2008 Recruiting Updates...

[LastWarrior]

A couple of guys that I would love to get in our 2008 class... Rotnei Clarke (gym rat player... sound familar to anybody?) & Jamychal Green (close friend of Nick Williams).  Let's hope Coach Crean is making a lot of trips down to Oklahoma and Alabama over the next year!!

Rotnei Clarke
http://marquette.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=614017

Rotnei Clarke is a wanted man. The 6-foot-0, 170-pound shooting guard from Verdigris High School in Claremore, Okla., has established himself as one of the most talked about prospects in the 2008 class because of his performance on the court. When Clarke and his teammates opened up the regular season several nights ago, four coaches' were on hand to get a closer look at the talented guard.

"There are a ton of schools interested in Rotnei," said Conley Clarke, Rotnei's father. "He scored 43-points in the first game of the year on Tuesday night. We actually won that game by 25-points. Coaches' from Washington State, West Virginia, Arkansas and Missouri State were on hand to watch Rotnei play.

"Oklahoma, Arkansas, Florida State, Marquette, Clemson, Auburn and Nebraska are some of the schools that have been recruiting Rotnei for a long time," he added. "North Carolina, Kentucky, Duke and Michigan State just recently started to call and are going to recruit Rotnei."

According to Clarke, who is an assistant coach at Verdigris, his son has the ability and potential to become a special player for a variety of reasons. There is no question that Clarke is a talented prospect, but it's his work ethic that separates him from others.

To his credit, Clarke is determined to work his way to become the best player possible. He is a gym rat that has a great deal of passion and love for the game of basketball.

"Rotnei is much quicker and stronger than he was last year," he said. "He makes 500 three-pointers a day, makes 100 free-throws and takes 100 runners in the lane. We played in a tournament last year and didn't make it home until late at night. Everybody had gone home and I was washing our uniforms. I found Rotnei in the gym shooting around, so I had to send him home and told him to get some rest.

"Several schools have tried to get him to commit, but he just isn't ready for that yet," he added. "He's received over 500 letters from college basketball programs, and Rotnei has kept all of those letters. We were talking the other night and I asked him give me a list of five schools that he really likes, and he couldn't do that. Rotnei is wide-open right now and isn't ready to make any decisions about his future."

According to his father, Rotnei has unofficially visited Arkansas, Tulsa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.



Jamychal Green
http://marquette.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=616810

High-major programs from all across the United States continue to travel to St. Judge High School in Montgomery, Ala., to get a closer look at Jamychal Green. The 6-foot-7, 200-pound power forward is the No. 17 ranked player in the class of 2008, and has an almost unlimited options to consider when it comes to his future. Are the Kansas Jayhawks one of the schools in the mix for the five-star prospect?  KU is in the mix for Green

"The season is going fine for us right now," said St. Jude head coach William Brown. "We are 3-3 on the year, but we've played a couple few 6A teams so far. We are a 1A team, but we're trying to become the best team possible, so we've decided to play some bigger teams.

"Jamychal is playing extremely well for us," he added. "We've got some losses early in the year, but that's because we are trying to become a much better team. Jamychal has been outstanding for us."

Green, the No. 11 ranked power forward in the class, has an almost unlimited number of options to consider when it comes to his future.

As it stands right now, the five-star prospect has received a high amount of interest from the likes of Auburn, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kansas State, Mississippi State, Miami-FL, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Marquette.

According to Brown, a member of the KU coaching staff has been down to see Green in action.

"Yes, a member of the Kansas coaching staff has been in contact with Jamychal," said Brown. "He is really a happy-go-lucky kind of kid and isn't really too worried about his recruitment right now. He is wide-open at this point. Jamychal has enjoyed the fact that KU is involved in his recruitment.

"He really likes the coaching staff and what they've discussed during their conversations," he added. "Jamychal knows all about the program at Kansas, and it's a school that he is very interested in right now. Alabama, Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, LSU, Florida and Marquette are some of the other schools that he likes."

While Green is listed as a power forward, Brown said that his star player has the skill and ability to play a variety of positions at the high school and college level.

"Right now, Jamychal is our five-man," he said. "He can move out to the three and player the perimeter as well. He has the ability to play the three, four or five. When he gets to college, he will probably play the power forward spot.

