Mitch McGary

“Next fall I’m going to Ann Arbor, Mich., and going to become a Wolverine,” he said Thursday on ESPNU.

McGary’s decision to attend Michigan over Duke or Florida could have long-lasting implications for John Beilein’s team going forward.

“This is certainly the highest-recruited player he’s ever signed at West Virginia or Michigan, every place he’s been,” New York recruiting expert Tom Konchalski said of the 6-foot-10 McGary, the No. 1-rated power forward in the Class of 2012.

Could this move by McGary, an Indiana kid who plays at Brewster (N.H.) Academy, draw other top recruits to the Wolverines?

“Well I think it certainly can,” Konchalski said. “Look, I don’t know if they’re going to become quite the recruiting magnet they were in the early ’90s when they were the ‘Fab Five’ because that’s just not the appeal. Even though Ann Arbor’s not urban, they have an urban image with their team. I don’t think John Beilein’s team will ever have that image, but certainly it’s a national university and it’s an outstanding school and they have outstanding athletic facilities.

“I really think it’s going to make them a major player in the Big Ten again.”

After reaching back-to-back national championship games with the ‘Fab Five’ in the early ’90s, Michigan struggled for the better part of two decades as a result of NCAA sanctions, out-of-date facilities and a lack of big-time recruits.

Yet the Wolverines are coming off a berth in the NCAA Tournament and now have a major piece around which to build.

“Even when he had [Kevin] Pittsnogle, Pittsnogle was more of a step-our four man who shot 3′s,” Konchalski said. “I don’t know if [Beilein's] ever had the post presence offensively that he’ll have now. John Beilein is one of the outstanding coaches in the country and he has worked a modern miracle turning what resources he has into winning teams and winning programs. He’s done a wonderful job.”

Wayne Brumm, McGary’s AAU coach, told the Detroit News that Beilein can work wonders with post players.

“The post player is intimately and intricately involved in John Beilein’s system,” Brumm told the paper. “I don’t know anybody who runs a better offensive system for a post player than Michigan. So I have to say, why not (Michigan as a possible destination)? Everybody else is (analyzing McGary’s recruitment) like they’re a friggin fan. We’re trying to pick a school that is in Mitch’s best interest.”

“John Beilein can flat out coach,” he continued. “The people I talk to and the coaches I talk to, I’ll flat out tell you — they are scared of John Beilein. They are worried about the day he starts getting the talent that they’ve got (at their schools). He’s been at a bunch of places that he couldn’t recruit high-major talent. Now he’s at Michigan and it looks like he is making some headway there. Look what he did with Darius Morris, Timmy Hardaway and look what he has done with Jordan Morgan.”

McGary joins 6-5 small forward Nick Stauskas of St. Mark’s (Mass.) and 6-5 small forward Glenn Robinson III of St. John (IN) Lake Central in Beilein’s 2012 class. McGary is tight with Robinson III.

“What I really like about Michigan is its coaching staff, especially Bacari Alexander,” said McGary in his ESPN blog Wednesday. “He’s probably one of the most underrated coaches in the country. He really knows what he’s doing with the big men. I just like that I can trust the coaches there, and I actually like that they’re not on the biggest stage yet. That gives me the opportunity to go there and make a huge impact from day one.”

McGary has big goals for his first season on campus.

“I’d like to bring a national championship to Ann Arbor next year,” he said on ESPNU.

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Rose called Hill and his former Duke teammates “Uncle Toms” in an ESPN documentary  Sunday on the “Fab Five” early 1990s Michigan team.

“I am a fan, friend and longtime competitor of the Fab Five,” Hill, now with the Phoenix Suns, wrote in Wednesday’s New York Times.

