The week-long early signing period for basketball (and a variety of other sports, but that's beside the point) kicked off earlier today, and you know that means: a requisite Terrence Ross reference.
Ross, you'll remember, owned The Recruiting Saga of 2010©, replacing Lance Stephenson before him, and it all started when he didn't sign his Letter of Intent in the early period despite being committed. When that happens, it's a pretty tell-tale sign that he's ready to decommit - Luke Cothron at N.C. St. was the other high-profile case last year.
Luckily enough, it looks like Maryland doesn't have to worry about that type of drama with any of its current commitments. Jeff Borzello tweeted that Nick Faust will sign his LOI this upcoming Monday at his school. We get this insightful bit directly from Sterling Gibbs himself: "National Letter of Intent #niicee". Not quite "I just signed my NLOI", but close enough for my tastes.
And with that, Maryland's current class is secure.
Truthfully, neither of these guys were big worries: Faust committed not long ago and Gibbs has been a Terp through-and-through for some time now.
As Maryland's other targets, there was some thought that either Desmond Hubert or Adjehi Baru could commit early enough to sign an LOI (the period ends next Wednesday). For the moment, as chrisp pointed out, that doesn't seem the plan for either one.
Hubert may or may not sign in the period, and he's down Maryland, Wake Forest, and Princeton. I'd assume that Maryland is the front-runner there, but it'd be foolish to count him in just yet. Baru also won't sign today, but the phrasing of "hopefully soon" indicates that it could be feasible for him to sign in the early period. Apparently, Dave Telep believes that it's probable that he's waiting to see if Cody Zeller ends up at UNC instead of the expected Indiana.
Elsewhere, it's a little disappointing that Johnny O'Bryant got his in to LSU on Day One. LaQuinton Ross, on the flipside, didn't and probably won't sign to Ohio State now; Maryland might become a player there, but Mississippi State is probably more likely.
Past that, not a lot of news. After last year, that's a good thing.