Rankings Time: ESPN Drops Justin Anderson, Grant and Moto Rise
by Ben Broman on May 24, 2011 4:02 PM EDT
in Basketball Recruiting
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Rankings: the lifeblood of the spring/summer doldrums. Embrace them.
ESPN just came out with their new basketball ones earlier today, the last of the three major scouting services (along with Scout and Rivals) to do so. For the record, this is the first class that new head man Dave Telep, one of the most respected guys in the business, gets to craft himself, so while ESPN is normally pretty meh with basketball stuff, I'd respect these.
And the big surprise? Justin Anderson isn't the highest-regarded of the local wings. In fact, he's the lowest. How's that for a surprise?
A full run-down of Maryland targets in the rankings, plus the rankings in the other two services and a few thoughts, below the jump:
#4 - Mitch McGary (Rivals: #5; Scout: #15)
#22 - Shaquille Cleare (Rivals: #29; Scout: #20)
#26 - Amile Jefferson (Rivals: #34; Scout: #21)
#42 - Jerami Grant (Rivals: #57; Scout: #28)
#53 - Arnaud Moto (Rivals: #117; Scout: #50)
#54 - Justin Anderson (Rivals: #23; Scout: #44)
#71 - Twymond Howard (Rivals: #66; Scout: 78)
Big thing that stands out: not only are both Grant and Moto above Anderson in ESPN's, but they're right there with Scout's, too. I know people tend to be all "Bah, rankings!" here, especially when it contradicts preconceived notions, but if the Terrapins end up with Grant or Moto in place of Anderson, it's far from the end of the world that many have been making it out to be.
Speaking of Anderson, Telep said this in his SportsNation chat regarding the rankings:
Barring an unexpected hitch that would come as a shock to those recruiting Anderson and those in the know, I imagine it's sooner than later until he's a Cavalier. Tony Bennett doesn't have a dynamic athlete like this young man. He'll be a beast in transition. If he rebounds he's a different player.
Phooey. Oh well. Guess that's that.
They also updated the 2013 rankings, for the record. A quick tour there, too:
#8 - Andrew Harrison
#16 - Aaron Harrison
#17 - BeeJay Anya
#24 - Nate Britt
#50 - Aquille Carr
Small list for the moment, but it'll evolve. Obviously, the dream class there is to land Anya and either Britt or the Harrisons. With Hill and Bino on board, it might even happen.
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why is there a big difference between rivals and espn on moto
by valenciais1 on May 24, 2011 4:32 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Likely Hood?
Of getting any of the recruits form 2012? The top targets? I don’t see Jefferson going to UMD and def not McGary.
were in mcgarys top 5
i know thats doesn’t mean we will get him but we have a chance, and i thought we were in Jefferson’s top 2. And were top on cleare’s list. I could see us getting Jefferson,Moto, and Shaq
Yeah, but...
wasn’t that before Gary Williams retired? Things may have totally changed now that there is a new head coach and staff. Has anyone heard post Gary retirement that McGary is still interested in UMD?
3 rules of becoming a recruiting junkie
1) It’s addictive like crack, and just as destructive
2) Commitment doesn’t mean what the dictionary says it means
3) Coach Calipari is dirty.
I like Turtles!
by RedTurtle on May 25, 2011 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I dont need these rankings
to tell me how bad we need JA. If he goes to UVA that will be a serious kick to the balls.
but....we really dont need him that bad
he would be REALLY great to have, but hes not the only good SF out there. If he goes to UVA, fine, we move on and go after a guy like moto or grant.
True
because bigs are much harder to come by…if we land shaq and one other good quality big, that is huge. The SFs, SGs, and PGs will be a given…
"firegary, go sit under the basket at one of FCHS's games next year so...
Seth can flush one right down your throat you little trouble making hatin’ weasel…"
by bball purist on May 24, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree
and hope we get those other guys too. I just feel like JA is going to special. And to make it worse we’d be seeing him 2x a year. It doesn’t even feel like JA is making the decision, it seems like his handlers have beef with Hill and that’s causing this whole mess. In my head JA is already a Terp and it would hurt to see him somewhere else.
