Thoughts on the Erik Williams transfer

Last week Marquette confirmed that 6'8" sophomore Erik Williams will transfer after the spring semester. According to Todd Rosiak, Williams will likely land up at a school closer to his home in Texas. A consensus top-100 recruit following his senior season at Cypress Springs high school, Williams never got on track at MU. Williams suffered a Jones fracture in high school and while many insisted he completely healed from the injury, he never displayed the freakish athleticism that so many expected on the college level.

After only sporadic appearances as a freshman, Williams was the quintessential role player during his sophomore season, though it must not have been the part he envisioned. Following appearances in Buzz Williams' rotating starting lineups early in the season, Williams logged a DNP in 11 of the team's first 14 Big East contests. The bench time ended only when Buzz Williams decided to start Williams at the beginning of each half in nine of MU's final 10 games to reduce Jae Crowder's penchant for foul trouble. During that stretch, only once did Williams log more than 10 minutes -- the home blowout of Providence -- and he failed to score in half of those contests.

Some fans have groused about the loss of a baseline player, claiming that Williams showed flashes of being a solid rebounder and contributor next season. That is just not the case. Williams had two full seasons to contribute, was unable to breakthrough and was recruited over when Jae Crowder matriculated to MU. Still, credit Williams for persevering through a coaching change (he verballed when Crean ran the program), recovering from a debilitating injury, and finally for working diligently for two years before making his decision to move on.

Ultimately the transfer makes sense for the player and the program. Erik Williams will find a program he is more comfortable with and take full advantage of a redshirt season to emerge as a major contributor elsewhere in 2012-2013. Meanwhile, MU will be able to retool the roster with a player who might be a better fit, while the the key contributors for next year's Warrior squad remain in tact. Also, Buzz Williams now has two scholarships available as the spring signing period winds down later this month.

Williams is the second Cy Springs player to transfer from Marquette in the last decade. Guard Karon Bradley, a member of the 2003 Final Four team, left MU for Wichita State after his sophomore season. In the WayBack Machine, Williams' high school coach John Harmatuk shared his thoughts about Williams after his commitment to MU.

Blue, Gardner & Williams show MU's depth with Bucknell up next

Since joining the Big East, MU has had to worry about quick turnarounds or a single twisted ankle due to a lack of depth and the physical abuse they took against teams that towered over them. Not anymore.

Friday night 11 of 13 players on the roster registered steals and/or blocked shots, and 11 of 13 players scored against Prairie A&M. Three questions jump out about the game Sunday against a Bucknell team that only trailed at sixth-ranked Villanova by 54-46 with 6:10 to play. An impressive win against Bucknell on Sunday might indicate that Marquette is once again closer to the top of the Big East than anyone thought in the preseason, but three things may determine if that will happen:

1. Can Marquette come anywhere close to their defensive pressure from Friday night against a team that protects the ball as well as Bucknell?

Vander Blue started and led the defensive barrage with incredibly quick hands that resulted in 7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and 4 steals, all team highs to lead a suffocating defense. Bucknell was one of the best teams in the country at protecting the ball last year, and in the first 10 minutes of the second half only had one turnover against Villanova to pull within 44-38. MU forced 13 turnovers in the first 17 minutes against Prairie View, more than Bucknell had all game.

2. Can Virginia 1st Team All-State center Davante Gardner come anywhere close to his dominating second half performance having to face a much taller 6-foot-10 Mike Muscala Sunday?

Many thought Gardner was too heavy to contribute this year, but all he showed was incredible strength and soft hands. If a rebound or pass hit his hands, he had it. Gardner made all 7 field goals and all 3 free throws he attempted, and is now averaging 17.0 ppg as a Division I player. However, Prairie View was small, and if Gardner gets in Sunday it may be against 6-foot-10 Mike Muscala, who had a strong freshman year himself last year and put up 10 points and 8 rebounds at #6 Villanova Friday.

3. With all the great recruits, will 4-star, 6-foot-7 sophomore Erik Williams get another surprise start?

After seeming to be the odd man out in the exhibition, Williams made the most of a surprise start when he came out of the gates on fire with a jumper and a traditional 3-point play in the opening minutes en route to 12 points on 4-6 shooting and 4-4 free throws. The surprise performances of Williams and Gardner as well as having Blue playing so big as a guard helped MU to one of its most dominating inside games in memory. When was the last time MU blocked 11 shots and out rebounded a team 51 to 19, while scoring 62 points in the paint?

We know we can expect a lot from Jimmy Butler, DJO and Jae Crowder most nights, and Joe Fulce (7 rebounds in 12 minutes) and Dwight Buycks (7 assists) will contribute. However, with the potential contributions coming from the entire roster, whether it was Blue, Gardner and Williams Friday or Reggie Smith, Junior Cadougan, Jamail Jones and Chris Otule in the exhibition, MU has a lot of options.

Just 1-0, but a lot of potential already.

Reeeling Warriors look to end skid against Hoyas

I had every intention of doing an eloquent preview of tonight's game between the Warriors and the Hoyas ..... then I read John Pudner's stellar Q/A over at the Casual Hoya and thought better of it.

Seriously, read all about it here. Pudner rocks.

MU v GU tips off tonight at 7pm Marquette Standard Time at the Bradley Center.

• Here are the Marquette Game Notes.
• Rosiak on the improving Dwight Buycks.
• The Sportsline preview.
• GU guard Chris Wright is in the midst of a monster stretch. Acker beware.
• The Washington Post on MU's bad breaks early in BIG EAST play.

One thing to watch for tonight -- celebrate if David Cubillan snares his first rebound in BIG EAST play. The senior has yet to corral a board in 56 minutes of game action, surely some sort of record. Also, Cubillan's next assist will be his second in BIG EAST play this season. Meanwhile, the youthful but more talented Erik Williams continues to sit based on his performances in practice.

MUTV: Erik Williams

Here's a video from MUTV:

Top 100 Recruits

UPDATED
I realized after this was originally posted that I tried to compare offensive efficiency for a team (points per 100 possessions) to an individual's Offensive Rating (which is a complex formula). That's a no-no. I guess it means that it's been too long since I've done real basketball analysis. guh

====
One of the things I am looking forward to most about this season is that it is completely up in the air. In a somewhat down Big EAST, Marquette could legitimately finish anywhere from 4th to 14th. I'm particularly excited to see how all of the various new players will perform this season, partially for the same reason. No one knows what to expect, especially with such a huge influx of new talent.

