Griffin Bennett

by Griffin Bennett

Last year’s second place team in the Regular season, the Sun Devils got snubbed out of the Big Dance. I really feel for them as they had the best team in the nation that did not make it. Coach Herb Sendek has surprised everybody with his ability to win games so quickly and is definitely making the ASU program one of the most consistent ones in the conference.
 
This will be a key season for Coach Sendek as he will try to prove to recruits and alumni that he can keep his team at the top of the league and contend for league championships. This year he has a great combination of senior leadership and young talent. It could be a big year for the Sun Devils.
 
Key Losses:
 
-Derek Glasser – (10.1 ppg, 4.8apg) – graduated
-Eric Boateng – (8.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg) – graduated
-Jerren Ship – (4.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg) – graduated
- Demetrius Walker – (4.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg) – transfer to New Mexico
 
Best of the Rest:
 
While they might have lost their most hated played (Glasser), they still return two deadly players in Rihards Kuksiks and Ty Abbott. Kuksiks (12.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg) is a deadly shooter while Abbott (12.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg) is no slouch from behind the arc either. They shot a combined 39% while attempting 404 threes.
 
We can’t forget Jamelle McMillan (6.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.8 apg) who is a local guy from O’Dea and is the glue that keeps Sendek’s offense working. Other notable returnees are Trent Lockett, Ruslan Pateev, and Taylor Rohde.
 
Incoming Freshmen:
 
Herb Sendek completely reloaded this year. With seven signees (two JUCO), their team is almost unrecognizable. Starting with the JUCO guys, the headliner would easily be Carrick Felix. From CSI, the same school that Aziz N’Diaye came from, he originally committed to Duke and became Coach K’s first JUCO player ever. After he failed to qualify academically he signed on with the Sun Devils. He is freakishly athletic from the wing position (6’6”) and can attack the rim. He enters as a sophomore and will contribute heavily. The other JUCO player of note is 6’1” PG Brandon Dunson who will probably be on the bench a lot of the year. He comes in as a junior and will help to alleviate the loss of Glasser.
 
The true story is the Sun Devil’s incoming freshmen. They have a potential freshman-of-the-year candidate in Kaela King. King was their only four-star recruit, but looks to start immediately for the Sun Devils. Jamelle McMillian called him a “lethal weapon on the offensive end as well as the defensive end”. Look for the 6’6” G/F to be the pre-season leader for FOTY. 6’7” forward Kyle Cain has already outshone is two-star ranking and impressed Coach Sendek already. Due to ASU’s lack of front court depth, Cain looks to be one of the key guys off the bench all year.
 
Their other newcomers consist of 6’7” SF Chase Creekmur, 6’2” SG Corey Hawkins, and 7’2” C Jordan Bachynski.
 
Projected Starting Line-up:
 
PG: Jamelle McMillan – 6’2”
 
SG: Ty Abbott – 6’3”
 
SF: Kaela King – 6’6”
 
PF: Rihards Kuksiks – 6’6”
 
C: Ruslan Pateev – 7’0”
 
Outlook:
 
The Sun Devils have one of the best senior classes with McMillan, Abbott, and Kuksiks, but their overall roster lacks experience. By my count, 3 of their top 7 players will have never played a Pac-10 game before. Also, they lack the inside pressure that Boateng provided last year and will have a huge weakness inside all year. Their only contributor who is taller than 6’7” is Pateev who will have to step up huge in his sophomore season.  Teams with height and length (USC, UW, UCLA) will succeed against ASU this year.  Their back court is second to only UW this year and can win games by itself.
 
There is a “Top Four” tier in the Pac-10 this year and ASU comes in at the worst of the bunch. I see them going 12-6 and earning one of the last births into the tournament as the Pac-10 sheds its “weak” perception.
 
How UW Beats Them:
 
The Herb Sendek coached teams have always infuriated the Dawgs with their zone defense, and slow offensive pace. They try to grind out wins by forcing turnovers and maximizing each possession. This year, however, the Sun Devils have a glaring weakness down low that they haven’t had in the past. Look for MBA, Aziz, Gant, and Holiday to have great days against their relatively small front line.
 
While ASU boasts a hefty back court, UW’s own back court is unmatched. Only the Huskies can match them player for player and it should negate any advantage for the Sun Devils. If they didn’t play Sendek’s type of game, I could see a two game sweep but, unfortunately, they do. Splitting the home games seems like a realistic option as the road trip to the Arizona schools looks tough this year.
 
