Best freshmen Terps to know for 2008-2009 season

No doubt Terps coaches, players and fans are ready to forget last year’s disappointing 19-15 record and third trip to the NIT in the last four years.  What better way to move on than to look at this year’s incoming freshmen?

Gary Williams may have missed on G Tyree Evans (now at Kent St.), F/C Gus Gilchrist (South Florida) and G Bobby Maze (Tennessee), but he landed highly-regarded G Sean Mosley and F/C Steve Goins.  He also hopes to add SF Jin Soo Kim to this year’s class pending academic approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse.  

Sean Mosley
Mosley, 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, is known for his all-around, old-school game.   He’s a tireless defender who can guard multiple positions.  He can stroke it from the outside and drive to the hole.  Although he’s primarily a wing player, he can also play a little point.  Mosley could team with Greivis Vasquez and Eric Hayes to form a potent three-guard lineup, especially against perimeter-oriented teams like Duke.  

Mosley’s decision to attend Maryland took many by surprise.  Mosley’s AAU team, Team Melo, is supported by former Syracuse star and fellow Baltimorean Carmelo Anthony.  His friend and AAU teammate Donte Greene, a first round draft pick this year, suited up for Syracuse this past season.  But, thanks to diligent recruiting by the Terps coaching staff and encouragement from his father, a big Terps fan, the St. Frances High School star headlines Maryland’s 2008-2009 recruiting class.  

Mosley was a named All-Metro Player of the Year by The Baltimore Sun last season.  He is only the paper’s second four-time All-Metro selection.   He scored 2,933 points during his high-school career, good for second place in Maryland history.

Sean Mosley video

Steve Goins
Goins, who just received academic approval from the NCAA Clearninghouse last week, fills a major void in the Terps’ frontcourt due to the graduation of Bambale Osby and James Gist, transfer of Shane Walker and departure of recruit Gus Gilchrist.  Goins, 6-foot-10, 260 pounds, is the tallest Terp and could receive substantial playing time as a freshman.  

Goins starred at Curie High School in Chicago, where he averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks per game his senior year.  He didn’t blossom until his senior season, allowing him to fly under the recruiting radar.  He considered scholarships from South Florida and Illinois-Chicago before choosing Maryland.

Goins is still considered a work in progress but has the size and athletic ability to be an immediate asset, especially on defense.  With Jerome Burney, Braxton Dupree and Dave Neal as the Terps’ only other true inside players, Goins will play a crucial role in giving Maryland a reliable frontcourt to complement its dangerous backcourt.  

Jin Soo Kim
Kim, a 6-foot-7, 180 pound forward from South Kent, Conn., is still waiting on word from the NCAA Clearinghouse.  If he is deemed eligible, he’d be a valuable long-range scoring threat off the bench.  He has a smooth release and can make plays as a distributor.  

Questions remain about Kim’s defense.  He needs to bulk up before he can be a true contributor for long stretches of time.  Although he’s a physical player, opponents will exploit his lack of strength if he's left on the court for too long.  Until he puts on some muscle, he’ll need to prove he’s quick enough to guard smaller players on the perimeter.  

Kim is originally from South Korea.  He also plays on the Korean national team.  

Jin Soo Kim videos: Video 1, Video 2 

Topics: Bobby Maze , Gary Williams , Recruiting , Terps Basketball , Gus Gilchrist , Sean Mosley , Steve Goins , Jin Soo Kim