“It was a sad and somewhat pathetic turn of events, therefore, to see friends narrating this interesting documentary about their moment in time and calling me a bitch and worse, calling all black players at Duke ‘Uncle Toms’ and, to some degree, disparaging my parents for their education, work ethic and commitment to each other and to me. I should have guessed there was something regrettable in the documentary when I received a Twitter apology from Jalen before its premiere. I am aware Jalen has gone to some length to explain his remarks about my family in numerous interviews, so I believe he has some admiration for them…

“To hint that those who grew up in a household with a mother and father are somehow less black than those who did not is beyond ridiculous. All of us are extremely proud of the current Duke team, especially Nolan Smith. He was raised by his mother, plays in memory of his late father and carries himself with the pride and confidence that they instilled in him.

“The sacrifice, the effort, the education and the friendships I experienced in my four years are cherished. The many Duke graduates I have met around the world are also my “family,” and they are a special group of people. A good education is a privilege.

Hill concluded:

“I am proud of my family. I am proud of my Duke championships and all my Duke teammates. And, I am proud I never lost a game against the Fab Five.”

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It might seem like a scene out of “Hot Tub Time Machine” when players with all of those names take the court this week at the Legends Classic at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, but it’s really happening.

Tim Hardaway Jr. (pictured), Jordan Dumars (Joe’s son) and Jon Horford (Tito’s son) are on the Michigan roster while Glen Rice Jr. suits up for Georgia Tech.

On Friday, Michigan faces No. 9 Syracuse and Tech meets UTEP, with the winners to face off Saturday.

Michigan coach John Beilein, who recently notched his 600th career victory, recruited the three NBA sons and said it was a unique experience. No home visits were involved, for one thing.

“It was more of campus visits, but they were very involved,” Beilein said Monday on a conference call.

“From the three fathers’ standpoint, they’ve really raised great young men. There was a trust [because] the dads knew the business. And the mothers as well.”

Beilein said none of the fathers asked for any preferential treatment and instead wanted their kids worked hard.

“Every one of those parents got to where he got to be because of hard work,” he said. “And that’s all they’ve encouraged me, just work my son hard. Make him earn everything. And it’s really been easy, it’s been seamless thus far.”

Hardaway Jr., a 6-5 freshman small forward, is having the biggest impact among the Michigan players, averaging 14.3 points for the Wolverines (3-0).

“In some situations you’d like him to be coming off the bench as an 18-year-old freshman, but with Manny Harris going pro last year early, Tim has earned the right to start at small forward,” Beilein said. “He has a lot to learn, but he’s very receptive to being coached.”

Horford, a 6-9 freshman forward, is also the younger brother of Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford.

“Jon Horford is really a young body, another 18-year-old who is just learning how to play,” Beilein said. “He’s a big man at 6-9. Still has some weight to gain but has shooting ability and a real desire to get better.”

Dumars, a 6-5 sophomore guard who transferred from South Florida, has been limited by injuries and hasn’t played this season.

“He’s just probably in shape now,” Beilein said. “He’s not going to be ready to play for two or three weeks and will have to earn his playing time. Because of his injuries, it’s been a rough battle back. But he’s shown a great promise in the time he’s been healthy.”

At Georgia Tech (3-1), Rice Jr. is a 6-5 sophomore guard averaging 9.0 points and 2.5 rebounds. He is the fourth-leading scorer behind Iman Shumpert, New Jersey native Brian Oliver and Mfon Udofia.

“He really is a very smart player and I imagine being around the game as much he’s been around the game his whole life  has helped him,” Tech coach Paul Hewitt said of Rice Jr.

“He’s clearly one of our smartest players. He’s a gifted athlete…But he’s got to still take another step. He’s got to go from a guy that is maybe the fourth or fifth guy on the scouting to report to now being on the top of the scouting report along with Iman.”

Whether or not there are future NBA All-Stars here remains to be seen, but they all carry a legacy.

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I spoke with his father, Tony Nolan, and asked him when Pointer might decide.

“Hopefully at Michigan or 48 hours after,” Nolan said. “He goes there tomorrow [Friday] and will be there until Sunday morning

“If he chooses not to go there, I’ll give him 48 hours to make up his mind what he wants to do.”