Countdown Recap:
#5: USC

#6: WSU

#7: Oregon State

#8: Stanford

#9: Cal

#10: Oregon

By Griffin Bennett – Staff Writer

It’s time to jump back in. I think we all needed a little break after we lost He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named to Avatar Nation.  I’m feeling refreshed and ready for 2010/11. We can all agree that there are big expectations for Romar’s crew this year and anything less than a return to the Sweet Sixteen would be a failure. While losing our emotional and statistical leader in Quincy last year (can’t wait to buy those sick New Orleans jerseys with Pondexter on the back), Elston Turner has also left in the form of transferring to Texas A&M in search of a larger role. However, the core returns led by newly-elected captains Isaiah Thomas and Justin Holiday with hopes of a Final Four. Not to be overlooked are the additions of freshman Terrence Ross, Desmond Simmons and Aziz N’Diaye. That leaves us where we are now; late June and full of hope.

As we learned last year, pre-season hype and expectations don’t matter in March. What matters is the work that each player has put in during the summer. While their peers are partying and soaking in the sun, the best players know that their summer workouts are what make them great. It’s also the time when the players aren’t in front of the cameras. Our goal is to help bridge that gap and get as much information out as we can this summer. The road to the Final Four begins this summer and each player (and even the coaches) will have their own storylines that will determine how far we get. Some are more important than others, so here is my list of the five most important ones to follow this summer.

 5. Recruiting

 Arguably the most important storyline for every program, but I’m looking at it from a 2010/11 season angle only. The reason that I’m including it in here at all is because I think this will be one of the strongest and deepest recruiting classes that the Huskies will have ever assembled. With 3 seniors, 1 rollover, and the possibility that IT leaves early, that leaves a possible 5 players to sign coming off of one of the Huskies best seasons. I’m not forgetting Kevin Davis; I just don’t want to count my chickens with him quite yet. Craig and I are already drooling over the prospects that Coach Romar and his staff have been looking at.

 Real quickly (as we’ll save it for other posts) in order, the guys that I’m most excited about are:

• Tony Wroten
• Jabari Brown 
• Angelo Chol 
• Kiwi Gardner 
• Norvel Pelle

4. Who will be the third forward?

This will be very interesting to follow as we know Holiday and MBA will be two of the three “forwards” that will play. We all know Romar doesn’t think too highly of the center position and loves to play it as more of a hybrid second power-forward spot. That leaves us with these candidates to fill the vacant third spot: Darnell Gant (PF), Tyrese Breshers(PF/C), Aziz N’Diaye (C), Terrence Ross (SF), and Desmond Simmons (SF/PF).

 I’m sure that Romar will give Gant the spot to lose as he is a junior and should be afforded that luxury. However, I expect his leash to be shorter than Brian Scalabrine’s was in the NBA finals. Breshers never lost the weight that he promised us all that he would lose (we’ve all been there) and he I don’t believe he ever truly was 100% last year. Remaining are the three newcomers in Aziz, Simmons, and Ross. We have yet to see any of these guys play against college talent yet so paying close attention to the summer camps and practices will be a huge indicator.

 If I had to bet my gold #3 Brandon Roy jersey on one of these players to win the battle, I would choose N’Diaye. It’s no more than a hunch, but I think he will provide the most to a starting line-up that was vertically challenged last year before losing Pondexter. Aziz will provide rebounds and blocks at decent rate while also being able to run the floor the way that Romar loves. With him in the starting line-up, it allows MBA to play at his natural position of PF which will give him a shorter/weaker match-up that could allow him to thrive. On the other hand, N’Diaye could be slower than I-5 at 4:30 on a Friday before a three day weekend while also having chronic knee problems. Either way, it makes for an interesting storyline.

3. Gaddy on the U18 team

Yes, Gaddy qualified for the U18 team heading into his sophomore year. I have friends who went to UW with me who would have been too old before they graduated high school. We all expected so much from our McDonald’s All-American last year, but for most of it he couldn’t smoke a victory cigar if he wanted.

 After making the U18 final roster, he averaged 5 points, 2.8 assists, 2.4 turnovers, and 0.8 steals over 13.4 minutes a game. He was  the teams’s 6^th player off the bench. Saying “this isn’t going well” would be an understatement. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect situation for a young gun-shy uber-prospect than this team presented. It should have done wonders for his game but more importantly for his confidence. As Gaddy has said, he’s looking to get his “swagger back”. With Ryan Appleby working on his shot when he gets back, I expect him to be better than what his USA stats have shown. Honestly, it’s not looking good.

