, for Part III, of IV, with the ranking of classes 8-5.

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St. John’s Redstorm: We have slid the Redstorm up a few notches and they definitely have the potential to slide up some more as Ricky Torres and Tomas Jasiulionis mature into their roles. This past year, JUCO transfer Aaron Spears and Anthony Mason JR gave coach Norm Roberts’ line-up a needed lift. An ankle injury slowed Mason’s season, but he still managed to average over 8 PPG and showed an all-around game that should make him an excellent 4-year player at SJU. Spears seemed to get more comfortable as the season wore on and played a nice compliment to Lamont Hamilton who showed his versatility by stepping away from the hoop. All in all, it was a solid showing by their newcomers, have a pair in their top five. To move up more, they will now have to win more, too.

7) Rutgers Scarlet Knights: They were bumped up a notch because of potential and their play. However, injuries limited some of what they could do, so I am still putting this ranking heavily on the potential of JR Inman. Yesterday we looked at DePaul, who with Wilson Chandler and Jabari Currie, I believe have a very comparable duo to Anthony Farmer and Inman, giving the advantage to DePaul, but I remain high on Jaron Griffin and he made the difference for me in there classes. Inman, before being injured, averaged 8.7 PPG, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 blks a game. Farmer chipped in 8.3 PPG and 4 assists a game. Griffin will be called on much more this year with Quincy Douby turning pro. The fourth memeber of the class, Zack Gibson, has opted to transfer out of the program.

6) Syracuse Orange: The biggest riser from the early rankings because Eric Devendorf simply outperformed, especially in Big East play, everyone the teams had listed below the Orange. Although, I see some classes possibly passing the Orange as other players hit their stride in this league, Devendorf definitely looks like a future all-league player over his last three years. The Orange also got a little more than I expected out of both Arinze Onuaku and Andy Rautins, however, I expect both to remain role players in their time at SU. With many of the classes from 6-11 being VERY close, devendorf broke all ties.

5) Connecticut Huskies: This one is still a little bit of a tough call because the 2005-2006 UConn team was loaded with seven players who are trying to move on to professional basketball, so it did not leave vital roles for their newcomers. However, I think we all got to see that Jeff Adrien is a potential stud in this conference, with an attitude to boot. I am also very high on Marcus Johnson and think he is a forgotton man in the mix for next season. When Jim Calhoun called on Johnson early in the season, even starting a few games, he responded favorably. Also, the contributions of Craig Austrie, both before and after Marcus Williams returned, had a positive impact on the Huskies. The fourth member Robert Garrison probably does not figure to see much time in the future, but this often forgotton UConn class still has talent that keeps me intrigued.

Tomorrow, we look at the top 4 classes from 2005 in the Big East.

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