BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (8/26/2008)
We will run through a quick news and notes edition this morning, maybe more to come later today. We update readers on the Trevor Mbakwe transfer that surprised many, including us. Villanova picks up a big commitment and recruiting updates on James Padgett and Markus Kennedy.
There is a closer look at Augustus Gilchrist’s travels that have led him to USF. UConn started classes yesterday, but one of their talented frosh has not made it to Storrs, yet. Bob Huggins is ready for year #2 at WVU with a strong incoming class including a JUCO big man.
For the second consecutive year, on of our picks to have a break out season in the Big East has decided to transfer. Last year, Qa’rraan Calhoun surprised us late in the summer by deciding to leave St. John’s for a junior college destination.
This year, among our 2008-2009 Potential Big East Break Out Performers was Trevor Mbakwe. The 6-foot-7, 240 pound big man was looked upon as a potential X-Factor for Marquette.
Prior to Tom Crean taking the Indiana head coaching job, many believed Mbakwe would be leaving the program. However, since Buzz Williams took over the program, it looked like Mbakwe had new life at MU. Reports were very positive on his progression this summer as he worked to get healthy from last year’s knee injury. The news that the Marquette Forward Leaves Team (Chicago Tribune) and Mbakwe’s Decision to Quit Comes as a Shock (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) and depletes the frontcourt depth of the team.
The surprise and the impact of Mbakwe leaving is definitely felt in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s article Following Up on Mbakwe, as the dearth of big men on the MU roster is likely to catch up with them at times in the Big East.
The other big news of the last couple days was Villanova receiving a verbal commitment from 6-foot-10, 250 pound big forward/center Mouphtau Yarou. Our Villanova Big East Recruiting Update goes into detail on Yarou’s commitment as well as other recruiting developments around Jay Wright and his program. Yarou’s AAU coach Anthony Lewis also provided us with some insight into Yarou on Friday night.
Yarou has had an impressive summer and has made the most of his short time in the United States, meaning ’Nova Lands Coveted Recruit (NY Daily News) because, in more ways than one, Yarou is a Big Commitment for Villanova (DelCo Times).
South Carolina, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Maryland will have at least one recruit on campus as a Basketball Prospect Will Visit This Weekend (The State.com) when James Padgett hits all four schools on a unofficial visit tour this Labor Day weekend with his Mom and a friend.
According to Adam Zagoria, James Padgett Has a Top 6 (ZagsBlog.net) of schools that includes the four he will visit this weekend as well as Providence and St. John’s. Padgett and his mother just visited PC on an unofficial visit this past weekend to get the ball rolling on his decision process. Padgett played very well for the Juice All-Stars on the AAU circuit this spring and summer.
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Adam Zagoria also takes a look at the recruitment of 2010 power forward Markus Kennedy with Villanova and Rutgers his frontrunners according to his AAU coach Matt Pauls. Syracuse is another Big East team involved in the recruitment early on for the 6-foot-8 PF/C.
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The Tampa Tribune takes on South Florida about their addition of transfer Augustus Gilchrist and how his personal trainer and close family friend Terrelle Woody is about to be hired to a new position at USF: Gus Gilchrist: USF’s Package Deal. Very interesting read…
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Classes began at Connecticut yesterday and 12 of the 13 players expected to be on scholarship were getting acclimated to the new routines. Only Ater Majok, a 6-foot-10, 225 lb freshman forward was the only exception. Majok is Only Frosh Not Yet on Campus (Norwich Bulletin) as he is home in Australia trying to satisfy academic requirements as the NCAA and UConn piece together his transcript. Majok could join the program this week, if not, he will hopefully join the Huskies by December.
With Hasheem Thabeet returning, along with Jeff Adrien and the expected addition of Majok and fellow returning forward Gavin Edwards, the UConn staff is considering a redshirt for incoming JUCO big man Charles Okwandu or junior 7-footer Jonathan Mandeldove.
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Bob Huggins certainly had a very good debut season at his alma mater last year. Now, Huggins is ready for Year Two (WVMetroNews) at West Virginia with a talented recruiting class coming in.
One late addition to the WVU recruiting class was Demetrius ‘Dee’ Proby as the Former Tiger is Now a Mountaineer (statesman.com). The 6-foot-10, 240 pounder is a graduate of Angelina College in Lufkin (TX) and will add frontcourt depth to the Mountaineer line-up.
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