Is your team already out of the running for an NCAA tournament bid? Maybe taking a closer look at your incoming freshmen for next season will give you hope. Continuing from part 1 of our Pac-12 basketball 2013 recruiting roundup, part 2 covers the other six teams in the league.
Commits: PG Malcolm Allen, SG Marcus Allen, C Schuyler Rimmer
Lowdown: Stanford is getting its first set of twins since the Lopez brothers. Twin brothers Malcolm and Marcus Allen are two solid talents players with Marcus being a little more highly-regarded because of his scoring ability. Malcolm Allen at the point guard position is more of a distributor. Rimmer is a 6'10, 235lb center that head coach Johnny Dawkins thinks can turn into a valuable inside-outside threat for the Cardinal. Rimmer made his decision before the start of his senior season, he originally was committed to Florida prior to his September verbal commitment to Stanford.
Still in the hunt: N/A
Commits: SG Zach Lavine, SG Allerik Freeman, SF Noah Allen
Lowdown: Lavine is one of the purest high school scorers in the country. The 6'4 guard from Bothell, Wash. is a little on the lanky side, but once he bulks up will be a solid contributor at the next level for the Bruins. Lavine picked the Bruins over Washington, Louisville and Gonzaga. Freeman comes out of the powerhouse Findlay Prep. The shooting guard prospect can play at the wing as well because of his above average upper-body strength. The Bruins' third commitment comes from Noah Allen, a 6'6" wing who contains slashing ability and a decent jump shot.
Still in the hunt: The Bruins have one scholarship left, but will probably have an additional spot open, assuming Shabazz Muhammad declares for the NBA draft once the season is over. Ben Howland is looking for some depth at the point guard position to replace the graduating Larry Drew. Philadelphia point guard Rysheed Jordan visited UCLA in December and has the Bruins in his final three along with St. John's and Temple. UCLA also has an offer out to Emmanuel Owootoah, a 5'10 guard out of Kentucky. Power forward Gavin Schilling has UCLA in his final four along with Michigan State, Minnesota and Villanova. He made an official visit to UCLA last weekend.
Commits: Kendal Yancy-Harris, Julian Jacobs, Kahlil Dukes, Roschon Prince, Nikola Jovanovic
Lowdown: The Trojans welcome in a large class of five freshmen next season. Harris is a combo guard who has exceptional scoring ability and a knack for making plays in the paint. Jacobs is another scoring point guard. At 6'3" he is an explosive player off the dribble and overall has good vision as a passer. Rounding out the backcourt prospects, Kahlil Dukes is an undersized two-guard at 5'11. Dukes is a relentless scorer and just has a knack for putting the ball in the basket whether it be at the rim or a three-point jump shot.
Roschon Prince is a prototypical 6'5 wing out of Long Beach Poly in southern California. While his perimeter skills still leave a lot to be desired, he has a motor to defend, rebound and make hustle plays. Last but not least, Nikola Jovanovic from Serbia is a 6'10 post with three-point range. Jovanovic is not the greatest defender according to scouting reports, but his size will earn him playing time early on in his time at USC.
Still in the hunt: Will USC grant releases to any of these five commits that have signed their letter of intents? Fired in mid-January, Kevin O'Neill recruited and signed this entire class, but it remains to be see if any of these five commits will try to wiggle their way out and find themselves another home before the start of next season.
Commits: Brandon Miller, Parker Van Dyke, Ahmad Fields, Delon Wright, Marko Kovacevic
Lowdown: Utah-native Brandon Miller might not play next season, depending on his decision whether or not to serve an LDS mission after graduating high school. Miller is a scoring guard who led the state of Utah in scoring as a junior while simultaneously leading his team to a state championship. Van Dyke is another Utah-native scoring guard who chose the Utes over the likes of Arizona State and Utah State.
Coming in as a junior college transfer, Delon Wright, a 6-5 guard from Los Angeles, Calif. is expected to contribute right away. The brother of NBA player Dorell Wright, Delon is another combo guard at the disposal for coach Larry Krystkowiak. Last but not least, shooting guard Ahmad Fields from Washington, D.C. made a verbal commitment to Utah in early December. Fields is a lefty slasher with solid ball-handling skills. Like his counterparts, he has the ability to guard multiple positions - sense a pattern?
Rounding out the Utes class is center Marko Kovacevic. At 6-11, Utah coaches hope the Serbian can be an immediate presence in the post. Kovacevic and Wright are both transferring from junior colleges, meaning they will be immediately eligible as rising juniors next season.
Still in the hunt: N/A
Commits: Nigel-Williams Goss, Jahmel Taylor, Darin Johnson
Lowdown: Husky fans might be disappointed Coach Lorenzo Romar and his staff failed to gain commitments from both Jabari Parker and Jabari Brown, but the school's three commitments should provide for more than enough optimism. Williams-Goss is looking like a steal for the Huskies. At 6'4, Williams-Goss has exceptional court vision and a habit of making plays for his teammates. He projects as a four-year player who could potentially battle Andrew Andrews for starting point guard next season.
Jahmel Taylor provides more depth at the point guard position for Romar. At 6'0, Taylor is a little undersized, but he has a strong frame and is a relentless at scoring the basketball. He will compliment Williams-Goss well in the backcourt. Darin Johnson is a prototypical Washington prospect who can shoot the ball, dunk the ball and excel in transition.
Still in the hunt: Romar has three spots left in this recruiting class, with two open offers out to forward prospects Aaron Gordon and Lennard Freeman. Gordon is obviously the main target right now. The Huskies have been regarded as the five-star recruit's favorite throughout his recruitment, but Romar's current team is struggling and not really helping their cause to land Gordon.
This past month, Gordon added Oregon to his top three of Arizona, Kentucky and Washington. If Washington was ahead, I think Oregon and Arizona are now tied in their probability of landing Gordon. Washington looks like a wildcard school for Lennard Freeman. The 6-8 forward currently attends Oak Hill Academy and is from Washington D.C. Villanova, N.C. State and Xavier might stand out as better and closer options for Freeman.
Commits: Ikenna Iroegbu, Tanner Lancona, Josh Hawkinson
Lowdown: Ken Bone adds three commits, though it will be interesting to see if he'll still be coaching by the end of all their college careers. Iroegbu comes from national powerhouse Oak Hill Academy and is described as an explosive and speedy point guard. The incoming freshmen could be called on to start right away as he will be the only player listed on the roster as a point guard. Lancona is a 6-9 forward with solid shooting ability and a developing post game; he will remind Cougar fans of current standout Brock Motum.
Still in the hunt: N/A