Hoboken, N.J., defensive end Bernardo Nunez will make an official visit to College Park this weekend for Maryland’s date with Florida State.

Nunez told Scout.com this week that he grew up a Seminoles fan, but he’s now seriously considering the Terps.

The Terps on the other hand are recruiting Nunez very hard. "They are in a tough conference and are on top right now," he said.

Another plus for the Terps is that they are only three hours from Nunez's home. "That definitely helps," he admitted. "I think that distance might be a big factor. I'd have to really get a great vibe and feeling from a team to want to go far away."

• Rivals.com’s Mike Farrell spoke to Quince Orchard defensive end Jason Ankrah after his unofficial visit to Maryland for the North Carolina game.

“It was fun. There were a lot of Maryland commitments there and I’m very familiar with those players. I want to go somewhere I’m comfortable with the players. They were laid back.

“Travis Hawkins went up with me and he’s still pressing me to go there too.”

• Maryland has made the final cut for Williamsburg, Va., defensive end Will Hill. Hill told Rivals.com that he’s narrowed his list to Maryland, Penn State, Virginia and Tennessee.

“They all pretty much fit the mold I was looking for,” he said. “All of them have good academics, an opportunity to play early and a coaching staff I’m comfortable with. I like all these schools.

“It’s a hard decision, so many schools have what I want. I can’t go to a school because of the coach. I have to go where I feel best if football wasn’t in the equation.”

• Several Maryland recruits have committed to play in the inaugural Maryland Crab Bowl, an all-star game pitting the top football players from the Baltimore area against those from the Washington D.C. region. The game is scheduled for Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. at Towson’s Johnny Unitas Stadium. Click here for the Baltimore roster and here for the D.C. team.

Basketball recruiting

• Maryland power forward signee James Padgett’s Lincoln (N.Y.) high school team was ranked No. 3 in the country by USA Today.

Returning starters: Three. Outlook: If All-USA G Lance Stephenson (23.3 points 7.2 rebounds a game) can stay healthy, the Railsplitters could three-peat as state Federation 2A champions. C James Padgett (nine points, 9.3 rebounds a game) and G Darwin Ellis (12.4 points, 3.4 assists a game) return. The schedule includes a tough game at No. 2 Duncanville, Texas, the HoopHall Classic in Springfield, Mass., The City of Palms Classic, No. 5 St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.), Prime Time Shootout vs. Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.Y.) and No. 15 Westchester (Los Angeles) and at No. 6 St. Benedict's Prep (Newark). Opens: Dec. 2 vs. Grady (Brooklyn).

• Power forward prospect Tobias Harris will put recruiting on the backburner this season and focus on his junior year at Long Island (N.Y.) Lutheran.

It also appears any campus visits are in the distant future. "He's just focusing on the high school season and school," said Mr. Harris.

Mr. Harris believed that it was unlikely that Tobias would take any unofficial visits during the season.

• North Carolina is heavily recruiting Walbrook swingman and Terps target Roscoe Smith, according to The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer.

Roscoe Smith, a 6-7 forward who can flourish inside and out, could very well be the next high school star to commit to UNC. Smith has received heavy interest from Carolina in recent months and would be a great complement to the two other 2010 prospects already secured — point guard Kendall Marshall and shooting guard Reggie Bullock.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

When Seneca Valley (Pa.) football coach Ron Butschle thinks back on quarterback C.J. Brown’s senior season, his mind drifts to the Raiders’ Week 2 game against Erie McDowell.

Playing before a raucous home crowd and regional television audience, Brown, a Maryland commitment, led the Raiders to a 38-33 win. He went 25-of-37 for 305 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while also rushing for 80 yards and three scores on 19 carries.

“[It was a] Thursday night game on Fox Sports Net, their game of the week on TV,” Butschle said. “We had lost our first game by a field goal. We didn’t play very well in our first game. [The game against Erie McDowell] was a high-scoring game. C.J. just kind of took us on his back. We were up and we were down. Every time they would score, we would score. ... The Erie McDowell game was probably his best game. It was the first game where he really came out as a leader.”

Seneca Valley finished 4-5 on the year. Butschle said the defense, which replaced 10 starters from a year ago, had a tough time stopping more physical teams. But Brown kept the team competitive by leading a dynamic Raiders offense.

