ESPN highly rates Crowder

[HoopsMalone]

Whatever these numbers mean, Crowder recently got a rating of 94 by ESPN and evaluated him in April 2010.  http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/tracker/player?recruitId=104633&season=2010

For context, Blue is a 95, Jones is a 94, Smith is a 90, and Newbill is an 80.  Kentucky's Knight is a 97. 
(these are if you go to each player's individual page, not just the generic team pages which are probably less likely updated)

Looks like Buzz may have found another great steal!  Can't wait to see him out there in an MU uni.

[LastWarrior]

Very nice write-up but who is Coach Buzz Perterson?


"April, 2010: Crowder is a versatile forward with high basketball intelligence and a complete basketball skill set. Jae's offensive skills will make him a difficult match-up in the Marquette system next year. His ball handling skills are guard like, and he has the toughness and tenacity to battle in the paint with bigger players. When Jae has the ball on the perimeter, he has an assortment of foot fakes, shot fakes and rocker step to create scoring opportunities. On drives, Jae makes good decisions with the basketball and is capable of finishing in traffic and absorbing any sort of contact in the lane; he makes the correct pass to the open teammate. If Jae's defender gives him any space on the perimeter, he can rise up and knock down the open jump shot consistently. Whenever his team needs a big rebound, stop, loose ball capture or basket, Jae routinely comes up with the winning play. Jae is an outstanding get for the Marquette basketball program. His skills and intensity will transfer easily to Coach Buzz Peterson's vision for his players."

[VegasWarrior77]

I see Dieng is rated a 91 on ESPN.

[Lennys Tap]

A grade of 94 puts Crowder somewhere between 50 and 90 in the class of 2010. Tarik Black and Jayvon Pinkston also were graded at 94 by ESPN. Not too shabby.

[MU B2002]

buzz peterson is the ut coach prior to pearl.


Iirc

[ZiggysFryBoy]

buzz peterson is the ut coach prior to pearl.


Iirc

i hope buzz peterson ends up at oregon.   

[HouWarrior]

Very nice write-up but who is Coach Buzz Perterson?


"April, 2010: Crowder is a versatile forward with high basketball intelligence and a complete basketball skill set. Jae's offensive skills will make him a difficult match-up in the Marquette system next year. His ball handling skills are guard like, and he has the toughness and tenacity to battle in the paint with bigger players. When Jae has the ball on the perimeter, he has an assortment of foot fakes, shot fakes and rocker step to create scoring opportunities. On drives, Jae makes good decisions with the basketball and is capable of finishing in traffic and absorbing any sort of contact in the lane; he makes the correct pass to the open teammate. If Jae's defender gives him any space on the perimeter, he can rise up and knock down the open jump shot consistently. Whenever his team needs a big rebound, stop, loose ball capture or basket, Jae routinely comes up with the winning play. Jae is an outstanding get for the Marquette basketball program. His skills and intensity will transfer easily to Coach Buzz Peterson's vision for his players."

He is new UNC-Wilmington coach, former tarheel player (MJ's roomate)and (in addition ot his UT gig) a 2 time ex Appl St BB coach and NBA Bobcats exec--author implies Crowder is a UNCW recruit/target

[LastWarrior]

Maybe I should have put it in teal.  I know who Buzz Peterson is and was merely pointing out the mistake in the ESPN write-up!

[HouWarrior]

Maybe I should have put it in teal.  I know who Buzz Peterson is and was merely pointing out the mistake in the ESPN write-up!

And I only threw all that in b/c others were noting him only as pearl predecessor, instead of real poss that the late/recent hiring of B Pete, may well have UNCW all over him...

[Dawson Rental]

This is nice to hear, but it's nothing we didn't already know.  He was the JUCO player of the year.

[NersEllenson]

The write up on Jae was great.  Not sure if ESPN factored his being rated a 94 into the overall recruiting class ranking of 16 it gave MU.  Just a few teams signed 3 ESPN Top 100 players - which Jae easily falls into with his 94 rating. 

[brewcity77]

Good to see, but I can't say I'm at all surprised that Buzz found another great player no one saw coming

[VegasWarrior77]

Good to see, but I can't say I'm at all surprised that Buzz found another great player no one saw coming

I hope Buzz does it again in the near future!

[pillardean]

I see Dieng is rated a 91 on ESPN.

Why are we so in love with these guys?  Project after Project without completing the first, is that what you guys want?  Let it rest.  MU won't pull a big time big until they've proven a few projects and landed them in the NBA.  Until then we'll get MBAO and Otule's.

Which may not be that awful with the talented guards and possible progression if healthy.

[HoopsMalone]

Why are we so in love with these guys?  Project after Project without completing the first, is that what you guys want?  Let it rest.  MU won't pull a big time big until they've proven a few projects and landed them in the NBA.  Until then we'll get MBAO and Otule's.

Which may not be that awful with the talented guards and possible progression if healthy.

Merritt manking the NBA would have helped recruiting I think so coaches could point to a finished project in the league like we can at PG and wing with the players in the league now. 

If Crowder is as good and polished as advertised and Otule continues to develop, then Butler, Crowder, and Otule could be the best interior defensive lineup we have had in a long time.  MU has not had a really strong interior presence Townsend, Merritt, and Jackson were all starting.

[goodgreatgrand]

This is nice to hear, but it's nothing we didn't already know.  He was the JUCO player of the year.

Bingo. Comparing a Juco to a true freshman is like comparing an apple to an orange. I juco is expected to be a smarter player and more developed physically. Anything less than that and it's pointless to even recruit a juco. You might as well recruit a true freshman and develop him.

[cheebs09]

I don't really think we need to take a project and put him in the NBA to get recruits. I think we just have to show we can take a project and make him better, and make him a very solid contributor to our team. I think one of the problems with Crean and big men was that he would stick them at the edge of the baseline and their only job was to catch dump off passes and hit layups. Jackson was different, but he was playing his senior season and just sat out a red shirt year (at least I think it was his 5th year, didn't follow MU super close back then). Our bigs were easily the 5th option, and a distant fifth option at that. If we show that we want to throw it to the post and get some baskets on some post moves, I think we will attract some top level big men.

As mentioned earlier on the board, IWB wrote that Otule was looking very good in open gyms and might not be considered a project anymore. He was most improved going into last year and I think we could see Buzz's first big man develop into a very good player. I think if recruits see a lot of progression and more than just an after thought on offense, the flood gates could open.

[HoopsMalone]

I don't really think we need to take a project and put him in the NBA to get recruits. I think we just have to show we can take a project and make him better, and make him a very solid contributor to our team.

I remember Merrit being hyped pretty big after the Final Four year.  Maybe that was unfair to him but he was athletic and could shoot.  He was a great player for MU and i love him, but wish he could have made the league.  Pointing to him in the NBA would not hurt.  But the past is the past and we have a better coach now.

Buzz doesn't need a project to get to the NBA to get a big man, but it would certainly help him get a 4-star big.