Best all-time BU basketball recruiting classes

[capecod]

A bit of a continuation of a couple of posts down the page-re best BU recruiting class....and yes I realize Reynolds was talking about ON PAPER BEFORE they've played a game and my list is in hindsight after their careers

NOTE: I put this together rather quickly-maybe a few mistakes...thanks in advance for any corrections

also: The classes with Tim Robinson (59-60), Willie Betts (64-65) and Danny Granger (01-02) aren't listed because these players didn't finished at BU

also no college transfers are listed with any class(Jim Les, Williams from Cincinnati,Kuberski from Illinois, Bobby West from Dartmouth etc)


#1 1984-85
Hersey Hawkins/Thomas/Trimpe/G Jones/Powell/Bertolni/Childs

#2 1958/59
Chet Walker/Ed Wodka/Mickey Tieman/Mack Herndon(came at mid-year)

#3 1947/48
Melchoire/Mann/Grover/Stowell

#4 1960/61
Joe Strawder/Lavern Tart/Rich Williams

#5 1955/56
BJ Mason/Joe Billy McDade/Gene Morse

#6 1979/80
Thirdkill(JC)/Reese/Ford (JC)/Robinson/Mathews

#7 1954/55
Barney Cable/Shellie McMillon/Curly Johnson

#8 2004/05
O'Bryant/Crouch/Ruffin/LWright/Bennett(JC)

#9 1978/79
Anderson/Thomas/Lindfers

#10 1963/64
Joe Allen(also could be listed w '64-65)/Campbell/ McNutt

#11 1992-93
D Jackson/Pollard(JC)/BWright/Bennett(JC)/Funches
probably belong higher but I did this quickly

#12 1965/66
LC Bowen/Cal Criddle/Al Smith

#13 1993/94
Parker/Zobrist/Burrell/Baptist

#14 2000/01
Gillingham/Gilbert/Faukner

#15 1962/63
Eddie Jackson/Ernie Thompson/Ron Martin
would have been through the roof w/ Walt Wesley who signed a MVC LOI

#16 1956/57
Mike Owens/ Dan Smith

#17 1950/51
Carney/Estergard/Riley/King
also belongs higher

#18 1970/71
Harrell/Reed/Shank/Pomatto/Klobucher/Pacey
undefeated frosh team-remember them fondly

#19 1988/89
X Houston/Bastock/Thurman JC
another one that belows higher-I'll have to rearrange these later

#20 ok I give up
you've got the following left:
Phegley and Humbles in 74-75
Caruthers and Greg Smith in 72/73
Voise Winters/Webster/Mines JC in 81/82
Winslow/ Kleine/Suchy in 91-92
Dye/Cage/Koita/Rigby in 96-97
Salley and Warren in 06-07
Sommerville (JC)/Taui (sp)/Rembert in 03/04
Simmons/Schultz in 68/69
Paul Unruh and others 46/47-probably top 10 w/ Unruh by himself

then there is the class I always harp on= 1961-62 where 7 frosh only lasted one semster: Van Roy Salter/Ed Moore/John Moore/Ray Banks/Rich Donley etc

[Buesch N Chips]

Hard to rank them without considering what they did while here. I would say the Winters and Webster class was much higher in terms of potential that where you have them ranked, IMO. Both of those guys were huge gets at the time.

[Da Coach]

I am not where I can do some research, but I am sure Sam Singh was also in that 2004 class with POB, and Daniel Ruffin was in the 2003 class with Sommerville (not in the 2004 class). I think DR graduated from Central in 2003.

[capecod]

The 1981/82 BU frosh class

Hard to rank them without considering what they did while here. I would say the Winters and Webster class was much higher in terms of potential that where you have them ranked, IMO. Both of those guys were huge gets at the time.

Well, I have to agree with you Buesch N Chips on that class. I regret that I put my list together rather quickly and should have taken a little more time (and thought) in putting together my rankings(although I think it's a fairly good 1st draft.

Speaking of rankings, the 81/82 Bradley Frosh class was ranked the 21st best in the Country by recruiting 'expert' Joe Terranova.

Here is the writeup on the Braves from his publication:

"Bradley #21(Note-Georgetown w/ Patrick Ewing was #1)

Controversial Dick Versace came up with his second outstanding recruiting class in the past three years. The gem in this year's group, though a mite unpolished is Voise Winters. The 6'6 Chicago native played in a weak league, but led the nation in scoring by averaging 40.6 ppg. He has all the tools. Ready to surprise the unsuspecting are 6'8 Pierre Cooper and 6'7 Anthony Webster. Depth will come from 6'2 Eddie Harris, 6'2 Adam Bostick and 6'8 Kerry Cook. This is Bradley's best recruiting class since Chet 'The Jet' Walker put Bradley on the basketball map."


too bad Terranova didn't know Bradley was on the 'basketball map' long before Chet showed up in Peoria-Joe was known more for his football recruiting booklets.


Voise was listed as a '4 star' Forward-ranked #8 in the country(behind two Georgetown recruits and Chris Mullin's of St Johns and Adrian Branch of Maryland and a few others)

Webster was a '2 star' forward

of note-Dan Duff of nearby Lincoln, Ill was the #12 ranked guard(he went to Notre Dame)...the #1 ranked guard was Michael Jordan

[Da Coach]

Also related to that 1981-82 class with Voise Winters- Voise was a steal for Dick Versace. He was a super high scoring high school player who had offers from DePaul and Marquette, who were both national powers then, as well as offers from other big time schools. But somehow Dick Versace lured him to Bradley.
But he was not even the best player in that recruiting class! If we are talking about potential, Pierre Cooper, who was also part of that class, was described by many who saw him play at a small private high school in Chicago (Luther South), and in practices at Bradley as possibly the best big man ever at Bradley. But unfortunately, fans never got to see him play for BU. He developed blood clots in his legs early in his freshman year, and went on blood thinners and redshirted his first year. After a year, doctors took him off the blood thinners and OK'ed him to start practicing again, and unfortunately the blood clots reoccurred. He was advised to go back on the blood thinners and never play basketball again.
He stayed at Bradley and graduated, but never competed. There was another very good player in that class, Eddie Harris, and great shooting guard from New York. However, grades and homesickness lead to him leaving Bradley after his freshman year. If Cooper had stayed healthy, if Webster had not flunked out, and if Harris stayed, that class might have been the best ever.

[Buesch N Chips]

He stayed at Bradley and graduated, but never competed.

Great move by Versace to keep him on scholarship for 4 years. He was honored on senior night, as well, if I remember correctly.

[Da Coach]

I think I do recall that. Pierre has been a successful businessman in Chicago, and more recently he has become a real estate agent.

Here is a link to an article from 1990 that tells more of Pierre's story-

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-03-23/sports/9001250171_1_athletes-playing-bradley-university

[Chico]

Great move by Versace to keep him on scholarship for 4 years. He was honored on senior night, as well, if I remember correctly.

I agree. Too bad too many people are so negative of the coach who turned the BU program around because of one disgruntled recruit. Often wonder where the program would be if the administration at that time had any guts.