College Basketball Recruiting

Sporting News, The, Jan 25, 1999 by Brick Oettinger

Power forwards Brick Oettinger ranks the top 25 senior prospects

Rk.   Name                Ht.    Town/High school (college)

 1.   Donnell Harvey      6-8    Cuthbert, Ga./Randolph-Clay
 2.   Jason Parker        6-8    Charlotte, N.C./Nest Charlotte
 3.   Carlos Boozer       6-9    Juneau, Alaska/Douglas
 4.   Brian Cook          6-11   Lincoln, III./Lincoln Community
                                  (Illinois)
 5.   Marvin Stone        6-11   Huntsville, Ala./Grissom
                                  (Kentucky)
 6.   Leon Smith          6-10   Chicago/Martin Luther King
 7.   Ron Slay            6-8    Mouth of Wilson, Va./Oak Hill
                                  Academy (Tennessee)
 8.   Jonathan Bender     6-11   Picayune, Miss./Picayune
                                  (Mississippi State)
 9.   Travis Watson       6-8    Mouth of Wilson, Va./Oak Hill
                                  Academy (Virginia)
10.   Nick Collison       6-9    Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls
                                  (Kansas)
11.   Andrew Gooden       6-10   El Cerrito, Calif./El Cerrito
                                  (Kansas)
12.   Matt Bonner         6-9    Concord, N.H./Concord (Florida)
13.   Kenny Walker        6-9    Jacksonville, Fla./Wolfson
                                  (Alabama)
14.   Mike Bauer          6-8    Hastings, Minn./Hastings
                                  (Minnesota)
15.   Justin Davis        6-9    Alameda, Calif./St. Joseph Notre
                                  Dame
16.   Stephane Pelle      6-9    Mercersburg, Pa./Mercersburg
                                  Academy (Colorado)
17.   Leland Anderson     6-9    Attelboro, Mass./Attelboro
                                  (Michigan)
18.   Ricky Wright        6-7    East Chicago, Ind./Central
                                  (Villanova)
19.   Jeffrey Newton      6-9    Atlanta/Benjamin Mays (Indiana)
20.   Jonathan Oden       6-9    Phoenix/Carl Hayden (DePaul)
21.   Carl Baker          6-8    Palestine, Ark./Palestine-Wheatley
                                  (Arkansas)
22.   Nick Horvath        6-10   Arden Hills, Minn./Mounds View
                                  (Duke)
23.   Erwin Dudley        6-8    Uniontown, Ala./Robert C. Hatch
                                  (Alabama)
24.   Andre Williams      6-9    Pittsfield, Maine/Maine Central
                                  Inst. (Oklahoma St.)
25.   Courtland Freeman   6-9    Socastee, S.C./Socastee
                                  (Georgetown)

Note: Brick Oettinger is the recruiting analyst for Prep Stars Recruiters Handbook and ACC Area Sports Journal For more information, call 800-447-7667.

Nation's top three power forwards yet to sign

In the prep class of 1999, only the small forward position is as deep in talent as power forward. In fact, at least eight of the nation's top 20 senior prospects are power forwards. And most important for college coaches who need to land a bluechipper at that position, the three best are available.

We're referring to Georgia southpaw Donnell Harvey, a sensational rebounder/rejector who is working hard to improve his suspect jump shot; 260-pound inside force Jason Parker, a North Carolinian who passes as superbly as he scores around the hoop; and Alaskan Carlos Boozer, an outstanding prospect whose academic credentials also are impressive. Harvey and Parker, as well as some other highly-regarded power forwards (such as Leon Smith from Chicago), reportedly still are seeking to qualify academically for collegiate freshman eligibility.

Although Smith and fast-rising Californian Justin Davis also have not chosen their destination, the rest of the top 25 senior power forwards signed binding letters of intent in November, with two from our list headed to Kansas (Andrew Gooden also can play center) and two bound for Alabama, where Kenny Walker can be used at center as well.

Famed Oak Hill Academy provides two of the best 10 power forwards in Ron Slay and powerful lefthander Travis Watson. Among other elite seniors at this position, Illinois signee Brian Cook, Kentucky signee Marvin Stone, Mississippi State-bound Jonathan Bender and Florida signee Matt Bonner all are versatile players, although Stone has had a somewhat disappointing senior season. Bonner is a tremendous 3-point shooter as well.

Among the power forwards who narrowly missed the top 25 are 6-10 Tahj Holden, a Maryland signee from Little River (N.J.) Red Bank Regional; 6-8 Vincent Hart of Gary, Ind., bound for St. Louis; 6-7 Antonio Meeking, a Louisiana Tech signee from Farmerville (La.) High; and 6-7, Texas-bound William Wyatt of Grand Prairie (Texas) South Grand Prairie. Others: 6-8 Aloysius Anagonye of Detroit St. Martin DePorres, Michigan State; 6-7 Alonzo Lane of Canton (Miss.) High, Mississippi State; and 6-8 Greg Morton, a Seton Hall signee from Bronx (N.Y.) St. Raymond's.