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CalebMaxson · 07-22-2008, 11:20 AM

Today's Big Ten Picture features the Minnesota Golden Gophers, a team that has picked up a golden recruiting class this year and could be the surprise of the conference. Nadine Babu, who runs the Gopher-dedicated site Gopherhole.com, has provided us great insight on Minnesota basketball this year.

GopherHole.com:

2007-08 Recap

The Minnesota Golden Gophers will be embarking on their second season led by Coach Tubby Smith. Coach Smith came into Minneapolis relatively quietly, but as usual for the legend, his actions spoke louder than his words. He took a team that went 9-22 overall and 3-13 in the Big Ten in 2006-07 to 20-14 overall and 8-10 in the Big Ten in 07-08. For a coach that has been criticized for being a “lazy” recruiter in the past, he also is bringing in a top 25 recruiting class, and Gopher fans could not be any happier with the impact he’s had.

There are no transfers, but there were three seniors that graduated, Spencer Tollackson, Lawrence McKenzie, and Dan Coleman. The three of them averaged 32.7 points/game, which is almost ½ half of the total Gopher points. This group has endured 3 coaching changes in the past year and a half, and have has had their ups and downs, but I think they will leave more of a void than most Gopher fans will admit.

Returnees

Everyone else is coming back. A few players of note are:

Al Nolen [G 6'1", 180 lbs]– His freshman year pleasantly surprised most Gopher fans. When watching Al play, you need to look beyond his the number of points he scores, as he is an all-around player. He ranked second in the Big 10 at in steals, ranked seventh in steals and assists, and had the fifth best assist/turnover ratio. He’s extremely unselfish and a complete player.

Blake Hoffarber [G 6'4", 200 lbs]– Who can forget his game winning shot against IU in the Big Ten Tournament this past year? He already receive an ESPY from his a game winning shot in High School, and this earned him a second ESPY nomination.

Hoffarber is obviously a clutch player, but he is also quite productive, and was the fifth top scorer last year. He’s also one of those players you want to watch out for, as when he’s on, he can sink 3’s like they’re going out of style.

Damian Johnson [F 6'7" 195 lbs]– Johnson had a break out season this year. He is just so athletic; he plays so much bigger than his size of 6'7", 195 lbs. Like Nolen, he’s another all-around player. Johnson is probably our best defender, and lead the team in blocked shots, and was second in pulling down rebounds. He is also a player that just seems to get better as time goes on, and has been playing strong in the Howard Pulley summer league as well. As far as off the court goes, Damian is known to be a very likable guy, one of the jokesters on the team, and a leader.

Lawrence Westbrook [G 6'0", 195 lbs]– he is another one that went above and beyond the expectations anyone most had of him. I would personally say he’s hands down, our most consistent player. Coach Smith recognized this, as he started all 34 games this past year as a sophomore. Westbrook will be our top returning scorer, and like Nolen, has a very complete game. He is a solid shooter, great ball handler, good rebounder (especially for being a point shooting guard), and is our best free throw shooter, shooting almost 80% from the line.

Newcomers

As far as our new players coming in, this top 25 class has all of us anticipating seeing them play in the Big 10.

Devron Bostick [G 6'5", 210 lbs]- I think he is the player coming in that will make the greatest immediate impact. He was the National JUCO player of the year, and seems like he’s really benefited and developed from those 2 two years after high school. He is also the hot ticket this summer, as he seems to be the one drawing in all the Gopher fans to watch the Howard Pulley league, while he consistently puts up anywhere from 25-40 a night.

I actually got a chance to speak to Bostick a few weeks ago:

Paul Carter [F 6'8", 195]- He is another JUCO coming in. Unfortunately, I haven’t had an opportunity to see him play, since he’s finishing up school this summer, and won’t be on campus until fall. At 6-’8 and 190 lbs, he has the size and the quickness to post up with larger or smaller players.

Devoe Joseph [G 6'3", 170 lbs]– This is our import player, he’s from Canada, and it’s been rumored that if he was an American, he’d have a chance at being a McDonald’s All-American. Joseph can play the point, or shooting guard. He is also a player that you won’t need to worry about having endurance; he plays a 66-game season in Toronto, and spent a few weeks this summer trying out for the Canadian Olympic team. He just missed the cut, but this is a player that Steve Nash has been following and is impressed by.

This kid is really passionate about the game [Interview]:

Ralph Sampson III [F/C 6'11", 220 lbs]– Along with Joseph, he is a 4-star recruit. And if you’re wondering if he’s related to another certain Ralph Sampson…yes, he is the son of former Houston Rocket star Ralph Sampson. Sampson is 6'11" and 220 lbs and was heavily recruited. I’m guessing he will be a beast of a player within the next two years, and will help take the Gophers to the next level.

