WCC 2014 Recruiting Rankings: Final Edition
By Josh Horton
With each 2014 WCC recruiting class seemingly locked, it’s time to release West Coast Convo’s final rankings.
Granted, Pacific and Gonzaga each have an open scholarship due to transfers, but it appears both schools will save it for the 2015 class or look at a transfer instead.
Barring any commitments, the 2014 WCC recruiting class is finished. This post will rank all the team’s one through 10, based on their arsenal of incoming recruits.
*(All ratings specified come from ESPN.com)
*(These rankings are based completely on my opinion, nothing else)
Check out our past rankings:
10. Pepperdine
Number of Commits: 4
6-4 G- Shawn Olden – NR, Union City High School; Tulsa, Okla.
6-7 F – A.J. John – NR, Maria Carillo High School; Santa Rosa, Calif.
6-10 F – Nate Gehring – Two-Star (68/100), Waukee High School; Waukee, Iowa.
6-10 C – Ryan Keenan – NR, East Ridge High School; Woodbury, Minn.
If this is the worst class in the WCC, then the WCC must have a lot of talent coming in general.
The Waves landed Oklahoma State player of the year in Shawn Olden, a guard with good size and scoring ability. Also form the Midwest, Nate Gehring is an athletic big man that can run the floor very well and will be in the running for Pepperdine’s starting center spot early on.
A.J. John and Ryan Keenan project to be more of projects down the road. John has nice size for the power forward or small forward position at the next level, but some refinement in his game would help. Keenan also has nice size, but is raw and will need to adjust to the Division-I level before he makes any impact.
9. Loyola Marymount
Number of Commits: 6
6-1 G – Matt Hayes – NR, Santa Rosa Junior College; Santa Rosa, Calif.
6-3 G – Simon Krajcovic – NR, Canarias Basketball Academy; Slovakia.
6-4 G – David Humphries – NR, North Iowa Area Community College; Adelaide, Australia.
6-7 F – Devin Wyatt – Two-Star (69/100), Desoto High School; Desoto, Tex.
6-7 F – Joshua Spiers – NR, Townsville Heat; Queensland, Australia.
6-10 F – Petr Herman – NR, Canarias Basketball Academy; Central Bohemian, Czech Republic.
LMU’s 2014 recruiting class was blown up due to the firing of Max Good, but newly appointed head coach Mike Dunlap built it back up by delving into international waters.
Leading the class is a pair of Canarias Basketball Academy products, Simon Krajcovic and Petr Herman. Krajcovic is a flashy point guard that can make the tough pass. He also has a nice offensive arsenal on top of that. For being 6-foot-10, Herman can really shoot and handle the ball well. The Czech Republic native could most likely play small forward, power forward in center in the WCC, giving Dunlap a lot of versatility lineup wise.
Devin Wyatt, the only recruit that remains from Good’s class. He is a long and lanky four-man with the innate ability to block shots.
David Humphries and Matt Hayes are both junior college guards with a nice jumper and pure shooting release. Joshua Spiers joins the roster as a big man who can shoot the lights out.
8. Saint Mary’s
Number of Commits: 2
6-10 C – Evan Fitzner – Three-Star (71/100), Francis Parker High School; San Diego Calif.
6-11 C – Jock Landale – NR, Geolong Grammar School; Melbourne, Australia.
The Gaels had their minds set on improving their frontcourt for future years in the 2014 recruiting class.
The centerpiece of the class is Evan Fitzner a long and lanky center with some unique skills. Fitzner can handle and shoot the ball extremely well for a big man, and could be a dynamic player in the WCC in future years.
Jock Landale continues on the Gaels Australian pipeline, becoming the 14th Australian since 2001 to become a member of the Gaels. Landale is a physical big man that likes to bang down low. The Aussie center has nice hands, a nice asset to have at the Division-1 level.
Courtesy of Evan Wardlow.
7. Santa Clara
Number of Commits: 4
6-2 G – Stephen Edwards – NR, Putnam City West High School; Oklahoma City, Okla.
6-4 G – Evan Wardlow – Two-Star (67/100), El Camino Real High School; El Camino, Calif.
6-5 G – Kai Healy – NR, The Scots College; Sydney, Australia.
6-9 F – Matt Hubbard – Two-Star (67/100), Colville High School; Colville, Wash.
This guard heavy class is loaded with hidden gems.
Evan Wardlow has the ability to be a shut-down defender from day-one. If his offense develops accordingly, he will be a lethal weapon for the Broncos.
Stephen Edwards is a point guard who can do a little bit of everything. With good size, Edwards is a capable three-point shooter, dynamic passer and fantastic finisher around the basket.
On the wing, the Broncos will bring in Aussie Kai Healy. Healy is a good outside shooter and can slash to the basket as well.
The lone big man in the 2014 class for Santa Clara, Matt Hubbard, needs some development, but should contribute as a stretch four immediately.