I think JA, Moto and Grant all have leadership abilities
It’s just that said he could be vocal as well as lead by example like Greivis. I would like to see that play out and have JA do what Greivis was not able 9even though we were very close)… get us to the Elite Eight and beyond…
"firegary, go sit under the basket at one of FCHS's games next year so...
Seth can flush one right down your throat you little trouble making hatin’ weasel…"
by bball purist on May 24, 2011 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions
If it wasn't For Korie Lusious' miracle shot...
GV would have taken us to the sweet sixteen and maybe even the elite eight. I was sill living in vegas at the time and it was a crazy scene at the Hilton sports book. 40 plus Michigan State fans and at least 60 plus Terps fans. That was a magical season and it should have been destined for a run, but fate had other plans. Vasquez will always remain my favorite Terp of all time (yes, even more then Juan) – GV just had that kind of effect on people. He showed up in Garys office with the famous quote; “reporting for duty sir” – and Gary embraced him. From that day on He was garys favorite player….and mine as well. Here’s to the General!
by TerpMasterX on May 24, 2011 11:35 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 2 recs
Dare I say it....
I would rather have AAM over JA. I watched Montrose play Episcopal last year, and AAM clearly outplayed JA, and AAM had played 6 games in 8 nights and it clearly showed. anyway, Montrose beat Episcopal 47-38 in the game I saw last year, but JA had 1 point and looked like he couldn’t hit water if he was shooting at the ocean – defense, and athleticism was unquestioned, but we need people who can shoot the ball!!!! AAM had 12 pts and 6 boards, looked long, athletic, fluid, and his stroke looked more natural to me.
I have yet to see Jerami Grant play, but he comes from good stock. I would like to see a Team Takeover game this summer sometime.
At this point
I would definitely take a commitment from Moto right now if it meant we would lose all chances of re-signing JA.
I think JA would be a star if he came to UMD. Not a 20 ppg star, but a 13 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg and 2 bpg star. If he goes to UVA, I don’t think he will develop as well.
Either way, a match-up in 2 years of Moto or Grant against JA would be pretty fun to watch.
I'll say it again
we could handle 2 out of 3 of Moto, Grant and JA… They’re all team players and we could do a St. John’s and have healthy competition in practice for great improvement plus plenty of minutes…
"firegary, go sit under the basket at one of FCHS's games next year so...
Seth can flush one right down your throat you little trouble making hatin’ weasel…"
by bball purist on May 24, 2011 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Juwan Staten
Ben: Espn Insider is reporting we are in play for Juwan Staten. Is this true? Who is he? Is he any good?
Haven't heard anything serious
Played w/ Pe’ at Oak Hill. I really liked his game back then. A bit of a chucker, ala Stoglin. But I don’t turn him away if he wants in.
right now i want moto more than grant
IMO, Moto’s ceiling is higher, hes long, athletic, and he looks strong(imagine what he would look like if he spent time with our S&C program)
Dare I say...
Landing 2 high quality PF/C is more important than JA. I love Justin and I want him, but given our recent history down low size is a necessity.
Yes
In my opinion, landing either Mcgary or Cleare is much more important then landing JA. We’re going after similar players to JA that are ranked around the same as him in Moto, Grant, Jefferson.
We haven’t had a stud big man recruit in a long time, and they are much more rare.
Arnaud Moto
Where is the such a discrepancy in ESPN and Rivals rankings? Never seen it like that. People who bash ESPN rankings don’t know anything. Dave Telep is great, and one of the most highly touted talent evaluators in the High School bball circuit. ESPN rankings USED to be garbage before he got there. Now they are on the upswing. More analysis, better quality, more videos, and more information than Rivals and Scout.