The question of what we expect from the new players drove me to take a look at Top 100 recruits in the Big East, and how they performed in their first year.

Thanks to the help from bma and statsheet.com, I tracked down every Top 100 recruit for the Big EAST from 2005 through last year. Because there were a number of puts and takes, this list may have some inaccuracies.

Over this four year period, there were 89 players listed as Top 100 by one recruiting service or another.

• The heavy hitters were exactly what you'd expect: Georgetown (10 players), Louisville (9), Syracuse (9), UConn (8)
• Marquette had five top 100 players. You know their names (James, McNeal, Matthews, Hayward, Mbakwe)
• In somewhat surprising information, Rutgers had six Top 100 players.
• South Florida was the only Big EAST team with zero Top 100 players
• It's important to note that ten of the players in this pool (including Mbakwe) end up as incompletes due to injuries or lack of production. I actually consider this somewhat good news, because I would have expected the percentage to be a lot higher.
  

Over this period, how did these players perform their first year on the team?

Somewhat surprisingly, the average first year player, even as a Top 100 recruit, was... average. Seriously, the average of the remaining 79 players was an offensive rating of 100.4 and a usage of 20.6%. It doesn't get much more average than that. The first point that this brings up is that even Top 100 recruits are most likely not very efficient offensive players.

In fact, 70% of the Top 100 recruits in their first year had an offensive rating of 105 or less. Here is the breakdown of all of the players.


As you can see, I've broken down the players into four quadrants of Stud, Role Player, Ball Hog, and Non-Factor. They are surprisingly consistent across categories (20 Studs, 19 Role Players, 17 Ball Hogs, and 23 Non-Factors.

• Stud - A player that has an above average offensive rating and an above average usage is a first year stud. These are players like Jerome Dyson, Greg Monroe, Samardo Samuels, DeJuan Blair, Jonny Flynn, and Scottie Reynolds. You know every single player on this list
• Role Player - A player with above average offensive rating and a below average usage. They're not the focal point, but they are efficient on the court. In their first year, role players include Jeff Adrien, Kemba Walker, Austin Freeman, Jerry Smith, Kyle McAlarney, and Levance Fields
• Ball Hog - A player that is below average offensively but above average in terms of usage. Guys in this category include Deonta Vaughn, Wilson Chandler, Chris Wright, Derrick Caracter, Mike Rosario, and Paul Harris. These guys put up points but hurt the team.
  
• Non-Factors - Below average offensively and in terms of usage. Many of these players prompted a "who?" when I saw their names. Sometimes the players just need time (like Thabeet), but often, these guys simply become role players later, like Andre McGee or Reggie Redding. Or they don't contribute at all later.
  

Again, this is a view of how Top 100 players perform in their first year. So the second point is that there is a pretty even split as to whether or not these players will be true studs, simple role players, ball hogs, or even just a non-factor on offense.

I'm sure you'll note that I didn't mention any Marquette players in the list above. How did they do in their first year?


James was a legit stud his first year, with an offensive rating of 104.9 and a usage of 27.7%. McNeal was a true ball-hog that first year, consuming almost the same amount of possessions (27.1%) with an offensive rating of 87.7. woof. Lazar and Wesley were basically average players (100.5, 99.1, respectively) with slightly above average usage (22.5% each).

The good and the bad news


Here is how last year's top five players (JB = Jimmy Butler) would have stacked up against the same list of first year players. The Big Four were all studs, with offensive ratings and usage above average. It's no surprise that players improve over time. So even if the guys joining the team next year are sub-par with their offensive ratings, they can still get a lot better. That's the good news.

I previously mentioned that 70% of top 100 recruits have an offensive rating of 105 or below. Well, Marquette had four of its top five players above an offensive rating of 105. The only one of the top five producers not above 105? James, who was right there at 104.0. Heck... even Dwight Burke would have qualified as a solid role player (ORtg 109.9, usage of 9.9%). To put it another way, Marquette was a very good offensive team last year. If you are expecting a team that looks nearly as good offensively on the court as last year's team, well... that's the bad news. Even Top 100 recruits rarely match the level of production we saw last year.

Looking at Marquette's Top 100 Recruits
(I'll look at Darius Johnson-Odom and Dwight Buycks separately)

Barring injury, Erik Williams, Junior Cadougan, and Jeronne Maymon will receive somewhere close to the average number of possessions. The number of possessions they receive will probably be the most important aspect of how they perform in their first year and there are plenty of possessions to go around.

While it's almost certain that their offensive skills will be limited, there appears to be a chance that one (or more) of them will shine as a true first year stud. However, it also appears that one (or more) of them may end up as a ball hog. Regardless, even if these highly touted recruits struggle offensively, we should expect to see them grow into more offensively efficient players in subsequent years.

Checking in with Max Ivany, Texas Recruiting Expert

When the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first published the story of Monterale Clark's commitment on February 4th, most people were shocked at the news. Most people that is, except for the readers of Max Ivany's Texas Basketball Inc. blog where the story originated a day earlier. It may seem a little strange that the story about a Marquette commitment would be broken on a blog about Texas High School basketball, but it's only strange until you find out a bit more about Max Ivany.

For starters, Max is better known to those in the recruiting world as Coach Max for his role as the founder of the Texas D-1 Ambassadors, one of the most successful AAU programs in the country. Coach Max is also the founder of Texas Basketball Inc. a service that specializes in helping talented but unknown players in Texas and Louisiana get noticed by college coaches in the hopes of getting them a scholarship. Further, Coach Max is also a long time friend of Buzz Williams going back to his days at Colorado State.

In short, Coach Max Ivany is one of the most knowledgeable and most well connected people in the business when it comes to Texas recruiting. Who better to give Cracked Sidewalks readers some insight into Buzz and the great state of Texas? We chatted with Coach Max to get his thoughts on Buzz, Junior Cadougan, Erik Williams, and Marquette's future in Texas.

*************************************************************************

Coach, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Before we go any further, can you give us a little background on what you do and what Texas Basketball Inc. is all about for our readers that may not follow recruiting that closely?