 With Venoy out performing him last year, I expect Romar will hold the same competition for the PG spot in the fall that he held last year, but I believe Gaddy will be ready. This experience does not help his already crushed confidence, but a late change isn’t out of the question.

 2. MBA in the UK

The biggest question this year will be “Who will score Quincy’s share of the points?” I fully believe it’s going to come from the guys we already have, not anyone new. MBA is already showing dominance in England as Craig wrote about earlier . I won’t repeat the details, but MBA’s development will be a huge part as I fully expect him to become the Pac-10’s best big man this year. There are will be no more excuses for him as he is now a senior (wow that went by fast) and there is no room for error if he is trying to make the next level. He slowly improved last year and if he regresses next year then the Huskies’ wins might as well.

 He also has the chance to make the England’s Olympic team which would allow him to play alongside NBA players like Ben Gordon and Luol Deng later this summer. The experience he would gain from that opportunity is what’s going to be paramount. He can play in these scrub games against Luxembourg (their country is so small that they can only play half-court games) but there’s no real competition there. He has to make the national team in order to get some well-needed minutes against quality opponents.

1. Holiday and Venoy

These two seniors will be the key for the 2010/2011 Dawgs. We pretty much know what we’re going to get from Isaiah and any dramatic improvement from him will only be a pleasant surprise. It’s the two vocal elder statesmen that we all need to keep an eye on this summer.

 Venoy has two options this summer: 1. Feel comfortable with his roll as the backup PG that brings the defensive energy along with being the one of the best defensive guards in the country. Or, 2. Wanting to show the world that he’s more than just some defender and he works on his shot, controlling the pace of the game, and wins the starting PG spot.

 Venoy maybe the most polarizing Pac-10 player this year as far as the other teams are concerned, but that’s because he’s good. I hope he’s not happy with that moniker and wants to become great.

 J-Holiday has a similar choice to make because of his scoring ability that he flashed during the NCAA tournament. As I said about MBA, the scoring will come from within the starters from last year’s team. I think Holiday is going to make that “Dentmon-esque” leap forward his senior year and will average around 13 and 6ish. Once again, I’m basing that off only hopes and dreams, but Romar will hand him the keys and ask him to help lead this team to greatness.

 The success of the Huskies’ season lies in the hands of these two players. They are 2 of the top 5 players on this team. If they fall short, so will the Dawg’s Final Four hopes.

Thanks for coming!

Staff Writer, Griffin Bennett, takes a look at the #&@* show that end with yesterday’s sad news of Terrence Jones committing to Kentucky.

Husky Nation was just punched it the gut by a 5-star All-American. After going toe-to-toe with Kentucky and John Calipari, the Huskies were just knocked out by 6’9’’ recruit Terrence Jones. Wednesday night he signed a financial aid agreement with Kentucky instead of U-Dub while most reports were predicting the opposite all week.

This is just the latest blow delivered by Coach Calipari in the last few years as five-star caliber players like Enes Kanter and DeMarcus Cousins have also chosen the Kentucky coach over Coach Romar. Jones’ decision has left Husky Nation in a state of shock. What did we do wrong? Why did he change his mind? Where does this leave the team for next year?

My Take:

First, I’ll give my opinion on the matter and then I’ll try to get into some useful analysis on how this affects the Husky team for next year. First and foremost, this just makes me disgusted at the college recruiting system. There is something insanely wrong with the way that we allow this system to function with no repercussions.

Ten years ago, the Terrence Jones Saga would not have happened. The blog/Twitter/Facebook era has allowed the recruitment process to balloon into a creature that can’t be stopped. Every rumor, no matter how small, will now be analyzed and dissected until the next one emerges. Ten year ago, Terrence Jones would have made a soft verbal to UW and then surprisingly changed his decision three weeks later with limited fanfare. If I was in Terrence’s position I would have milked every opportunity for the spotlight that I could get too.

Call me a drama queen if you want, but I love being the center of attention. If 25 thousand people tuned in to watch you pick up a hat, would that not make you feel like a celebrity? Don’t lie — you would think your farts smell like roses too!

Unfortunately, it’s 2010 and college recruitment has grown into a multi-million dollar business where coaches are now hired for their recruiting ability over their actual basketball coaching skill. Let’s not kid ourselves, John Calipari is the best recruiter in the nation.