Moto
Maryland is not even on the surface of recruiting Moto. We have not been connected to him at all? Why is he a possibility? He isn’t linked to us on any recruiting sites and there is so much about him going to UNC and NC State
Location
We obviously didn’t recruit him the first time around thanks to Anderson. But based on where he is and the AAU team he plays for, we’ll be in play.
raylew
don’t forget, it’s not all on paper. It’s about personal relationships through the years. Our staff has begun setting the stage for the next four years onward… that’s why Coach T is working 18+ hour days…and our assts are getting out there and on the phones (again after the 27th anyway)…
From a different University system many many states away
Comes a coach of another creation
A new basketball revelation
And we’re on this recruiting mission, to make top players listen
And groove from game to game, singin’ student chants like
Terp Nation
New Revelations
Destroy Duke nation
Destroy NC nation
We’re the Renegades You Suck,
We’re the Renegades You Suck
"firegary, go sit under the basket at one of FCHS's games next year so...
Seth can flush one right down your throat you little trouble making hatin’ weasel…"
by bball purist on May 24, 2011 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Yes we have
This is a free blurb from IMS
Maryland was showing serious interest in SF Arnaud Adala Moto at the time of Justin Anderson’s commitment. With Anderson de-committing, has Moto moved to the top of the list?
http://maryland.247sports.com/Article/Goodbye-Anderson-and-Hello-Moto-26410
yea
Wapo had an article on him: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/recruiting-insider/post/with-anderson-expected-to-be-in-adala-moto-likely-is-out-for-terps/2011/03/17/ABbwizk_blog.html
I think we all expect the staff to go after him hard and make him one of their first commits (after SA) along with Shaq.
P.S. I still want Andre Drummond. Whatever happened to DeAndre Daniels?
by word2bigbird on May 24, 2011 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions
I h8 u
Stop trying to crush my dreams
by word2bigbird on May 24, 2011 6:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
plus if Yukon runs out
Shady C can allow AD to steal laptops and not have him suspended or expelled – it’s all good up there – especially as he won a Natty recently…
"firegary, go sit under the basket at one of FCHS's games next year so...
Seth can flush one right down your throat you little trouble making hatin’ weasel…"
by bball purist on May 24, 2011 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Nah- you still get suspended if you've got a brain aneurysm
and are recovering from brain surgery. But if you’re the starting PG than you only get a game or two. Shadiest thing Calhoun ever did
UCONN lost schollies for the upcoming year
Anyone know what their situation now is with that. I presume AD is still target #1 for them. But I think they still need a PG IIRC
by word2bigbird on May 24, 2011 8:08 PM EDT up reply actions
75% of student body polled
said season long suspension or expulsion – that is enough right there to tell us what was right or wrong..I agree, shadiest back room deal with University Prez and AD he ever did…
"firegary, go sit under the basket at one of FCHS's games next year so...
Seth can flush one right down your throat you little trouble making hatin’ weasel…"
by bball purist on May 24, 2011 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Anybody else really like that pic of Moto
He looks very developed for his age. Almost JA like. And he’s only been playing for a few years. If his trajectory continues he can be real special.
Apparently
the only area he needs to dramatically improve on is his left hand handles.
im starting to get a serious man crush on him.
by word2bigbird on May 24, 2011 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions
that and his shooting could improve
but hes more of in inside/slasher guy. But if your gonna be a 3 you have some what of a shot. Sadly there’s not much on him on youtube, his one video has this dunk at the end that was strait up DIRTY!
Rankings...
I am kinda new to paying attention to recruiting, etc. But find it fascinating to a degree.
Are the 2 best sources ESPN and Rivals?
Reason I am asking is that I was browsing thru Scouts and I clicked on Maryland 2012 recruits and it gives a ton of information as far as who UMD has offered and who has UMD on their lists – whether it is accurate or not – I have no clue
Here are the 2012 recruits that Scouts say UMD have actual offers out for:
Amile Jefferson
Shaquille Cleare
Jerami Grant
Justin Anderson – well we know story
Omar Calhoun
Prince Ibeh
Seth Allen – committed
And a whole bunch others without offers – seems like a lot more than Rivals or ESPN show – who knows – was just wondering – sorry for the noobness
its all based on opinion
i used to think ESPN sucked for recruiting, but they’ve really stepped it up.
