Turgeon is building a powerhouse

[thundercleetz]

http://espn.go.com/b...ns-terps-future

 

Dez Wells decision brightens Terps' future

 

By Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com

 

Dezmine Wells is a big, fast, strong college basketball player -- a 6-foot-4 guard built like a prototypical linebacker, who plays the game like one, too. He was a top-50 recruit who only scratched the surface of his potential in his first season at Xavier, but averaged nearly 10 points and five rebounds a game (along with a 108.1 offensive rating and 37 percent from beyond the arc) in a largely tumultuous year.

 

After a prosecutor and grand jury's forceful rebuttal of Xavier's decision to expel Wells, his services would have been warmly welcomed by any of the nation's best teams, including the defending national champion Kentucky Wildcats, which hosted Wells last week.

 

Instead, Wells, as he announced via what appears to be the iPhone Notes app at 10 a.m. ET Tuesday morning, chose rebuilding Maryland

 

Wells will enroll in classes this week and try to obtain a waiver for immediate eligibility. Turgeon already has a top 25 recruiting class for 2012 solidifying the front court with Shaquille Cleare (6'9" 270) and Jake Layman (6'8" 180 wing player) as top 100 players, and Charles Mitchell (6'7" 250) as a four star center recruit. Turgeon has also landed Michigan transfer power forward Evan Smotrycz (6'9" 235), who was a top 100 recruit in 2010. He will be eligible to play for the 2013-14 season.

 

Most importantly I love the recruiting effort Turgeon is giving to get the "Harrison twins", Andrew and Aaron, to Maryland. He only has two scholarships left for 2013 and he is basically putting his whole recruiting class into the second and fourth ranked players in the nation (Andrew is a PG and Aaron is a SG). Gary would have never taken that kind of risk. Both guys have said they are going to committ to the same school, and Maryland is considered a strong contender in the top three with Baylor and Kentucky.

 

From everything I have read the Harrisons have a trendous amount of respect for Turgeon, and Turgeon has recruited them since they were freshmen and Turgeon was at Texas A&M. The Harrisons are also close friends with 2012 recruit Shaq Cleare, who is said to be heavily influencing their decision. The Washington Post said that the Harrisons are originally from Baltimore before moving to Texas and their whole family still resides in Baltimore. Even if we do not land them, I love the aggressiveness Turgeon is showing.

 

If we land the Andrew and Aaron Harrison, our 2013-14 team is going to be scary good! I am talking like top ten potential good. Even if we do not, Turgeon still has the program in a great position. He is aggressive on the recruiting trail, has the right assistants in place to make the connections with the local AAU teams, and has a disciplined system on the court that the players have bought into. His efforts will pay dividends very soon in my opinion. You have to love what he is doing.

[vmax]

Thanks for this update cleetz. I'm missing stuff like thios following the O's and Ravens.

My bad.

This sounds like the next local sports team to get excited about...as they "rise from the ashes" like the O's....

[thundercleetz]

The Harrison Twins make their decision today at 5 PM on ESPN U. They are deciding between their final two schools, UK and UMD. These guys are game changing recruits. If the Terps get them you are looking at an ACC Championship caliber team in 2013. The twins are one-and-done players who will be top ten drafts picks in the NBA.

[dc.]

Kentucky. Well shucks....

[thundercleetz]

Disappointing but awesome effort by Turgeon. The better recruits will come. Good job Turgeon!

[thundercleetz]

Turgeon's backup plan for the 2013 class is 6'4" PG Roddy Peters from Suitland in PG County. Peters grew up a Terps fan and is a top 50 recruit nationally (one of the rare public school top recruits). I expect Turgeon to step up his recruiting efforts of Peters. The Harrison's twins were a big loss but they were one and done players. We still have Nick Faust who started coming into his own toward the end of last season. Faust could be primed for a big year this year. Pair Peters with Faust in the backcourt for 2013 and they are a good complement to the mature front court we will have. We will be better this coming year but I think we make a good run in 2013.

[thundercleetz]

Peters committed today! Peters might be a better fit for us than the Harrison twins might have been. Number one, we already have Nick Faust who was a highly touted recruit himself. Nick has suposedly worked really hard this offseason to put on some size and is now over 200 pounds (the guy was rail thin coming in). Peters and Faust should be a very exciting back court. Number two, Peters could be a three, four year starter for us whereas the Harrison twins were a one-and-done.

 

Peters is the first real blue chip recruit we've had in years! Even more importantly, he is our first first EVER from the AAU team DC Assault, who annually produces top recruits who do not stay in state.

 

http://maryland.247sports.com/Article/Suitland-Point-Guard-Roddy-Peters-Commits-to-Maryland-96063

 

Our 2013 team is gong to sick! If Alex Len does not go to the NBA. We will have an elite front court with Len and Cleare, with Michigan transfer Evan Smotrycz, Charles Mitchell, and 2013 recruit Damonte Dodd (prep player who would have been a top 100 2012 recruit) coming off the bench. Xavier transfer Wells will start at SF, with top 2012 recruit Jake Layman coming off the bench. Nick Faust will be the shooting guard and Roddy Peters the point guard.

[vmax]

I'm getting real excited. Maryland is turning it around in basketball and football.

[vmax]

 

That was a great game against Kentucky last night! This Maryland basketball team is going to do damage and be great to watch this year.

What a great surprise Allen and Mitchell are! 10 rebounds for Mitchell.

 

3 for 19 on 3's...not good at all.

 

Net Monster....23 points, 12 rebounds 4 blocked shots...best player on the court last night...

 

Looks like Gary to me....

[papasmurfbell]

Amazing effort last night. They will be in the tourny this yr.

[thundercleetz]

Just to chime in on the game last night, yes awesome effort by our guys. With Alex Len, enjoy him this year because IMO he's NBA bound after this season. He has top ten talent and from last night it looks like it could all click. 7-1 big men with a skilled offensive game, tough defense, and soft hands and touch around the basket do not grow on trees. It was reported that Len put on twenty pounds this offseason. Well it showed last nkght as he was very aggressive and dominated the TOP recruit in the country Noell. This is Len's year, I would not be surprise to see him out up some monster numbers.

 

This is the first time I have seen a MD team with this much talent. Talentwise we did match up with UK. Turgeon used four freshmen (his entire class) in the regular rotation. Charles Mitchell is a wide body who has a nonstop motor around the basket. A little undersized height wise but he is going to be a monster on the offensive glass. Shaq Cleare is a little raw but he has monster talent and is very aggressive. And both Seth Allen and Jake Layman are shooters who can spot up from anywhere on the court, we saw that last night.

 

And I did not even mention our two most talented payers: Nick Faust and Dez Wells. Both guys were cold last night but do not expect that all season. These guys are scorers and are great going to the rim and in transition. Wells looks like a linebacker out there. Very broad chested and thick. The guy is a load when he drives to the basket. And Faust looks like he put on some strength this offseason. That should help with his mid range game which is his bread and butter.

 

I thought 2013 would be the year for the Terps but after last night I can see that this team is going to be very competitive this season. Tons of talent and all these guys have bought into Turgeons system. It is still early but going but to my original post, Turgeon is building a powerhouse in College Park where all of the top recruits will want to come.

[BengalBilly]

As a Kentucky Wildcat fan, I thought Maryland played a damn good game. Len is a beast on the boards.