6. San Diego
Number of Commits: 4
5-11 G – Marcus Harris – NR, MacArthur High School, San Antonio; Tex.
6-2 G – Khalil Bedart-Ghani – Two-Star (62/100), Loyola High School; Los Angeles, Calif.
6-4 G – Vasilije Pusica – NR, Sunrise Christian Academy; Bel Aire, Kan.
6-7 F – Cameron Nuebauer – Two-Star (61/100), Choate Rosemary Hall; Germany
Just like Santa Clara, the Toreros decided to go guard heavy with their 2014 class.
The Toreros only fall signee Marcus Harris is the most underrated incoming guard in the conference. While undersized, Harris can get to the tin as well as shoot from deep.
Bill Grier also landed two combo-guards – Khalil Bedart-Ghani and Vasilije Pusica – that will give USD more versatility in its backcourt with years to come. Bedart-Ghani is an athletic, bouncy guard who played at one of the best high school hoops teams in the nation last year, Loyola. Pusica is a shooter/slasher that possesses a lot of quality baskeball intangibles.
Finally, Cameron Nuebauer will give the Toreros even more international flavor. Nuebauer is a skilled four-man, who can put the ball on the floor, shoot and pass. The German is more of a “point forward” type, making an impact on the offensive in a multitude of ways.
5. Portland
Number of Commits: 5
6-5 G – Max Livingston (Walk-on) – NR, Clark College; Vancouver, Wash.
6-5 G – D’Marques Tyson – NR, Quality Education Academy; Bothell, Wash.
6-5 G – Alec Monson – NR, Olympus High School; Salt Lake City, Utah.
6-6 G/F – Jason Todd – Two-Star (66/100), Jackson High School; Mill Creek, Wash.
6-8 F – Gabe Taylor – Two-Star (65/100), Valley Catholic High School; Beaverton, Ore.
7-0 C – Phillipp Hartwich – NR, Rhein Star Koln; Cologne, Germany.
The Pilots found a bevy of large guards to bolster its backcourt for years to come in 2014.
The class is headlined by Jason Todd, a two time Washington State player of the year. Todd can score and rebound at a high level from the wing, and will be a great fit in the WCC.
D’Marques Tyson, a rangy guard from the Northwest, is also a promising prospect for the Pilots. Tyson can shoot the ball extremely well and create his own shot.
Max Livingston, a walk-on, probably won’t see a lot of time, but his ability to shoot the 3-ball could get him some minutes. Alec Monson will serve a Mormon mission before stepping foot on Portland’s campus, but should be an asset with his shooting ability.
Two big men, Gabe Taylor and Phillipp Hartwich, will help the Pilots move on from Ryan Nicholas. Taylor, a local product, can stretch the floor and finish around the basketball in a variety of ways. Hartwich used to play handball at a high level, but now has tried his hand at basketball. The German center is long, skinny and athletic; reminiscent of current Pilot center Thomas van der Mars.
4. Pacific
Number of Commits: 8
5-8 G – Dulani Robinson – NR, City College of San Francisco; San Francisco, Calif.
6-3 G – Alec Kobre – NR, Santa Rosa Junior College; Santa Rosa, Calif.
6-3 G – D.J. Ursery – Three-Star (70/100), Crespi Carmelite High School; Encino, Calif.
6-6 G – Kaleb Warner – Two-Star (66/100), Mercer Island High School, Mercer Island, Wash.
6-8 – Eric Thompson – NR, Saddleback Junior College; Pontiac, Mich.
6-8 – Ilias Theodorou – NR, St. Johns Northwest Military Academy; Delafield, Wis.
6-9 F – Jacob Lampkin – One-Star (59/100), O’Dea High School; Seattle, Wash.
7-0 C – Sami Eleraky – NR, City College of San Francisco; San Francisco, Calif.
With eight total commits, the Tigers will have a great chance of finding an impact player.
The highlight of the class appears to be D.J. Ursery, a wing from the Los Angeles area. Ursery is a long, wiry wing with a plethora of offensive upside with his elite athleticism. Ursery could also be a nice defender at the next level as well with his frame.
Dipping into the Northwest talent pool, the Tigers landed two Seattle area products Kaleb Warner and Jacob Lampkin. Warner, while a little bit skinny, has nice size for a guard that is a creative scorer and passer from the wing. Lampkin is a big man with a lot of nice intangibles, but might need some time to refine his skill set to adapt to the style of play at the next level.
The Tigers also landed a pair of players from the City College of San Francisco, Dulani Robinson and Sami Eleraky. Robinson, while undersized, was a dynamic scorer last season for CCSF and Coach Ron Verlin claims he can play either the one or the two at the next level. Eleraky, who was originally committed to Cal, has a boat load of upside at the center position.
Rounding out Pacific’s junior college crop, Alec Kobre and Eric Thompson will make the jump to the WCC next season. Kobre, who won a state championship at Santa Rosa Junior College last season, led his team in scoring and shot 44.8 percent from beyond the arc last season. Thompson is a big bodied power forward that should give Pacific’s frontcourt an athletic boost next year.