In terms of info, they're a crapshoot
The profile pages of the recruits aren’t updated all that often. Relying on them is a bit of a gamble. It’s one we have to take, but a gamble nonetheless. I wouldn’t rely on them anymore than you have to.
As for the rankings, it all varies. Dave Telep tends to be the most well-respected guy in the field, and he’s currently at ESPN, so I put them at the top. Then comes Rivals, IMO, with Scout at third. Evan Daniels was Telep’s #2 at Scout and he became the top guy…really good at getting info, but I have no idea about him as an evaluator.
ESPN and Rivals
are at the top of the bball recruiting. I’d give the edge to Rivals though, because they’ve been more consistently good for a longer time then ESPN. I think each site has more favoritism for certain players than others than it should, and I think ESPN has some discrepancies with how the chose to rank its players. For example, one year they ranked Avery Bradley as the number one player in the country, when John Wall was the consensus everywhere else. I’m not sure whether Dave Telep was there when this happened, but it made ESPN recruiting look like a joke IMO when John Wall started turning heads at Kentucky. ESPN realized this and has gotten better since; for example it was the first site to start ranking Kyrie> B Knight, which I thought was good. Scout is behind Rivals and ESPN though due to its favoritism towards inner-city players
Telep was at Scout at that point
He only recently joined ESPN. I also think ESPN has a better, more consistent group of guys, w/ Francisco and Biancardi backing up Telep nicely.
It’s funny, b/c Rivals basketball recruiting used to be a joke. Meyer was the only guy they had and he could only see so many games each year. They still only have two, but it’s better than it used to be. They’ve been impressive the last two or three years.
Dream Class
Allen
McGary
Moto
Shaq
by stripesean on May 24, 2011 10:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
this is my class too realisticly
I think we’re out with McGary; but maybe thats just me. If JA goes to UVA, then we better get Moto. And I really dont like Seth Allen, I felt we could have done better. Hope Im wrong
Uh oh
“@JDotAnderson23 Must say Duke has swag and was nice!”
by Maryland Pride on May 24, 2011 10:28 PM EDT reply actions
BEAT me to it
Better news than people think. If he was a sure commit to UVA why would he visit Duke? I guess he is still keeping options open and searching around
I'd rather have him commit to UVa
Than potentially commit to Duke.
by Maryland Pride on May 24, 2011 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
He'd be public enemy number 1 here
In my opinion, if he went to Duke.
Commit to us and then de-commit and go to our biggest rival? I don’t care if our basketball program went away, you don’t do that.
Good luck playing at Comcast or showing your face around MD if that happens.
Let’s go get Moto or Grant already, or both, and get this thing over with.
And McGary
If we can’t join ‘em, beat ’em. Isn’t that the old saying?
by Maryland Pride on May 24, 2011 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions
ugh
fav current Terp
to one of the most hated all-time if this happens
dont do it to us JA
by bloodwatermission on May 24, 2011 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
How couldn't Duke have serious swag with these 3 walking around
by aholla30 on May 24, 2011 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
smh. NO SWAG
can someone post a pic of GV and his latino mo-hawk spike hair-cut? that was SWAG
JAs latest tweet
“Must say Duke has swag and was nice!”
Thumbs down!
by MoCounty11 on May 24, 2011 10:30 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
The actual recruiting class
I think we get Shaq, Seth Allen, and two other people not mentioned. Jefferson will go elsewhere. McGary has no chance to come here. Moto and Grant we are so far behind in the game recruiting them. They have so many other connections and contacts already at huge powerhouse schools. Not sure how we could pull that off.
That's what I'm talking about...