Texas Basketball Inc. has become an all encompassing one stop place for serious young basketball players to go to for information and opportunities. The mission, quite simply has evolved into "giving basketball in Texas & Louisiana, but specifically in the Central Texas/San Antonio area as much positive publicity as possible to continue to grow the sport". Don't forget that we're football heavy here in terms of the resources being allocated. However, according to most college coaches not only is Texas the most fertile recruiting grounds for ballers in the country, but the CenTex/San Antonio area may be the most under recruited. So, we're trying hard to change that. Our services range from player evaluation, development, travel teams, uniforms, tournaments, and publicity for the kids. We've recently added audio & video streaming capabilities for high school & club games which will continue to put the kids on the map.


You are also the man behind Texas D-1 Ambassadors, one of the top AAU teams in the country. Tell us a little bit about that and who are some players the casual fan might have heard of that have been involved with your program?

The Texas D-1 Ambassadors was the foundation for what has now become Texas Basketball Inc. I appreciate your kind words about the quality of the program. We do it without "shoe money" even though we consistently beat many of those teams. The character and academics of the players are in line with their basketball abilities as well. One does no good, without the other.

Our first graduating class was 2006 with all the players heading to Division 1. They got their first national notoriety on center court in Las Vegas when we were supposed to be sacrificial lambs for the Portland Legends who amongst others had Kevin Love & Kyle Singler. At halftime we led them by 23 points with a packed house of who's who in college coaching. That's when the Ambassadors attained national respect. We've followed that up with multiple teams and now close to 100 players who are either playing at the college level or have committed to do so.

We've had some wonderful guards come through including Bryan Beasley at Rice, Jason Ebie at TCU and Garland Judkins who is at Arizona. However, I'd challenge anyone to match our 5 year run on big men. 2006 6'10" Brandon Webster (Fresno State), 2007 6'8" Carleton Scott (Notre Dame), 2007 6'8" A.J. Hardeman (New Mexico), 2009 6'9" Cory Jefferson (Baylor signee), and 2009 6'10" John Henson (North Carolina) who was recently selected to the Jordan Brand Classic.

We'll follow that up this year with 2010 6'9" Daniel Alexander (offered by Marquette and a slew of others) as well as 2011 6'7" Tre Drye who is the #1 player in Louisiana in that class and 6'6" Mark Nwakamma who is projected to grow to 6'10".

Looking at your blog, one can't help noticing the picture of you shaking hands with Buzz Williams(above left). How long have you two known each other and how did you first meet?

Buzz holds a special place in my heart. In the spring of 2002 when my first group of guys, including my son were freshmen we had just finished waxing the Southern Cal All Stars in the Vegas Easter Classic. On our way out of the gym this guy sticks his business card in my hand as I was walking by. At the time it was the first D-1 coach we'd ever thought were interested in our players. Myself and my sidekick Coach Beasley went back to the hotel room and were so excited I jumped up and down on the bed. (Keep in mind that I was 43 years old at the time...wow, I'm embarrassed...lol) Sure enough Buzz followed up a few days later. It was the beginning of a nice friendship.


On your blog, you've described Buzz as "one of the hardest working coaches in the country" and "a relentless professional recruiter", what in particular leads to those kind of statements?

Like every profession, you have some guys who punch a clock and then you have guys who work until the job is done. That's Buzz. He's relentless. I remember one time when he was at Texas A&M I mentioned some obscure player that I'd gotten a tip on that lived in some isolated Louisiana town. I mentioned it casually to Buzz. The next day I got a 3AM phone call form Buzz waking me and cussing me out that he was driving 6 hours to see if this guy was a prospect. Turns out he was Southland Conference caliber. No stone unturned...lol.

Recruiting is a high pressure business. You're putting your future in the hands of 17-20 year old kids. This causes a lot of the D-1 guys to blow smoke to the kids to close the deal. I have never known Buzz to do this. He's honest to a fault, and he believes in cultivating long term relationship and not just living in the moment. As a man who raised his own son solo I've got to say that the coolest thing about Buzz is that he's done all the above while being dedicated to his family. That's a juggling act that's hard to pull off.

How would you describe Buzz's recruiting style, and do you think that style has changed as he moved to different schools?

I think Buzz would recruit the same way if he was at D-3. He is going to give 100% effort, being completely organized and developing relationships at all times. The people working for him are all class guys too. In fact, the bios of his assistants are impressive in and of themselves including Scott Monarch who is the White Tiger of basketball. He was the first white boy to play at Mississippi Valley State, in the traditionally Black SWAC.


In your experience, when Buzz first starts recruiting a player, what would you say he's looking for? Is it simply skillset and athletic ability? Is it an ability to play a specific position or in a specific system? What about things like a player's basketball IQ or competitiveness, how much do they factor in to whether Buzz will or won't recruit a particular player?

I think the first thing Buzz looks for is a kid's character, integrity, willingness to be coached, his capacity for hard work and a burning desire to be a winner.

Given the high profile of the University of Texas as well as the resurgence of schools like Baylor and Texas A&M, most people would think it would be hard for a coach to come in and get so many players for a school on the opposite side of the country. How is it that Buzz is able to go in and get so many Texas players to come to Marquette?

I don't want to tick off the Big East folks, but the Big XII is as talented a basketball conference as any. More Texas kids are playing at the highest level and you're correct about programs like Texas & Baylor. It's always a battle for top players, but I would not bet against Buzz. As noted in previous questions above, he's going to WORK and stay humble. He's a guy who you can trust your son with. Mine would have played for him, but I was not enamored with sending my son to New Orleans in the aftermath of the hurricane, which is where Buzz was at the time.


Buzz went into Texas and got players for the Classes of 2008, 2009, and now 2010. Should we expect more of the same for 2011 and beyond?

I'm sure Marquette will keep working Texas hard. One of his other Assistants, Tony Benford who I know as well has many ties in the Lone Star State too. I'll leave the specifics of who he's recruiting to them to reveal but yes I'm sure you'll see other big time Texas kids heading up your way.


Lastly, Buzz got two highly regarded recruits from the Houston area for the class of 2009, Junior Cadougan from Humble Christian Life and Erik Williams of Cypress Springs. I'm sure you've seen both of them play, any thoughts on their respective abilities?

