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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (10/19/2009)

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In just over 2300 words, we try and get you caught up as best as we can from a BUSY weekend of college basketball news around the Big East conference. The start of practice brought several Midnight Madness-themed events which brings in many recruiting visits. DePaul, West Virginia, Connecticut, Louisville, Marquette and others hosted big time prospects that they hoped to woo over showing the enthusiasm for the upcoming season. Marquette was able to gain a big time commitment following their event while Seton Hall also received a commitment from a 2011 prospect.

Otherwise, several news tidbits from the start of practice at the schools mentioned above as well as Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Louisville and Villanova. Also, a story on SHU transfer Herb Pope and much more for readers to find in the links below…

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In Lindsey Willhite’s Hoopapalooza Stop Three (Daily Herald) he took in Friday night’s action on the DePaul campus in Lincoln Park to get an early sneak peak at the Blue Demons. The night featured a slam dunk contest, won by walk-on Nate Rogers over JUCO transfer Mike Stovall, a Dr. J-esque dunk by eligible Ohio State transfer Eric Wallace while donning a Superman cape and a tribute to the late Michael Jackson which featured the DePaul men’s and women’s team performing the ‘Thriller’ dance.

While local recruiting has been a shortcoming of Jerry Wainwright and his staff in recent years, possibly making it very difficult for Wainwright to last much longer as the head coach at DePaul, his recent staff changes has led to a much better relationship with the local power brokers on the AAU scene. That was evident on Friday night as DePaul Makes Another Strong Recruiting Statement at ‘Blue’ Madness (Illinois Prep Bullseye) by hosting some of the biggest local names from several different classes.

Headlining the list of attendees were the mac Irvin Fire AAU teammates Wayne Blackshear and Mike Shaw from the class of 2011. Shaw and Blackshear have often mentioned their hopes to play together in college and recently they visited Louisville together. Others attending include 6-foot-5 class of 2013 mega-prospect Jabari Parker from Simeon High School, the son of Chicago legend Sonny Parker. parker was expected to attend the festivities at Illinois, but opted to visit the Blue Demons instead. Class of 2010 post prospect Phillip Jackson, a 6-foot-8 big man attending Hyde Park Academy, 6-foot-5 class of 2011 shooting guard Jacob Williams from St. Patrick High School and 6-foot class of 2012 point guard Curtis “C.J.” Jones from Orr High School were also among those in attendence.

On the court this season for the Blue Demons, expect a big season from senior guard Will Walker who turned in some big scoring performances down the stretch last season. Walker Gets the Point on Basketball Future (ESPN Chicago) and hopes to carry the Blue Demon’s improvement this season.
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At West Virginia, on a weekend that coveted recruit Adreian Payne paid the Mountaineers a visit, Friday’s Mountaineer Madness turned into A Night Where WVU Tried to Avoid NCAA Violations (Daily Mail) as the Mountaineer Maniacs did their best to shower Payne with love throughout the festivities. It was reported in the West Virginia Times that Payne has narrowed his choices to WVU and Kentucky.

So as Mountaineer Madness Kicks off Hoop Season (Times of WV), highlighted by John Flowers edging Devin Ebanks, the defending champ, in the annual slam dunk contest, seniors Da’Sean Butler and Wellington Smith also showed off the new Mountaineer uniforms. In a Bob Huggins tradition, one that symbolized his former teams at Cincinnati, the uniforms were black, not the traditional Mountaineer blue and gold. With a team that has increased their depth, strength and talent, Huggs has quickly transformed WVU from the finesse style of John Beilein to one in the mirror image of some of his top Bearcat teams of the past.
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For Syracuse to effectively replace the trio of Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf this year, they will need a big season from 5th-year season Andy Rautins in the backcourt. Rautins is No Longer Just Another Guy (Observer-Dispatch) on the Orange roster, but expected to take on a leadership role and also to be a go-to performer along with tansfer Wesley Johnson. It will also mean more attention from the opposition to prevent Rautins from getting off his dangerous jumper from beyond the arc.

While Antonio ‘Scoop’ Jardine, a redshirt sophomore, will also figure prominently in the SU backcourt mix this season, the Next in Line at the Orange point guard position is likely local product Brandon Triche. Like Rautins, who is the son of former SU forward Leo Rautins, Triche attended Jamesville-Dewitt just outside of Syracuse and he is the nephew of another for SU forward, Howard Triche. Triche is a 6-foot-4 power point guard who will likely inherit Paul Harris’ role as the most muscular player on the team, observed the Syracuse Post-Standard’s Donna Ditota over the weekend. While Triche receives most of the attention, other frosh include James Southerland and DaShonte Riley and the Syracuse Freshmen Step into the Spotlight (Post-Standard) as their SU careers are underway.

