Roc's class

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

[font=Courier]Class was announced....7 players.

Tre Lynch of Lancaster will be at Lamar during the 2nd summer semester. The other Lancaster kid is going Prep school or JC. Can't remember.

Leaving the program was: Wesley, EB Davis, Garza, Mathis.
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Seven players, featuring the Nos. 1, 4 and 15 scorers in the nation in Junior College Division 1 and the 11th-ranked scorer in Division 2, make up Lamar University's 2010 men's basketball recruiting class.

Additionally, Port Arthur Memorial forward Darius Harris lends local flavor to the recruiting class, announced Friday by Cardinal coach Steve Roccaforte.

"We went into our recruiting process needing better scorers from the standpoints of getting to the basket and of outside shooting ability," said Roccaforte in assessing the class, which is tied for the ninth best in the country in a recent rating by HoopScooponline.com and 15th in the nation by Basketball Times. "We feel the players in this class fill those holes."

With a 27.8 points-per-game average, Devon Lamb of Southwestern Christian Junior College led all JC Division 1 scorers for the 2009-2010 season. Michael James of Eastern Arisona College, who joins the 6-foot-2 Lamb in this year's recruiting class, was the No. 4 scorer in JC Division 1 with a 26.0 points-per-game average.

The other big scorers in the class are Brandon Davis, a 6-6 teammate of Lamb, who averaged 20.8 points per game to rank 15th in Division 1, and Tremell Adams of South Surburban Community College who ranked 11th in Division 2 with a 22.5 points-per-game average.

"First, we needed to add a quality point guard, and we did that with Michael James," said Roccaforte of the 6-1, 185-pounder who averaged 3.9 assists per game and connected on 42.0 percent of his attempts from the field. "He has the ability to solidify us at that position.

"We needed guys who can shoot better from the perimeter, and Tremell Adams, Michael James and Devon Lamb can really do that. They're all strong 3-point shooters."

Roccaforte and his staff also got inside help in 6-7 center Orlando Brazier of San Bernardino Valley Junior College, 6-5 forward Vincenzo Nelson of Itawamba Community College and the 6-8 Harris, who was honored as one of the top four centers in Southeast Texas for the 2009-2010 season at the Southeast Texas Basketball Awards Banquet.

"We needed an experienced post scorer, and we feel like Brazier will give us that," said Roccaforte of the 6-7, 235-pounder who scored 20 points and seized 18 rebounds in a quarterfinals game in the 2010 California Junior College State Championships. "Also, Vincenzo Nelson was the best, most-versatile, inside-out available guy, and Darius Harris is a player we believe to have tremendous potential."

In the ratings system devised by HoopScooponline.com, Lamar's recruiting class is tied with Virginia's for the country's ninth best with 27 points. Kentucky's class topped the ratings with 49 points, while Memphis' was second with 41 points.

The Ohio State, Missouri and Marquette recruiting classes round out the top five. With 29 points, Auburn's class is in eighth place, just ahead of Lamar and Virginia. Wake Forest's class is sixth, and Hawaii's is seventh.

[NickKBTV]

2010 LAMAR UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL RECRUIT BIOS
Tremell Adams – Guard; 6-2, 200, Chicago, Ill. (South Surburban CC/Curie HS)
Was the No. 11-ranked scorer in Junior College Division 2 last season with a 22.5 points-per-game average. … Also averaged 7.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in his sophomore season at South Surburban Community College last season. … Connected on 47 percent of his shots from the field, including a 38.0 percent mark from 3-point range.

Orlando Brazier – Center; 6-7, 235, Chino, Calif. (San Bernardino JC/Chino HS)
Helped lead San Bernardino Valley Junior College to a 31-3 record last season by averaging 11.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. … Was voted the Foothill Conference Most Valuable Player as a freshman in 2008-2009 and was a first-team, all-conference selection last season. … Scored 20 points and seized 18 rebounds in a quarterfinals game during the 2010 California Junior College State Championships.

Brandon Davis – Guard; 6-6, 190, Jacksonville, Fla. (SW Christian JC/Chino HS)
Ranked 15th in the nation in scoring in Junior College Division 1 last season with a 20.8 points-per-game average for Southwestern Christian Junior College. … Also averaged 4.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. … Shot a remarkable 48.0 percent from 3-point range, including a 58.0 percent pace during conference play.

Darius Harris – Forward; 6-8, 210, Port Arthur, Texas (Memorial HS)
Averaged 8.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots per game for Port Arthur Memorial High School last season. … Voted the Most Valuable Player in Memorial’s Holiday Tournament last December. … Honored as one Top Four Centers in Southeast Texas for the 2009-2010 season during this year’s Southeast Texas Basketball Awards Banquet in Port Arthur.

Michael James – Guard, 6-1, 185, Portland, Ore. (Eastern Arizona/Grant HS)
Transferring from Eastern Arizona College, where he ranked fourth in the nation in Junior College Division 1 in scoring last season with a 26.0 points-per-game average. … Also averaged 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. … Connected on 42.0 percent of his shots from the field, 33.3 percent from 3-point range and 78.0 percent from the free throw line. … Rated the 40th best junior college player in the nation by Rivals.com.

Devon Lamb – Guard; 6-2, 170, Jacksonville, Fla. (SW Christian JC/Arlington HS)
Led all National Junior College Athletic Association players in Division 1 in scoring last season with a 27.8 points-per-game average. … Also averaged 11.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.

Vincenzo Nelson – Forward; 6-5, 205, Clinton, Miss. (Itawamba CC/Clinton HS)
Averaged 11.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game at Itawamba Community College last season. … Shot an impressive 58 percent from the field and 71 percent from the free throw line. … Voted the Most Valuable Player in the 2010 Mississippi Junior College All-Star Game.

[becktobigs]

Tre Lynch of Lancaster will be at Lamar during the 2nd summer semester. The other Lancaster kid is going Prep school or JC. Can't remember.

Does this mean it will be an 8-man class?

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

[font=Courier]Yes[/font]

[NorthoftheBorder]

Like most of the last 25 recruiting classes, this one looks promising.  We will just have to wait and see.  I hope this one really is the real deal.

[ForeverADog]

It better be good or Roc could be gone!

[Guest mffl]

[quote name="ForeverADog" post="813679" timestamp="1276901763"]
It better be good or Roc could be gone!
[/quote]

I think he WILL be gone if he does not deliver.

[tyree]

I'm just glad he announced his recruits before Labor Day! Congratulations Roc...looks like a good class. Especially glad to see we got some promising peremiter shooters. Our guard play should be better. Still not sure who can replace Nabors' inside production.

[bobbymcgee]

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/multimedia/content/Lamar_mens_basketball_recruiting_class.html?c=y&page=1

photos of the new recruits

As far as inside production goes I don't know. That Brazier kid looks pretty built. May be able to help with the scoring and rebounding inside we will miss with Nabors gone.

[tyree]

So who all is returning from last year's team?

Miles
Harper
Minor
Harris
Brown
Custer

??

...any of the Pfugerville kids?

[Guest mffl]

Osas should be, the RS Center.