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Tracking the College Basketball Stars of the Future

ECU & C-USA Hoops Recruiting Report Saturday, June 7, 2003 By Thad Mumau Special Correspondent

Hard to miss the point about 2004 recruiting class

©2003 Bonesville.net

Louisville has been getting a fast start on its 2004 basketball recruiting class and four other Conference USA schools have been getting the point. Meanwhile, East Carolina has been pondering a small point.

Cincinnati, DePaul, Memphis and St. Louis all have commitments from point guards. Louisville, after landing a junior college forward this past week, already has two promises.

Donta Smith, a 6-6, 220-pound small forward, committed to the Cardinals over Cincinnati, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Iowa State. Oklahoma and Iowa State offered scholarships.

Smith averaged 15.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and three assists per game for Southeastern Illinois Junior College. He was named all-tournament as his team finished in seventh place in the national juco tourney. A Kentucky all-state selection as a high school senior at Oldham County, he will be a sophomore at Southeastern Illinois JC.

Smith’s decision could affect the future of another guy with the same last name. J.R. Smith, a 6-6 wing guard/small forward from Newark (NJ) St. Benedict’s, said not too long ago that Louisville was his leader. N.C. State, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Villanova and Seton Hall are also high on his list. He is the No. 14 junior in the country, according to Prepstars.com.

Rick Pitino and the Cards’ staff have also shown a lot of interest in Lorenzo Wade. He’s a 6-5 swing man who played this past season at Las Vegas (NV) Cheyenne and was ranked the No. 74 high school senior. Wade is rated No. 58 in next year’s class as he will be a fifth-year senior at a destination still to be decided after failing to qualify academically.

Louisville’s other commitment is from a hometown product. It comes from Terrance Farley, a 6-10 center from Louisville (KY) Pleasure Ridge High School.

Another rising juco soph has chosen a Conference USA school. He’s Aking Elting, a 5-10 point guard from Southern Idaho Junior College. He committed to DePaul.

The biggest name among 2004 high school seniors belongs to Memphis. The Tigers have a promise from Darius Washington, a 6-0 point guard from Orlando (FL) Edgewater. He is ranked No. 3 in the class.

Cincinnati has a top-25 prospect in its corral. Jamar Butler, a 6-2 point guard from Lima (OH) Shawnee, has said he will be a Bearcat. He is No. 22.

St. Louis also has a commitment from a point guard, 5-9 Dwayne Polk of St. Louis (MO) Vashon.

East Carolina is one of several schools taking a long look at Artavis Fisher, a high-scoring guard from Kingston (NY) High School.

Although he stands just 5-10, Fisher is considered more of a shooting guard than a point. He averaged 24 points and seven assists per game as a junior, playing in a backcourt that also included Holy Cross signee Keith Simmons.

Fisher nailed 92 three-pointer, hitting 44 percent of his attempts behind the arc. Also interested are Massachusetts, Wagner, Siena, Marist and Canisius.

Cincinnati and Maryland are the leaders for Isaiah Swann, a 6-2 combination guard. He was at Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy as a junior and is expected to spend his senior year at Chatham (VA) Hargrave Military Academy.

Swann, who is ranked No. 21, has received scholarship offers from the Bearcats and the Terps as well as Virginia. But the Cavaliers just got a commitment from Sean Singletary (No. 67), a 6-0 point guard from Philadelphia (PA) Penn Charter, and that will probably take the Cavaliers out of Swann’s picture.

Jason Rich, a 6-3 wing guard, also likes Cincinnati along with Florida State, Florida, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Connecticut and Southern Cal. Cincinnati, Florida State, Southern Cal and Florida have offered.

Rich averaged 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals as a junior for Orlando (FL) Phillips.

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02/23/2007 02:40:23 PM