College basketball has been forever changed by Coach Cal and it will, most likely, never be the same again. The “one and done” rule from the NBA has turned some college basketball teams into the AAA teams of the NBA. John Calipari has bought into this ideal and aggressively goes after these future NBA stars that are forced into a year of college basketball servitude with the promise of the path of least resistance to their ultimate goal. That goal is the “glitz and glamour” that only the NBA can provide. Gone are the years of teams of future NBA Hall of Famers that play all the way through their senior years.

In my opinion, the elite teams of the 80’s and 90’s of college basketball would destroy the elite teams these days because the skill level of the juniors and seniors is so inferior. We are left with a college landscape that is more popular than ever, but the fundamentals of the institution have changed dramatically since the 2004 “one and done” rule was implemented by the NBA. Being unbiased, I can’t get mad at Calipari. He followed every guideline set forth by the NCAA and he won. Game over.

However, I do have a problem with the public image that UK’s Calipari tries to project. His record low student GPA, and wake of institutional destruction that he has left behind at UMASS and Memphis suggest that his priorities are not in line with those set forth by the NCAA. He cares more about wins and money than he does about the collegiate success of his players and his university. The Terrence Jones saga only further accelerates this idea.

First, Coach Calipari convinces UW verbal commit Enes Kanter to leave UW for the Kentucky limelight. Next, Terrence Jones chooses UW in a web-aired ceremony where 25 thousand fans either cheered or jeered his decision. Later, in an interview, Coach Calipari declares that he does not continue to recruit a player until “he publically de-commits” which neither Jones nor Kanter ever did. It’s one thing to follow the rules (which allow a coach to continue to recruit a committed player) but it’s a whole other beast when you begin to preach something other than what you practice. Shame on you, John Calipari. Just admit that you’re a “no holds barred” coach who will do everything that he legally can do to gain an advantage, but please don’t pretend to be some sort of “holier than thou” figure that succeeds based on his morals.

The whole country knows this isn’t the case and it only adds to your already stained legacy. Adding a morally limited coach in John Calipari to a national powerhouse in Kentucky is a recipe for destruction. By destruction, I mean it will either end in the most successful college program in history or the largest scandal in NCAA history. If this marriage lasts for years to come, I feel that the latter is more plausible. The best analogy I have ever heard came from my friend Ben today: You know the scene in Billy Madison when the principal asks Eric about business ethics? Calipari couldn’t get through the question without pulling out the gun either.

The Impact:

At least now this drama is finally over, right? Wrong. Terrence Jones only signed a financial aid agreement which binds the University to the player and not the player to the University. Technically, Jones can still leave Kentucky before he enrolls in school and go to wherever he wishes.

After a month of excruciating drama, he STILL has left the door open for speculation. I’m sure we’ve all heard the “Calipari to the NBA” rumors by now. If he was to actually bolt to the NBA this summer, Jones could choose to leave Kentucky and would most likely try to come to UW. Although this is very unlikely, I hope that Coach Romar and UW would have the pride to say ‘no’ and force Jones to stick with his decision. Even though he is an elite talent, UW prides itself on its ethics and we have no need for spotlight-seeking stars.

The most important thing is the team that we have right now. This is a team that has an immense amount of talent and is poised for a deep tournament run without Jones. As mentioned by Craig earlier, this team may have the most talent in Husky history. Here is my projected starting five:

PG: Abdul Gaddy

SG: Isaiah Thomas

SF: Justin Holiday

PF: MBA

C: Aziz N’daiye

I kept debating this line-up, but I think when you put all of the cards out on the table this is the line-up that will end up producing the best numbers. You could argue that Aziz may not be ready and Gant could play the PF spot and put MBA at C, or even play Wilcox/Suggs at the SF spot and force Holiday to play PF, but I believe that this is our best option until Gant/Wilcox/Suggs shows us that they are willing to step up. I’d love to hear everyone’s opinion on our starting five for next year as well in the comments section.

Summary:

We are U-Dub and we don’t need any high schooler to validate our team. We already have a team that is full of elite talent and I believe this year has a potent combination of senior leadership and young talent. Everyone better prepare themselves for one of the most exciting seasons in recent history.