Brown, 6-3, 200 pounds, completed 149 passes on 269 attempts, throwing for 2,154 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 640 yards and 12 touchdowns on 131 carries. Brown accounted for all but seven of Seneca Valley’s touchdowns on the season.

“When teams looked at our offense, they had to prepare for C.J.,” Butschle said. “He was just head and shoulders above everybody else on the field athletically. The way he handled pressure, escaping pressure; he took some shots this year. He’s an awfully tough kid. He didn’t miss a down. He got his bell rung, but he didn’t miss one play. He ran the ball an awful lot, too. He was our leading rusher. ... I believe during the spring he ran a 4.5 down at Maryland. C.J. is football fast, although he’d probably be track fast, too. There were a couple times he just kicked to another gear and just pulled away from people.”

Brown received a lot of attention from the local media during the early parts of the season. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called Brown one of Western Pennsylvania’s next great quarterbacks. But Butschle said the press didn’t faze Brown.

“C.J. handles pressure very, very well,” Butschle said. “The college game is obviously a completely different animal. I think there are some kids built, physically and mentally, for that transition. I definitely think C.J. is built for that. He doesn’t get real wide-eyed. He gets excited about playing. But he was never a kid coming off the sidelines hyperventilating or pissed off. He’s very level headed, very coachable in practice and during the games. He responded well to adjustments made at halftime or on the fly. His demeanor and ability are two things that are going to translate into success at Maryland.”

When Brown committed to Maryland in April, Akron was his only other scholarship offer. Right after the start of Brown’s big senior season, other schools began to inquire, namely Pittsburgh and Boston College. But Brown never thought about considering other options, Butschle said.

“C.J. made it very clear to people when he committed to Maryland that he was really committed,” Butschle said. “I think once schools really understood that, [they backed off]. I haven’t gotten very many calls about C.J. lately. I think a lot of schools really respected that C.J. said, ‘I’m happy with my decision, I’m going to Maryland.’ [Colleges have said], ‘Tell him if he changes his mind, we’d love to talk to him.’ I had spoken to C.J. and his dad. Not that they minded other schools calling, but they wanted me to be somewhat of a buffer. With their permission, I told a lot of these schools that C.J. had committed and he was happy.”

Butschle said Brown’s excited about his future at Maryland and looks forward to working with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach James Franklin. Butschle said Franklin will have an eager student in Brown.

“He’s very mature on the field and very mature in the classroom; a guy they can really be proud of to represent Maryland,” Butschle said. “I really can’t say enough things about his personality and character. He’s a great student. Once he learns the system -- and I’m sure his body is going to mature even more in their strength and conditioning program -- I see him being an impact player. I really do.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Throughout most of his recruitment, John Carroll forward Isaiah Philmore thought he’d end up committing to a high-major Division I school.

Philmore, 6 feet 7, was offered -- at one time or another -- scholarships from Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Providence, Virginia Tech, South Florida, Michigan and Marquette, among others. He also weighed offers from George Washington, St. Joseph’s, Temple, UMass and Central Florida.

“I definitely wanted to go big-time,” said Philmore, who seriously considered committing to Oklahoma State earlier this fall.

But when the time came to sign his letter of intent last week, Philmore, a three-star prospect according to Scout.com, chose Towson.

“Towson actually came my sophomore year, but I kind of put them on the backburner because that’s when I just started blowing up a little bit,” Philmore said. “They agreed with that, but they were always in there. They would call me up, see how it was going. They were there from the get-go; it’s not like they just jumped in. ... I think [the coaches] were very surprised, actually, when I committed.”

Philmore is the headliner of Towson’s 2009 recruiting class. The Tigers also landed commitments from Imhotep Charter (Pa.) shooting guard Will Adams, Montverde (Fla.) Academy power forward Nick Diatta and Caravel Academy (Del.) center Erique Gumbs, giving the Tigers one of the more highly-regarded mid-major classes on the East Coast.

Philmore and Gumbs have been good friends and teammates on the Delaware Sharpshooters AAU team for the past four years. Gumbs had offers from Providence, St. Joseph’s, Temple, George Mason and Penn State, according to Sharpshooters director and coach Duane Coverdale. But Coverdale wasn’t surprised that Philmore and Gumbs both shunned offers from other “big-time programs” to go to Towson.