Mike Waters of the Post-Standard also added his Impressions from SU’s Midnight Madness & first Practice over the weekend. He remarked about the excellent shape the team has reported in and how long the frontcourt of Wesley Johnson, Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku is at the back of the SU zone. Southerland and Kris Joseph do not change that aspect when they enter at forward, either.

Committed SU recruit C.J Fair was in attendence this weekend as well as 2011 target Trevor Cooney. The Delaware product made an unofficial visit to Syracuse along with his father and brother. Cooney is also considering Villanova and Maryland among others.
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Much of the fortunes of Seton Hall this season will rest with several key transfers eligible in the program this season. One is the well-traveled Herb Pope who is hoping to put a checkered past behind him as the Pirates’ Pope is Focused on Family and School (SNY.tv) and helping SHU to a big season. With the mentoring help of former Pitt forward Charles Smith, who is working on a master’s degree at SHU, Pope is learning to leave the bad influences out of his life and work for those that have stood by him in the down times, as well as the good times.

Speaking of Seton Hall over the weekend the Pirates picked up their first commitment from the class of 2011 as recently re-classed Dashaun Wiggins Commits to SHU (ZagsBlog.com). Wiggins had previously attended Wings Academy in NYC and is now attending Bridgton (ME) Academy. Wiggins is a 6-foot-3 wing guard.
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As mentioned last week, the Marquette had several big time visitors this weekend lined up for their Midnight Madness weekend. The recruiting efforts of the staff has paid off once again as one-time Wisconsin commit Vander Blue Ditches UW for MU (Journal-Sentinel) and commits to the Golden Eagles. The Madison Memorial star is a 6-foot-4 combination guard took an official visit over the weekend and committed to coach Buzz Williams before leaving campus.

Blue was named first team all-state along with current MU frosh Jerrone Maymon last season as the two led Madison Memorial to a 26-1 record and the WIAA Division 1 state championship. Blue averaged 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.5 steals per game, according to the Journal-Sentinel.

In addition to Blue, there were 30 recruits in all attending the events Friday night according to Todd Rosiak’s MU Madness Report. The festivities were highlighted by Joe Fulce’s slam dunk contest clunching throw-down that left celebrity judges such as Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings getting out of his chair and to literally start dancing as Charlie Bell threw his scorepad up in the air, signaling there would be no more need for it. Jodie Meeks and Joe Alexander seemed to be in disbelief as well. Fulce has battled injury issues since transferring into MU as a JUCO with three years to play, but the junior looked healthy Friday.

In addition to Blue, the other big recruits visiting Marquette to note included Memphis power forward Tarik Black, who, according to more than one source was dominating in an open gym session earlier in the day report Rosiak, as well as Branden Dawson, a junior wing from Lew Wallace High School in Gary (IN), Keaton Miles, a junior wing from Dallas (TX) Lincoln and Jamail Jones, a senior wing from Montverde (Fla.) Academy who committed to MU in mid-August.
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Villanova is coming off a Final Four appearance last season and enters the 2009-2010 season with high expectations as a Big East favorite. Over the weekend the Wildcats Hit the Court for 1st Practice (Philadelphia Inquirer) as their quest to return to the Final Four begins.
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Villanova earned their trip to the Final Four last season with a thrilling 78-76 win over conference rival Pittsburgh in the Elite 8 last season. Pitt enters the 2009-2010 season as a question mark as they lost seniors Levance Fields, Sam Young and Tyrell Biggs to graduation, sophomore center and Big East co-Player of the Year DeJuan Blair entered the NBA draft and their lone returning starting Jermaine Dixon is out at least a month more with a foot injury and key reserve Gilbert Brown is serving an academic suspension for the 1st semester. Still, Pitt’s Jamie Dixon Does not Expect Slippage (Tribune-Review) as Pitt Looks to Keep Rolling in 2009-2010 under Dixon.

