Drake Picks Up Pair of Perimeter Players

Drake University in Iowa picked up a pair of commitments this week -- one from a top Canadian guard prospect and another from an improving senior in the Baltimore/Washington metro area.

Jermaine Anderson, a 6-2, 180 pound point/combo guard from Eastern Commerce H.S. in Toronto, Ont., and Sean Tracy, a 6-4, 175 pound off guard from Bullis Prep in Potomac, Md., are the two players who have pledged to the Bulldog program.

The Insiders Report/Rivalshoops.com confirmed the commitments with Eastern Commerce Head Coach Jonathan Smith and Bullis Prep Head Coach Mike Hibbs.

Eastern Commerce suffered three of those losses at the Dell Curry Classic in Charlotte earlier this season, but Anderson managed to hold Latta superstar and North Carolina signee Raymond Felton to just 21 points, Smith said. That's impressive when one considers that Felton scored 40+ in both of his other games at the event.

On top of that, Anderson is a very clutch player who hit seven game winning shots last season and four this season.

Eastern Commerce is readying for the upcoming Provincial championships, which will feature the top teams in Ontario squaring off against each other for top dog honors.

Many scouts and coaches might have seen Anderson last month at the National Prep School Invitational, where he played with Ro Russell's Grass Roots program.

"A lot of people have recruited him as a one, or a two who can play some one," Coach Smith said. "He is able to get out and defend, he has great three point range, and he is a very good ball handler who can get to the hole and create other shots for people."

Smith added Anderson was regarded as the top point guard at the Nike Canada Camp last October, and he could get invited to play in the summer with the Canadian Junior National squad.

As for Tracy (pictured right), he is a bit of a sleeper who impressed the Insiders Report/Rivalshoops.com with his potential at the Slam Dunk to the Beach in late December.

A long and lanky swingman/off guard, Tracy leaked out effectively in transition and sported a nice midrange perimeter game at the Slam Dunk.

On top of all that, he's an excellent student, who according to Hibbs boasts a 3.5 GPA and 1000+ SAT score.

Central Connecticut, Princeton, Hartford, New Hampshire, Wichita State and Robert Morris were some of the other schools who had been involved with Tracy this winter.

As for Anderson, he is also a solid student and is expected to qualify under NCAA initial eligibility guidelines for incoming freshmen.

Both Tracy and Anderson could combine to form Drake's backcourt of the future.

The two players are expected to sign national letters of intent with the Bulldog program during the late signing period, which begins in April and ends in May.