“All of our kids in our program are pretty familiar with each other, and we’ve had some kids that go to high-major schools,” Coverdale said. “Andre Collins played for our program. He’s playing professionally overseas now, but that would’ve never happened had he stayed at Maryland [and not transferred to Loyola]. If he set his sights a little lower than Maryland in the beginning, who knows what would’ve happened because he was finally able to show people what he could do. ... So lots of our guys talk to each other and talk to the younger guys. Some of that [advice] was relatable to both [Philmore and Gumbs].”

One former Delaware Sharpshooter that proved helpful in Philmore’s decision-making process was Josh Thornton, a junior guard at Towson. Thornton signed with Georgetown out of high school before transferring to Towson for his sophomore season. He led the Tigers with 13 points per game last year.

“I really just wanted to go to a program where I could get 25-plus minutes my freshman year. I just wanted to play,” Philmore said. “[Thornton] didn’t tell me to come to Towson -- not at all. He said if you feel it in your heart, go with it, but don’t get caught up in the hype of the school.”

Scout.com national basketball recruiting analyst Dave Telep said Towson’s class ranks in the top third of the Colonial Athletic Association. Telep said the signings of Gumbs and Philmore make the class stand out.

“Erique Gumbs is a big kid that just needs some time to develop some offensive consistency. He’s going to be one of the bigger human beings in the CAA,” Telep said. “I think Isaiah Philmore could really be a terror in the league. What he’s really good at is being an energy player. He’s got a big motor and he’s going to work his tail off.

“I think he’s a guy that made a decision to go where he can really max out his college career. ... The best thing you can say about Isaiah Philmore is whatever setting he’s played in, high school or AAU, he’s been a producer. ... You’re looking at a guy who, through sheer hard work, has a chance to be an all-league player.”

Telep said Towson’s recent success on the recruiting trail can be attributed, in part, to a well-connected, veteran staff.

“They have really good relationships,” Telep said. “The guys on their staff are great recruiters. This is a relationship-built business. They have a head coach (Pat Kennedy) with a big name and staffers who’ve been around the block a bit.”

Philmore said there’s a feeling in local basketball circles that it’s only a matter of time before Towson’s recent recruiting success becomes apparent on the court.

“There’s a big buzz going around now because the Towson team has gotten good recruits like [ex-Mount Carmel point guard and Towson freshman] Troy Franklin and Josh Thornton,” Philmore said. “So there’s a lot of buzz [about Towson] being one of, if not the best school in the CAA. We’ll see how it works out.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

It was the day of the Archbishop Curley-Archbishop Spalding game, and Friars coach Sean Murphy was forced to do some last-minute scrambling.

Curley assistant Warren Schwartz had to miss the game to be with his ailing mother, leaving Murphy without a defensive coordinator.

In Schwartz’s absence, Murphy turned to his captain, Maryland safety commitment Eric Franklin.

“The day of the game, we had gotten word that Coach [Schwartz] wasn’t going to be there, as she was passing,” Murphy said. “I had talked to Eric probably at about one o’clock; just a few hours before kickoff. He got together with one of our defensive assistants and kind of went through a game plan, just making adjustments and [deciding] how they would handle things. He made a lot of the calls on the field, with coverages and getting our defense in certain formations.”

Curley fell to Spalding, 27-20 in two overtimes, that day. But Franklin did his part, picking off one pass and leading the defense on the field.

“He’s always trying to find ways to pick kids up, and they respect him,” Murphy said. “They know he’s not only an outstanding football player, but he’s also very smart. He knows the defense as well as any of the coaches and gets our kids in the right position.

“I think he was a little more of a leader by example this year. He was much more vocal, made sure his presence was felt. Kids were more aware of him ... I think he stepped up and knew his role, knew when it was important to take more control of the team. He assumed his leadership role really well.”

As a senior, Franklin recorded approximately 80 tackles and seven interceptions, helping Curley to an 8-3 record. He also caught 13 passes and three touchdowns from the tight end position. Murphy said he thinks Franklin, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound prospect, projects as a free safety in college.

“I think [Maryland is] looking at him as a free safety,” Murphy said. “They also want to see how much weight he puts on. He might be a linebacker, but right now his best position is free safety. He has good field awareness and excellent hands. Not many people are going to get past him running the football. He’s a very good open-field tackler.”

Murphy said Franklin, a 4.0 student who also plays basketball and runs track, needs more time in the weight room before contributing on the field for the Terps. But Murphy is confident Franklin will make a positive impact off the field as soon as he arrives in College Park.