One test to the Pitt remaining near the top of the Big East will be their success in replacing three-year starting point guard Levance Fields. The Panthers are Looking for Fields’ Replacement (Post-Gazette) from the trio of senior transfer Chase Adams, sophomore Ashton Gibbs and redshirt freshman Travon Woodall. Adams spent the last three years as the starting point guard at Centenary College, being voted the defensive player of the year in the Summit League last season while averaging 2.7 steals a game, good for 8th in the nation. Gibbs proved to be a lights-out shooter as a freshman and has returned to Pitt after a summer as a major contributor on the under-19 USA basketball team that won a gold medal in the FIBA world championships this summer. Reports out of Pitt have Gibbs being much more confident, quicker and stronger with the basketball. Woodall is an accomplished passer whose court awareness and vision makes him most like Pitt’s recent point guards

Pittsburgh also adds their most highly decorated recruit to the program in more than two decades as McDonald’s All-American Dante Taylor enters the mix at power forward looking to fill the holes left by Blair’s departure and Young’s graduation. Taylor Could be Pitt’s Next Star (Philadelphia Inquirer) and is part of a recruiting class that Jamie Dixon has consistently called the best at Pitt in his 11 years at the school. With all their recent success, that is high praise.

Another way the Panthers will look to remain in the Big East hunt despite the heavy personnel losses is for the Panthers to Atrive to Return to a Top Notch Defensive Team (Post-Gazette) on the court. With the addition of Adams and the return of Dixon and Brown, the Panther defense could be one of their best under Dixon as the season moves along. Brad Wanamaker and Nasir Robinson are also outstanding defensive players on the wing. Early returns on J.J. Richardson is also a strong indication that the freshman forward is a player with high defensive potential.
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One of the things that Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun is famous for is his following up the ‘First Night’ festivities with the first ‘real’ practice of the season the next day with a marathon session. This year was no exception as he put the Huskies through a 3 1/2 hour practice that challenges players in several ways. The reporters covering the action always follow how the freshmen respond to getting their ears lit up by the coach and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, Darius Smith, Alex Oriakhi and Jamaal Trice all had their moments to catch criticism and praise afterwards. ON Saturday, it was Trice Impressing Calhoun with his Resilience (Hartford Courant) and willingness to keep at it.

As the Huskies Get Down to Work (Register Citizen), here are some of the reactions from the newcomers to their first official Jim Calhoun practice:

“That was just something I’ve never been through in my life,” Oriakhi told the Register Citizen. “Never in my life. The speed and how physical it was. Coach Blaney, he actually told me it was going to get real physical in practice, even more than in games. If it gets more physical than that, I don’t know. I don’t think it can.”

“The running, that’s probably a week’s worth of high school practices,” Trice, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound guard, said. “All the guys are strong, just not one or two.”

Jerome Dyson missed the later half of practice after banging knees with Coombs-McDaniel, but it looked to be nothing serious. Charles Okwandu also missed time because of an injured angle and Ater Majok watching practice from the sideline due to an injured foot, but all in all, the Huskies Survive the first Day (TheDay.com).

Also watching practice on Saturday were official visitors Roscoe Smith and Cory Joseph, two of the top targets for Connecticut in the class of 2010 as the Recruits Take in the Fun (Republican-American) over the weekend.
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At Louisville, after an off-season that sometimes resembled news straight out of the supermarket tabloids, it was a Low Key, With High Hopes Start (Louisville Courier-Journal) for Rick Pitino and the Cards.

In anticipation of a greater role this season in light of Terrence Williams and Earl Clark moving on since last season, sophomore forward George Goode has worked hard at ’speed’ school this summer to get quicker to play forward in coach Pitino’s system. Goode is Getting Better (Courier-Journal) and his improvement will be a big lift for the UL frontcourt.

Over the weekend, South Kent (CT) school wing J.J. Moore took an unofficial visit to Louisville. Gary Charles, Moore’s AAU coach who accompanied the 6-foot-5 wing on the trip told Adam Zagoria it was a very good visit and Moore Cuts List to Three (ZagsBlog.com) following the visit. Moore will visit St. John’s (Oct. 30) and Pittsburgh (Nov. 6) to compare and contrast the programs and the environments for the basketball players.
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Notre Dame’s chances were bolstered this season when Luke Harangody, the 2007-2008 Big East Player of the Year, decided to return for his senior season. The 2008-2009 campaign was a major disappointment for the Irish and a Do-or-Die Season Awaits Harangody (Post-Tribune) as he hopes to help ND rebound in his final season, one in which he should, barring injury, become the all-time leading scorer in Big East conference play history.
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