I love Cadougan. He's strong, smart and battle tested having represented Canada for several years in international play. He's a little bit chunky (kinda like me..lol) but don't let that fool you. It's rare when he doesn't come out on top regardless of who he's matched up against. Williams suffered a tough injury last year, and to be honest I have not seen him play in almost a year. My guy in Houston, Jimmy Hicks of RCS Sports says he's the man though. If Jimmy says it, then I'm on board with that.

************************************************************************

Cracked Sidewalks would like to thank Coach Max Ivany for taking time out of his busy schedule to chat with us. Be sure to check out the Texas Basketball Inc. blog for the most up to date information on college recruiting and AAU news in Texas. Even if it's not Marquette related, its very rare that you get this type of insight into one of the top AAU programs in the country, plus you never know what you might find out.

Erik Williams' high school coach tells all

Today we're pleased to welcome John Harmatuk to Cracked Sidewalks. Coach Tuk is the head basketball coach at Cy Springs High School in Houston, Texas where he coaches current MU commit Erik Williams. Erik is one of the top five players in the Houston area, one of the top 100 recruits in the country and was the first player to commit to MU from the class of 2009.

Here's a Q/A about Erik that Coach Tuk was kind enough to provide to us. When you are done reading the Q/A, check out the latest entry on his blog -- a terrific article which details Erik's performance this season. Enjoy.

****************************************
How is Erik performing this season for Cy Springs?
Erik averages about 24 pts 12 rebounds and almost 6 blocks a game. His numbers have been there all season, all we need him to do now is bring intensity to every possession. If you check his stats, he will have a majority of his points in a half. For example 26 of his 33 against Langham Creek was in the second half. He struggles with maintaining energy every possession, as do most talented high school kids. He is really working on this because he knows in order to get minutes next season, he must stay focused every possession.

Last season Erik suffered a significant foot injury, has he fully recovered from that? Do you think his athleticism has been compromised due to the injury?
Erik actually broke his foot, it's called a Jones fracture and its pretty common with taller basketball players. His foot is fully healed. He has some lingering affects of over compensation (soreness in other areas, etc...) but he is fully healed from the injury. After strength coach Todd Smith gets him, you will see just how athletic Erik plays.

Erik is listed at 6'7", does he project to be a shooting guard or a wing at the college level?
Erik has to prove who he can guard before you can label him a position. I need him to protect the paint; block shots and rebound. So he doesn't get the opportunity to guard the ball on the perimeter very often. He will have to get better guarding the ball before he can be a 2or3 at the college level.

What parts of Erik's game have shown the most improvement this season?
I would say not allowing poor offense to affect the rest of his game. He is our only player with any experience, my next two best players are a freshman and sophomore, so Erik has had to shoulder a huge load. For example he had 32pts 15 rebs and 16 blocks against Cy-Fair and we lost in overtime. Teams are throwing a box and 1, double teams, etc... and Erik has let that affect the rest of his game. Last Friday vs a box and 1, however, he had 6pts, but 12 rebs and 11 blocks. He needs to make plays besides just scoring.

What parts of his game will need the most work as he enters college?
Guarding the ball, full attention to every possession on both ends of the court, and strength. He also needs to tighten up all other parts of his game. By that I mean, play more compact, more balanced and more efficient. He just uses his length to beat people at the high school level. Next season he will have to improve his footwork to be more efficient, tighten up his ball handling, be stronger with the ball going to the rim.


I believe you coached former Golden Eagle Karon Bradley. Did Karon's experience at Marquette concern you when Erik showed interest in the program?
Not at all, Karon was not ready from a maturity standpoint to handle the rigors of major college basketball. Erik is the most mature kid I have coached. He understands that to reach his potential as a basketball player he needs a demanding coach and a competitive atmosphere. If Erik buys into the level of intensity Buzz brings, he has a chance to be a special player. It is all up to Erik and he know this.

Erik committed early to Marquette. Were you surprised he ended his recruiting so early (and committed to a school away from home)?
Not at all, I was actually with him on his first trip to Marquette. Later that night he called his brother and said this is the place for me. It is a basketball institution, its a Jesuit education which appeases his parents, and the type of players Marquette attracts are kids like Erik. He was comfortable at Marquette the moment he stepped on campus.

What is the most surprising aspect of Williams' game that will impress Marquette hoops fans?
He is a great shot blocker. He has the best timing/coordination combination I have seen at the high school level. He blocks shots with his left hand in order to get his body out of the way. He has had several double digit block games this year, including a school record 16 against Cy-Fair.

Thanks, Coach!

Prep Ticket interviews Junior Cadougan

Prep Ticket recently posted this video featuring point guard recruit Junior Cadougan. In the video Cadougan explains why he chose Marquette and the benefits of playing high school basketball in the US. Well done, fellas.


Find more videos like this on PrepTicket

By the way, Cadougan's Houston-area Marquette counterpart Erik Williams is playing at an extraordinary level so far this season. According to Jim Hicks at RCS Sports, Williams opened the season by scoring 33, 31, 28 and 33 points through the first four games. At 31.2 points per game, Williams led the Houston area in scoring through November 25. Thing is, he added to that lead the next night when he went for 34 points as Cypress Springs won 75-57 win over Spring. Following the game, the Spring coach said "We held him to 34. He obviously is a very talented kid.”

Marquette announces recruiting class

Tonight Buzz Williams introduced his first recruiting class as head coach at Marquette University. The five-member class is regarded as one of the deepest and most balanced classes in years at MU, highlighted by three consensus national Top 100 players.

Here's a bit on each player who will hit the floor for MU next season:

Dwight Buycks, 6-3, 185 pound combo guard, Milwaukee, WI (Indian Hills Junior College, IA)
"Dwight is able to help immediately replace what we are losing on the perimeter," coach Buzz Williams said. "Jeff Kidder is one of, if not the best, junior college coaches in the country and the 200 practices and 70 games Dwight will have already been a part of when he arrives, allows him to add an element of experience that is desperately needed." A NJCAA Division I Preseason First Team All-America selection at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, under head coach Jeff Kidder in 2008-09, the Warriors also topped the national team rankings in the preseason.


