Signing day has come and gone without the drama football signing day brings. Few players remain on the top 150 list, but there still is talent available. In this week's abbreviated version of Fastbreak Friday, we take a look back at the week that really wasn't.
Signing period provides little drama
The early signing period didn't have the drama like it could have. Darrell Arthur, Lance Thomas and Jason Bennett, the three best players still on the board, remained unsigned.
With the exception of Doneal Mack and Bryan Davis, there wasn't a lot of movement in the Rivals150 at all during the early signing period. However, Mack and Davis are huge gets for Florida and Texas A&M, respectively.
Mack, an athletic perimeter scorer, fits Florida's style of play to a T. The 6-foot-5, 170-pound prospect from Statesville (N.C.) Christian went under the radar this summer despite his outstanding shooting touch and ability to run the floor. Just hours after sending in his LOI he dropped in 42 points in a day's work.
The Gators got a good one in Mack. Pair him with Memphis native Brandon Powell and you have one of the best 1-2 perimeter punches coming into the SEC next year. Billy Donovan and his staff put their shoulders to the wheel on this one. Virginia Tech was the first high-major school to really turn up the heat on Mack and looked to be in the driver's seat on this one. However, as recruiting usually goes, the Gators were able to make up a lot of ground to secure the commitment.
Davis, the No. 47 ranked player in the country, is a major get for Billy Gillespie and his staff at Texas A&M. The 6-foot-8 forward from Grand Prairie (Texas) High School was one of the best big men still on the board going into the late signing period. At one point, Davis had the likes of Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Kansas and North Carolina sniffing around.
Much like Kevin Rogers, a current Baylor freshman, Davis decided to stay close to home for his college ball despite the interest from several of college basketball's elite programs. When at the top of his game, Davis is one of the best interior defenders in the country. Pair him with Joseph Jones, one of the best forwards in the Big 12 and a huge recruiting coup for A&M, and you have yourself a dandy duo on the blocks.
Rogers capped off a stellar class for the Aggies. He's joined by Donald Sloan, Derrick Roland, Bryan Beasley and Joseph Fulce.
The Texas A&M basketball recruiting budget was spared this year, too. All of the A&M signees are homegrown products. There is a new excitement in the air in College Station. Perhaps the Dixie Chicken won't be as busy next winter on basketball game day.
Quick Hitters
Clemson fans need to start getting excited about 2007 commitment LaRon Dendy. The athletic small forward is now in Florida at the prestigious IMG Academy. On Wednesday night, he scored 28 points and pulled down 16 rebounds in his season debut. Take into consideration that 5-star 7-footer John Kreft, a Florida State signee, is no longer at the school and that's a big-time showing by Dendy. Kreft returned to his former school Stoneman-Douglas, according to a source.
Cincinnati's Harmony Prep head coach Travis McAvene informed Rivals.com that his squad broke a city record in scoring on Wednesday with a 144-80 victory over New Creations (Ind.), his former team. Harmony may not be playing this weekend in Rhode Island but you better believe that they are one of the top prep schools in the country.
On the road again
Rivals.com is back on the recruiting trail and found our way to Providence, R.I., for the National Prep School Tip-Off Showcase. With a schedule loaded with big time match-ups, the showcase should set the tone for this year's high school basketball season.
Any time you have guys like Paul Harris of Notre Dame Prep (Mass.) going head-to-head with the Patterson School's (N.C.) Davon Jefferson, you know the bar is raised. Word is NBA scouts are making their way to the Ocean State to get a look at both guys. Perhaps they missed the memo that said NBA scouts are supposed to stay away from high school gyms.
Coming next week
Who is left? Coaches are asking each other that very question now that the early signing period is over and done with. With plenty of unsigned talent on hand at the National Prep School Tip-Off Showcase, Rivals.com will get a chance to see some of the best guys first-hand. There are still a number of talented players on the board but the age-old question is still trying to be answered, "Where can I find a point guard and/or a big man?" Find out who is left next week.