Gardner To Marquette

[TallTitan34]

http://marquette.scout.com/a.z?s=415&p=9&cfg=bb&c=8&yr=2010

According to MarquetteHoops.com commitment page.

[Cooby Snacks]

Let the speculation begin continue.

[Lighthouse 84]

why doesn't that show DJ as signing?  I thought he signed April 14?

[HoopsMalone]

It's all over Twitter:  http://www.google.com/search?q=davante+gardner&hl=en&rlz=1T4ADRA_enUS366US366&tbs=rltm:1&tbo=u&ei=Gz3fS-qSDaXMMZuFqPEH&sa=X&oi=realtime_result_group_more_results_link&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCEQ5QUwAw


Welcome to our newest Aircraft Carrier!

[Brewtown Andy]

why doesn't that show DJ as signing?  I thought he signed April 14?

It also shows Crowder committing the day he signed his LOI, so there's that then.

[muhoops1]

What about Reggie Smith?  Has he actually signed?  There have never been any write ups on him.

[Aughnanure]

Good. I was really hoping Noreen would be it, but he seems like he's got Northwestern written all over him. Gardner was the next best thing in my eyes, and I'm glad we didn't take a chance on Hahn (reminded me too much of the Roseboro process - out of nowhere, would have committed really fast).

Otule and Gardner could be a beast of an inside presence...no need to worry about that size.

[Aughnanure]

What about Reggie Smith?  Has he actually signed?  There have never been any write ups on him.

Yeah, he signed a while back I believe. Have to admit, it really Mbao looks like the odd man out, and has for a while.

[5YearsatMU]

Yeah, he signed a while back I believe. Have to admit, it really Mbao looks like the odd man out, and has for a while.

http://www.gomarquette.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111909aaa.html 

[DCWarriors04]

2010/2011 is going to be the start of something good for Marquette in the Big East.

[LastWarrior]

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1080917

Big East for King's Fork's Gardner
Matthew Hatfield
VirginiaPreps.com



The long awaiting end to the recruiting process for King's Fork's Davante Gardner came Monday as the 6-foot-8, 280-pound big man from Suffolk has decided to continue his basketball career in college with Head Coach Buzz Williams and the Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East.

It came down to two schools for the interior force nicknamed 'Big Ox.'  Gardner chose Marquette over another Big East school which he visited last month, South Florida.

"They did a good job recruiting him and they built that relationship early towards the end of November and into December.  They kept plugging along with him, and he got up there for an official visit for their last home game, which was their Senior Night," said King's Fork Head Basketball Coach Josh Worrell.  "It took him a while to figure what the best situation would be due to the fact he got another offer from South Florida and South Florida was more recent.

Williams and assistant coach Aki Collins from Marquette made sure they were extremely visible during the entire recruiting process.  A chance to play immediately also lured Gardner.

 "The coaches there at Marquette knew from the three-point line in on both ends of the floor exactly what he could do, and they think he can be very successful there," added Worrell.  "Granted, they believe he's going to need lose some more weight just like any other program stated to be in even better physical shape.  They won quite a few games this year with a 6-7 big kid that played in and out.  They needed that one inside presence, and they let Davante know you're the big guy we're recruiting and the one big guy we're recruiting."

For King's Fork, it is the fourth Division I player for the program in two years.  Jaquon Parker signed with Cincinnati, also out of the Big East, a year ago and guard Jamar Wertz went to University of Maryland Baltimore County.  Gardner's twin tower teammate, Jay Copeland, signed last week with Ball State out of the MAC.

Selected 1st Team Group AAA All-State by the VHSCA, Gardner scored 1431 points and collected 992 rebounds in his Bulldogs career.  During his junior season he put up 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for the Bulldogs as they won the State Championship.

The numbers were even better in 2009-10.  This past season Gardner scored more points than any other player in the Eastern Region.  He finished up his senior year averaging 22.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game for a Bulldogs team that has gone 55-4 in their last 59 games.

Combining great footwork and touch with muscle and power, Gardner was ultra consistent all season long for King's Fork, scoring no less than 14 points in any game and notching 21 double-doubles.  Gardner, an All-Eastern Region 1st Team selection as well, was named the MVP of the Southeastern District Tournament and helped King's Fork claim their third straight district tournament title as well as their second consecutive regular season league crown.

