Notre Dame Prep standout Paul Harris will be the next premiere player to wear the orange of Syracuse.  He is widely considered a Top 10 player and may be best known for his rebounding prowess.  Harris still looks to improve his jump shot as at 6-4, it will be interesting to see at what position coach Jim Boeheim projects for him next season. 

Harris is known for his unselfishness and his work ethic and the Orange will look to his leadership skills, even as a freshman.  He is joined by 6-9, 240-pound center Devan Brennan-McBride of London, Ontario and 6-6, 210-pound Mike Jones of Lower Richland H.S. in Hopkins, S.C.  Jones scored 16 points in 16 minutes in the Jordan All-American Classic in April. 

Norm Roberts hopes to return St. John's to postseason play as his five-player recruiting class should mesh with his returnees to form a tough out in March.  Bridgeton Academy's Qa'rraan Calhoun leads one of the deepest Red Storm classes in recent memory.  The 6-9 forward averaged 19 ppg, 11 rpg, 4 bpg, and 3 apg. at Bridgeton after nearly identical numbers in his senior year at Raritan H.S. in Hazlet, N.J. 

Jacksonville, Fla. native Derwin Kitchen was a runner up for Mr. Basketball in the state of Florida and was a two-time Jacksonville High School player of the year at Raines H.S.  Kitchen is known for his explosion to the basket and the 6-3 combo guard will bring versatility to Roberts' transition and half-court games.  Two-guard Avery Patterson of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Ia. averaged 20.3 ppg while shooting 37.4% from the stripe in his second year at Western.  He is best known for his jumper as he set a Single season scoring record with 771 points for Iowa Western this past season.

Roberts looks forward to the play of 6-6, 230-pound forward Rob Thomas of South Kent H.S. in Connecticut.  Thomas is a tough matchup with a polished inside-outside game as he was rated Top 25 small forward by numerous recruiting analysts.  Athleticism and versatility also describe 6-2 Larry Wright of Saginaw, Mich.  Wright was a finalist for Mr. Basketball in Michigan as he went for 21 ppg, 7 rpg, and 4 apg last season.  Roberts is pleased with the degree of athleticism and scoring ability of these five additions to his squad. 

New Cincinnati boss Mick Cronin wasted little time dipping into the JUCO scene when he arrived in Ohio's Queen City as he added 6-3 guard Marvin Gentry and 6-6 swingman John Williamson within days of his appointment to the Bearcats' bench.  Gentry, from McLennan CC in Texas, was the NTJCAA Player of the Year this past season as he averaged 15.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, and 3.8 apg  Williamson averaged 27.4 ppg and 11.7 rpg at Cincinnati State.  Cronin likes his strength and finishing ability.

Jamaul Warren, a 6-2 guard from Springfield Mass. will add depth to the UC backcourt.  He averaged 22.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, and 5.9 apg and was a NJCAA Division I Second Team All American last season.  Cronin likes his scoring ability off the jump shot of being able to slash to the basket.  Midland (Tx.) College product Tim Crowell will be a backcourt mate for Warren.  At 6-2, Crowell led the Western JUCOAA with 7.5 apg. last year.  Cronin likes his speed with the basketball and leadership skills.

Former Georgia Bulldog Marcus Sikes and Indianapolis guard Deonta Vaugh round out Cronin's class.  Sikes played at Mt. Jacinto College also season where he averaged 13.1 ppg and 11.3 rpg.  His versatility allows him to play three positions.  Cronin milked the JUCO ranks after taking the UC job and it paid immeasurably as Cincinnati could hold serve after the great job interim-coach Andy Kennedy did in '05-06 before taking the Ole Miss vacancy.

DePaul returns five starters and three key role players off the bench in addition to adding guard Will Walker and forward Manuel Cass.  The 6-0 Walker averaged 30 ppg, 6 rpg, and 7 apg at Bolingbrook (Ill.) High School last year.  The Blue Demons edged Bradley for Cass, a 6-7 forward from Carbondale, Ill.

Georgetown coach John Thompson III signed three impact freshmen in DaJuan Summers, Vernon Macklin, and Jeremiah Rivers.  The trio will join Indiana transfer Patrick Ewing, Jr. to add depth to a Hoya squad that lost three starters.  Summers, a 6-9 forward from Owings Mill, Md., averaged 20 ppg and 11 rpg as a junior and garnered Baltimore City Player of the Year honors.  Summers combines his quickness with post skills to form a tough matchup for most defenses.

The 6-9 Macklin prepped at Hargrave in Chatham, Va., after finishing high school at I.C. Norcum H.S. in Portsmouth Va. where he averaged 24.2 ppg, 14.5 rpg, and 4.5 bpg Macklin is a natural power forward and will look to add more strength to his frame.  Rivers is the son of Celtics head coach and former NBA great Doc Rivers.  The 6-4, 190-lb. guard battled injuries in high school at Winter Park H.S. in Florida. 

Swingman Lazar Hayward and David Cubilian will be freshmen of impact for coach Tom Crean at Marquette.  Hayward prepped at Notre Dame Academy after a Stellar career at Traditional High School in Buffalo, N.Y.  At 6-6, 205 lbs., Hayward filled out physically to where he had gone from a mid-major prospect a year ago to a more complete player that had received an opportunity for a full scholarship to Virginia, Providence, and Pitt while UConn and Syracuse showed interest also.  Hayward is know as an outstanding shooter and his physical maturity has also allowed him to be a consistent inside threat.  Cubilian is also known as a shooter and both players should have the opportunity to replace the graduated Scott Novak at shooting guard.

Carbondale, Ill. product Lawrence Blackledge will have two season of eligibility for Crean after playing the previous two seasons at Southwestern Illinois College.  The 6-8, 185-pound forward shot 56% from the field in leading his squad to 34 wins this past season.  Blackledge will be joined by another Illinois product in Hazelcrest, Ill. guard Maurice Acker, a 5-8 point guard.  Acker started all 28 games as a freshman at Ball State. 

 

 

Part III: Connecticut, Louisville, Villanova, West Virginia

Part II: Marquette, Georgetown, DePaul, Cincinnati, St John's, Syracuse

Part I: Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall, South Florida