2005 Basketball recruiting breakdown

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Men's Basketball Picks Up Four Recruits

Courtesy: NU Sports Information

Release: 11/10/2004

 

Lincoln --- Four highly rated players signed national letters-of-intent to join the Nebraska basketball team and attend the University of Nebraska starting in 2005-06, NU Coach Barry Collier announced Wednesday. The group is already ranked among the top 35 recruiting classes nationally according to one service, although the Huskers still have two scholarships available for next season.

 

 

"We’re excited to have these four players joining us next year," Collier said. "They bring a good mix of talent and have the potential to contribute for us early in their careers."

 

 

Among the four signees Wednesday were Will Harris, Jamel White, Chris Balham and Kyle Marks. The foursome is rated No. 34 nationally by hoopscooponline.com, marking the Huskers’ second top-35 recruiting class in three seasons. Harris and White have each been ranked among the national top 100 by separate recruiting services, giving Nebraska four top-100 signees over the past two seasons. Current freshmen Joe McCray and Aleks Maric were each also ranked among the top 100 before joining the Huskers.

 

 

A native of Queens, N.Y., Harris leads the way among the Husker signees after earning a top-100 ranking by several publications. The 6-7, 230-pound swingman was ranked No. 94 nationally by recruiting expert Bob Gibbons and the No. 25 wing/forward by hoopmasters.com. Harris, who currently attends Maine Central Institute, was ranked 15th nationally among fifth-year players by hoopscooponline.com after ranking No. 119 last year as a senior at Troy (N.Y.) Redemption Christian Academy. Harris averaged 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists as a senior, after playing at Christ the King the previous two years.

 

 

Following his senior season, Harris had a breakout summer in 2004 on the AAU circuit. Harris, who has played for the New York Gauchos and New York Elite, was ranked the No. 1 wing/forward at the 2004 National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp by Gibbons. His strong performance also helped him rank No. 66 nationally in Lindy’s.

 

 

The addition of White gives the Huskers a pair of New Yorkers on next year’s roster. A native of New York City, White is considered one of the top prep school guards in the country while playing for Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute this season, the No. 1 prep school team in the nation with a 7-0 record. The 6-3, 175-pounder has averaged 12 points and nearly nine assists per game for Laurinburg, after gaining 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists per contest at Grady High School last season.

 

 

White was recently ranked 91st in the country among breakdownmagazine.com’s top 100, a national ranking that includes all classes. He was also ranked No. 33 among fifth-year players by hoopscooponline.com. White was the first commitment to the Huskers’ 2005 class.

 

 

Along with Harris and White, the Huskers added two other athletic players in Balham and Marks. Balham, a 6-8, 225-pounder, has been playing basketball for less than four years since coming to the United States from France before his freshman season. He has played two seasons at Shawnee Mission West in Shawnee Mission, Kan., where he averaged 9.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks while helping the Vikings to an 11-10 record. Despite finishing one game above .500, West was the leading defensive team in the state as it allowed only 41.9 points per game while holding opponents to just 38 percent shooting from the floor. Balham, who is as a preseason all-state selection before his senior season, helped West outrebound opponents by seven boards per game.

 

 

Marks is an athletic forward who was the Huskers’ most recent commitment. The 6-7, 205-pound native of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., averaged 12 points, six rebounds and five blocked shots for Dwyer High School as a junior. He helped Dwyer to a 25-3 record last year and the Class 5A state title.

 

 

While he had already caught the Huskers’ attention, Marks burst onto the summer circuit with the Tallahassee Wildcats where he was one of five Division I signees. The other four were scheduled to join the programs at Florida, Florida State, Cincinnati and Virginia. Marks helped the Wildcats win more than 30 games during the summer season, including winning tournament titles at the Charlie Weber Classic, Coast-to-Coast Invitational and the adidas Showtime National Championships.

 

 

 

Coach Barry Collier quotes

"This is an excellent class. The thing I’m most pleased with is that our assistant coaches really worked hard to develop this class and bring it to fruition today with the signings. Our thought process with these guys coming in is that, as a group, they will provide us with substantial impact as players and people.

 

 

"We’ve always tried to recruit the best athletes, most skilled and most experienced players we can find. This particular year, we really connected and our players did a great job of recruiting as well. Our current players are really involved in our recruiting and always have been, but this particular group has done an excellent job. And with Scott, Reggie and Doug really working the coaches side of it, it’s an excellent class."