After cutting West Virginia from the list of three schools, Nolan has made no secret of the fact that he would like his 6-foot-5, 210-pound son to stay home and play for Michigan. Pointer is a Detroit native who now plays for Winston-Salem (N.C.) Quality Education Academy.

“I said that from jump street,” Nolan said of his desire to see his son play at Michigan.

“We’re home. Detroit and  Michigan is our home. That’s what I prefer. I said that before he went to prep school. If we have an opportunity to come back home, that’s what I want. It’s going to be his choice, too.”

Nolan added that both he and Pointer “loved” St. John’s.

“I love St. John’s myself,” Nolan said. “I love the coaches, the main coach [Steve Lavin] and all his staff. I’m crazy about them. But at the end of the day Michigan is where I want him. I’m not trying to bite my tongue or nothing.”

He added:  “If he wants St. John’s I’m not going to kill him. I’m still going to love him the same way.”

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Pointer, a 6-foot-5 1/2, 205 pound wing originally from Detroit, is now at Winston-Salem (N.C.) Quality Education Academy. He is the No. 21 small forward in the Class of 2011.

He visited West Virginia this past weekend.

“I had a good time,” he said. “I liked the coaches and the players. It was real cool.”

Asked what head coach Bob Huggins told him, Pointer said, “I [can] play the one, two and three and they get up and down.”

Pointer previously visited St. John’s in mid-September.

“I had fun,” he said of the Queens school. “The players were cool, the coaches were cool. I like the smaller campus. It was good.”

Next up is a trip back to his home state for Michigan Oct. 15. He has already seen the school unofficially over the summer.

He said he plans to decide “probably a week or a month” after that visit.

“It’s whatever’s best for me,” he said. “I’ll sit down with my parents and see what we come up with.”

And what skills will he bring to college?

“Excitement,” he said. “I’ll bring excitement.”

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His father, Tony Nolan, said Wednesday by phone Pointer is considering St. John’s, West Virginia and Michigan.

“Yes, we are,” he said.

Pointer, who plays for Winston Salem (N.C.) Quality Education Academy, will visit St. John’s Sept. 17, West Virginia Sept. 24 and Michigan Oct. 15.

“He’s still deciding over the top three,” his father said.

Pointer is the No. 21 small forward in the Class of 2011 and the No. 81 overall player.

“He plays the one, two and three,” Nolan said.

The news was first reported by GoBlueWolverine.

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What is the significance of June 15^th to coaches, players and the class of 2012 as a whole?

It was the first day when the NCAA permits college coaches to officially recruit prospects. On this day, college coaches can make their first contact with members of the class of 2012 for the first time whether it’s to talk with them or even offer them. A number of top prospects in the class of 2012 and even one big name in the class of 2013 picked up offers Tuesday.

*North Carolina coach Roy Williams and company stayed up late to offer two of the best in the class of 2012. 6-foot-5 Shabazz Muhammad (pictured) and 6-foot-5 J.P. Tokoto were both offered by the Tar Heels.

*6-foot-10 Daniel Ochefu ’12 picked up his sixth offer, from Georgetown. Despite not visiting the campus yet, Ochefu previously stated to ZAGSBLOG contributor Alex Kline that he “likes Georgetown and Kentucky a lot,” but was not sure if they would offer this summer. The rising junior, who just had a big weekend at the Nike Hoop Jamboree in St. Louis, plans to “make a list of schools in two weeks.”

*While Michigan State was awaiting the word of whether Tom Izzo would return to the school, their in-state rivals, Michigan, pulled out a few offers. The Wolverines offered 6-foot-4 shooting guard Gary Harris, who took an unofficial visit to campus two weeks ago. 5-foot-10 point guard Kevin Ferrell was also offered by Michigan, as well as Billy Donovan and Florida.

*Philadelphia native Savon Goodman ’12 had a good day to say the least. The sophomore picked up five new offers from Texas, Villanova, Penn State and Pittsburgh today. Goodman, who is a consencous top 25 player in his class, is high school teammates with Rakeem Christmas and Malcolm Gilbert at the Academy of the New Church.

