It has been too long since Maryland fans looked at the Men’s Basketball program with true excitement. But the tide seems to be turning.
It started with upset wins against North Carolina and Wake Forest, propelling Maryland back into the NCAA Tournament. Maryland beat Cal in the first round, ensuring that the Terps were one of the last 32 teams alive in college basketball, going further than fellow NCAA Tournament bound ACC schools Clemson, Florida State, Boston College, and Wake Forest.
Getting back to the big dance was a nice change for Maryland from the disturbingly familiar NIT. But news from outside the program only added to the positive trend.
Maryland commit Jordan Williams’ stock kept rising. The 6’9, 245 lbs. incoming freshman went from a relatively unheralded (yet solid) big man recruit to a top 150 player. During one game last season the opposing crowd taunted Williams, chanting, “What’s a Terp?” Williams responded by breaking the backboard after a dunk and reportedly said, “That’s a Terp.” (Link)
Fellow recruit James Padgett (6’7, 210 lbs.) won a New York City title at Lincoln High School. Despite reports that Maryland has stopped recruiting fellow Lincoln star Lance Stephenson, Padgett’s friendship with the still unsigned Stephenson ensures the Terps are still in the running (also because no one else seems to be recruiting Stephenson either).
In addition, Maryland received verbal commitments from Arizona’s Terrell Stoglin and Montrose Christian star Terrance Ross. Stoglin is a highly touted point guard who turned down local power Arizona in favor of the Terps. Ross was a nationally coveted prospect, receiving offers from Louisville, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Georgetown to name a few. These two players headline a yet to be filled 2010 class.
The team has everyone back (except Dave Neal), returning eight of the team’s top nine leading scorers. Just the other day, Greivis Vasquez announced that he would withdraw his name from the NBA draft and return for his senior season in College Park.
It also helps that while Maryland has gone up, the rest of the ACC has gone down. North Carolina no longer has Ty Lawson, Danny Green, or Tyler Hansbrough. Duke lost their best player in Gerald Henderson. Boston College doesn’t have Tyrese Rice anymore. Clemson has lost multiple starters. So has Florida State. While these teams are likely to re-load talent, the loss of proven veterans only helps in Maryland’s cause to make a real ACC run.
There are still many questions about next year’s Maryland team. But it seems that for the first time in some time people are not just excited for basketball season, but confidently excited in the team. And people seem to be taking notice (ESPN college basketball insider Andy Katz ranks the Terps 17th in his preseason rankings).
Comments