Junior Cadougan, 6-1, 195 pound point guard, Toronto, Canada (Christian Life Academy, Humble TX)
"As I have said before, we want to recruit really good players, who have the ability to pass, dribble, and shoot and display a level of toughness that is evident on both ends of the court on every possession," coach Buzz Williams said. A consensus top-75 player by nationally recognized recruiting services, Cadougan is currently ranked 12th by HoopScoopOnline.com, 27th by Hoopmasters.com, 50th by Scout.com (5th-best point guard), 60th by Rivals.com and owns the 65th position in the ESPNU.com 100.



Jeronne Maymon, 6-6, 230 pound forward, Madison, Wisconsin (Memorial)
"Jeronne was the second player to commit in this class, but the first commitment once I was hired as the head coach," coach Buzz Williams said. "We want to recruit from the inside out and having him commit so early in my tenure allowed those words to become reality and we will forever be grateful for that." A consensus top-100 player by nationally recognized recruiting services, Maymon is currently ranked 23rd by HoopsScoopOnline.com, 46th by Rivals.com, 65th by Hoopmasters.com, 75th by Scout.com and 76th in the ESPNU.com 100.



Brett Roseboro, 6-10, 230 pound center, Quakertown, PA (Quakertown)
"Looking at my career path, it is not difficult to figure out that I like people who have had to `play from behind,'" coach Buzz Williams said. From my initial meeting with Brett and his family, I knew right away that he would be another important piece to this class, because of the obstacles he has had to overcome not only as a player, but also as a person. I am completely convinced that Brett will have great success here, and will represent many of Marquette's core values, not only in how he plays, but in what he will bring to our institution as a student."



Erik Williams, 6-7, 200 pound wing forward, Cypress, TX (Cy Springs)
"Erik was the first commitment in this class when I was an assistant and stayed true to his word from start to finish," coach Buzz Williams said. "In our program, trust and loyalty are cornerstone beliefs and we are grateful to have Erik join us. He plays in the largest classification in the state of Texas and has played against great competition throughout his career thus far." A consensus top-100 player by nationally recognized recruiting services, Williams is ranked 14th by HoopsScoopOnline.com, 30th by Hoopmasters.com, 96th by Scout.com, 97th by ESPNU.com and 99th by Rivals.com, despite missing most of his junior year because of injury.


Based on reports, Marquette is actively recruiting more players from the 2009 class including Chris Colvin, Jamil Wilson, Darius Smith and Sherrod Wright.

Stay tuned.

*Photos courtesy of Marquette University Athletic Department

Marquette and the Summer RSCI

Let me start off by saying "thank you" to everyone that donated to the Al's Run tip jar. It really made me proud to be associated with such a wonderful community that chipped in for a really good cause.

The Summer RSCI Top 100 Rankings have just been released, and there is good news for Marquette fans. All three of the Marquette recruits for 2009 have undergone a decent jump up in rankings.

Junior Cadougan - Ranked 39 (jump of 31 spots)
Erik Williams - Ranked 62 (jump of 16 spots)
Jeronne Maymon - Ranked 68 (jump of 21 spots)

I looked at the Pre-Summer Rankings in a previous MUScoop.com thread. At the time of the pre-summer rankings, Marquette's class ended up about 15th overall among the other basketball programs. In addition, we were only 6th out of all Big East programs. Thanks to the revised rankings for Marquette, where are we now?

Rank College (Points)
1 North Carolina (364)
2 Villanova (218)
3 Arizona (153)
4 Texas (140)
5 Marquette (134)
6 Illinois (128)
7 Georgetown (121)
8 Indiana (108)
9 Georgia Tech (107)
10 Florida (106)
11 NC State (106)
12 Connecticut (105)
13 Louisville (104)
14 UCLA (99)
15 UAB (96)
16 Clemson (91)
17 Oklahoma State (88)
18 Kansas State (85)
19 Duke (82)
20 Minnesota (77)

According to the present RSCI rankings, Marquette has the #5 recruiting class for 2009. We're also now #2 in the Big East, behind Villanova (218), and ahead of Georgetown (121), UConn (105), Louisville (104), Pittsburgh (76), and Rutgers (3).

However, let's add a few caveats. First, this is not the final RSCI ranking so things are going to change. Second, recruiting is constantly in flux and I didn't bother to check every single recruit for every school to make sure the RSCI is accurate. Third, the RSCI ranking method isn't perfect, because it's based on a straight point ranking. I personally think that the method overweights a higher ranking instead of having multiple quality players. Fourth, the RSCI doesn't account for junior college players (like Dwight Buycks). Fifth, the RSCI can occasionally miss players that are diamonds in the rough (like this guy).

How does this class compare to other Marquette recruiting classes? Chicos had put together a nice summary of previous RSCI Rankings for Marquette. It's a little dated for the 2008 class but still shows where other classes ended with rankings. Junior's present ranking of 39, while good, is not the best RSCI ranking for any player. He's second best on the list behind Dominic James at 36. And it appears that this class as presently ranked is second (134 points) to the Three Amigos class (149 points).

How would this class look if Marquette signs another top 100 player for 2009? Based on all of the activity, Buzz is not done recruiting for the 2009 class. What if Marquette is able to sign a player like Michael Snaer (RSCI rank of 17) or Jamil Wilson (RSCI rank of 48)? At that point Marquette would end up with solidly the #3 recruiting class in the nation or possibly even the #2 recruiting class.

Again, there are plenty of caveats, especially since this isn't the final RSCI ranking. Regardless, it's nice to see the numbers provide some justification for what people already suspect... the 2009 class has some talent.

Dog Days Media Update

With August coming to a close quickly, here's a look at news items about the Marquette hoops program from the past few days:

• First, Liam McMorrow is quite the intriguing character. The Canadian seven-footer grew several inches in the last few years and initially played hoops to mollify incessant questions about his athletic interests. BTW, as tough as this kid might be, I'm guessing his hockey thug brother sets the tone at home. Read all about it here in the Toronto Sun.
• Rivals.com is out with their post-summer rankings for the class of 2009. All three of MU's 2009 high school commits cracked the top 100: Jeronne Maymon (#46), Junior Cadougan (#60), and Erik Williams (#99). A fine showing for MU -- and we expect Williams to rise during his senior year as he returns to full health following the ankle injury last winter.
• Tom Shanahan, columnist for the Voice of San Diego, remembers Al McGuire with now notable playwright Dick Enberg. Good stuff, as always, when it's about Coach Al.
• Mark Miller of Wishoops.net updates readers on several players, including 2010 guard Chim (T.J.) Kadima who just visited MU.
• Mike DeCourcy from TSN penned a Q/A with new coach Buzz Williams. While the interview is quite good and we realize coach Williams can't discuss the 2009 class, Mike chose not to pepper Buzz with questions about coaching at a school "outside his geographic comfort zone" or the disadvantages of recruiting at the "Western edge of an Eastern league". Apparently TC was too busy finalizing his own contract to FUD* the Warriors program once more. Regardless, Buzz is refreshingly honest and it shows in this Q/A once more when he calls a spade a spade in reference to MU's big men, "we are very disproportionate, as it compares to our league, to have four scholarships at one position."
  
