Maryland is in the mix for two players from Monroe (N.Y.) College, the No. 1 junior college program in the nation.
Marco Bourgault is a 6-foot-6, 215-pound wing originally from France and Orlando Sanchez is a 6-9 forward (pictured) from The Dominican Republic.
“Marco is a great shooter; they really like him,” Joe Boncore, who trains Bourgault and helped bring him over from France, told SNY.tv. “He’s been going to Maryland in the summer [to train] the last three years.” (more…)
Jordan Goodman can now add Texas Tech to the list of schools from which he decommitted.
The 6-foot-8 Arlington Country Day forward has already decommitted from Georgetown and Rutgers.
“He’s gonna decommit today,” Arlington coach Rex Morgan told SNY.tv by phone. “He just didn’t feel it was a good fit. He’s not going to sign early.”
Goodman committed to Texas Tech in May after decommitting from Rutgers. (more…)
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon and Terps fans everywhere got some much needed good news Wednesday when the NCAA cleared 7-foot-1 Ukrainian Alex Len to practice but suspended him for 10 games ”based on amateurism guidelines.”
Len will be eligible for the Terps’ game against Albany Dec. 28.
“We appreciate the NCAA’s cooperative review of Alex’s case,” Maryland Athletic Director Kevin Anderson said in a statement. “However, it has been a difficult situation in light of Alex’s educational pursuits. Alex and his family have been very patient and honest throughout this process, which speaks well of his character.” (more…)
With no word yet on the statuses of Alex Len or Pe’Shon Howard, Maryland must soldier on with just seven scholarship players.
“We’re down to seven scholarship players,” Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said Tuesday on a conference call to promote the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, in which the Terps open with Alabama Nov. 17.
“We’ll have to see. We’ll have to implement a couple walk‑ons into our rotation. This is our schedule, this is our team.” (more…)
Mark Turgeon’s near-term prospects as the head coach at Maryland — as well as the order of the 2012 NBA Draft — could hang on what the NCAA decides about a 7-foot-1, 225-pound man from the Ukraine.
Olexiy “Alex” Len enrolled at Maryland in August and then made an impressive 10-minute appearance during Maryland’s March Madness Oct. 14.
But at midnight that night, his 45-day window for practicing with the team expired and he is now waiting for the NCAA to rule on his eligibility to play this season for the Terrapins.
“With Alex Len, the NCAA continues to work with the university but no decision has been reached,” NCAA spokesman Chris Radford said Friday by email. “The primary issue relates to his amateurism certification.”
Click here to read the full column at SheridanHoops.com.
Jake Layman had been saying all summer that Maryland was his favorite school.
On Monday, the 6-foot-8 forward from Wrentham (Mass.) King Phillip pulled the trigger for the Terps.
“My relationship with the coaches has been real strong, with every single coach,” he told ESPNBoston.com.
“I like Coach [Mark] Turgeon’s style of play, his offense is a good fit for me,” he added. “The ACC is a good conference for me, too. I think it’s the most skilled conference in the country, I like it a lot. I’ve spent a lot of time with the players [on my visits], I know them real well, and they’re easy to talk to, so that’s good. Plus, I have the opportunity to be an impact player my freshman year.” (more…)
Maryland announced Monday that Olexiy “Alex” Len has enrolled at the university and will be a member of the Terrapins’ squad for 2011-12.
One coach who requested anonymity called the 7-foot-1, 225-pound center from Antratsit, Ukraine a “lottery pick.”
“Best recruit in America,” the coach said. “Maryland got a lottery pick.”
“We are very excited about the addition of Alex to our basketball team,” said head coach Mark Turgeon. “To be able to add a player with his ability so late in the recruiting calendar is good for us. We’re fortunate that, prior to our arrival, Alex was being recruited to Maryland. For him to reach this point is a testament to his great family support and his character. I’m looking forward to working with Alex and helping him reach his potential as a player and a person.” (more…)
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — One of the hottest names at the Peach Jam was Jake Layman, a 6-foot-8 rising senior small forward from BABC.
Layman, out of Wrentham (Mass.) King Philip Regional, had college coaches tripping over one another as BABC made a run to Friday night’s final.
“He’s got length, he can make shots, he can rebound it, defend, play multiple positions, has tremendous feel,” one Division 1 assistant said. “He has a high basketball IQ and a tremendous upside. He can make shots in the mid-range and he can hit the 3-pointer. He plays with an edge and he’s got toughness. That’s the kid in a nutshell.”
In this interview he listed Notre Dame, Florida, Maryland, Providence, BC, James Madison and Louisville, but says that Maryland is his favorite.
“Their style of play I like a lot,” Layman said. “Coach [Mark] Turgeon I like a lot, too.”
Layman says he plans to visit Maryland and Providence this summer or fall and hopes to decide “before the fall signing period.”
“Whoever gets him, he’s going to make that coach very happy,” the assistant coach said.
Jordan Goodman, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound power forward with pro potential, has decommitted from Rutgers for the Class of 2012.
Jordan and his father, Deon Goodman, wanted to make it clear that they hope to maintain a positive relationship with Rutgers associate head coach David Cox, who recruited Jordan.
“It’s a friendly, mutual separation because we want to look at some other options right now,” Deon said by phone. “Jordan had a relationship with Dave Cox that goes back to when he lived in Maryland. We have all the respect in the world for David Cox.
“We just want to open up other avenues and find a different scenario for Jordan to be in.” (more…)
By ALEX KLINE & ADAM ZAGORIA
One day after former Maryland guard Sterling Gibbs pledged to Texas, Nick Faust proclaimed his allegiance to Maryland.
“Coach Turgeon’s goal is to win a national championship and I would play a big part in that immediately,” Faust said by text, confirming news first reported by Scout.com.
The No. 11 shooting guard in the Class of 2011 per Rivals, Faust is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Baltimore City High. (more…)
“Adam Zagoria sees the story behind the daily happenings.”
~ St. Anthony Coach Bob Hurley
Zagoria covers the New York Knicks and Big East hoops for NBA.com and SNY.tv. He also appears as a Big East Basketball Insider on SNY and 1050 ESPN Radio.
He is an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, SI and Basketball Times.
