This week's spotlight: best junior college imports

Sporting News, The, Jan 7, 2002

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C Justin Rowe, Maine. Maine has struggled so far but should contend in the league thanks to 7-0 Rowe (rhymes with "cow"). Rowe, who sat out last year after playing for Clearwater (Fla.) Christian College, ranks fourth nationally in blocked shots (4.0).

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F Ryau Randle, Maryland. Few JC players are in an ACC team's rotation, so this is a pick by default. Randle is seeing few minutes, though he is averaging 3.7 rebounds. The 6-9 Randle played at Allegany (Md.) CC, which is where the Terps got Steve Francis.

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F Jerry Holman, Minnesota. Holman's numbers (9.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.4 bpg) would be even better if he didn't have to fight for minutes in a crowded, talented frontcourt. The long, lean Holman played last season for Minneapolis Community & Technical College.

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F Dosmond Penigar, Utah State, A transfer from Ventura (Calif.) JC, he has more than replaced Shawn Daniels' production by averaging 17.6 points---on 54 percent shooting--and leading the 10-1 Aggies in scoring seven times.

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F/C Sam Hoskin, DePaul, The Blue Demons' recruiting class lost luster when Eddy Curry skipped college, but this 6-9, 260-pound transfer from Schoolcraft CC in Michigan has averaged 13.4 points and 7.9 rebounds and shown good perimeter range.

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F/G Richard Toussaint, Bethune-Cookman. This transfer from Hillsborough (Fla.) JC is leading the MEAC in scoring (21.3 ppg). Toussaint gets to the free-throw line nearly 10 times a game. He scored 21 against Georgetown but just 9 against Oklahoma.

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G Marcus Ranks, UNIV. One of the nation's top JC point guards coming out of Dixie (Utah), Banks averages 15.8 points and had a career-high 26 points against Texas. He must take better care of the ball and improve his free-throw and 3-point shooting.

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F Robert Johnson, Oregon. Curtis Millage of Arizona State has been impressive, but Johnson, from Santa Rosa (Calif.) JC, has provided inside muscle for the surprising Ducks by averaging 7.8 boards and shooting 54.3 percent from the field.

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G Thaydeus Holden, Tennessee. Bad news: Holden hasn't been the point guard the Vols desperately need. Good news: He still is a pretty fair shooting guard. Holden is averaging 9.8 points and shooting 41.9 percent from 3-point range.

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F Hector Romere, New Orleans. Since coming to the Privateers via Venezuela and Independence (Kan.) CC, he has been a dominant player, averaging a double-double (21.1 points, 11.6 rebounds). Romero scared Florida with 29 points and 19 rebounds.