"They feel if he gets played one-on-one he has that skill-set with his footwork, hands, being able to shoot that mid-range jumper, get his body ready before the ball gets there," Worrell remarked on Gardner.  "If they can win 20, 22 or 24 games without a big man, what's going to happen when they get one?"  They let him know if you were just a low post guy who couldn't do anything else, we really wouldn't recruit you.  But he can shoot the ball, handle the ball, can move and do a lot of things that a lot of big guys can't do.  They were really impressed by that."

Marquette went 22-12 overall last season, falling to Washington 80-78 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.  The program has recorded five consecutive 20-plus win seasons, all resulting in trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Gardner joins a 2010 recruiting class for the Golden Eagles that includes Pennsylvania Class AA Player of the Year Devonte' 'D.J.' Newbill, Junior College Player of the Year Jae Crowder, small forward Jamail Jones, guard Reggie Smith and five-star point guard Vander Blue.

"I've known him since sixth or seventh grade and his transition of becoming a very good basketball player took hard work and time for him," noted Worrell.  "He put a lot into it, and from one year to the next, losing some weight made his game that much better this year.  He could play a long period of time without rest and still be effective on both ends, and I just see him getting that much better at Marquette by losing 20 more pounds.  He can put the ball in the hoop.

[The Pickle]

With all the youth we will have on the floor next year, things will definitely be exciting.  I hope we get to watch this group grow for 4 years like we did with the Matthews, James, and McNeal...

[Golden Avalanche]

Reading about his game and seeing that head shot I wonder if Gardner will turn out something like Kentrell Gransberry, who was very good his last couple seasons at South Florida.

[Ready2Fly]

Could he be a combination of DeJuan Blair, Big Baby Davis, Al Horford, and Charles Barkley?  By that I mean all the best aspects of each of those players combined into one?

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Realistically, how good is this kid?

Also, as far as body type, could he be like Robert Jackson? Big guy with good footwork and hands?

[mu_hilltopper]

Scout lists him as 6'9 and 305 pounds?  305?  I realize that article has him at 280.  Big difference.

[GOMU1104]

Could he be a combination of DeJuan Blair, Big Baby Davis, Al Horford, and Charles Barkley?  By that I mean all the best aspects of each of those players combined into one?

Relax. Thats how peoples expectations get inflated.

[JWags85]

The most exciting thing to me is his good hands, footwork, and scoring ability that are continually mentioned in the articles.  I envision him being light on his feet for all the weight he carries, like Big Baby Davis.  Which would be nice...

[texaswarrior74]

Sounds like they want him to play somewhere between 260 and 280.

[foreverwarriors]

Scout lists him as 6'9 and 305 pounds?  305?  I realize that article has him at 280.  Big difference.

http://bit.ly/bE6RzY

His AAU coach puts him at 280 now as well after changing his diet and conditioning. He was all the way up at 325 as a sophomore!

[ErickJD08]

http://bit.ly/bE6RzY

His HS coach puts him at 280 now as well after changing his diet and conditioning. He was all the way up at 325 as a sophomore!

Reminds me of that kid from Texas

[flash]

Gardner looks huge, almost too big, he is going to need to loose a lot of weight if he wants to get consistent minutes eventually. 

[LastWarrior]

He looks pretty good in this pic...

[Ron Paul]

We all know one thing about this kid, he is going to have to work his tail off.  Hopefully practicing at the level this team does will help him shed some lbs.

[ErickJD08]

Body type... I would say Burke.  Hopefully the skill set is better.

[bamamarquettefan]

Obviously we want Junior and DJO on the court a lot, but if we need to go big against UConn or Syracuse, or just to protect the basket on a final possession, I honestly think we can play this line=up:

PG - Vander Blue, 6-foot-4 180, 5-star point guard
SG - Jimmy Butler, 6-foot-6 215 super athlete
SF - Jae Crowder, 6-foot-5 210 stud, national juco player of the year who can play the arc
PF - Davante Gardner, 6-foot-8 280, hopefully down to 260, great footwork and a rock
C - Chris Otule, 6-foot-10 250, vastly improved and apparently shut down Dieng in scrimmage

Wow!  Don't think anyone will push that team around or count on lobbing it into three feet from the basket for an uncontested shot.

