The Tennessee men’s basketball program signed their biggest recruit in the Bruce Pearl era today as Scotty Hopson finally inked his National Letter of Intent at an 11 a.m. press conference in the University Heights Academy gymnasium.
Hopson’s signing completed Tennessee’s signing class for next season. Here is a look at the four recruits in the order they signed.
1.Philip Jurick
6'10" Center. East Ridge High School Pioneers. Chattanooga, TN
Verbal Commitment: 4/25/2007. Signed: 11/14/2007.
Philip Jurick is listed at 6-10, 250 pounds and was one of the most highly rated prospects in Tennessee's class of 2008. At he time of his signing, Rivals.com rated him a four star player and ranked him 35th on their list of top 150 players in the nation. Scout.com also rated him at four stars.
As a junior, he averaged 16 points, 15 rebounds and 9 blocked shots per game. His final two choices were narrowed to Tennessee and Indiana, after having eliminated Kentucky and Florida. Kentucky was thought to be the primary competition for Jurick before the departure of Tubby Smith.
Bruce Pearl saw him play several times, including his school’s first ever state sectional during the 2006-2007 season. The Pioneers lost in overtime but Jurick scored a game high fifteen points.
Jurick is not a great athlete, but he is very physical and can score with either hand in the low post. According to Rivals, his rebounding is already outstanding, which is something Tennessee has drastically needed under Bruce Pearl. His shooting and post moves, however, need work.
2. Renaldo Woolridge
6'8" Forward. Harvard-Westlake School Wolverines. North Hollywood, CA
Verbal Commitment: 10/18/2007. Signed: 11/14/2007.
Renaldo Woolridge is a 6'8" power forward. He has great basketball bloodlines. His father, Orlando Woolrdige was the #6 pick in the 1981 draft out of Notre Dame. He played thirteen seasons in the NBA (1981-1994) and scored 13,623 points. His brother Zach Woolridge is a 6'6" guard for the Princeton Tigers. Renaldo grew up with his mother, Pat(ricia) Jackson, who is divorced, older brother, Zach, and sister, Tiana. Renaldo only occasionally visits Orlando, who lives in Texas, during summer and spring breaks.
He also comes from a highly prolific basketball high school. Harvard-Westlake produced recent stars Jason Collins and Jarron Collins (Stanford), Bryce Taylor (Oregon) and Alex Stepheson (North Carolina). All have had their numbers retired by the high school.
Woolridge chose the Volunteers over his hometown Southern California and and powerhouse Georgetown due to Tennessee’s style of play and family atmosphere. He took his official visit to Tennessee on October 4. Tony Jones was the lead recruiter.
Woolridge was a late bloomer. He averaged less than five munites per game as a sophomore before a breakout junior season that saw him average 19.2 points and 7.9 rebounds. He began high school as a 6'1" freshman. He is now 6'8.” He recalled, ``My mom is tall, 6-1, and I can remember telling her every morning that I was getting closer and closer to catching up with her and passing her.”
At the time of his signing, Rivals ranked the long, slender forward at 4-stars and lists him as the 59th best player in the 2008 class and the 10th best small forward.
For YouTube highlights of Renaldo Woolridge, click here.
3. Daniel West
6'1" Point Guard. Saginaw High School Trojans. Saginaw, Michigan.
Verbal Commitment: 3/4/2008. Signed: 4/16/2008.
Daniel West is the lowest rated UT signee in a class projected in the national top-10. He earned only a three-star rating from Rivals.com. Some, including Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl, attribute this to his absence from last summer’s AAU tour. He refrained from the AAU league in an effort to improve his academic standing. In December, he took the ACT hoping to score 18 so he could play college basketball as a freshman. He scored a 22.
West originally accepted a scholarship to Bradley University on 10/18/2006 (before his junior season). But as his junior year ended, Bradley called and reneged. Saginaw coach Lou Dawkins speculated that Bradley had had some difficulties with basketball recruits meeting academic requirements and did not want to take a chance on the same thing happening with West.
West’s Saginaw Trojans (27-1) repeated as Michigan Class A champion by routing Detroit Pershing 90-71 in the championship game. West scored 21 points and added six assists in the title game. Saginaw also avenged its only season loss to city rival Arthur Hill with two wins by scores of 82-54 and 81-66. Saginaw compiled a 52-2 record in West’s last two seasons.
Despite being selected to the Detroit Free Press All-State boys basketball Dream Team and averaging 15 points, 11 assists and six steals as a senior, West was overshadowed by his teammates. Michigan State signee, 6'7" power forward Draymond Green and two Division I-level junior prospects also starred for the Trojans. Saginaw finished the season as the nation’s No. 4 high school team, according to USA Today. Rivals.com ranked the school No. 5 in its final poll.
West verbally committed to the Vols after his official visit saw Tennessee defeat Kentucky at Thompson Boling Arena on March 2. West is projected to contend for the starting point guard position with fellow Michigan native Ramar Smith. At the very least, West is expected to earn double-digit minutes in the Vols' 10-man rotation as Tennessee is in desperate need of a true point guard and West fits the bill. He can knock down both three-point baskets and more importantly free throws.
West will be in Knoxville in June to participate in the Rocky Top League. Further aiding his prospects are that J.P. Prince — one of UT’s two returning point guards — had arthroscopic, reconstructive left shoulder surgery Friday (4/11) and is expected to miss three or four months.
For YouTube highlights of Daniel West, click here.
4. Scotty Hopson
6'6" Guard. University Heights Academy Blazers. Hopkinsville, KY.
Verbal Commitment: 4/1/2008. Signed: 4/23/2008.
Scotty Hopson became the first McDonald's All-American to sign with Tennessee since Vincent Yarbrough (1998-2002) in 1997. He joins Allan Houston (1989) as only the second McDonald’s All-America from the state of Kentucky to sign with Tennessee
The 6-foot-7, 185-pound guard averaged 24.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, three blocks and three assists as a senior. Hopson’s team, The Blazers, won the All “A” Classic title and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the state tournament. His number 32 was retired by the school.
As a McDonald's All-America selection, he finished third in their dunk contest and scored 10 points for the West squad. A second team Parade All-America, Hopson had a team-high 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting to lead the Blue team to a 124-114 victory at the 2008 Jordan Brand Classic April 19 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
He is rated as the No. 9 overall recruit in his class by Rivals.com and No. 11 player in the Class of 2008 by Scout.com. He had countless offers, including Kentucky, Texas, Louisville, Mississippi State and Cincinnati. Hopson had committed to Mississippi State on October 23 but reopened his recruitment and later committed to UT on April 1.
Hopson, who was named The Associated Press' Kentucky Boys High School Player of the Year on Monday (4/21), is expected to immediately fill the void left by the loss of graduating seniors Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith.
For YouTube highlights of Scotty Hopson, click here.
All four signees will be playing in the Rocky Top Basketball League which begins on June 16 at Bearden High School.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment