October 29, 2009

Jerry Meyer
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting

Several traditional college basketball powers have been missing from the 2010 team recruiting rankings, but one of those schools - Duke - makes its debut this week after landing a commitment from elite guard Kyrie Irving.

The ACC now has a staggering seven teams in the top 25, with six of those teams in the top 10 and all seven in the top 13. The Big Ten is second with four teams, including Ohio State at No. 1.

The Big East and SEC are represented by four teams each. Memphis is the only Conference-USA team in the rankings, and the Atlantic-10 has both Xavier and Dayton in the top 25.

Stanford is again the lone Pac-10 team in the rankings because Duke knocked California out of the top 25.

2010 Team Rankings
1. Ohio State
2010 commits (National rank) PF Jared Sullinger (3) PF Deshaun Thomas (18) SG Jordan Sibert (37) PG Aaron Craft (104) SG Lenzelle Smith Jr. (124) PF J.D. Weatherspoon (137)	With far and away the best recruiting class in the 2010, Ohio State is in familiar territory at the top of the recruiting rankings. Thad Matta has plucked some of the top prospects in his region, creating a formidable seven man class. Sullinger is the premier post player in 2010, while Thomas, a fellow five-star, is one of the top scoring forwards in the country. Sibert and Craft have a strong chemistry as backcourt teammates on the All Ohio Red travel squad. Smith is a unique player with a feel for passing the ball, and Weatherspoon is a tremendous athlete with a lot of potential.
2. Memphis
2010 commits (National rank) SG Will Barton (11) PG Joe Jackson (12) SG Chris Crawford (66) PG Antonio Barton	First-year head coach Josh Pastner secured a significant commitment when elite shooting guard Will Barton turned down a number of other programs to play for the Tigers. Pastner then defended his home turf and secured a commitment from Memphis native Jackson, giving the Tigers the most dynamic backcourt in the 2010 recruiting class. This five-star backcourt is strengthened even further with the addition of Crawford. Another Memphis native, Crawford is a four-star shooting guard known for his marksmanship from behind the arc. Joining Barton, Jackson and Crawford in Memphis will be Will Barton's brother Antonio, who is a solid three-star point guard prospect.
3. Syracuse
2010 commits (National rank) C Fabricio de Melo (16) SG Dion Waiters (29) PF C.J. Fair (111) C Baye Moussa Kieta (145)	There is a distinct international flavor to Syracuse's four-man recruiting class. The jewel of the class is de Melo, a highly skilled 7-footer from Brazil. Not far behind him talent-wise is Waiters, a physical combo guard. Fair is a versatile forward, and rounding out the class is Moussa Kieta - who is a shot-blocking specialist from Sudan.
4. North Carolina State
2010 commits (National rank) PG Ryan Harrow (24) PF Luke Cothron (33) PG Lorenzo Brown (No. 37 in 2009)	The 2009 recruiting class' loss is the 2010 recruiting class' gain for North Carolina State. Brown, a highly ranked four-star combo guard, didn't make the cut academically and now joins the 2010 class. He is paired up with Harrow, who is a five-star point guard. Harrow is one of the most dynamic scorers in the class despite his small frame. Cothron, a four-star prospect, is the next in a long line of skilled forwards to come to North Carolina State in recent years.
5. Duke
2010 commits (National rank) PG Kyrie Irving (9) PF Joshua Hairston (49) PG Tyler Thornton (129)	Duke landed an elite guard in Irving, who should be an immediate impact player as both a playmaker and scorer. Hairston, a steady four-star prospect, is an inside/outside threat at the forward position. Rounding out the class is Thornton, a physical and heady competitor who should be a solid role player for the Blue Devils.
6. North Carolina
2010 commits (National rank) SG Reggie Bullock (10) PG Kendall Marshall (32)	Coach Roy Williams is off to a great start with his 2010 class after landing an impressive 2009 class. A North Carolina native, Bullock is a five-star shooting guard with size, a pure shooting stroke and a load of upside. Marshall is a polished point guard who has a natural feel for the position and has been playing like a college-ready player for the past couple of years.
7. Wake Forest
2010 commits (National rank) SF Travis McKie (50) SG J.T. Terrell (78) PF Melvin Tabb (85) C Carson Desrosiers (87) PG Tony Chenault	Wake Forest continues to recruit on a national scale. Its four-man class includes a quartet of four-star prospects. McKie and Tabb are versatile combo forwards. Terrell is a smooth shooting wing who is capable of scoring buckets in bunches. Desrosiers is a face-up big man with a soft shooting touch. Chenault is a tough Philly guard who loves to attack the rim.
8. Illinois
2010 commits (National rank) SF Jereme Richmond (36) C Meyers Leonard (39) SG Crandall Head (81)	Bruce Weber mined his home state for three highly regarded four-star prospects. Big things are expected from Richmond, who has been committed to the program since his freshman year. At nearly 7-feet tall, Leonard is athletic and progressively improving his skill game. Illinois hopes he develops into a dominant big man before the end of his career. Head, an athletic shooting guard who is the younger brother of former Illini star Luther Head, rounds out the class.
9. Stanford
2010 commits (National rank) PF Dwight Powell (23) SG Anthony Brown (62) PG Aaron Bright (135) PF John Gage	Coach Johnny Dawkins is attracting some top talent to Stanford. Powell, a five-star prospect, is an athletic big man with an ever-improving skill game and loads of potential. Brown, a four-star wing with good skills, also has his best basketball ahead of him. Bright is a gritty point guard who shoots it well from behind the arc. Gage is a finesse four-man with deep shooting range.
10. Virginia
2010 commits (National rank) SG K.T. Harrell (35) PF James Johnson (99) SG Joe Harris (114) PF Will Regan (143) PF Akil Mitchell	First-year Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett is off to a strong recruiting start. Harrell, his first recruit and most prized recruit, is a complete shooting guard with a competitive streak. Harris is a versatile swing man who can really shoot from outside. A big man who worked his way into a four-star ranking, Johnson should be a rugged athlete for Bennett. Joining Johnson on the front line is Regan, a big man who can grind it out down low and step out and knock down a jumper. Virginia also added a versatile swing man in Mitchell.
11. South Carolina
2010 commits (National rank) PF Damontre Harris (56) PG Bruce Ellington (94) PF R.J. Slawson (112) SG Brian Richardson PG Eric Smith	Second-year coach Darrin Horn has created some impressive momentum on the recruiting front. His five-man class is led by Harris, a four-star big man with loads of potential. Ellington is a freakishly fast and strong four-star point guard. Slawson is another athletic post man with potential. Richardson, a scoring wing, and Smith - an athletic point guard - round out the class.
12. Marquette
2010 commits (National rank) PG Vander Blue (22) SF Jamail Jones (65) C Monterale Clark	Coach Buzz Williams is bringing in the pieces for another high-powered backcourt. Blue, a five-star prospect, is considered one of the best combo guards in the country because of his skilled and physical play. Jones is a big-bodied wing who can do damage inside and outside. Clark, who has played well in the junior college ranks, brings legitimate size to Marquette.
13. Maryland
2010 commits (National rank) SG Terrence Ross (43) SF Mychal Parker (53) PG Terrell Stoglin (122)	Maryland is experiencing a recruiting resurgence with its 2010 class. Gary Williams locked up a couple regional four-star prospects in Ross and Parker. Ross is an athletic wing who can shoot with range. Parker is a skilled and versatile combo forward. Williams looked westward to land Stoglin, a Rivals150 scoring guard out of Arizona.
14. Florida
2010 commits (National rank) PF Patric Young (27) SF Casey Prather (64)	Coach Billy Donovan has complained about his team's lack of toughness since the Gators' back-to-back national championships. His 2010 recruits, Young and Prather, can have a big impact in fixing this problem. Young is an athletic player who can be a bully down low. He thrives on playing physical defense and attacking the boards, and his offense is coming along nicely. Prather is an athletic forward who is a tenacious on-the-ball defender. He can guard multiple positions, and he has a slashing offensive game.
15. Michigan State
2010 commits (National rank) PG Keith Appling (34) SF Russell Byrd (108) PF Alex Gauna (149)	One of the top scoring guards in the country, Appling headlines Michigan State's class. Whereas Appling loves to attack off the dribble, Byrd is a standout catch-and-shoot wing with size. Rounding out the three-man class is Gauna, a big man with upside.
16. Purdue
2010 commits (National rank) PG Terone Johnson (46) SG Anthony Johnson (100) C Travis Carroll PF Donnie Hale	A couple four-star combo guards by the name Johnson lead Purdue's 2010 recruiting class. Terone Johnson is powerfully built and is a big-time scorer who can also distribute the ball. Anthony Johnson, who has battled injuries, specializes in knocking down tough shots. On the front line, Purdue adds two blue-collar big men in Carroll and Hale.
17. Tennessee
2010 commits (National rank) SG Jordan McRae (42) SG Trae Golden (55)	Tennessee landed a formidable one-two scoring punch with the backcourt duo of McRae and Golden. McRae is a rangy wing player who can score off the catch and the dribble. The most recent commitment, Golden is a physical combo guard who thrives off scoring off the dribble.
18. LSU
2010 commits (National rank) SF Matt Derenbecker (71) PG Andre Stringer (93) SF Ralston Turner (144) PF Jalen Courtney	Coach Trent Johnson certainly has the LSU program moving in the right direction. His 2010 recruiting class is led by Berenbecker, who is a highly skilled wing out of Louisiana. Stringer is a four-star point guard with a great long-range shot. Turner is also a shooter with a dose of athleticism on the wing. Rounding out the class is Courtney, who is a versatile forward.
19. Xavier
2010 commits (National rank) SF Justin Martin (83) PF Griffin McKenzie (115) PF Jordan Latham (121) SF Jay Canty (130)	First-year head coach Chris Mack secured the top recruiting class in the Atlantic-10 with a four-man class of Rivals150 prospects. Martin, a four-star player, is a deep shooter with athletic bounce. Both McKenzie and Latham are workmanlike posts who can score and play the four or the five. Canty is a long small forward who knows how to clean up the glass and defend.
20. Dayton
2010 commits (National rank) PG Juwan Staten (44) SG Brandon Spearman (116) SG Jesse Berry SF Ralph Hill SF Devin Oliver	Dayton also represents the Atlantic-10 in the 2010 team recruiting rankings with an impressive four-man class. Staten is a top-50 prospect who is a proven winner at the point guard position. Spearman is a lockdown defender and versatile offensive player. Berry is known for his scoring prowess, and Hill, a developing big man, rounds out the class along with wing prospect Oliver.
21. Baylor
2010 commits (National rank) PF Perry Jones (6) SG Bakari Turner	Baylor is in the 2010 team recruiting rankings behind the enormously talented Jones. An exceptional athlete at 6-foot-10, Jones has the talent to be a program lifter his freshman year. Turner is an athletic wing scorer.
22. Florida State
2010 commits (National rank) PF Okaro White (59) PG Ian Miller (70) PF Bernard James	Leonard Hamilton has two solid four-star prospects committed to his program. Miller is an excellent floor general who hit the game-winning, long-range 3-pointer to down John Wall's team in the North Carolina state championship game. White is an intriguing combo forward with length and a developing skill game.
23. Georgetown
2010 commits (National rank) PF Nate Lubick (48) PG Markel Starks (74)	Georgetown is excited about the guard/post combo headed to Washington D.C. Starks is a four-star point guard with a well-rounded game for the position. A four-star prospect as well, Lubick is a skilled big man with a high basketball IQ.
24. Oklahoma
2010 commits (National rank) SF Cameron Clark (30) SG T.J. Taylor (91)	Clark, one of the better small forwards in the country, was a big recruiting victory for Oklahoma. He should be an impact player from Day One. Clark is joined by four-star prospect Taylor, who is a big-bodied guard with a highly skilled game.
25. Notre Dame
2010 commits (National rank) PG Eric Atkins (58) SG Jerian Grant (92) SG Alex Dragicevich	Notre Dame enters the top 25 behind the strength of two four-star guards. Atkins is a heady point guard who can score and play the role of distributor. Grant, who is primarily a shooting guard, brings a lot of the same attributes to the table as Atkins. Dragicevich is known for his shooting ability.