And let’s pray for a Maui Invitational match-up with Kentucky so we can settle this on the court, where Romar prefers it to be settled. In Romar we trust and we must never forget that. Our ethics are more important than this game of basketball. Even if the rest of the college basketball has lost their way, we must continue to hold our ethics higher than the rest. It will only make our trip to the Final Four that much sweeter — whenever it comes. We are on a mission and soon all of basketball will know what Bowing Down feels like.

Thanks for coming!

Here at Montlake Madness, we take a man at this word. So, despite the still-unsigned-as-of-this-morning LOI, and the swirling rumors of cold feet, we’re keeping the faith that when Terrence Jones announced he was going to UW, he was telling the truth. Thanks Griffin, for keeping us up to date on the recruiting madness.

by Griffin Bennett – Staff Writer

After 4 months of prayers by Husky fans, they have been answered. Coach Lorenzo Romar has completed his greatest recruiting class ever at Washington and he has primed his team for a legitimate run at the Elite 8 in 2010/11. Terrence Jones is a fans’ dream: a 6 foot 9 inch SF/PF who can play four positions, and be an impact player at each of them. Give me one second, hold on. . .

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terrence Jones may be the best recruit that the Huskies have had in years, but more importantly, he validates all of the feelings that we Husky fans have had for the past six years. We have claimed that we are a true Final Four contender and we finally have evidence that Romar’s program is one to be reckoned with. I’m not going to bother you all with some boring background on Terrence Jones. We all know who he is and why he is so good.

As a college player, his skills will be exceptional and he brings a level of talent that the Pac-10 hasn’t seen at his size and athleticism since….. anyone? He is a six foot nine inch small/power forward who plays with passion and an immense talent level.

Am I over hyping Terrence Jones right now? Maybe. Am I giving Terrence Jones the credit he deserves after dominating prep-level basketball? Absolutely. This guy is a bigger version of Quincy Pondexter. He can play the same position but can command the paint with a force that we haven’t seen since Jon Brockman. His three-point shooting form may need some work, but his shot falls and he is a scoring machine. Looking for a replacement for Quincy’s points and rebounds?

Just look at this projected starting lineup for next year:

PG- Abdul “Yung” Gaddy (or Venoy Overton) – Who cares who starts. Venoy is going to play more minutes regardless.

SG- Isaiah “Salute” Thomas – Preseason Pac-10 Player of the Year. If he’s not, my name is mud.

SF- Justin “Jrue who?” Holiday – Quick poll: Justin for four years or Jrue for one? My bet is even UCLA would choose Justin.

PF – Terrence “Demo-lisher” Jones – The missing link for our run to the Elite Eight and beyond.

C – Matthew “MBA” Bryan-Amaning – As opposed to his home country, on his way to winning the Revolutionary War against his critics.

Put your pants back on and clean yourself up. I didn’t even mention our bench: Gaddy/Overton, C.J. Wilcox, Scott Suggs, Tyreese Breshers, Darnell Gant, Terrence Ross, Aziz N’diaye and Desmond Simmons.

Wait….. WHAT?:

In the process of writing this article, reports have surfaced that Jones may have been brainwashed by Kentucky’s Coach Calipari. What’s new? Even after Terrence Jones legitimately chose the black Washington hat, Calipari decides that he won’t be embarrassed by losing Leslie and Jones on back-to-back days.

Reports continue to pour in that Coach Romar was two blocks away for Jones’ announcement as NCAA rules stipulated that he was not allowed on the premises. Yet somehow the rules allow a coach to call (or answer a call) from the same player minutes later while he’s still in the same room? This seems a little fishy to me. I’m in no way stating that Coach Calipari broke any rules, but sometimes a person’s reputation precedes them whether it is deserved or not.

Coach Calipari is an amazing coach. He is a great X’s and O’s coach as some people have argued against, but his recruiting techniques have rubbed more than one person the wrong way. Is what he does against the rules? In many (or all) cases, probably not. He is a dedicated man who truly is passionate for his programs and cares about his players. If I had a kid who was being recruited by Coach Cal, I would trust him with my child’s safety. Other than that, he is my personal arch-nemesis for the rest of natural born life.

Never have I hated a single human in the realm of college basketball more than Coach Calipari. Fool me once (Cousins), shame on you. Fool me twice (Kanter), shame on me. Fool me three times? It’s all out war.

