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Mike Cook |
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Class:
Junior
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Hometown:
Philadelphia, Pa.
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High School:
Friends Central
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Last College:
East Carolina
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Height / Weight:
6-4 / 220
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Position:
Guard/Forward
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Birthdate:
03/18/1984
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Experience:
TR | |
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Ronald Ramon |
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Class:
Junior
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Hometown:
Bronx, N.Y.
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High School:
All Hallows H.S.
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Height / Weight:
6-1 / 180
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Position:
Guard
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Birthdate:
01/14/1986
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Experience:
2L | |
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Sam Young |
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Class:
Sophomore
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Hometown:
Clinton, Md.
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High School:
Hargrave Military Academy
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Height / Weight:
6-6 / 215
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Position:
Forward
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Birthdate:
03/01/1985
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Experience:
1L | |
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Levance Fields |
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Class:
Sophomore
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Hometown:
Brooklyn, N.Y.
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High School:
Xaverian H.S.
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Height / Weight:
5-10 / 190
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Position:
Guard
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Birthdate:
06/14/1987
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Experience:
1L | |
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Keith Benjamin |
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Class:
Junior
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Hometown:
Mount Vernon, N.Y.
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High School:
Mount Vernon H.S.
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Height / Weight:
6-2 / 190
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Position:
Guard
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Birthdate:
10/23/1986
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Experience:
2L | |
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Tyrell Biggs |
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Class:
Sophomore
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Hometown:
Nanuet, N.Y.
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High School:
Don Bosco Prep (N.J.)
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Height / Weight:
6-8 / 245
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Position:
Forward
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Birthdate:
09/01/1986
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Experience:
1L | |
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Gilbert Brown |
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Class:
Freshman
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Hometown:
Harrisburg, Pa.
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High School:
South Kent Prep (Conn.)
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Height / Weight:
6-6 / 190
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Position:
Guard/Forward
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Birthdate:
09/05/1987
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Experience:
HS | |
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Maurice Polen |
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Class:
Junior
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Hometown:
Philadelphia, Pa.
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High School:
West Philadelphia H.S.
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Height / Weight:
6-5 / 245
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Position:
Forward
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Birthdate:
03/16/1986
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Experience:
RS | |
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Austin Wallace |
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Class:
Freshman
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Hometown:
Bronx, N.Y.
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High School:
LaSalle Academy
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Height / Weight:
6-9 / 220
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Position:
Center
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Birthdate:
10/19/1988
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Experience:
HS | |
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Geoff Rizk |
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Class:
Freshman
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Hometown:
Franklin Lakes, N.J.
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High School:
The Hun School of Princeton
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Height / Weight:
6-0 / 185
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Position:
Guard
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Birthdate:
07/07/1987
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Experience:
HS | |
FUTURE STARS CLASS OF 2007
5 coveted recruits
Dixon says Blair key to tall, talented group
"This is by far the best class we've had," Dixon said yesterday. "We got who we wanted."
The five players Pitt signed are 6-foot-7 DeJuan Blair, 6-10 center Cassin Diggs, 6-7 small
forward Darnell Dodson, 6-10 center Gary McGhee and 6-4 guard Bradley Wanamaker.
The highest-rated player is Blair, the Schenley High School star who is No. 46 according to
Scout.com. The only other consensus top 100 recruit is Wanamaker, from Roman Catholic High in Philadelphia.
He is No. 91 player according to Scout. Diggs, from Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kans., is rated a top-25
junior-college player.
"I care little about [the rankings]," Dixon said. "Our guys always seem to be ranked higher
after [their senior] season. No one was recruiting Sam [Young] when we were. Then, he had a good senior year, and everyone
was ranking him.
"There are different things you look at. You have to look at character, grades, if they come
from winning programs, all those different things. I'm excited about them. They're great kids, good people. They had good
coaches. I like all five of them."
Pitt needed to recruit centers and forwards because Aaron Gray and Doyle Hudson are graduating
after this season. Dixon was extremely happy to land Blair, Diggs and McGhee (from Anderson, Ind.). He said it's difficult
to get three forwards or centers of that quality in the same class.
In relation to the rankings by the scouting services, Dixon noted that forwards and centers
are usually rated lower because they develop later than guards. One such player is Blair, who has had two knee surgeries and
had not played much on the AAU circuit before this summer. After a successful AAU season, he skyrocketed in the rankings.
Dixon said Blair is the player who makes this class.
"DeJuan Blair was big for us," Dixon said. "He was the guy I thought could be the guy who could
really help us. He's gotten better and better. He's been better than anyone thought after his sophomore and junior seasons
because of his injuries."
Dixon said he has no major concerns with Blair's knees.
