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August is prime list-cutting season for basketball prospects. Mitch McGary did it earlier, but since then everything's been pretty quiet on the trail. Two more of Maryland's big men targets, though, have just narrowed down their lists. And they're both named Robert.
First up is Robert Carter, the 6-9 center from Georgia:
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound Carter told Scout.com on Sunday that his list is down to UK, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Florida, Maryland and Rhode Island.
And then Upshaw, the 6-11 center from California:
They range from Fresno State to Georgetown in the courtship of the athlete who played at Edison as a sophomore before shifting to Memorial, where he was prohibited from playing last year because of California Interscholastic Federation transfer rules.
Upshaw, ranked by Scout.com as the nation's 41st-best prospect, said Sunday night his final list also includes Arizona, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Oklahoma State, UNLV and USC.
For clarification, it's Fresno State, Georgetown, Arizona, Kansas State, Louisville, Maryland, Oklahoma State, UNLV, and USC.
Neither of those lists are as small as I'd like them, and it's doubtful that either one is the prospect's final cut. Upshaw, especially, still has some progress to make, and with so many still on his radar, it's likely that he'll won't commit until sometime in 2012.
But given that the interest from (and in, for that matter) both parties was pretty gray, it's apositive step.
Carter's list of course still includes Kentucky and Florida State, which supposedly lead. Neither will be easy to usurp, for sure. I'm sure the Terps will keep fighting, but I wouldn't hold my breath just yet.
Upshaw is more wide open, and Maryland may stand a better chance there for that reason alone.
Now, just waiting on Shaquille Cleare to do something.