[Skitch]

how about the next Damon Key. I would be ecstatic with that.

[ATWizJr]

Wait a minute...we got a big?  Where's that Willie guy?

[NersEllenson]

how about the next Damon Key. I would be ecstatic with that.

Bingo - My thoughts exactly.

[chapman]

A Devonte and a Davante on the same recruiting class. 

[GOMU1104]

Telep compares him to Reggie Johnson of Miami.  He was of similar build (6'9", 300) when he arrived at Miami. He was a project that had good hands and good feet, and red shirted his freshman year.  This year, Johnson went for 13mpg, 6.4 ppg, and 4.6 rpg.

[MarkCharles]

I'd have to say I'm happy with the signing. If we had a more complete roster, I'd rather have Noreen as I think he could be a real weapon, but Gardner fill the more immediate need of a low post enforcer. I really hope the report that he modified his diet and is down to 280 is correct...
The longer we go without hearing about Luke Cothron the more it makes me think there is an issue there.

[willie warrior]

Wait a minute...we got a big?  Where's that Willie guy?

Right here! OK, he is a big and I sure hope he works out. I will take 6'9" and 280 if he can run the floor half ass decently and be a space eater down low and he rebounds. Two big time concerns--

1. Can we get him--we have no scholies available? Somebody has to be out!
2. The last time we recruited a guy similar, Lloyd Moore, he was a big bust. Hopefully Gardner is motivated. Moore was rated much higher

I do love the idea of a two headed monster of Otule and this guy--we should not be dominated in the paint!

[Litehouse]

I'd say Damon Key was also similar and he worked out great.

[willie warrior]

Big Ox is OK, but how about Gargatuan Gardner?

[mosarsour]

OH HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

[Boone]

What do you mean "can we get him?" He's signed. He's in.

[wadefan#1]

Who is leaving?

[MarkCharles]

Todd Rosiak on jsonline is reporting from a source within the program that one of our six recruits will attend a prep school, but didn't know which one. Gardner or Reggie Smith seem most likely.

[MarkCharles]

Looks like idiot Badger trolls won't be able to use their lame "Buzz cut" line

[wadefan#1]

I hope Buzz whips that kids into shape. I don't know if he will be able to play fast tempo.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Keep him out of REAL CHILI

Exciting addition

[Markusquette]

Good get I think, can't wait to see this big boy in action haha

[bilsu]

Todd Rosiak on jsonline is reporting from a source within the program that one of our six recruits will attend a prep school, but didn't know which one. Gardner or Reggie Smith seem most likely.

It would have to be a fall signee who is going to prep school. They would not sign Gradner, if he was going to prep as the LOI would be meaningless. So we are losing either Smith, Jones or Blue. Now it will be interesting to see if Buzz is done recruiting. He said after the other players signed he wanted add one, maybe two more. I love the nickname "Big Ox".

[Clam Crowder]

I agree with alot of people on this board. It seems like Reggie Smith might be the odd man out for some reason now. Vander and Jones are going nowhere. Newbill was here like 2 weeks ago, wasn't he?

[Daniel]

It would have to be a fall signee who is going to prep school. They would not sign Gradner, if he was going to prep as the LOI would be meaningless. So we are losing either Smith, Jones or Blue. Now it will be interesting to see if Buzz is done recruiting. He said after the other players signed he wanted add one, maybe two more. I love the nickname "Big Ox".

_____

IWB says his nickname is either Ox, or Big Self.  But not Big Ox!

[MUCrew]

_____

IWB says his nickname is either Ox, or Big Self.  But not Big Ox!

Too late.  I think Big Ox will stay.

[GB Warrior]

I think this benefits us. We don't really play the fast-style offense that we played with the 3 amigos, but more of a pass-around-for-the-open-look game. Where this helps is whereas we may have been passing around the perimeter this year, we can hopefully get some touches inside with him, Crowder and Jimmy.  And I hope one of the latter two can hit jumpers with some range consistently. Both have shown they are able to. IF Gardner keeps his weight down (and it'll be easier as he is surrounded by support of a Major D-I training program), this could develop into a good signing.