• MUScoop asks: Is a low post threat essential for a championship level team? Jump in.
  

*Fear Uncertainty Doubt

Marquette University, 77002

Since Marquette University has become the collegiate destination of choice for some of the Houston area's best basketball players, we went back to H-Town's resident expert on hoops, Jim Hicks of RCS Sports, to learn more about Junior Cadougan and for an update on fellow MU commit Erik Williams. On his site, Hicks notes that Buzz Williams has "one helluva recruiting class for Marquette who could become the first "out of state college" to land a pair of Top 5 players from Houston High Schools in the same year."

Jim, can you break down Cadougan's game for Marquette fans? He could be the most experienced incoming point guard the school's ever inked, when comparing resumes. Junior is a floor general who is patient and poised and he doesn't get rattled easily. Plus, he's smart enough to know what he can't do on the court.

**Pardon the interruption -- the Big East Basketball Report agrees with Jim's glowing assessment of Cadougan, based on point guard's fine play at Reebok U this week. According to Jeff Borzello, "A really solid all-around player, Cardougan played as if he was still being recruited. Immediately, you notice that he is a leader on the court." Read the full review at the link above.

...now back to the Q/A....

Based on reviews of his game, Cadougan relies on strength to succeed at the high school level. First, is that true. Second, does Cadougan have the requisite speed and quickness to succeed in the Big East?
Let's not forget Christian Life Academy has been by far the most talented prep program in all of Texas each of the past two seasons. It's not like he's toting a program on his back, yet Junior is still a lock to be on RCS Sports' Pre Season All Greater Houston Team.

It takes talent and he has certainly been surrounded by plenty of it. The kid simply relies on one of the fundamentals of basketball - like keeping your body between the ball and defender. Some didn't think DJ Augustine had the speed and quickness to attain the all-Big 12 accolades he earned. Ditto for Nic Wise at Arizona (although he doesn't have the same resume as DJ). Junior will be fine in the Big East.

What are Cadougan's greatest assets as a point guard?
Experience. Not to mention economically, you get the support of an entire country (Canada) along with this kid.

Has Marquette's visibility in the Greater Houston area become more pronounced in the months since Buzz was hired?
No doubt about it! Buzz could have been anywhere in the country to kick off the July live evaluation period, but he was in Houston complete with dip cup in hand watching future prized possession Erik Williams at the Southwest Invitational Camp (directed by John Lucas).

Erik Williams is finally back on the court more than six months after breaking his ankle. How is Williams playing so far this summer?
Based on the bell curve, Erik is about 75% back to his previous rare form. Williams had 19 points in his return to action earlier this week at the 2008 Southwest Invitational Camp.

For more about Erik Williams, check out the Q/A Jim completed with us late last year.

Jim, thanks very much for your time. We'll check in with you again during the season.

Buzz goes JUCO again

Dwight Buycks, one of the top junior college players in the nation, verbally committed to Marquette University earlier today. A 6'3" combo guard out of Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, Buycks selected MU over a host of schools including Iowa State, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Missouri.

Buycks will join the Marquette program as a junior in the fall of 2009. The Milwaukee native played his high school ball at Bay View and originally committed to Bradley before academic issues led him to Indian Hills. With well-publicized concerns about the questionable academic profile of recent MU commit Jeronne Maymon, is Buzz Williams taking on yet another academic risk just two months into his tenure as head coach? 'Not so' reports Mark Miller at Wishoops, who reveals that Buycks is taking care of business in the classroom at Indian Hills, landing a 3.6 GPA in his first year there.

Last season, Buycks led Indian Hills in scoring at roughly 16 points per game while chipping in four boards and three assists. Buycks looks to be more of a scorer than a shooter -- he hit 46% of his shots from the field and a dreadful 26% from downtown.

With MU poised to graduate the Three Amigos after next season --- three 1,000 point scorers including the top two scorers in Marquette basketball history (perhaps) -- Buzz Williams is faced with making the most of a roster full of role players and high-ceiling freshmen heading into the 2009-2010 campaign. With that in mind and a gaping hole looming in the backcourt, Coach Williams had at least three options:

a) go to battle with David Cubillan and Maurice Acker as his featured point guards -- a recipe for a second-division Big East finish;
b) entrust a true freshman point guard with the reigns of a Big East program; or,
c) overload the junior class by going JUCO and hope for the best.

Hello Dwight Buycks.

Buycks joins high school forwards Jeronne Maymon and Erik Williams in the class that will enter the Marquette program in 2009. If the current slate of committed scholarships holds up, the 2009-2010 roster should look something like this:

Seniors: Hayward, Acker, Cubillan
Juniors: Buycks, Hazel, Fulce, Butler, Mbakwe
Sophomores: Otule
Freshmen: Erik Williams, Jeronne Maymon

Buzz Williams has two more scholarships to offer for the 2009-2010 class.

Additional Media Reports

• Todd Rosiak blogs the news
• Video of Buycks from Wishoops TV
• Journal-Sentinel feature on Buycks from 2007
  

Looking ahead -- Jamil Wilson, 2009 and beyond

Jamil Wilson of Racine has emerged as one of the nation's best players in the class of 2009, and is garnering strong interest from Michigan State, Duke, UCLA, and Kansas -- each of whom will host Wilson on an official visit. Texas, Tennessee and Purdue are also in the mix. Given the proximity to MU and UW, Wilson is not expected to take an official visit to either in-state program. Sam Webb from Detnews.com talked with Wilson about MSU and filed this report.