After a couple deep breaths, I have calmed down. Coach Romar plans on meeting with Terrence Jones Saturday morning and I fully believe he will wind up becoming a Husky. Think about it this way: Would you rather be Kentucky in this position or Washington? I stated on Wednesday that I was 60& confident that Jones was a Husky. Today, I’d say I’m 75% sure. I’ll take those odds given the potential reward. This might not be the conventional way, but beggars can’t be choosers.

If there was a single human being on this planet that you wanted to talk to Terrence Jones Saturday morning, wouldn’t it be Coach Romar? Keep the faith guys.

What to Wait For:

Book your tickets to the Maui Invitational because if we play Kentucky there could be some fireworks. Regardless of Jones’ decision, that match-up will be more personal than any Husky game since the Aaron Brooks punch rematch with the Ducks. Is your Thanksgiving usually boring, ending up in drunken arguments like mine? Why not gather that essence of evil and travel to beautiful Hawaii.

Gather that energy and direct it at Calipari and his army of one-year Storm Troopers. Did I mention that Michigan State, UConn, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Wichita State are involved as well? Think about that line-up real quick! Bennett (I’m not related, I SWEAR!), Calhoun, AND Calipari. It’s a who’s who of Husky enemies!

Wrap Up:

Patience is a virtue (so I’m told) and we will end up victorious on this one. If anything, it will only add to the fire that already sits under the Huskies. 2010/11 is set to become a special year and I thank all of you readers for letting me be apart of this. Husky Nation is not one that is easily destroyed. We are a group of dedicated fans who put our teams in front all else. In the words of my favorite wrestling group of all time:”I GOT TWO WORDS FOR YA!!!!! BOW DOWN!”

In advance of what he hope will be even bigger news on Friday, Staff Writer Griffin Bennett profiles Terrence Ross, who we more-or-less believe is certain to announce his commitment to attend UW on Friday. His high school teammate, Terrence Jones? We’re not so sure, but we’re posting the Ross piece today in hopes that we’ll be Jonesing it up tomorrow!

Terrence Ross commits/ leans / signs / announces he’s a Dawg (right?)

by Griffin Bennett — Staff Writer

It’s no secret that we’ve been praying to get both Terrences from Jefferson High in Portland for some time now. According to Terrence Ross’ post on his Facebook page he has “a BIG suprise for the skool [he’s] taken a visit to…” That school was UW on Monday.

If that wasn’t enough of a sign, in a Facebook message to Zagsblog.com (http://www.zagsblog.com/2010/04/25/terrence-ross-leaning-toward-washington/) he wrote “I am going to Washington because of the great relationship I have with the team and coaches. I thought it would be the best choice for me and I would fit in with the team.” Scout.com also has reported that Ross actually signed his letter of intent while in Seattle and wants to wait until Friday to officially announce his decision at his high school.

Ross’ Journey to Montlake:

Terrence Ross is a 6’5’’ Portland, Oregon native who began his high school career at Jefferson High School. After getting into some academic trouble at Jefferson, he and his mother became worried that Ross’ college career might be in jeopardy. They made the decision to homeschool Ross for his sophomore year while still being able to play for Jefferson. Terrence Ross and his Democrat teammate Terrence Jones dominated the Oregon basketball scene their first two years and won the state championship in only their sophomore year. Ross was awarded Oregon’s 5A State Player of the Year Award after his amazing performance.

With continued academic struggles, Ross transferred schools to Montrose Christian, a boarding school in Phoenix. Ross continued his basketball dominance while playing at Montrose with other future stars like Duke-commit Josh Hairston and 2012 top prospect Justin Anderson. Montrose became a nationally ranked team and with their success went Ross’ college prospects.

Early in his senior year, Ross verbally committed to play for Gary Williams at Maryland. He was ranked as one of the top shooting guards in the country and is widely regarded as having one of the “most pure” three-point shots in his class. The honeymoon with the Terrapins ended badly on New Year’s Eve as Ross informed Coach Williams that he would be re-opening his recruitment. When asked why he de-committed from Maryland, Ross said “I didn’t think that Maryland would be a good fit for me. Once I really took the time and thought about it, I thought that I should view all of my options.”

Shortly after that, on a trip home to Portland for the holidays, Ross shockingly decided to leave Montrose and go back to Jefferson High to finish out his senior year where it all started. Ross transferred back because his “mother thought it would be better if she could oversee [his] school work. She wanted to make sure that everything was going well.” Ross tried to re-join the Jefferson basketball team to help his old teammate Terrence Jones finish their senior year strong. Unfortunately for Ross, the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has a strict policy that states that all mid-year transfers are ineligible, no exceptions. His high school basketball career ended right there but his recruitment only picked up steam.

