The A-10 is looking pretty good. The following verbals have been received for 2006 and 2007 (includes class ranking by Rivals):
Charlotte
2006 - Cameron Tatum #140
2007 - Michael Beasley #3
Dayton
2007 - Chris Wright #29
UMass
2005 - Tiki Mayben #57 (non-qualifier sitting out 2005-06)
Saint Joseph’s
2006 - Jawan Carter #129
Temple
2006 - Luis Guzman #138
Xavier
2007 - Nate Miles #32
I’d say that the A10 is about 2-3 years away from becoming a top 6 league. The caliber of coaching is good in the upper-echelon teams, and the lower-level teams are continually improving.
St. Louis and Richmond are the only teams I can think of that could be continually bad like how ECU and Southern Miss were in CUSA.
Actually, Richmond is looking okay. Mooney made a wise decision to not bring in guys this season who were probably not A-10 caliber players and instead has concentrated on the 2006 class, for which he has already received four verbal commitments.
As far as Saint Louis, the Billikens have a keeper in Tommie Liddell (starting PG on last season’s Hargrave Military Academy squad) and another good one in Kevin Lisch, both of whom could start as freshman this season (Liddell will for certain). Still, to expect them to lead SLU in 2005-06 may be asking too much. Certainly something to build on, though.
BTW, there are those of us who can remember when Southern Miss had a pretty decent team. C-USA regular season co-champs in 2000 and won the NIT in 1987. Also produced 1992 NBA lottery pick Clarence Witherspoon.
Ahhhh…Spoon!!!
Richmond recieved a commitment from Stephen Kendall a 6’3" SHooting Guard who had originally committed to UVA. He is currently playing at Hargrave.
UD picked up Devin Searcy (PF, 6’9’’, 205 lbs.). We have one more scholarship to give for 2007, and it will most likely go to a PG or a SG. In recent years, Gregory seems to be going for very athletic players who are not heralded shooters. This is especially true of both Searcy and Chris Wright of 2007. Searcy averaged 12.5pts, 8.5rbs, 2.7 blks his junior year.
I think that Nate Miles backed out of his commitment to Xavier as well.
Xavier has gotten a verbal from 6-5 SG Dante Jackson of Greenfield, OH.
Rivals.com: Jackson makes his choice official
On the Rivals top 150 for the class of 2007, that gives the A-10 3 recruits so far:
#118 Kenyon Harmon - Charlotte
#120 Chris Wright - Dayton
#148 Dante Jackson - Xavier
Xavier has gotten a verbal from 6-5 SG Dante Jackson of Greenfield, OH.Rivals.com: Jackson makes his choice official
On the Rivals top 150 for the class of 2007, that gives the A-10 3 recruits so far:
#118 Kenyon Harmon - Charlotte
#120 Chris Wright - Dayton
#148 Dante Jackson - Xavier
wow…that sucks
In reading Lefty’s update on the Rivals top 150, Wright and Jackson certainly shot up the list into the top 100…
#68 Chris Wright - Dayton (from #120)
#81 Dante Jackson - Xavier (from #148)
BTW, Nate Miles was reclassified to 2008, but Xavier doesn’t seem to be on his radar anymore.
In reading Lefty's update on the Rivals top 150, Wright and Jackson certainly shot up the list into the top 100...#68 Chris Wright - Dayton (from #120)
#81 Dante Jackson - Xavier (from #148)
BTW, Nate Miles was reclassified to 2008, but Xavier doesn’t seem to be on his radar anymore.
wow…that’s better 
Oops…there are 2 Chris Wrights on the list and the one who has committed to Dayton is actually #49!
BTW, went through the entire list to see which uncommitted players have A-10 schools on their lists of “schools in the running”:
#24 Solomon Alabi - St. Joe’s
#41 Tracy Smith - Charlotte
#53 Jeff Teague - Dayton, Xavier
#66 Jeff Jones - Charlotte
#71 Matt Howard - Dayton, Xavier
#72 Jon Leuer - Saint Louis
#104 Dorenzo Hudson - Charlotte
#120 Manuel Cass - Xavier
#123 Gary McGhee - Dayton, Xavier
#127 DeJuan Blair - Duquesne, Xavier
#133 - Kenton Walker - Fordham
#140 - Chris Barnes - Charlotte
#143 - Josh Owens - GW
#145 - Idris Hilliard - St. Joe’s
That looks pretty good for A-10 recruiting. Also with two guys already in the top 60.
Compared to last year where we were the only team to have a player in the top 150 in David Booker at #139. Also we could have the number #106 player in Phil Jones, will wait and see on that one.
Man if Xavier can get another 1 or 2 guys on that list they are going to be down right scary for years to come. Dayton also seems to be getting in the mix for some big names
[QUOTE=Basden05;184251]Compared to last year where we were the only team to have a player in the top 150 in David Booker at #139.[/QUOTE]
Rhode Island signed #123 prospect Delroy James, 6-7/200 lbs. F out of Brooklyn who spent last year at Laurinburg Prep.
Two who were on the 2006 list at one time (but not the final) will play in the A-10 – Jawan Carter at St. Joe’s and Luis Guzman at Temple.
From the 2005 list, #57 Tiki Mayben, a non-qualifier who sat out last season, will suit up for UMass this year.
Rivals Top 150 of the 2006 Class who signed with the A-10:
#106 Phil Jones - Charlotte
#123 Delroy James - Rhode Island
#139 David Booker - Charlotte
BTW, Jones and James were teammates at Laurinburg Prep.
GO NINERS! GO A-10!
St. Joe’s gets a verbal from #145 Idris Hilliard:
[b]Hun School forward Hilliard picks Saint Joseph’s over Rutgers
Rivals Top 150 - #145 Idris Hilliard[/b]
A-10 Rivals top 150 class of 2007 (as of 9/27/06)
#49 Chris Wright - Dayton
#81 Dante Jackson - Xavier
#145 Idris Hilliard - Saint Joseph’s
I thought we had at least 2, if not 3 guys (Wilderness, Harmon, Gaby) in somebody’s Top 150? No?
[QUOTE=max;189916]I thought we had at least 2, if not 3 guys (Wilderness, Harmon, Gaby) in somebody’s Top 150? No?[/QUOTE]
Max, Harmon was on the list back in August (#118), but he dropped off this latest one.