“As I told [the Maryland] coaches, those guys will be able to sleep at night,” Murphy said. “They’re not going to worry about him not doing well academically or partying. He keeps it all in perspective. He’s a good role model and he’s going to do some great things down there.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Archbishop Curley lineman Joe Petrides is headed to Ohio for college.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder committed to Akron on Friday, picking the Zips over Buffalo, James Madison, New Hampshire and Villanova, among others.

“[Recruiting] was on my mind pretty much every day during football season,” Petrides said. “So it was definitely tough. ... It feels like a big relief [to commit]. It feels good.”

Petrides was offered by Akron during the summer and made an unofficial visit to the school before football season.

“I liked it a lot,” Petrides said. “They’re building a new stadium that’ll be ready by my freshman year, so they’re doing a lot of new things up there.”

Petrides, the son of longtime City College football coach George Petrides, helped Curley to an 8-3 record this fall. He recorded approximately 77 tackles, 28 assists and six sacks as a senior. Archbishop Curley head coach Sean Murphy said the Akron coaches haven’t decided whether they’ll bring Petrides in as an offensive or defensive lineman.

“They’re looking at him ... probably at either guard or a defensive tackle,” Murphy said. “I think the thing they liked about him was his athleticism and room to put some weight on. ... He plays tight end for us, but in our offense [tight ends are] glorified run blockers. We would run to his side all the time and we finished with about 3,200 rushing yards, most of them on the right side. He’s an outstanding run blocker.”

Petrides said he’d like to study either athletic training or exercise science in college.

• Click here for a list of local high school commitments.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 8:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Dave Stinebaugh played a major role on offense and defense in Perry Hall’s 34-0 win over Thomas Johnson in a 4A North Region semifinal matchup.

Stinebaugh, as usual, was in the middle of almost everything. In addition to his two TD grabs, he had two key interceptions and recovered a fumble on defense. All three plays thwarted Patriot drives and helped the Gators pitch a shutout over a team that beat them in last year's regional championship game, 35-3.

• Running back Caleb Porzel scored twice in Good Counsel’s 45-6 win over Bishop McNamara.

The University of Maryland-bound Caleb Porzel then made the score 24-0 on an electrifying 76-yard punt return with 5:30 to go in the half. He started down the visiting sideline and then cut back past McNamara defenders.

"It was a miserable day, but we can't let the weather affect us," said Porzel, who rushed for 133 yards on nine carries. "We just had to play our football. We did have trouble getting out but once we started getting used to the weather we kind of settled down."

Good Counsel will meet DeMatha on Saturday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis for the WCAC Championship.

• Terps running back recruit D.J. Adams rushed for 170 yards on 29 carries in Norcross’ 20-17 win over Parkview (Ga.).

Adams took Norcross' first offensive play and went 60 yards for a touchdown to make it 7-0 to start the game.

"We executed perfectly and it just opened up," Adams told the Gwinnett Daily Post. "It set the tone and we built off that."

• UM safety commitment Avery Graham scored Clarksburg’s lone touchdown in the Coyotes’ season-ending 21-7 loss to Middletown.

Aside from a 57-yard touchdown run from Avery Graham in the first quarter and a 53-yard burst by Mark Small in the third, the Coyotes (10-1) were, for the most part, ineffective on both sides of the ball.

• Quarterback Danny O’Brien led East Forsyth (N.C.) to a 42-14 win over Myers Park in the first round of the North Carolina Class 4-AA West playoffs.

Senior quarterback Danny O'Brien of East contributed 115 of East's rushing yards and ran for two touchdowns on a night when he attempted only eight passes, completing two for 58 yards.

• UM cornerback recruit Travis Hawkins helped guide Quince Orchard to a 36-0 win over Wootton.

Multifaceted senior Travis Hawkins, who last month verbally committed to play football at the University of Maryland, made his second start at quarterback this fall. He completed 2 of 7 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, launching a 62-yard pass to junior Nick Goss in the end zone.

• Nick Ferrara accounted for 13 points in St. Anthony’s 37-15 win over Chaminade (N.Y.).

The Friars offense had trouble finishing drives early and turned to their reliable field goal kicker in Maryland-recruit Nicholas Ferrara. All he did was convert on field goals from 31 and 29 yards out. St. Anthony’s took a 6-0 edge into intermission.

• The high school career of Maryland defensive end/linebacker commitment Isaiah Ross came to an end Saturday with Eleanor Roosevelt’s 14-6 loss to Henry Wise.