Colton Iverson [F/C 6'10", 235 lbs]– Along with Ralph Sampson III, they have been dubbed the “Twin Towers.” Iverson is 6'10" and 245 lbs, so he certainly lives up to that name. He describes himself as a banger in the paint, and a guy who goes for loose balls and hustle plays. We are all really looking forward to seeing Sampson and him team up and develop throughout their college careers.

Colton’s one-on-one.

All in all there are a lot of unknowns going into the 2008-09 season. We have a lot of potential, and a very young team. Who knows what will happen to the chemistry while adding 5 new players. I do think the Gophers could surprise a lot of people, and if Bostick can add a missing piece and make an immediate impact, and we can strengthen up our inside game (particularly on the boards) – we can be an NCAA contender. I wouldn’t put it past Tubby, his staff, and our players!

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

IUplanet:

Minnesota will definitely miss the point production from McKenzie and Coleman, as well as the gritty inside presence that Tollackson provided, but the incoming talent should eventually have the Gophers on a much higher level. The question is how soon? The guard prospects seem to primed and ready to play in the Big Ten, particularly Bostick, but Iverson and Sampson may be somewhat deficient in the low post until they can develop a bit physically.

Bostick looks like he could come in and lead the team in scoring, and the rest of the starting lineup looks very solid, especially with clutch shooter Hoffarber returning. The Gophers won't even need a lot of points from their post players, who should get quite a few looks anyways with the guards stretching the floor.

The Gophers appear to be a year or two out from climbing into the top tier of the Big Ten, but if their 2008 recruiting class develops to its potential, there's no doubt that they will be there very soon. If the Gopher freshmen elevate their games quickly, this team could be a definite contender for the Big Ten crown, perhaps even this season.

Overall Minnesota will be a tough opponent for IU this year. They have a young and talent-laden team, but are also retaining a good experienced core. The Hoosiers will have a chance against a still-developing post game, but they will have to play beyond their years defensively to overcome the Golden Gophers in 2008-09.

Discuss it in the forums

Many thanks to Nadine Babu and GopherHole.com for the great report!