Wilson would be a huge get for Buzz Williams and Marquette, particularly given the premier programs the kid is interested in. And let's face it, a major talent influx by kids like Jamil Wilson must be in order if MU expects to remain a fixture in the NCAA tournament.

After what should be a successful 2008-2009 campaign (presuming Jerel McNeal returns), Buzz Williams has a number of gaps to fill if he hopes to strengthen a decidedly weak roster. Right now, Williams has a 2009-2010 group built almost exclusively with role players. Thankfully, Williams has early playing time to offer prospects as he closes out 2008 recruiting and looks ahead to 2009 and beyond.

With props to the slick scholarship table over at the MUScoop Wiki, here's a quick look at the current state 2009-2010 roster (walk-ons excluded):

Seniors: Lazar Hayward, David Cubillan, Maurice Acker
Juniors: Trevor Mbakwe, Patrick Hazel, Joseph Fulce, Jimmy Butler
Sophs: Chris Otule
Frosh: Erik Williams (verbal commitment)

By any measure, this roster won't get it done in the Big East. The talent needs a major upgrade. The Marquette basketball program will be at a crossroads in 2009. Will the program take a major step back, or will coach Williams right the ship with an influx of high-ceiling talent to populate the freshmen and sophomore classes?

Landing the uber-talented Erik Williams, who despite missing most of his junior season wowed scouts and projects to be a four-star talent, is a fine way to start the upgrading process. Here are some other likely recruiting priorities for MU in 2009:

• Pure point guard who can play big minutes immediately. MU was staring this same situation in the face four years ago when Crean landed James to replace Diener.
• Dead-eye shooter. With the three-point line moving back, it;s time for an upgrade.
• Skilled big man. Mbakwe could be a fine power forward if he's not forced into the middle because of a thin frontcourt roster.
• Jamil Wilson. Hey, a guy can dream right? Wilson will be tough to land but if he signs on with MU, the program immediately moves up a notch.
  

Marquette hired Buzz Williams largely based on his track record as a recruiter. In fact, derivatives of the term 'recruit' appeared sixteen times in the press release announcing his new position. Buzz Williams must deliver quickly to keep the Golden Eagles dancing for years to come.

Joseph Fulce sticks with MU and more

UPDATED
"Everything's real good. I'm still going to Marquette," he said. "I'm excited, my family's excited. It's a great place for me, I'm going to get a great Jesuit education."

After a stretch of uncertainty with key recruits in the wake of the Buzz Williams hiring, Todd Rosiak once again puts fans' minds at ease today with a positive update on Joseph Fulce, the 6'6" combo forward from Tyler JC. Fulce remains an MU commit.

What's more, for the second time in as many days we're hearing from recruits and those close to them about how much they value a Jesuit education . Consider what John Harmatuck, Erik Williams' high school coach, said yesterday to the guys at the SportsBubbler:

“Erik’s parents really value a Jesuit education,” Harmatuk said. “Erik went to a Jesuit school (Strake Jesuit) as a freshman. His parents are very impressed with Marquette as a university, first and foremost.”

Not to mention what the hyper-talented Williams said himself at the SportsBubbler:

"I committed to Marquette because of everything that it stands for and has to offer."

These comments above reflect the kinds of values many traditional students appreciate when they decide to attend Marquette University - -and its good to see future student-athletes recognize and value what differentiates MU.

Oh, by the way ...... Fulce and Williams can play. Check out this video of Fulce from his high school days in Plano when he led his team to the state title.

JIMMY BUTLER AND SCOTT MONARCH TO JOIN MARQUETTE?
According to a blog on the Des Moines Register, Marquette is poised to gain a commitment from Jimmy Butler, a high-flying 6'6" guard/forward from Tyler JC. Like Fulce, Butler will have three years of eligibility remaining at a Division One program.

In addition, the Register reports that Scott Monarch has accepted an assistant coaching slot at MU. Monarch is currently an assistant coach at Tyler JC and was on Buzz Williams' staff at UNO. We'll await verification from MU.

Kudos to MUScoop for finding these gems.

Come back in from that ledge, my friend

.......at least that's one way to look at the reassuring Rosiak report concerning Erik Williams and Chris Otule:

Erik Williams, a fast-rising junior from Cypress Springs (Tex.) High School told me this afternoon that he remains committed to MU...........Williams also said that he keeps in contact with Chris Otule, one of three remaining signees for next season, and Otule told him he will also honor his commitment to MU.

Miss a day, miss plenty

.......in the wake of last night's thrashing of Providence, here are a few media updates - - and we'll get our WVU preview posted on Saturday. Rosiak has the key updates of the day:

1. Marquette will have a chance to take down The Necklace next season when the Golden Eagles take on Bruce Pearl's UT Volunteers in Knoxville.
   
2. The bummer news is that prize 2009 recruit Erik Williams of Cy Springs High School in Texas broke his ankle and is out for 6-8 weeks. All the best for a speedy recovery, Erik.

Additional updates of note:

• Here's a shout out to Jim Ganzer, one of the lead contributors at Scout's MarquetteHoops.com who looks to be starting a new sports community, the Sports Bubbler. Good luck, IWB.
• The Appleton Post-Crescent has this fab article about MU walk-on Robert Frozena -- he's livin' the dream.
  
• CNNSI's Luke Winn has MU in his power 16 -- at #9
• Seth Davis picks WVU to beat MU on Sunday. Boo!
• Tyshawn Taylor and Nick Williams are suiting up for two of the nation's top ten teams this winter. Outstanding!
• Brendon and Dante are back with their latest installment of the Big East Cast.

New York area alums take note! MU has asked that local alumni buy tickets directly through the MU website at this link for the St John's game in MSG on February 20. Let's have a big turnout, ok?

Marquette media notes

Just a few notes to aggregate this morning that you might find of interest:

• It's great to see three former Golden Eagles doing so well up at UWGB. The Bullseye Brothers have an update on the recruiting prowess of Tod Kowalczyk, Jon Harris and Brian Wardle.
• Also from Bullseye, MU is mentioned as one of the early leaders for 6'4" guard Diamond Taylor from the Chicago area. MU is also listed by a couple of other recruits in this most recent report.
• 6'10" MU recruit Chris Otule led his team to the finals of Houston's Outback tournament over the weekend where FB Bush fell to Dulles 65-50. Otule scored 12 points in the loss, and was named to the all-tournament team. RCS Sports lists FB Bush as the #21 team in the greater Houston area. Fellow MU commit Erik Williams' squad - - Cy Springs - - is currently ranked #6 in the area with an 11-2 record.
• Check it out ....here is a YouTube look at Erik Williams sticking a 'three'.