"It hurts," said Roosevelt senior linebacker Isaiah Ross. "I think we could have worked harder even though we had a heck of a season. We're still the best team in the state. It was just mental mistakes that hurt us."

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Maryland's 2009 basketball recruiting class won’t appear on any national top 25 lists, but analysts have offered individual praise for both Terps commitments.

Scout.com’s Evan Daniels called power forward Jordan Williams one of 2009’s most improved players.

“Another guy that we watched blossom over the course of his career was Maryland commit Jordan Williams. The 6-foot-8, 245-pounder went from no college interest to scholarship offers from a handful of ACC and Big East schools. He improved his skill set and ability to score on the block. His coming out party was this summer despite playing in a loaded frontcourt on the New England Playaz team.”

In another Scout.com recruiters roundtable, Daniels cited power forward James Padgett as a prospect not in the top 100 who will be a good college player.

“The three guys that came to mind were Chris Colvin, Aaron Dotson and James Padgett. ... With Padgett, it’s all about his ability to play hard and scrap in the paint. He won’t be an All-ACC type of impact player at Maryland, but he’s a guy that will help them win games and will find ways to contribute.”

Click here for more analysis of Maryland’s 2009 recruiting class.

• Zags Blog reports that Albany, N.Y., shooting guard Taran Buie could make his decision this spring.

According to Jim Hart, Buie’s coach with the Albany City Rocks, “Maryland, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech are the leaders.”

• Maryland women’s basketball target Destiny Williams, a 6-foot-3 forward from Benton Harbor, Mich., signed with Illinois this week.

Williams on why she chose Illinois: "It was everything - the environment, the players, the coaches. I believe in what Coach Law wants to do at Illinois and that's win a national championship. I saw how the team came together in her first year and can only imagine what she can do down the road. On my visit, the people and coaches really stood out. It felt like they were being themselves with me and not trying to sell me on coming there."

Football recruiting

• Quince Orchard defensive end Jason Ankrah visited Nebraska last weekend and came away impressed.

“It’s far away, but I feel comfortable enough where I could see myself playing there,” he said. “I would put them up there with Penn State now as my leaders.”

“I don’t have the dates set yet or anything,” he said. “I’ll do that soon. I plan on taking all five visits and then deciding. It’s between my five officials and Maryland as my finalists.”

• ESPN.com reports that Newark, Del., offensive tackle Malcolm Bunche has withdrawn his commitment to Rutgers, and the Terps are now in the mix.

The 6-foot-6 prospect is now considering the Scarlet Knights, Miami-Florida, West Virginia, Connecticut and Maryland. He does not expect to make a final decision until national signing day.

• Windsor, N.C., offensive tackle Travis Bond sports a Maryland offer, but doesn’t have plans to visit College Park.

Bond, a 6-foot-7, 330-pounder, took an official visit to Michigan on Oct. 25 and is scheduled to head to Raleigh this weekend to see N.C. State play Wake Forest. Virginia Tech (Nov. 22) and North Carolina (Dec. 6) will get his final two visits.

• Maryland defensive end target Will Hill was named Virginia’s Bay Rivers District's Defensive Player of the Year.

Hill, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound senior, led district defensive ends with 92 tackles. His 24 tackles for loss included 14 sacks. He also forced six fumbles and recovered two, including one for a touchdown, in addition to blocking a punt.

• According to The Washington Post’s B.J. Koubaroulis, Maryland is monitoring Alexandria, Va., linebacker Stephon Robertson. Robertson is still waiting for his his first BCS offer.

Robertson, a 6-0, 190-pounder who runs a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, has earned a lot of late interest from some BCS programs, including Maryland, Virginia Tech and Boston College but "none of them have offered yet," Edison Coach Vaughn Lewis said. "I think the problem is that he has to play linebacker for us and he's a fantastic linebacker, but he'll be playing strong safety or free safety in college and they've never seen him play that."

• Chantilly, Va., offensive tackle Andrew Crawford has an invitation to join the Terps as a walk-on, according to Rivals.com.

“I’ve got an offer from Monmouth and a walk-on offer from Maryland,” he said. “I sent tape to a bunch of schools. Most places haven’t look at it yet, hopefully they will soon.