 

 

 

What The Players Are Saying . . .

Will Harris on why he chose Nebraska

"It is really a family atmosphere there. Everyone is together and makes it feel like nothing can come between anyone in the Nebraska family. The coaches were real cool and I got along well with the team. I went out there, and everyone treated me nice and the decision to go there was not hard to make.

 

 

"I’m excited to get on the court. We have a real good core of guys who can really do some big things next year. I was there on my visit with Chris (Balham) and really liked him because he is so explosive. I’ve heard about Kyle, and when I asked around, people said he’s real good, and will get stronger. If he’s as good they say, we’re going to be tough."

 

 

Jamel White on joining the Huskers

"Nebraska has a lot of young players who will be there next year when I get there and some new guys coming in who I can work with. When I was there for a visit, I liked the way they played. They’re young and get out and run. It’s also away from home and will take out the stress, so that’s another thing to look forward to.

 

 

"It was an easy decision to come to Nebraska. I want to go there and help build the program. They already have a good group of players and I know Will Harris, who will also come in with me. That will help a lot going out there with someone I know. I’m just looking forward to getting there."

 

 

Chris Balham on playing for Nebraska

"I really liked the school and had a good time with the guys on my visit. I liked the facilities, the program and the education I can get at Nebraska. I think it’s exciting right now. When I come in I will be able to play against some of the best players in the nation, and with hard work, we can show everyone how good we are. I think we have some pretty good recruits coming in and I’m excited."

 

 

Kyle Marks on deciding to sign with Nebraska

"They made me feel welcome, and really made me feel at home. I’m excited to be able to come in and play in the Big 12 and also about getting away and going to another state. I’m looking forward to playing with Joe McCray, Jason Dourisseau and all the guys."

 

 

 

 

What The Coaches Are Saying . . .

Coach Mike Brinsko, Shawnee Mission West High School, on Chris Balham

"Chris has a Big 12 body and could easily be 6-10, 260 pounds by his sophomore year. He has a 39-inch vertical, shows good anticipation when rebounding and is a shot blocker, so the upside far outweighs any negatives.

 

 

"Chris did not play before high school and switched between three schools in three years, which is difficult for anyone. He was physically impressive as a sophomore and then between the summer before his junior season and now, he has exponentially increased his ability.

 

 

"That’s when Coach Rankin began getting really interested in Chris and was really persistent. With that persistence, and after seeing Nebraska’s facility, support staff, academics and even a football game, Chris decided it was the place for him. He is excited to become a Cornhusker and wanted to get the recruiting process over to be able to concentrate on this year’s team and focusing on winning a state championship. He is a loyal young man and Coach Collier is getting a unique person and player."

 

 

Coach Ed Jones, Maine Central Institute, on Will Harris

"Will is an excellent person, a good athlete and we expect a lot of things from him both on and off the court this year. He can be a leader and is an athlete who brings energy to the game. He has jumped right in and if you didn’t know it, you would think he’s been here a long time. He has done a great job adjusting socially, athletically and in the classroom.

 

 

"With his size and strength, Will should be able to take over a game at any given time. He can do a little bit of everything on the court. He is a real well-rounded player who has the ability to take over on the defensive end and can do the same on the offensive side. Will works hard every day and brings an energy to practice and really to anything that he does, not just on the court, but off it too. His energy turns it up a notch every day in whatever he is doing."

 

 

Coach Fred Ross, Dwyer High School, on Kyle Marks

"Kyle is a very athletic kid who plays above the rim, which is always a good thing. He is a very good shot blocker and takes good shots around the basket. He has worked on his shot and is very effective shooting 15 feet and in. And he can get out and run the floor very well.

 

 

"He is a great kid, and I think he should have an outstanding career at Nebraska. I think his best is still ahead of him since he just recently turned 17, so his potential is unlimited.

 

 

"Last year we had a guard-oriented team with a few seniors, but Kyle helped us. His stats do not show the importance he had on us winning the state title with his shot blocking and intimidating defense inside. I will be a little disappointed if he does not average a double-double for us this year."

