Vitto Blog On Bb Prospects Fulce On Campas Last Week,

[OldTimer]

Cross your fingers on Fulce and Marquez Haynes..another 3* out of HS as two of our 3 ships.

March 24, 2007

Fulce on campus,

Joseph Fulce, one of the North Texas men's basketball team's top recruiting targets for its upcoming signing class, was on campus last week to talk with the Mean Green's coaching staff. Fulce's visit was just the latest sign that UNT is in the height of one of its most intriguing recruiting season in recent memory. UNT is, after all, coming off its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1988 and has a load of momentum in its favor. UNT appears to have three scholarships to give after losing three seniors, plus Oklahoma State transfer Roderick Flemings. Senior guard Michael Sturns played as a walkon last season and will fill one of those four scholarships.

The following is a look at a few of the players on the Mean Green's radar. Feel free to weigh in on this blog. Who would you like to see UNT sign? I would love to get them and Jordan Smith.

Fulce -- The combo forward is the type of player who could elevate the Mean Green both in the Sun Belt Conference and beyond. Fulce signed with Texas A&M after his senior season at Plano in 2006 when Texashoops.com rated him No. 15 among the seniors in the state. Providence, UNC-Wilmington and Illinois State are among the other teams that have offered Fulce a scholarship. Landing the former Plano standout would be huge for UNT.

Jordan Smith, 6-3 shooting guard, Irving God's Academy -- Smith is ranked No. 25 in the state by Texashoops.com, which rates him as one of the best perimeter shooters in the state. Like Fulce, Smith has spent the last year in prep school to improve his academic standing. UNT lost Kendrick Davis and Calvin Watson after last season and could use a few more options as far as scorers on the wing. UNT could do a whole lot worse than Smith, who has also been offered a scholarship by Liberty. The Mean Green has not signed a high school player as highly rated as Smith by Texashoops.com since Harold Stewart in 2005.

Marquez Haynes, 6-3 combo guard, Boston College -- Haynes has been released from his scholarship at Boston College and is considering his options. UNT really wanted Haynes before he committed to Boston College two years ago. The question now is whether he is the true point guard UNT needs to help replace Ben Bell after next season. Bell is the only natural point guard on UNT's roster. Haynes is considered more of a combination guard.

Kevin Busby-Hayden, 6-1 combo guard, Dallas Spruce -- Busby-Hayden is the son of former UNT player Donnell Hayden and is ranked No. 52 on Texashoops.com's list of the top seniors in the state. UNT needs to add at least one point guard in its next recruiting class. Busby-Hayden could be the player UNT needs. He averaged 14.4 points and 4.6 assists a game and made 75 3-pointers on the season to lead District 13-4A.

Booker Woodfox, 6-1 shooting guard, San Jacinto JC -- Woodfox played for Lewisville and committed to Louisiana-Lafayette before he ended up at San Jacinto. He averaged 18.7 points a game during the regular season this year and hit 39.6 percent of his 3-point shots. He is a former teammate of UNT point guard Ben Bell. UNT head coach Johnny Jones has always liked Woodfox as a player.

Posted by Brett Vito at 5:05 PM

[CMJ]

I must say all of those kids sound like great gets. What a potential recruiting class....

[MeanGreenBuzz]

I must say all of those kids sound like great gets. What a potential recruiting class....

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[Buford_Julep]

Very high praise for Fulce from a Feb, 2005 Texas Hoops story:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Kunstadt of TexasHoops.com rates Fulce among the top junior wing prospects in Texas, and said, "Joseph has remarkably long arms, a spidery build, and is a superb slasher with virtually unstoppable baseline moves."

Kunstadt added that Fulce does need to become a more consistent outside shooter, but he believes that this versatile young swingman can develop into a bigtime collegiate player. "He reminds me of former Arkansas All-American Sidney Moncrief," said Kunstadt. "But, I am not sure how many of today's young players will even remember how great Moncrief was as one of the 'Triplets' for the Razorbacks."

Plano head coach Joe Inman told Rivals.com, "Joseph is just the greatest kid in the world. His teammates absolutely love him. He could score a lot more points, but he is the ideal team player, and is totally unselfish."

"His strengths are his versatility in that he literally can play every position. He has unbelievably long arms with a 42-inch sleeve," said Coach Inman. "If he gets stronger, I think Joe could develop into a 'Scotty Pippen-type player.'"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ADLER]

Here's a little more on Joseph Fulce from Rivals.com

Rivals.com Joseph Fulce page

[ADLER]

One of the most pleasant surprises during this year's playoffs is the great play from Spruce. They keep rolling through opponents thanks to the sharp shooting of their leader, senior guard Kevin Busby-Hayden. He dropped 27 points on Kimball, making him this week's MVP.

Watch The Video

[Travis]

After next year we won't have any bigs with Wooden and Williams leaving. Do we have any recruits we are after that fit that bill?

[ADLER]

After next year we won't have any bigs with Wooden and Williams leaving. Do we have any recruits we are after that fit that bill?