“I’ve kind of been talking to Boston College, Delaware, JMU and BYU. I’m planning to go to James Madison on the 15th.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Maryland’s two-man basketball recruiting class for 2009 may not be the most highly-touted group in the ACC.

But there’s a near consensus among recruiting analysts that the Terps filled their spots with two post players that are likely contributors and good fits for what UM wants to do.

The Terps expect to receive letters of intent from Brooklyn, N.Y., power forward James Padgett and Torrington, Conn., power forward Jordan Williams this week.

Jerry Meyer, national basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, thinks Maryland was able to sell early playing time to Williams and Padgett. Meyer ranks the Terps’ class No. 9 in the ACC, but says Williams and Padgett have had success against higher-rated players during AAU play. And most importantly, they both fit well in Maryland’s system.

“They’re both good players that have held their own on the travel-team circuit,” Meyer said. “They’ve played well and had success. Both are production players, not necessarily sexy players or highlight-type players. But they have been productive players. If they continue to improve and build up their bodies ... the potential is there for double-double production.”

Dave Telep, Scout.com's national basketball recruiting analyst, thinks that Williams and Padgett have differing styles of play and will compliment each other well.

“I happen to like both guys. I think they’re both going to play at Maryland,” Telep said. “Padgett is a guy who you have at a five-foot radius around the basket. He’s really good at owning his area. He’s an on-the-block player, a really good rebounder and stick-back guy. He has a toughness about him that Maryland or Pittsburgh recruits typically have.

“Jordan Williams is a guy with a little more upside offensively. He’s cut from the late-bloomer mold. I like both of those guys. People are going to look at them and say they’re not big-time guys, but they’re going to contribute. I think both of these guys are going to be on the floor coming into Maryland’s program. They’ll probably have to fight it out against each other early on, but I think both guys are good enough to be in their front-court rotation.”

Recruiting analyst Van Coleman of Hoopmasters.com, who rates Maryland’s class No. 7 in the ACC, called Padgett and Williams tough, athletic prospects that can excel in the open court.

“Padgett has the potential to be a real stopper inside,” Coleman said. “He’s a great athlete and shotblocker, a guy with length and great bounce. He’s still a developing prospect on the offensive end, but he’ll definitely give them some help right away.

“Williams is a big, strong guy. I think he’s better offensively [than Padgett] initially. He’s got a good body and uses it well. He can really finish around the hoop. When you look at the two of them, they run the floor extremely well, can get out and play the zone press. I think those guys will work really well there.”

Overall impressions of Maryland’s class

Meyer: “Well I think they’re both solid big men and the prototype of big guys that Gary Williams has had success with. They’re a little bit under the radar, but physical and competitive and I think guys that are going to get better and be good college players and be there four years."

Telep: “I think that ... at least one of these guys will be able to get [significant] minutes because they need some bodies at those spots. They’ll both be able to play. I don’t think we’re talking about guys that are ACC all-league impacts, but I really believe these guys are components to the future front court. They’re not guys who are take-charge offensively who you can count on for 15 and 10 as freshmen, but they’re guys who can grow at Maryland and be productive players.”

Coleman: “Well I think when you look at the two kids that they got, it really helps them up front. They needed to get a little nastier and needed to get longer, more athletic and physical. I think they’ve done that. ... I like both guys they got. They’re both somewhere between the 75-150 range on most [recruiting] lists. They’re kids that can get a lot better and can be great college players; guys that stay for three or four years and have a chance to help the program crawl up through the ranks.”

Click here for a Q&A with Williams.

Click here for Torrington coach Tony Turina's take on Williams' commitment.

Click here for a Q&A with Padgett.

Click here for Lincoln coach Dwayne “Tiny” Morton's take on Padgett's commitment to Maryland.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)
                    

Jordan Williams was looking for a school with a fervent and supportive fan base in college, much like the one he’s grown accustomed to at Torrington (Conn.) High School.

Williams found what he was looking for during a September visit to College Park.

“I was with Sean Mosley and Landon Milbourne,” Williams said. “[No. 2] Maryland played [No. 1] Wake Forest in a soccer game and the whole fan base was just crazy. I couldn’t believe it. It was awesome; the support [Maryland had at the] soccer game. It was pouring rain outside and the place was packed, so I can only imagine what it’s like indoors [for basketball games].”

It wasn’t until this summer that Williams emerged as a legitimate high-major prospect. Several standout performances with the New England Playaz AAU team opened the eyes of coaches across the country. Williams still can’t believe how quickly his basketball fortunes changed.

