Rankings & School Lists Select Item - Class Of - 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009 2009JC 2008 2008JC 2007 2007JC 2006 2006JC 2005 2005JC 2004 2003 2003JC 2002 2002JC 2001 2001JC      Harrison Barnes holds a commanding lead for the 2010 class. Check out our top-10 player rankings from the past. You'll recognize these names. Program Profiles Select Item HotList U      TimeTravel: 1980 Top Recruiting Classes Parade of Programs: Conference breakdown from the Recruiter's Handbook Video Exclusives Select Item NCAA Calendar      Event Calendar: PrepStars.com features a comprehensive event calendar, courtesy of the NCAA

COOKING IN BLACKSBURG

By Rob Harrington
robharrington@prepstars.com
October 8, 2003

First-year Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg hasn't yet tasted the Big East wars with his Hokies, but he already has landed his first recruit as an ACC head man.

As expected, Suffolk (VA) Nansemond River 6-3 PG Marquie Cooke pledged for the Hokies Wednesday afternoon over co-finalist Clemson. Cooke is the first player to commit to Tech since the announcement of the conference reshuffling that will send the Hokies to the ACC next year.

Cooke's coach at Nansemond River, Franklin Chatman, feels that the Hokies are getting a true leader at a critical position.

"I think Marquie is going to be a great college player and will step on campus and play right away," Chatman told PrepStars.com. "He has unbelievable leadership skills. People look at his scoring, but he's one of the best leaders I have been around and is one of those kids that will push others to make them better and improve himself at the same time."

Cooke, who averaged 23.5 points, 8.3 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 3.1 steals a game last year, selected the Hokies over co-finalist Clemson, Charlotte and VCU.

Chatman said that the ACC played a role in Cooke's decision, as did the comfort level that he felt with the Hokies' coaching staff.

"I think that Virginia Tech being in the ACC made him (Cooke) take a better look at them, and he always wanted to play in the ACC," Chatman said. "He really got along with Coach Greenberg and developed a good relationship there, and really liked the whole staff."

MORE COMMITMENTS

Clemson may have missed on Cooke, but the Tigers scored with James Mays, a 6-8 BF/WF from Garner (NC) High, who picked Clemson over South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Virginia.

Mays has the versatility to play either the four or three spots for the Tigers, although he'll need to get stronger for the post and improve his dribbling for the wing. Still, he's a good athlete who's quick off the floor and improved his offense.

Colorado picked up a smooth shooter in Richard Roby, a 6-6 WF/WG at Groton (MA) Lawrence Academy.

Roby picked the Buffaloes over Iowa State and Virginia Tech. Like Mays, he needs to add weight, but he's very savvy and played very well -- especially early in the week -- at this past summer's ABCD Camp.

Michigan State picked up a blue collar insider in Goran Suton, a burly 6-9 C from Lansing (MI) Everett, who chose the Spartans over interest from Arizona State, LSU, Dayton and others.

Suton won't be the most athletic or skilled player in Tom Izzo's lineup, but he's big body who works very hard and improved dramatically from the spring through the end of the summer.

Developing 6-8 BF Sean Williams has pledged to Boston College. Williams, a product of Arlington (TX) Mansfield, at one time planned to attend prep school and join the Class of 2005, but solid play during the summer lured solid scholarship offers. Williams chose the Eagles over Rutgers and Texas.

Marcel Jones pledged to Oregon State. The 6-5 WF from Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei is a slender shooter who picked the Beavers after Oregon received a pledge from TX WG/WF Chamberlain Oguchi. Jones needs to get stronger but is a capable scorer who can heat up from deep.

Villanova got a junior commitment from Shane Clark, a slender 6-8 forward from Philadelphia (PA) Cardinal Dougherty. Clark is a promising talent in his own right, and the Wildcats hope to add an even bigger fish, PG Kyle Lowry, a top-50 senior who is Clark's high school teammate.

NOTES

Top-40 WG Jason Rich will announce for Florida State or Kentucky on Thursday. ... With Oklahoma out of the picture for Charles Thomas, Florida State could be tough to beat. Georgia and Arkansas are trying to upset that balance. ... Athletic wing Shane Foster has narrowed his list of schools to Vanderbilt, LSU and Georgetown. ... Mobile big man Joakim Noah will announce Saturday for Florida, Villanova or Maryland. ...