Wow, I'm glad you brought that up because I doubt that Johnny has noticed the situation.

In reality, Howerton still has two years remaining and he has been developing pretty well.

Let's see if any of our current reserves elect to transfer at the end of the semester. There are a couple that I could see getting a lot more playing time at other schools. Johnny will possibly to be picking up a juco big man or two during late recruiting if that happens.

[DeepGreen]

In reality, Howerton still has two years remaining and he has been developing pretty well.

Jeff, I hardly ever disagree with you on anything, but you can't be serious about Howerton?

[MeanGreenBuzz]

Jeff, I hardly ever disagree with you on anything, but you can't be serious about Howerton?

The Howerton we saw this year was tremendously better than the Howerton we saw last year. He has gotten a lot stronger and his coordination is improving. Next year will be the telling year on Howerton and I feel like he will be a force down low if he can stay out of foul trouble.

[MCMLXXX]

How would you compare Justin Howerton to Justin Barnett? JB was redshirted and played a lot more his first two seasons, but I think Howerton if he continues to improve can be better.

[Cooley]

Woodfox commited to Creighton

[MeanGreenBuzz]

Woodfox commited to Creighton

I hope JJ has another talented PG in mind...

[Green Means Go!]

The last time we were in the NCAA tournament, Coach Gales didn't take advantage of it. We signed 6 guys, and I think only one of them ever graduated (Rusty Walker---who is now a high school head coach I think).

So, it's imperative that we take advantage of all of the recent positive pub, and recruit really well.

I think we will.

One more point: How intimidating must it be....if your opponent is God's Academy???

[Harry]

It's real simple. If we land a point guard we keep winning next year. If Michael Sturns plays significant minutes at point guard next year we lose.

WE NEED A TRUE POINT GUARD TO BACK UP BEN BELL IN 07-08 AND START WHEN BELL GRADUATES IN 08-09..PERIOD.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---It appears that one of Midland's Players is considering North Texas and has visited the campus earlier. MC just won the National Juco championship last week. The oddity is McCoy played on a team that won the championship last year as well. There are a couple of other good ones that it would be nice to have as well. These kids already have two years of college playing experience (not just sitting on a bench or out of HS)...

Ryan McCoy

SO-Tr

6’0"

160

Houston, TX

_____

From local Midland paper:

http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?n...75011&rfi=6

Then there is Jordan Brooks and Ryan McCoy. The pair accomplished a rarity in JUCO basketball by winning a national championship last season at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and then winning one at MC. Brooks, an all-tournament selection for the second consecutive year, was the spark plug whose motor continuously ran on and off the court.

McCasland said the recruitment of Brooks, Victoria and Mels have all skyrocketed since the tournament, although no visits have been set up until after this weekend's NCAA Final Four in Atlanta.

All-tournament selection Nemanja Calasan has signed a letter of intent with Utah, while Coach McCasland said McCoy visited North Texas in the fall and will likely go there.

Edited March 29, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[island eagle]

---It appears that one of Midland's Players is considering North Texas and has visited the campus earlier. MC just won the National Juco championship last week. The oddity is McCoy played on a team that won the championship last year as well. There are a couple of other good ones that it would be nice to have as well. These kids already have two years of college playing experience (not just sitting on a bench or out of HS)...

Ryan McCoy

SO-Tr

6’0"

160

Houston, TX

_____

From local Midland paper:

http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?n...75011&rfi=6

Then there is Jordan Brooks and Ryan McCoy. The pair accomplished a rarity in JUCO basketball by winning a national championship last season at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and then winning one at MC. Brooks, an all-tournament selection for the second consecutive year, was the spark plug whose motor continuously ran on and off the court.

McCasland said the recruitment of Brooks, Victoria and Mels have all skyrocketed since the tournament, although no visits have been set up until after this weekend's NCAA Final Four in Atlanta.

All-tournament selection Nemanja Calasan has signed a letter of intent with Utah, while Coach McCasland said McCoy visited North Texas in the fall and will likely go there.

Well, he's a 72.5% free throw shooter. Only averages 5 ppg. Didn't find info on his assists, which would be a key stat for him at point.

[Greenblood94]

From what I saw and heard of Woodfox during his senior year at Lewisville, we are better off without him...talent on the court, head case off it.

With all due respect to Howerton, seeing him on the court reminds me of the second coming of...Doug Schindler (a.k.a. "RoboPost").

[GreenBat]

From what I saw and heard of Woodfox during his senior year at Lewisville, we are better off without him...talent on the court, head case off it.

With all due respect to Howerton, seeing him on the court reminds me of the second coming of...Doug Schindler (a.k.a. "RoboPost").

Hwerton makes Schindler look like SHAQ!!

[foutsrouts]

Hwerton makes Schindler look like SHAQ!!

Other way around. Howerton has got some work to do, but I bet he's a pretty good contributor by the time he's a senior.

[ptx44]

Other way around. Howerton has got some work to do, but I bet he's a pretty good contributor by the time he's a senior.

he might be a nice kid but he couldn't catch his butt with both hands.