*2012 guard Ryan Arcidiacono of Pa Playaz picked up offers Tuesday night from Seton Hall, Tulane, Penn State and Temple. Here’s my recent feature on him.

*The Baylor Bears gave out offers like hotcakes today. The coaching staff offered Tyler Lewis ‘12 of Forsyth Country Day, Isaiah Lewis ’13 of Christ the King and Isaiah Austin ’12 of Grace Prep. The offer to Lewis was unexpected and his first. Austin, a top ten in his class, was also offered by Kentucky, Georgetown, Iowa, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arizona and Houston.

*6-foot-9 Khem Birch, who recently transferred to Notre Dame Prep, picked up three more offers today. Birch, who left Winchendon about a month ago, picked up offers from West Virginia, Ohio State and Pittsburgh. Wondering what the connection between Birch and Pitt is? Former Providence assistant Pat Skerry now has a job with the Panthers. Birch thinks very highly of coach Skerry. Could Khem Birch be bound for the Steel City?

*2013 stud Rodney Purvis attended Wake Forest Elite camp and Chris Paul Point Guard camp last weekend. Purvis was paired on the same team as DeMatha’s Quinn Cook, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul. The Deamon Deacons offered the 6-foot-3 Purvis later.

Rumble in the Bronx Notes

*Boys & Girls’ guard Mike Taylor ’11 says he will take an unofficial visit to Rutgers once he gets out of school in two weeks.

*Thomas Jefferson’s Davontay Grace ’11 wore a bright orange Syracuse sweatshirt to the Rumble on Saturday. Grace said the ‘Cuse were not his favorite but they were showing some interest in him.

*St. Benedict’s rising senior Blaise Mborgarba told Jeff Borzello of the NBE Report that he was leaning towards Virginia Tech due to their engineering program.

*Incoming Lincoln freshman Isaiah Whitehead noted that his dream school is Kentucky. Whitehead likes Kentucky because of head coach John Calipari, as well as the school’s history.

*Notre Dame Prep wing Angel Nunez ’11 plans on taking unofficial visits to Miami and West Virginia sometime in July.

*Rice forward Jermaine Sanders will visit Villanova Friday and Rutgers “probably next week,” according to Kimani Young of New Heights.

**Lincoln guard Shaq Stokes and forward Kamari Murphy ’11 will take an unofficial visit to Rutgers sometime this week. Gil St. Bernards’ guard Jaren Sina ’13 took an unofficial to the school Tuesday.

**Rutgers offered 2012 product Nkereuwem Okoro ’12 from St. Raymond’s today.

*Soon to be St. Anthony’s point guard Myles Mack says he hopes to take an unofficial visit to UCLA in August. He will attend Marquette Elite camp during that time, as well. Mack commented on that he wants to have an undefeated season and win a national title next year at St. Anthony.

**St. Anthony 2012 guard Kyle Anderson visits Villanova today (Wednesday) before leaving Friday for USA U18 trials in San Antonio.

**6-foot PG Jaylen Beckham of Lexington (Ky.) Catholic High School will suit up for Roshown McLeod at St. Benedict’s, per Jay Gomes of NJHoops.com.

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Michael Gilchrist,

The 6-foot-7 Gilchrist of Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick lists Oregon, Villanova, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan and Georgia Tech, according to Alex Schwartz of the NBE Basketball Report.

“I like Villanova a lot,” Gilchrist said.

A native of Somerdale, N.J. , Gilchrist has been to Villanova several times and was at the Wachovia Center Monday night when UConn upset the No. 3 Wildcats, 84-75, on ESPN’s “Big Monday.”

Former St. Patrick star Corey Fisher, a Bronx, N.Y. native, is currently a junior on Jay Wright’s team.

He has also been linked to Kentucky because William Wesley, aka “Worldwide Wes,” is a family friend and is also close with Kentucky coach John Calipari.

“Michael loves Villanova,” Cindy Richardson, Gilchrist’s mother, told the Philly Inquirer last summer. “It’s Kentucky, Villanova. Villanova, Kentucky.”

Gilchrist scored 28 points last Friday night when St. Patrick lost to Oak Hill Academy, 79-78, in the PrimeTime Shootout in Trenton, N.J. That same day, the Celtics were banned from the New Jersey state tournament after the NJSIAA ruled that the program had held six out-of-season workouts last October.

Gilchrist came back Saturday night and scored 20 points and grabbed 10 boards in a 74-56 win over Manhattan Rice. He was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player.

“It was alright,” Gilchrist said of the Primetime Shootut. “We went – really tough loss [to Oak Hill], it was alright, this weekend was cool. I did fine.”

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(Photo courtesy Philly Inquirer)

Kyrie Irving and Tobias Harris have been remarkably consistent throughout their recruiting processes.

Both high school seniors have insisted they will take all of their college visits before deciding.

Duke still looks like the leader for Irving, and Syracuse would appear to lead for Harris.

But both plan on finishing their visits despite having a great time at Kentucky’s “Big Blue Madness.”

“Yes, I plan to,” Irving said by text Saturday night after returning from Kentucky. “All the places that are on my list I can see myself playing at.”

That is good news for Georgia Tech and Seton Hall fans. The 6-2 Irving, out of Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick, is set to visit Georgia Tech next weekend and Seton Hall Oct. 30 for its Midnight Madness event.

Irving has already visited Duke and Texas A&M.

As for the Kentucky visit in which he was joined by Harris, Gilchrist and Yacoubou, Irving said: “It was good. I had a really good time.”

Asked if he was still leaning toward Duke, Irving said: “I’m not leaning toward any school.”

The 6-8 Harris from Dix Hills (N.Y.) Half Hollow Hills West also had a great time hanging with Irving and the others.

“It’s been very good,” he wrote by text.

Harris has now seen Syracuse, Tennessee and Kentucky and still plans to visit Louisville, West Virginia, Georgia Tech and Maryland.

“I’m just looking for a school with a great atmosphere and good character guys I can get along with,” Harris said.

As for the 6-7 Michael Gilchrist and the 6-4 Achraf Yacoubou, who also visited Kentucky, both plan to visit Villanova next weekend for “Hoops Mania.”

Yacoubou says his top three are UConn, Kentucky and Villanova in no particular order, while Gilchrist, the top player in the nation regardless of class, is said to favor Kentucky and Villanova.

He has also visited Michigan and Rutgers in recent weeks.

(Photo courtesy Kelly Kline)

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Michael Gilchrist,

The 6-foot-7 Somerdale, N.J., native, who plays for Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick, also visited Villanova’s campus last year.

“What we are hoping to get out of this visit is more of the academic side,” Cindy Richardson, Gilchrist’s mother, told Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer earlier this week. “We already know what Michael is going to do for that program. . . . So we want to know what Villanova is going to do for Michael.

“We are going to find out how they are going to support Michael from a basketball standpoint and academic standpoint.”

Gilchrist has already taken unofficials in recent weeks to Rutgers and Michigan.

His mother told the Inquirer that he wants to take additional visits to Kentucky, UConn, Oregon, and Louisiana State before the season starts.

Gilchrist is slated to visit Kentucky for Big Blue Madness Oct. 16, but no other dates have been made public.

Many observers expect Gilchrist to ultimately sign with Kentucky or Villanova, but he says he’s open.

“I’m just having fun with my selection of colleges,” he told the Inquirer. “But it’s early. I’m just starting my process.”

ARMY HIRES CORNELL ASSISTANT

Army named Zach Spiker as its new coach on Saturday.

An assistant under Cornell head coach Steve Donahue the past five years, Spiker helped the Big Red to upper-division finishes in the Ivy League during each of his five seasons in Ithaca, N.Y. He was instrumental in helping Cornell’s recruiting efforts the last five years, culminating in the Big Red winning consecutive Ivy League titles the past two seasons. It marked the first back-to-back league titles for Cornell in school history and the first time a team other than Pennsylvania or Princeton copped consecutive Ivy League championships.

Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com reported that Spiker was selected over Arizona State associate head coach Dedrique Taylor and St. John’s assistant Fred Quartlebaum.

“We couldn’t be more excited to name Zach Spiker as the head coach of our men’s basketball program,” U.S. Military Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Buster Hagenbeck said. “Zach impressed us with his high-energy level, intimate knowledge of our program and well-conceived plan to deliver a championship to the Army program.”

“We conducted a national search and spoke to a tremendous pool of candidates,” Army AD Kevin Anderson stated. “Throughout the process, one individual clearly rose to the top.”

“Zach is highly regarded by some of the most well-respected coaches in the country. He is widely recognized as one of the true young talents in the coaching profession and someone we feel is ready to lead our program to a Patriot League championship,” Anderson added.

NEW YORK’S BIGGEST SECRET

The biggest secret in New York City high school hoops is a young man named Amadou Sidibe.

The 6-7 Sidibe is a sophomore at Cardinal Hayes in The Bronx and already holds a scholarship offer from Fordham. Sidibe was on Fordham’s campus Saturday for an unofficial visit along with teammate Fidel Yacoubou, a Wings transfer and the younger brother of Long Island Lutheran guard Achraf Yacoubou.

“He’s an interesting kid. Nobody’s heard of him yet. He never played  AAU. He barely played any organized basketball,” said Hayes assistant coach Justin Simon.

“[Fordham assistant] Jared Grasso came into the gym Wednesday and offered him within like five minutes.”

Simon said Sidibe has a tremendous upside.

“He’s going to be our center this year,” Simon said.

“He’s a little raw. He has great touch. Long arms, blocks everything, great rebounder.”

Nobody knows area talent better than Grasso (pictured above left), who has established a pipeline from Jersey powers St. Anthony and Paterson Catholic to Fordham. But Yale coach James Jones is also high on Sidibe.

“Jared was the first guy to offer him,” Simon said. “But I brought him up to the Yale Elite camp and Coach Jones from Yale loved him.”

MURPHY GETTING LOOKS

Kamari Murphy, a 6-7, 195-pound junior from Bishop Ford; Dereck Millinghouse, a junior from Schenectady being recruited by Fordham assistant Steve Treffiletti; and John Baja, a sophomore from Fairfield Notre Dame, were also at Fordham today.

“I just played pickup games,” Murphy said by text.

He has a long list of suitors, including Virginia Tech, St. John’s, Hofstra, Wake Forest, Pitt, Virginia, Rutgers, Southern Illinois, Albany, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Providence, Marist and N.C. State.

“The two major schools that are showing me the most love are Providence and Virginia,” he said by text. “I’m highly interested in both.”

 RHOOMES TO PREP

6-8 Cardozo big man Ryan Rhoomes plans to spend the 2010-11 season at South Kent (Conn.), following in the footsteps of New York players Kevin Parrom, Omari Lawrence, Russell Smith, J.J. Moore and others.

 ”Yes, I am,” Rhoomes said by text.

Among schools showing interest in Rhoomes are West Virginia, St. John’s, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati and Providence.

FREE THROWS

Chase Plummer, a 6-5, 200-pound SF from St. Patrick, committed to UMBC…The New York Post has a very well done story today on the mass exodus at St. Raymond’s of the Bronx, which has lost eight D-1 caliber players in the last two years, and six this summer. The most recent to depart was 6-9 Arizona-bound junior wing Sidiki Johnson, now at St. Benedict’s of Newark. St. Ray’s coach Oliver Antigua has declined comment to various media outlets, including SNY.tv for this story I wrote last week about the mass exodus of talent from New York City.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Oct. 21 – Big East Media Day

Oct. 27 – Seton Hall Media Day

Oct. 28 – Rutgers Media Day

Nov. 3 - St. John’s Media Day

(Photos courtesy SI.com, Real Scout, US Army athletics)

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