Note to all you high school seniors out there being mediumly recruited by middle-of-the-road Division 1 programs: stop before you declare.
Hoping to get the attention of Kentucky, UCONN or Florida? Hold out and have a great senior year ...
Once again, the rush to sign (probably) overhyped spring recruits is on, and coming down to the wire. Tubby Smith has struck both gold and coal with his spring flings, running the gamut from Randolph Morris to Lukasz Obrzut, with much in between.
This year's spring surpse involving the Cats comes hails from the Garden State. Rising Senior Dan Werner, a shooting 6'8" swing forward from Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft (NJ), is said to be finalizing his choice over a vacation weekend. Rumors have it being a choice between Kentucky, Pitt, Rutgers and Florida, with some saying it's a Florida-Cats showdown, and others saying it's still wide open, including his prior school, North Carolina State. Werner, you see, originally inked with the Wolfpack before Herb Sendek skipped town (or was driven out, depending on your POV) but wasn't as enamored of the pending Sidney Lowe era.
So we wait ... again. It remains to be seen (as it always does with freshmen) whether Werner is a potential Mike Miller (Fla.) or Scott Padgett, or if he's more of a Bernard Cote -- an overrated decent shooting white kid with little of the athleticism needed at the highest level. One thing in Werner's favor is he was selected the New Jersey Player of the Year over some pretty serious competition, including Duke-bound Lance Thomas and Louisville-bound Derrick Character.
My guess? He'll pick a school. How's that for diplomatic?
Update [2006-6-17 14:24:14 by JL Blue]:
And the hits keep coming ... Dan Werner elects to join the national champion Florida Gators.
I wonder if the zealotry of the UK fans actually works against them sometimes?