“It’s a dream come true for me. ... I didn’t think in the beginning of the summer I’d be in this situation,” Williams said. “People were telling me I had what it takes, but it still hasn’t hit me that I’m signing Thursday. I have worked hard and it’s a great opportunity. ... It’s really not hit me at all. I’m still waiting for someone to wake me up.”

Here’s an introduction to Williams.

Name: Jordan Williams
Birthdate: 10/11/90
Birthplace: Torrington, Conn.
Hometown: Torrington, Conn.
Nickname: J-Will
Height: 6-9
Weight: 240
Position: Power forward
Rankings: Scout.com -- Four stars, No. 16 center. Rivals.com -- Three stars, No. 25 power forward, No. 102 player nationally.
High School: Torrington (Conn.) High School
Junior statistics: 28 points, 16 rebounds
Runner-up: St. John’s
Other schools considered: Indiana, Xavier, Villanova, Florida State, Arizona, California, Marquette
Favorite NBA player: Tim Duncan
Favorite NBA team: Boston Celtics
Favorite all-time Terp: Juan Dixon, Steve Francis
Favorite music: Lil Wayne, Kanye West
Favorite book: The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner
Favorite movie: The Pursuit of Happyness
Favorite TV show: Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Favorite food: Fried chicken
Favorite high school class: Justice
Favorite thing about College Park: “I think the family atmosphere would probably be the best [thing about College Park].”
Hobbies: “I like to fish, hang out with my brother ... play video games.”
Intended major: Criminal justice
Something that not many people know about you: “If I didn’t play basketball, I’d probably do something in music.”
Best basketball moment: “Probably winning the state championship during my freshman year.”
Role model: “Probably my father, just because if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have even touched a basketball and wouldn’t even be close to where I am today. Same with my mother.”
Why Maryland? “Because of the basketball, obviously, the Comcast Center is unbelievable and playing in the ACC. But also without a basketball in my hand, criminal justice, which is what I’ll major in, is the No. 1 program in the country. So that just topped it off right there.”

Click here for Torrington coach Tony Turina's take on Williams' commitment.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
                    

When Brooklyn, N.Y., power forward James Padgett committed to Maryland in September, the reaction to his choice was surprisingly mixed.

“Some people congratulated me, but there were also haters saying it wasn’t a good idea,” Padgett said. “The ACC is probably the best conference and the ACC is a big-man conference. That’s every night. So they said I probably wouldn’t be able to handle that.”

Padgett, who picked the Terps over offers from Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s and West Virginia, said those who doubt his ability to make an impact in College Park just serve as motivation.

“People are going to criticize you no matter how far you go,” Padgett said. “You just have to take it. Even pros get criticized. ... It’s motivation to prove people wrong.”

Padgett said he’ll likely sign his letter of intent this week during a ceremony at his high school. He keeps in touch with UM assistants Chuck Driesell and Robert Ehsan on a regular basis. Both coaches gave Padgett simple instructions for his senior year.

“Just work hard and I’ll be able to contribute [next year],” Padgett said. “They can see me constantly improving.”

Here’s an introduction to Padgett.

Name: James Padgett
Birthdate: 4/21/91
Birthplace: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Nicknames: Padge
Height: 6-8
Weight: 220
Position: Power forward
High School: Lincoln (N.Y.) High School
Junior statistics: Approximately 11 points, 10 rebounds per game, according to Lincoln coach Dwayne "Tiny" Morton
Rankings: Scout.com -- Four stars, No. 21 center. Rivals.com -- Three stars.
Runner-up: Pittsburgh
Favorite NBA player: LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul
Favorite music: Ne-Yo, 2Pac, Chris Brown
Favorite book: Harry Potter
Favorite movie: Repos starring Master P
Favorite TV show: Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Favorite food: Fried chicken
Favorite high school class: Math
Favorite thing about College Park: “It’s like it’s own little city.”
Hobbies: “Basketball, basketball and basketball”
Intended major: Accounting
Something that not many people know about you: “I’m a good guy.”
Best basketball moment: “[Winning the] state championship [last season].”
Role model: “Myself.”
Why Maryland? “It’s in the ACC so there’s a lot of exposure. And I feel like I’ll be able to contribute and play soon. I’ve just got to work hard.”

Click here for Morton's take on Padgett's commitment to Maryland.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)