While at Montrose, former teammate Terrence Jones had become the prized gem of the west coast for many college programs. Naturally both Ross and Jones began to shop themselves around as a package deal starting in late January. Ross quickly shortened his list of suitors to five: Washington, Oregon, Kentucky, Kansas and Oklahoma. These just happen to be almost identical to Terrence Jones’ final five list as well. As time began to progress, Ross and Jones started to influence each other in their own preferences. While never verbally, Jones seemingly eliminated Oklahoma and Oregon and Ross followed suit. This is about the time that Husky Nation started nervously checking every blog for any news about where these two were leaning. The game of tug-o-war over Ross has apparently ended as Ross fell in love with Romar and the rest of the team.

What this means for teammate Terrence Jones:

Ross’s commitment can only help and since we have one scholarship left we are all connecting the dots in our minds. They were always considered a semi-package deal, but lately Kansas’ Josh Selby has tried to convince that Rock, Chalk, Jayhawkin’ is better than Bowing Down. Since we all know that this is crazy talk, it is a good sign that one of his best friends, who has him on speed dial, now wears the purple and gold. Also, you can never discount Darth Calipari. Speculation had said that if C.J. Leslie, who was thought to be a heavy UK lean, committed to Kentucky then Jones would look elsewhere. However, Leslie committed to N.C. State this week, stating that he wants to stay closer to home and play with his friend (take notes Mr. Jones).

While conventional wisdom would say that this is a bad sign, but I think Jones has already made up his mind and this decision came a little late to actually matter. Multiple sources have predicted that Jones will commit to UW on Friday with Ross, but you’ll have to excuse me for not being overly confident. Since saying “I have a good feeling” is no longer enough analysis, I’d have to say I’m 60% sure we will have more than one Jefferson star named Terrence on the roster next year.

What to expect from Ross in 2010/2011:

Ross’ skills could warrant him more playing time than most freshmen that come into UW. His skill behind the arc is said to be very strong, but it’s his athleticism at the SG position that makes your mouth drool. If that last video isn’t enough, this one might make you miss Clarence Trent a little less. Regardless, our SG position is currently being filled by I.T. That doesn’t mean that Ross won’t be in the rotation. I’d expect to see him battle with C.J. Wilcox and Scott Suggs for minutes at the 2/3 spot. Coach Romar loves to ride the hot hand, so I’ll refrain from speculating on his minutes or averages because it could be as high as 15 minutes or as low as five per game.

Maybe more importantly, there has been speculation that Ross might be ineligible next year due to his academic problems from his past. However, according to Ross himself, he says that he will be completely eligible and there are no other reports that state otherwise. Until I hear something to the contrary, I’d say I’m 95% sure he’ll be enrolled at Montlake next year. Beyond ‘10/’11 though? His ceiling is incredibly high. The Dawgs haven’t had a guard with this much NBA potential since Brandon Roy. As some have said, he could end up becoming a better pro-prospect than Terrence Jones.

This last part here is for Terrence Jones only. Everybody else can stop reading:

Ok, Terrence it’s just you and me. Now I know I’m just some guy who writes for free on a blog that’s not even mine, but I just want you to hear me out. I know going to Kentucky or Kansas is a “sexier” pick than coming to UW but you could be the missing piece here. A Final Four run is completely possible with you in our starting line-up. The city of Seattle (which is about 1,000 times better than Lawrence and Lexington combined) and all of Husky Nation has desperately wanted a team that can bring a national championship in a major sport to the area. All of the pieces are assembled and all that is needed is to add one more Husky warrior who wants to finally put the Northwest on the map. Will you be that man? Will you stand-up and lead us to the promised land? Show the nation that there is more to life than flashy coaches and ESPN hype. Terrence, do you know what’s there beyond that court? IMMORTALITY! TAKE IT! IT’S YOURS!

Thanks for coming!

Staff Writer Griffin Bennett takes a look at Aziz N’Diaye, the new Husky commit who will bring his seven-foot frame to Montlake next year. Next up, Terrence Jones?

by Griffin Bennett – Staff Writer

After weeks of conjecture and speculation by all of Husky Nation, the first recruiting block tumbled our way on Tuesday night as Aziz N’diaye, the College of Southern Idaho center, announced his decision to attend UW.