"If you saw him play this summer, there wouldn't be too much of a concern," he said
DeJuan Blair is described as an athletic power forward who is known as a blue collar athlete with outstanding
court awareness and passing ability. Blair has drawn comparisons to former Pitt star Brian Shorter for his combination of
low-post power and finesse moves. He also has a long wingspan for positioning on rebounds.
HIGH SCHOOL
Will play his senior season at Schenley High School for Head Coach Fred Skrocki...Enters his senior season with
1,045 career points...First Team All-State selection as a junior...Two-time Pittsburgh City League Player of the Year (junior
and sophomore seasons)...Earned Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous Five and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 10 honors after averaging 17 points, 12 rebounds and four assists as a junior...Three-time
All-City League selection...Led Schenley to a PIAA Class AAAA state title game before losing the championship game 60-58 to
Lower Merion as a junior...Guided Schenley to the City League title with a victory over Taylor Allderdice at Mellon Arena...Named
Second Team All-State as a sophomore after leading the Spartans on a 30-game win streak that led to the state finals...Consensus
top-100 recruit...Ranked as the No. 44 player nationally by Scout.com...Ranked as the No. 60 player nationally by HoopScoop...Rated
as the No. 46 player nationally by Midwest Scouting Report...Ranked as the No. 12 center in the country by Rivals.com...Played
for the Pittsburgh JOTS AAU Team for Head Coach J.O. Stright and assistant Darelle Porter...Helped guide team to a seventh
place finish at the AAU Nationals in Orlando, Fla....Scored 24 points in the title game to lead the JOTS to the Pittsburgh
JamFest title at the Petersen Events Center (April 21-23)...Named the MVP of the West Virginia Jam Fest.
PERSONAL
Born DeJuan Blair on April 22, 1989...Son of Greg and Shari Blair...Extremely close to his grandmother Donna
Saddler...Grew up just five minutes from the Pitt campus and attended high school a mile from campus...Nickname is the "Big
Fella"...Favorite player is Shaquille O'Neal and favorite book is the Biography of Shaquille O'Neal...Received 18 scholarship
offers...Will become the first Pittsburgh City League Player to play at Pitt since Darelle Porter (1987-91)...Selected Pitt
over Florida, Kansas State, Indiana, Marquette, Miami, West Virginia, Wake Forest and Tennessee.
Cassin
Diggs is a junior college transfer from Cloud County Community College
in Concordia, Kansas who
will have two years of eligibility at Pitt. A wide body with excellent hands, Diggs has proven to be able to finish in the
post with opponents hanging on him. Diggs, who is lefthanded, is surprisingly mobile for his size.
PRIOR TO PITT
Began
his second season at Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kansas for Head Coach Kevin Muff...Scored 19 points and
grabbed seven rebounds in Cloud County's
season opener vs. Kansas Wesleyan on Nov. 2...Named Second Team Junior College All-American by Street & Smith's...Named a NJCAA preseason All-America selection prior to the 2006-07 season...Earned Second
Team All-Jayhawk League honors...Averaged 14.0 points and 6.4 rebounds in leading the Cloud County Thunderbirds to a 24-9
record as a freshman...Hit 53.4 percent (155-290) of his field goals and shot 71.4 percent (125-175) from the free throw line
in 33 games played...Scored a career-high 26 points vs. Pratt J.C. on January 22, 2006...Selected to the Region VI All-Tournament
Team...Played two seasons at Bridgton Academy in Maine before transferring to Cloud County...Played one season at IMG Academy.
HIGH SCHOOL
A
2003 graduate of Williamsport Area
High School...Williamsport Area H.S. also produced former Pitt star Chevon Troutman (2001-05).
PERSONAL
Born
Cassin Diggs on July 27, 1985...Family resides in Williamsport...Attended same high school as former Pitt star Chevon Troutman...Always dreamed about playing at Pitt while growing up...Also considered Kansas
State, St. John's, UNLV, Nebraska, Bradley and USF.
Gary
McGhee is described as a burly center who plays with intensity and aggressiveness and loves to rebound and play defense. McGhee
is a player with much potential and is somewhat of an unknown player out of Indiana. He will become the first player to play basketball
at Pitt from the state of Indiana.