[NCMUFan]

Those picks he sets will send some guards to the floor.  ouch!

[Dawson Rental]

Scout lists him as 6'9 and 305 pounds?  305?  I realize that article has him at 280.  Big difference.

305 was his weight his junior year.  A big reason why he wasn't on anyone's top 100 list this year.

[Dawson Rental]

Body type... I would say Burke.  Hopefully the skill set is better.

Book it Danno!  I'm all for not getting carried away with new recruits (at least since I went a little overboard on Dieng), but Burke is setting the bar way to low.  This kid was first team all-state in Virginia for a reason.  Everything I've read consistently praises his footwork and says he can get his shot off in traffic.  He will be an offensive threat which Burke never was.  Given his size, his 2.1 blocks a game suggests to me that he doesn't have great hops yet.  A good reason for him to lose 20 or 30 pounds to get around Burke's weight.

[Dawson Rental]

Reminds me of that kid from Texas

Hahn?  Hahn's at 250 and working on adding still more muscle.

[Dawson Rental]

how about the next Damon Key. I would be ecstatic with that.

Damon was one guy that hadn't occurred to me, but the comparison seems quite a good one.  Remember Damon started over McIlvaine their freshmen years.  Mac did start the year slow after having to be checked out for several concussions he got in preseason practice.
Maybe the interest in Hahn is as a true center (like McIlvaine) while Gardner plays the four.  Playing those guys together, would really make the perimeter competition intense.  But if those two did play together, I think that it would be limited to a few teams for whom a little extra muscle in the mix would be called for.

[Dawson Rental]

I hope Buzz whips that kids into shape. I don't know if he will be able to play fast tempo.

Okay, he's heavy, but is it really fair to call him two kids?

[Dawson Rental]

As I unashamedly go for six posts in a row:

USF MUST BE PISSED.

Hell, the story that he was going to commit today broke in the Tampa Bay Paper!

[mu89]

Hahn?  Hahn's at 250 and working on adding still more muscle.

i thought this was more along the lines of dexter pittman, who was supposedly pretty huge coming out of high school.

[ATWizJr]

Right here! OK, he is a big and I sure hope he works out. I will take 6'9" and 280 if he can run the floor half ass decently and be a space eater down low and he rebounds. Two big time concerns--

1. Can we get him--we have no scholies available? Somebody has to be out!
2. The last time we recruited a guy similar, Lloyd Moore, he was a big bust. Hopefully Gardner is motivated. Moore was rated much higher

I do love the idea of a two headed monster of Otule and this guy--we should not be dominated in the paint!

How about, we did get him and I was wr, wr, wr, er, wrong?

[damuts222]

 Gardner will help spell Butler for a couple minutes. The thought of the difference in size between Jimmy and him just made me giddy.

 There haven't been any stories lately on Smith, which could be a tell tale sign, but lets wait and see. Good get Buzz, his recruiting all makes sense now.

[Jacks DC]

Haven't seen anyone make this comparison yet, but he reminds me of Robert Tractor Traylor.  He was about 6-8 300 in college before slimming down.  Obviously Traylor was a McDonald's AA and Gardner is not, but I'd love to see Buzz have that type of banger at his disposal.

[MUEng92]

Too late.  I think Big Ox will stay.

Someone make sure he likes the name.  We don't want to be like the people who called Michael Oher "Big Mike" when he didn't like it.  At that size, I think he would only have to tell you once that he didn't like it.

[Skitch]

Damon was one guy that hadn't occurred to me, but the comparison seems quite a good one.  Remember Damon started over McIlvaine their freshmen years.  Mac did start the year slow after having to be checked out for several concussions he got in preseason practice.
Maybe the interest in Hahn is as a true center (like McIlvaine) while Gardner plays the four.  Playing those guys together, would really make the perimeter competition intense.  But if those two did play together, I think that it would be limited to a few teams for whom a little extra muscle in the mix would be called for.

There was some great size on that team.  Big Mac, Damon and Ron Curry with Tony Miller running the show and Robb Logtermann firing up 3's.  I wonder what Buzz would have done with those big men in the paint.