That’s the hard stuff none of that weak stuff… sugar coat done caught wings…once again it’s refreshing to hear some solid insights marked with realism
Wait
So we’re too far behind w/ Moto and Grant, but we’re going to land someone we aren’t even recruiting yet? Remember that we nearly got JOB last year after only recruiting him for like six weeks. Some of these guys aren’t big on timing.
Far Behind
It’s a little different being far behind someone who is a top 100 prospect battling with the power house schools than someone who isn’t getting recruited by big time schools a la Seth Allen
Moto was apparently very interested in MD
Before JA committed, so it’s not like he has never had any interest in the school at all.
Also, it wouldn’t seem like Turgeon is just going after him because JA decommitted, since he could say that he didn’t recruit JA at all and he likes Moto better or something.
Das Right Ben
We only need to look at St. John’s and Lavs. That staff immediately began working, with dunlap not confirmed until June. They wound up getting a group of guys who didn’t even consider them previously. It can be done. We have some inkling already that Coach T is very good about being clear as to what he will accomplish here. I do not think this staff will be stopped.
I enjoy calling Bino a bulldog, and there’s nothing I see to stop me from believing Spinelli and Hill are likewise.
And there are kids who are fickle, and can see something in the staff and school that they previously weren’t exposed to, and just flip right to us. Lavin was ticking off many other schools’ fans (and staffs for sure) with the ease he began to get top guys to commit, and in so little time.
It can be done. Let’s see how we’re feeling by Oct/November… I think we’ll be pleased.
"firegary, go sit under the basket at one of FCHS's games next year so...
Seth can flush one right down your throat you little trouble making hatin’ weasel…"
by bball purist on May 25, 2011 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions
new mock draft from chad ford
jwill is out of the first round. blowerr
Need that first commit
When JA had committed, I felt like we could legitimately say “look at what we are building in this class, you should join in and be a part of something.”
With JA out, I’d like to see Shaq commit, so that we can use that pitch again. No offense to Seth Allen, but I don’t think he allows us to use that line.
We can still pull off a great class: (1) Shaq; (2) Jefferson; (3) Moto or Grant ; and (4) Allen
Then we add in Anya and Britt in 2013 and we have quite a lineup going forward.
I have to agree with Raylew
I think we’ll definitely have Shaq and Seth Allen. I don’t think we will get Jefferson or McGary. As for Moto and Grant we would be fortunate to get one but definitely not both. JA is definitely gone by the looks of it. As for 2013, the Terps will realistically bring in Britt and Anya. Whoever said the other recruits will be players we have not heard about is probably correct.
New Targets
I’m pretty sure the coaching staff will be targeting some players we didn’t expect them to. You guys got to realize the game has changed. We are looking at recruiting through the same goggles that we’ve worn for the past decade. The only old staff member retained is Bino so the only expectation we should have is that Baltimore is still locked down. Even more so now with a more attractive style (more free? loose?) of play for these kids to play for so players like Roscoe Smith in the future will probably commit to MD.
Still want Andre Drummond.
guess ill throw it out there...
what does everyone think of the Jordan Goodman talk? Ranked 117# on Rivals. 6’8" PF 190 lb. DC Assault player… sort of a headcase… well see.
On a Different not...
The Lakers certainly dropped the ball on the coaching search!
According to IMS
Mitch Mcgary is planning a visit to UMD. Guess he is seriously considering us, even with the coaching change. Hopefully we can wow him enough to possibly get him to come to Maryland Madness or a game.
Shaq and Mac Attack!
Coming to a campus near you to wreak havoc and destruction while on our mission!
"firegary, go sit under the basket at one of FCHS's games next year so...
Seth can flush one right down your throat you little trouble making hatin’ weasel…"
by bball purist on May 25, 2011 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
IMS
insidemdsports Inside MD SPORTS
It’s official: Justin Anderson to #UVA. This has been a done deal for a week or so. #Terps have moved on to other SF prospects.
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