"Jamychal is a man in the paint area for us," he added. "I mean, he is a man down there in the paint."

Jamychal Green Scouting Report: "Lanky and athletic, Green is a developing forward with a ton of potential. Active on the glass and constantly around the ball, he also has the ability to create scoring opportunities with the dribble. Green also does a nice job passing the ball from the high post and passing the ball out of double teams" - Jerry Meyer of Rivals.com

[rocky_warrior]

Hopefully Nick helps us out with Jamychal.  BTW...is it pronounced 'Ja-Michael'?  I've been curious about that.

[spartan3186]

Although Crean is a really good recruiter I would be absolutley floored if we could pull in either of these two prospects. While Marquette is strarting to get some national recognition we are really in no position to out recruit the likes of Kansas, UNC, Kentucky, Duke, Michigan State and Florida. To add Green lives down in SEC country and I would be really surprised of we could pull him away from either Florida or LSU at this point. As a Big East team we have a much better chance at someone up in New England if we're going anywhere away from the midwest. I would welcome either of these two players obviously but I just dont see it happening. Rivals also said we had a chance at Derrick Rose this year and that obviously didn't happen. Best of luck to Crean in his efforts though, either of these two would make a tremendous impact on Marquette hoops.

[NYWarrior]

To add Green lives down in SEC country and I would be really surprised of we could pull him away from either Florida or LSU at this point.

Kinda like Nick Williams 

[spartan3186]

Yes but unlinke Nick Williams he is a 5 star big man. When was the last time Marquette was able to recruit anyone of that quality? Don't get me wrong I'm really glad we're going after him and I really hope that Nick Williams is a huge help in the process but I don't want to get my hopes too high.

[LastWarrior]

we are really in no position to out recruit the likes of Kansas, UNC, Kentucky, Duke, Michigan State and Florida.

Mbakwe was recruited by Florida & Kentucky
Nick Williams was recruited by Florida & Kansas
Lazar was recruited by UConn, Illinois, Pitt, Syracuse, & Texas
Christopherson ended his recruiting early but I imagine a lot of high majors would have been on him.

Anyway, my point is we've gone against these teams a lot and while we don't win the majority of the battles, we are "in" with these players.  I personally think Rotnei will come to MU and I think we've got a fighting chance with Green.

[NYWarrior]

i too am an optimist. 

TC nabbed Novak despite a push from Billy Donovan.  He nabbed Diener over Majerus and Bucky.  Merritt was a big time recruit as well.

might as well enjoy the pursuit

[spartan3186]

I too will enjoy the pursuit. I just don't want to get my hopes up that we will land a 5-star. I know Marquette's reputation is getting much much stronger and I wish us the best in the pursuit. I will just remain cautiously optomistic. It seems to me that most of Crean's top recruits have flown a little under the radar. Just my opinion. Hopefully you guys are right and we have an inside track to two phenomenal prospects.

[shaquilvaine]

I agree with Spartan that many of Crean's top recruits have flown under the radar at least initially and then the big boys get involved in their recruitment as they blowup over the summer.  The other thing is Crean tends to be very successful when he gets in on these guys early.  While I love seeing us listed with these two, I'm not going to hold my breath. 

[WashDCWarrior]

I'd rather have Crean shooting too high than too low.  When he first started at Marquette, I didn't have expectations that we'd be where we are as a program today.  Obviuosly he did, and he doesn't seem content yet, so I have no problem with him reaching for the (5) stars.

-- sorry abou the pun --

[ZiggysFryBoy]

i too am an optimist. 

TC nabbed Novak despite a push from Billy Donovan.  He nabbed Diener over Majerus and Bucky.  Merritt was a big time recruit as well.

might as well enjoy the pursuit

the difference with those guys is that they were all from WI.

[NYWarrior]

true.....but Nick Williams is not from Wisconsin and is very highly regarded.  Ditto for Lazar Hayward.

[HoopDreams]

I want Green. Word on the street is that this kid is the real deal. It would be a huge signing for TC..also, I am anxious to see Mbakwe, Hazel, and Saunders next year. It would be awesome to see one of those guys turn into a dominant player down low..we will see.