BTW, Milwaukee basketball fans take note - - the 3rd annual Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout is coming to the Al McGuire Center on December 27-28. You want talent? This field has talent. MU commit Nick Williams will lead the Mobile LeFlore Rattlers, the reigning Alabama state champion and one of the nation's best teams, into Milwaukee. Other players of note include 2009 stud Jamil Wilson of Racine Horlick, 2010 stud Flavian Davis, and many more talented preps.

An in-depth look at Chris Otule and Erik Williams

Jim Hicks is the foremost high school basketball expert in the greater Houston area. Jim is the editor of RCSSports.com, the online hub for Houston high school basketball.

So, when Marquette secured commitments from a pair of Houston-area products there was only one place to turn to learn more about Chris Otule and Erik Williams.

Below is a Q/A that Jim graciously provided -- it is full of fantastic information about these two future Marquette Golden Eagles. Jim, take it away........

Why did Chris Otule fly under the radar for such a long period of time?
With so many elite summer teams from the Houston area, it's very common for certain teams to get more exposure than others. As a result, the laws of averages finally benefited Chris with the Houston Lynx program as they participated in the George McClellan Invitational (July 14-15th) in Houston. Over five dozen D1 coaches were present to witness Chris go 'bonkers' on the boards during the Lynx's impressive win over the heavily favored Adidas sponsored T Mac All Stars.

To many college coaches, July 15th was the official coming out party for Chris Otule.
Over the course of the next week, the hype began to circulate around the country about his performance, in advance of everyone preparing to migrate to Vegas for the annual summer events. All Chris had to do was "hold serve" (which he did) and the rest is history...

Otule sounds like a raw talent. Can you describe his game?
Raw in the sense of miles on his tires, or in hoop terms - minutes played against high caliber competition. I truly believe that year to year, some kids get better and others don't. He has developed into a very dependable rebounding force. On the low post he's no longer waiting for the double team. Chris is getting the rock and making his move. It takes a certain type of attitude to get into that mode.

You currently list Otule as the 15th best player in the Greater Houston area for the 2008 class. The buzz around Otule's upside has MU fans excited -- but is he a reach for a Big East program?
The key word is 'upside', because it is currently Chris' most intriguing asset.

One very important thing to digest is the fact that Greater Houston set a national record in 2006 with the most seniors from a single city (43) to pledge / sign with D1 schools. Not New York, not LA, or any other city have exceeded that number. Last season we had (38) to ink with D1 colleges totalling (81) during a two year span. Therefore, if those players were lined up along a wall, #43 would still be a Division One player. In an effort to allow those stats a chance to soak in, think of how many D1 signees were from your state within the past season.

In a city where the talent is so tremendous, somebody has to be #40, somebody has to be #25, and somebody has to be #15. However, applying the 'Bell Curve', the #15 player in Greater Houston could very well be #3 in the entire state of Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, or even Wisconsin.

Who is the better player, Otule or Dwight Miller (whom MU also recruited)?
Two different positions. Miller is a face up forward who can guard the perimeter. Chris is more productive closer to the basket. Right now, Miller is more athletic and is a bit more developed. However, Chris is a flower that is just beginning to open up. In today's recruiting world it's almost like being on Wall Street - 'buy the rumor, sell the fact'. Right now he's a poor man's Emeka Okafor. Heck, before his 12th grade season in 2000-01, even Emeka was a poor man's version of Emeka Okafor.

Do you expect Otule to contribute as a college freshman?
Hard call. It depends on what type of season he has under a former D1 coach at Bush HS. I think many are speed balling past the facts that Chris is currently creating a resume for himself. Prior to this past July, he was known as a supplemental big body who only averaged 5ppg on varsity last season. Sure he's 1,000 times better today, but the bottom line is the bottom line, and there aren't many bodies like his around.

Otule plays for a legendary coach in what has historically been one of the state's best districts. How does Otule's team look this season?
Coach Ronnie Courtney is a living legend in the high school coaching ranks. His Willowridge HS team (featuring TJ Ford, Daniel Ewing, and Kenny Taylor) basically ignited the new revolution of recruitment for Greater Houston players. I have Bush HS picked to finish 3rd in this very tough district behind Hightower HS (featuring Garland Green - brother of NBA dunker Gerald Green) and defending champ Elkins HS (featuring Washington recruit Elston Turner - son of Houston Rocket asst coach).

Erik Williams' verbal came as a big surprise to many. What are your impressions of his game?
He's long, and long and lanky wings are in style like diamond chains in a rap video. Eric has improved so much over the past two seasons. He can stick the baseline jumper and even extend out to the curve. He rebounds well, and runs the floor even better. His high school coach John Harmatuk truly believes in the kid's ability to excel. When a HS coach loves a kid that much, that's a very good sign toward the confidence of the player.

Is Williams a true SF, or can he play multiple positions?
We're talking about an 11th grader. He still has this season and the next before establishing a true position. But as of now, he's a wing forward who'll have to play mostly on the inside with his HS team. During the summer, he'll get to freelance more on the perimeter and stuff like that.

Was MU in on these kids before Buzz Williams joined the Marquette staff?
I doubt very seriously that Marquette was anything more than Dwyane Wade's old school before Buzz arrived. Actually, after the results of Karon Bradley (from the same HS as Erik Williams), it was a very long shot for you guys to land another kid from that very same high school, especially an underclassman. That just simply proves the impact of pre-existing relationships in recruiting.

Do you expect Marquette to continue to actively recruit the greater Houston area? Is MU looking at other local kids there? As long as Buzz's real name is Brent, he'll be stalking the hoop scene in not only Houston, but Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin as well. Some coaches may not want the names of their target recruits released prematurely, so I'll stray away from listing their names.

Jim, thanks very much
Jim Hicks is the editor of RCS Sports www.rcssports.com . Also, Jim can be seen (not just heard, but seen) on the nation's only LIVE high school basketball Internet video talk show. "The Basketball Show" airs every Monday 9pm -10:30pm CT on www.houstonsports.com .