Getting to know Aziz:

Most of us who read this site daily should already know who this guy is, but just in case you don’t, here’s a little background on N’diaye. He grew up in Dakar, Senegal, and was first scouted by Southern Idaho’s coach Steve Gosar at a basketball camp in Africa when he was 17.

“When I saw him that young, he was about 6’10” and he was thin,” Gosar said, “but he had this passion to get better and passion to win and it was so evident that the kid had a motor, that you wanted to work with him around the clock.”

After earning the MVP of Basketball Without Borders in 2005, he committed to Southern Idaho where he led the conference in rebounds and was second in blocked shots during his freshman year. Going into his sophomore year he blew out his ACL and received a medical redshirt. “If he [was] available then we’re 16-0 right now,” Gosar said. “He’s a difference maker at our level that nobody has because he’s got good hands and there aren’t guys like him at this level.”

Naturally, Gosar thinks very highly of the Senegal native but will be the first to tell you that he’s not the prototypical African center. “He’s looking pretty good right now and I’d be shocked if there’s a better (JC big man) now. He’s a little different than most African bigs. He’s got a feel, he’s really aggressive and for a seven-footer he’s pretty skilled.”

The Huskies weren’t the only school after Aziz, as Colorado, Loyala Marymount, Oklahoma, and Oregon State had all offered scholarships to the athletic big man.

Impact for the Dawgs:

I’ve searched high and low for videos on Aziz, but I don’t think they exist. I’d like to take a look at this kid before I really try to determine his impact, but for time’s sake I’m going to have to just go off of quotes that I’ve heard from people in the know.

Bottom line: we now have a true center. He will allow MBA and Breshers to work from the 4 spot in certain line-ups. This makes my mouth water just thinking about it. One of our weaknesses this year was trying to match up with larger power-forward types (think Derrick Williams, Devin Ebanks, Jamal Boykin, Reeves Nelson). Aziz’s presence allows us to “go big” when we feel we need MBA’s defense at the 4 spot instead of the 5.

We all realized this year that if Romar and the Huskies are going to make a leap into the Elite 8 and beyond they need to get bigger. Adding a seven-footer is a big step in the right direction, but will it push us over the edge? That’s yet to be seen.

His ACL injury is a scary thought, no doubt about it. (Remember, it took Tyreese Breshers an entire season, and he still didn’t look to be in shape by the end.)

Knee injuries to big men have been UW’s nightmare for the past decade. The list is scary and it makes me cringe just thinking about it. Zach Johnson, Joe Wolfinger, and Artem Wallace might not be names that you think of as “game changers” but before their injuries they were each supposed to become impact players. By all accounts, however, Aziz is fully healed and has been cleared to play ball. He is going to have to wear a knee brace all of next year which makes me think that this will not be the last time we hear about his knee.

I’m not trying to be a Debbie Downer, of course. Realistically, having bad knees is a natural occurrence for a seven-foot human who runs and jumps. His injury does give him a third year of eligibility since he redshirted this year. While his full impact might not be noticed this year, his true impact could be felt in the 2011-2012 season as he fills the void for the departed MBA and Holiday. Breshers has shown flashes of brilliance down low, and having him play his natural position at the 4 will only help his game.

2010-2011 Prediction:

We won’t know what Romar has planned for him until the summer. However, what is the off season for if not speculation? My bet: Don’t expect huge things from Aziz this year.

(Quick Tangent: Please post your ideas for nicknames for Aziz. Pronouncing N’diaye is fun, I agree, but he is nicknamer’s dream!)

I expect Aziz to come off the bench and average 8-12 minutes a game. His playing time game-to-game will probably differ greatly as Romar loves to play the matchups. If we go against a team like ‘09/’10 Cal, don’t expect to see Aziz much (although Zhang vs. N’diaye will be glorious). My guess is he averages 3 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block per game to 2010/11.

Scholarship situation:

In no way whatsoever does this mean the two Terrences (Jones and Ross) wouldn’t have spots left for them if they both opted to come to Montlake. Although no one is likely to transfer, there are other options that we have discussed here on MM before.

Romar can “politely” ask a player to pay his way through school for a year which would open up a spot. While I won’t speculate on who Romar would ask, a certain player has a father that played in the NBA for multiple years, and might have that type of financial security.

Hold on to your seats, folks. These next couple weeks of the signing period are going to be exciting. I’m not one to beg, but PLEASE TERRENCE JONES! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, COME TO UW!

Thanks for coming!