Ilias Theodorou rounds out this class. Theodorou is a stretch four that will take some time getting acclimated playing post in the WCC.
3. San Francisco
Number of Commits: 5
5-11 G – Frankie Ferrari – Two-Star (62/100), Archbishop Riordan High School; Burlingame, Calif.
6-0 G – Devin Watson – Three-Star (75/100), El Camino High School; El Cajon, Calif.
6-3 G – Chase Foster – Three-Star (70/100), Valor Christian High School; Highlands Ranch, Colo.
6-5 G – Jared Stutzman – Two-Star (60/100), Bonneville High School; Idaho Falls; Idaho.
6-7 F – Montray Clemons – NR, Pensacola State College, Pensacola, Fla.
6-8 F – Nick Loew (Walk-On) – NR, Archbishop Riordan High School; Burlingame, Calif.
Rex Walters and company pulled in quite the class to add to an already budding program.
Recently, the Dons added three-star point guard Devin Watson from the San Diego area. Watson, a former Oregon State commit, is a score first point guard that will add a new dynamic to the Dons roster.
Frankie Ferrari, the other point guard in the Dons 2014 class, is a local star with an electric long range jumper. Ferrari is also known to drop his fair share of dimes as well. Joining him at USF will be his high school teammate Nick Loew.
Hailing for Colorado, Chase Foster, will be another great addition to the USF backcourt. Foster is an underrated athlete with a knack for scoring the basketball.
Jared Stutzman, who is serving a two-year LDS mission before attending USF, is a phenomenal shooter and will add great depth to the Dons roster when he makes it to campus in 2016.
Joining an already loaded frontcourt, Pensacola State College transfer Montray Clemons will give the Dons yet another physically gifted big to work with. Clemons played him freshman season at Depaul, but battled injuries before subsequently transferring out.
2. BYU
Number of Commits: 5
6-4 G – T.J. Haws – Four-Star (86/100), Lone Peak High School; Highland, Utah.
6-5 G/F – Jake Toolson – Two-Star (67/100), Highland High School; Gilbert, Ariz.
6-7 F – Dalton Nixon – Three-Star (75/100), Orem High School; Orem, Utah.
6-9 F – Payton Dastrup – Four-Star (80/100), Mountain View High School; Mesa, Ariz.
6-10 C – Ryan Andrus – Three-Star (70/100), American Fork High School; American Fork, Utah.
BYU landed a talented 2014 recruiting class, with only two players playing right away for the Cougars.
Of the two, Dalton Nixon and Ryan Andrus will postpone their missions by a year and play their freshman seasons at BYU right away.
Nixon, who was initially supposed to serve his mission, decided to play right away to provide a punch to BYU’s frontcourt. Nixon can play either the three or the four and is a gifted shooter and willing rebounder.
Andrus, a local blooming center, will likely help backup Nate Austin this upcoming season. While he needs to add some muscle, Andrus has a nice touch around the basket and can run the floor.
T.J. Haws, Jake Toolson and Payton Dastrup will serve their missions immediately.
Haws, the younger brother of reigning WCC player of the year Tyler Haws, is a top-50 prospect with a knack for putting the ball in the basket – just like his brother.
Dastrup, the other crowning jewel of the Cougars recruiting class, committed to Ohio State originally but flipped to BYU days later. He is an athletic big with the ability to play anywhere on the floor.
Last but not least, Toolson, who is the nephew of famous Cougar Danny Ainge, will provide the Cougars another long range shooter to their arsenal when he comes to campus.
1. Gonzaga
6-3 G – Josh Perkins – Four-Star (86/100), Huntington Prep High School; Denver, Colo
6-3 G – Silas Melson – Three-Star (73/100), Jefferson High School; Portland, Ore.
6-3 G – Bryan Alberts – Three-Star (70/100), Village Christian High School; Sun Valley, Calif.
6-10 F – Domantas Sabonis – NR, Unicaja Malaga (Spain); Lithuania
Gonzaga pulled in arguably its best recruiting class in school history in 2014.
Silas Melson was the first recruit to pledge to Gonzaga, who at the time was an under-the-radar recruit. Melson is a bouncy guard with a nice all-around game.
Next to fall was Josh Perkins, the highly touted floor general from the nationally recognized Huntington Prep. Perkins is a pass-first guard with a buttery 3-point stroke, giving the Bulldogs a point guard they haven’t had in quite some time.
Before the fall signing period, the Bulldogs landed Bryan Alberts, a wing with a point guard mentality. Alberts battled injuries during high school, but when healthy he is an explosive prospect with a decent pull-up game.
The icing on the cake is Domantas Sabonis, the son of NBA legend Arvydas Sabonis. Sabonis is the no. 1 player for his age group in Europe, making him one of the top prospects in the world.