HIGH SCHOOL
Enters
senior season at Class 4A Anderson (Ind.) Highland Senior High School for Head Coach Phil Stoljaric...Named to the Anderson Herald-Bulletin All-Madison County squad...Two-time All-North Central Conference selection...Averaged
16.7 points and a state-high 13.1 rebounds per game as a junior in leading Highland Senior to an 11-12 record in 2005-06...Recorded
rare triple-double with 29 points (11-17 FG), 17 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in 78-54 victory over Liberty Christian...Scored
21 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked five shots in sectionals vs. Richmond...Averaged 14.6 points per game and ranked
17th in the state in rebounding with a 10.4 average as a sophomore...Scored a season-high 25 points as a sophomore...Attended
the 2006 All-America Camp...Rated the No. 2 center at Boo Williams Camp in 2006...Played in the AAU Orlando Showcase and the
AAU Nationals...Rated the No. 130 player nationally by HoopScoop...Ranked the No. 123 player nationally by Rivals.com...Ranked
the No. 130 player nationally by Scout.com...Ranked the No. 15 recuit in Indiana in 2006...Plays with the Gary-based SYF Players
squad.
PERSONAL
Born
Gary McGhee on October 28, 1988...Son of Gary and Charlotte McGhee...Sister Mariah competes in track and field at Highland
Senior...Father, Gary competed in track and field at Indiana University (1981-82)...Cousin Aaron McGhee started at power forward
and helped lead Oklahoma to the NCAA Final Four in 2002...Committed to Pitt on September 3, 2006 after attending Pitt's football
game against Virginia...Spent his official visit weekend with current Pitt center Aaron Gray...Became interested in Pitt after visiting with his family during the summer...Also
considered Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State, Michigan, Wake Forest and Florida.
Bradley Wanamaker is described as an underrated and athletic competitor who has the ability to take it to the
basket. He is a winner who will do whatever it takes for his team to win. He is a tough, strong and physical guard who has
a reputation as a great defender and superb team guy. His style of play has drawn comparisons to Mitch Richmond, Dwyane Wade
and current Pitt guard/forward and fellow Philadelphia native Mike Cook.
HIGH SCHOOL
Enters his senior season at Philadelphia's Roman Catholic High School while playing basketball for head coach
Dennis Seddon...Averaged 16 points per game, six rebounds per game and dished
out four assists in guiding Roman Catholic High School to a 26-6 record as a junior...Second Team All-Catholic League South
Division selection as a junior...Helped lead the Eagles to the Philadelphia Catholic League finals where they lost to St.
John Neumann on bucket in the closing seconds...Rated the No. 90 player nationally by HoopScoop...Ranked the No. 91 player
nationally by Scout.com...Competed at the Las Vegas Big Time Tournament...Rated 11th out of 160 prospects at the
ABCD Camp at Fairleigh Dickinson after he shot 61 percent during the event...Rated the No. 56 player in the country at the
ABCD Camp...Played AAU basketball for Positive Image and coaches Larry Waiters and his mentor Rasal Hajj.
PERSONAL
Born Bradley D. Wanamaker on July 25, 1989...Son of Bradley, Sr. Wanamaker...Has a twin brother Brian...Pitt
junior Mike Cook and Philadelphia native also played in his AAU program, Positive
Image...Style of play has been compared to Cook...Made his verbal commitment to Pitt on August 24, 2006...Pitt assistant coach
Mike Rice has known Bradley since he was in the eighth grade from
when he coached at the Eastern Invitational...Had 13 scholarship offers including Villanova, Xavier, Virginia, Penn State,
Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Dayton, George Washington and Temple.
Darnell
Dodson is described as a top-notch scorer who can put points on the board in a variety of ways. A stellar shooter who can
hit 3-pointers and free throws, Dodson is considered a player with an outstanding overall game who has yet to scratch the
surface of what he will achieve in the future.
HIGH SCHOOL
Enters
his senior season at Eleanor Roosevelt High School where he plays basketball for Head Coach Glen Farrello...Led the Raiders
to a 25-2 record and advanced to the Maryland Class 4A state title game before losing a heartbreaking 39-38 contest to Bethesda
Walt Whitman...Averaged 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a junior...Also shot 43 percent from 3-point range and
51 percent from the floor...Competed at the adidas Super Star Camp in Atlanta...Competed at the Eastern Invitational in New
Jersey...Ranked the No. 158 player nationally by Scout.com...Plays on the DC Assault AAU team which competed in the Las Vegas
adidas Super 64 and Best of Summer Tournament in Los Angeles.
PERSONAL
Born
Darnell Dodson on September 1, 1989...Son of David A. Dodson...Sister Davida is a freshman basketball player at Radford University...Eleanor
Roosevelt High School has produced more than 25 NCAA Division I basketball players including Delonte West, Eddie Basden, Delonte
Holland and Alpha Bangura...Committed to Pitt on July 10, 2006...Received offers from DePaul, Georgetown, Providence and Rutgers.
FUTURE STARS CLASS OF 2008
Nasir Robinson Ht: 6-5 Wt: 220 Position:SF Chester HS, Chester, PA
Travon Woodall Ht:5-11 Wt:165 Position:PG High School:St. Anthony HS, Jersey City, NJ
2008 RECRUITS
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