 

 

Coach John Adkins, Tallahassee Wildcats (AAU), on Kyle Marks

"Kyle was really good for our team. He was the most athletic big man we had. Kyle has an extremely large wingspan and can really jump and is quick off his feet. Kyle is a presence on the boards, can alter shots and is a good help-side defender. He played in the post for me, but also has the athletic ability and mentality to play on the perimeter.

 

 

"Kyle is a real good get for Nebraska, a kid who came on the scene late, has a ton of potential and is a good kid who will do anything you ask. One or two years down the road, he will be a fine player for Nebraska."

 

 

Coach Chris Chaney, Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute, on Jamel White

"Jamel is really doing a good job for us, especially considering that we had 14 players sign with Division I teams today. He is a good kid off the court and is one of our team captains. He can shoot the ball really well and help run the team. His strengths are his competitiveness because he does not like to lose, and he is built pretty well. He is a good athlete who can shoot and is hard to guard."

 

 

 

What others are saying about Nebraska’s 2005 recruits

Tom Konchalski, HSBI Report

"Will Harris is just chiselled and has a touch like a surgeon. He can shoot the three off the catch. He may be more of a four, but can step out and shoot the daylight out of the ball. He is athletic and runs the court hard. He has nice hands and looks to shoot the ball from anywhere because of his range.

 

 

"Jamel White was probably the best shooter in New York City last year. He is a terrific shooter and you can not give him an inch or he will take it. As a tandem, you can’t get any better than those two when it comes to being able to shoot."

 

 

Eric Bossi, prepstars.com

"Chris Balham has only played organized basketball for about three years, and it’s amazing to see how far he has come from the beginning of the summer to now. He is 6-7, 230 pounds and puts up a lot of weight in the weight room. I think he is like a high school Ben Wallace – he may not score like a machine, but he dunks and rebounds and plays hard. He is physical and gets inside and bumps and grinds. He will only get better. And he is a great kid off the court.

 

 

"Will Harris may be the most polished player the Huskers are bringing in. He’s a kid who on offense can swing inside or out, he has a good frame and may be able to post up against a bigger guy but also has the touch on the perimeter to hit the three and midrange jump shot off the dribble. He finds ways to score and has played against great competition, so he knows what is going on.

 

 

"With Kyle Marks, you are talking about arguably the top run/jump athlete in the country pound for pound. He is a mind-boggling athlete, just electrifying. He can get above the rim with his athleticism and finishes with authority. Once he develops a little more on offense, putting the ball on the floor more, he will really be an exciting player to watch. And defensively he can get back down the court and shut it down at two or three positions. It’s exciting because once he adds to his package and it all clicks, people are going to be wondering how they missed out on him.

 

 

"This is a class full of athletes who can play a couple of spots. When you are talking about early signing classes in the Big 12, Nebraska has positioned itself near the top."

 

 

Van Coleman from hoopmasters.com website

"The Cornhuskers get a real steal in Harris. He seems to have a nose for ball and finishes in traffic extremely well. Look for him to see lots of PT as a frosh. Jamel White will add solid depth, but one to watch is jumping jack sleeper Balham. He’s just scratching the surface."

 

Clark Francis, editor of hoopscooponline.com

"Will Harris could turn out to be one of the better players in the league, Chris Balham is a scorer, Jamel White is a sleeper, and they just added Kyle Marks. Will Harris could be a pro down the road. He is able to do more things than I thought, playing out on the perimeter, handling the ball. He will be a matchup problem and could be one of the best 3s in the league. They are starting to build there and getting guys who are a little better than people realize."

 

 

"This class is a great nucleus and Nebraska is heading in the right direction. Rome was not built in one day. Coach Collier took time to build the first few years at Butler and then won 20 games each of the last four seasons. If I’m Nebraska, I will wait for that, and they are well on their way. I’d feel really good about things if I was a Nebraska fan.

 

 

"There are a lot of little pieces to the puzzle. They are not where they want to be, and it takes long-term guys who will be there a few years to get where they want. They are starting to do that."

 

 

Tim Watts from rivalshoops.com website on Kyle Marks

"He’s really an athletic player. He’s long and runs the floor well. He’s a good rebounder on both ends, and can really get out on the break with the ball. He’s just an athletic forward. He’s still developing his outside jumper, but his form is solid and repetition will take care of that. When he develops his mid-range game, he’ll be a big factor because of his ability to drive to the basket and finish above the rim."

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