07-22-2008, 11:20 AM	#1 (permalink)
CalebMaxson Contributing Writer Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,275	The Big Ten Picture in college basketball: Minnesota Golden Gophers Today's Big Ten Picture features the Minnesota Golden Gophers, a team that has picked up a golden recruiting class this year and could be the surprise of the conference. Nadine Babu, who runs the Gopher-dedicated site Gopherhole.com, has provided us great insight on Minnesota basketball this year. GopherHole.com: 2007-08 Recap The Minnesota Golden Gophers will be embarking on their second season led by Coach Tubby Smith. Coach Smith came into Minneapolis relatively quietly, but as usual for the legend, his actions spoke louder than his words. He took a team that went 9-22 overall and 3-13 in the Big Ten in 2006-07 to 20-14 overall and 8-10 in the Big Ten in 07-08. For a coach that has been criticized for being a “lazy” recruiter in the past, he also is bringing in a top 25 recruiting class, and Gopher fans could not be any happier with the impact he’s had. There are no transfers, but there were three seniors that graduated, Spencer Tollackson, Lawrence McKenzie, and Dan Coleman. The three of them averaged 32.7 points/game, which is almost ½ half of the total Gopher points. This group has endured 3 coaching changes in the past year and a half, and have has had their ups and downs, but I think they will leave more of a void than most Gopher fans will admit. Returnees Everyone else is coming back. A few players of note are: Al Nolen [G 6'1", 180 lbs]– His freshman year pleasantly surprised most Gopher fans. When watching Al play, you need to look beyond his the number of points he scores, as he is an all-around player. He ranked second in the Big 10 at in steals, ranked seventh in steals and assists, and had the fifth best assist/turnover ratio. He’s extremely unselfish and a complete player. Blake Hoffarber [G 6'4", 200 lbs]– Who can forget his game winning shot against IU in the Big Ten Tournament this past year? He already receive an ESPY from his a game winning shot in High School, and this earned him a second ESPY nomination. Hoffarber is obviously a clutch player, but he is also quite productive, and was the fifth top scorer last year. He’s also one of those players you want to watch out for, as when he’s on, he can sink 3’s like they’re going out of style. Damian Johnson [F 6'7" 195 lbs]– Johnson had a break out season this year. He is just so athletic; he plays so much bigger than his size of 6'7", 195 lbs. Like Nolen, he’s another all-around player. Johnson is probably our best defender, and lead the team in blocked shots, and was second in pulling down rebounds. He is also a player that just seems to get better as time goes on, and has been playing strong in the Howard Pulley summer league as well. As far as off the court goes, Damian is known to be a very likable guy, one of the jokesters on the team, and a leader. Lawrence Westbrook [G 6'0", 195 lbs]– he is another one that went above and beyond the expectations anyone most had of him. I would personally say he’s hands down, our most consistent player. Coach Smith recognized this, as he started all 34 games this past year as a sophomore. Westbrook will be our top returning scorer, and like Nolen, has a very complete game. He is a solid shooter, great ball handler, good rebounder (especially for being a point shooting guard), and is our best free throw shooter, shooting almost 80% from the line. Newcomers As far as our new players coming in, this top 25 class has all of us anticipating seeing them play in the Big 10. Devron Bostick [G 6'5", 210 lbs]- I think he is the player coming in that will make the greatest immediate impact. He was the National JUCO player of the year, and seems like he’s really benefited and developed from those 2 two years after high school. He is also the hot ticket this summer, as he seems to be the one drawing in all the Gopher fans to watch the Howard Pulley league, while he consistently puts up anywhere from 25-40 a night. I actually got a chance to speak to Bostick a few weeks ago: Paul Carter [F 6'8", 195]- He is another JUCO coming in. Unfortunately, I haven’t had an opportunity to see him play, since he’s finishing up school this summer, and won’t be on campus until fall. At 6-’8 and 190 lbs, he has the size and the quickness to post up with larger or smaller players. Devoe Joseph [G 6'3", 170 lbs]– This is our import player, he’s from Canada, and it’s been rumored that if he was an American, he’d have a chance at being a McDonald’s All-American. Joseph can play the point, or shooting guard. He is also a player that you won’t need to worry about having endurance; he plays a 66-game season in Toronto, and spent a few weeks this summer trying out for the Canadian Olympic team. He just missed the cut, but this is a player that Steve Nash has been following and is impressed by. This kid is really passionate about the game [Interview]: Ralph Sampson III [F/C 6'11", 220 lbs]– Along with Joseph, he is a 4-star recruit. And if you’re wondering if he’s related to another certain Ralph Sampson…yes, he is the son of former Houston Rocket star Ralph Sampson. Sampson is 6'11" and 220 lbs and was heavily recruited. I’m guessing he will be a beast of a player within the next two years, and will help take the Gophers to the next level. Colton Iverson [F/C 6'10", 235 lbs]– Along with Ralph Sampson III, they have been dubbed the “Twin Towers.” Iverson is 6'10" and 245 lbs, so he certainly lives up to that name. He describes himself as a banger in the paint, and a guy who goes for loose balls and hustle plays. We are all really looking forward to seeing Sampson and him team up and develop throughout their college careers. Colton’s one-on-one. All in all there are a lot of unknowns going into the 2008-09 season. We have a lot of potential, and a very young team. Who knows what will happen to the chemistry while adding 5 new players. I do think the Gophers could surprise a lot of people, and if Bostick can add a missing piece and make an immediate impact, and we can strengthen up our inside game (particularly on the boards) – we can be an NCAA contender. I wouldn’t put it past Tubby, his staff, and our players! ---------------------------------------------------------------- IUplanet: Minnesota will definitely miss the point production from McKenzie and Coleman, as well as the gritty inside presence that Tollackson provided, but the incoming talent should eventually have the Gophers on a much higher level. The question is how soon? The guard prospects seem to primed and ready to play in the Big Ten, particularly Bostick, but Iverson and Sampson may be somewhat deficient in the low post until they can develop a bit physically. Bostick looks like he could come in and lead the team in scoring, and the rest of the starting lineup looks very solid, especially with clutch shooter Hoffarber returning. The Gophers won't even need a lot of points from their post players, who should get quite a few looks anyways with the guards stretching the floor. The Gophers appear to be a year or two out from climbing into the top tier of the Big Ten, but if their 2008 recruiting class develops to its potential, there's no doubt that they will be there very soon. If the Gopher freshmen elevate their games quickly, this team could be a definite contender for the Big Ten crown, perhaps even this season. Overall Minnesota will be a tough opponent for IU this year. They have a young and talent-laden team, but are also retaining a good experienced core. The Hoosiers will have a chance against a still-developing post game, but they will have to play beyond their years defensively to overcome the Golden Gophers in 2008-09. Discuss it in the forums Many thanks to Nadine Babu and GopherHole.com for the great report!