Wednesday, September 5, 2001

Tubbs expects recruits to cover needs
The departure of four seniors from a season ago leaves the door open for this year’s class to step in and make immediate contributions
By Matt Stiver
Skiff Staff

More than just the men’s basketball season ended following a 99-79 loss to Hawai’i in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. The loss also ended the careers of four seniors.

Helping ease the transition will be the five recruits signed during the spring and summer.

Head coach Billy Tubbs said he was pleased with the class.

“They will set the foundation for TCU basketball in the future,” Tubbs said.

The 2001 class consists of junior college transfers Alan Blount and Jamal Brown and freshmen Brian Carter, Corey Santee and Marcus Sloan.

The recruits arrive with a list of awards. Santee was named the No. 1 point guard in Michigan by Prep Spotlight Magazine, while The Sporting News tabbed Sloan as one of the Top 100 players in the nation and also named Carter one of the Top 25 centers.

More than just powers of persuasion helped sign the recruits. Both players and coaches said TCU’s move to Conference USA proved influential.

“It opened doors that were closed to us in the past,” Tubbs said. “We were able to get some freshmen who maybe wouldn’t have been attracted to TCU if were still in the WAC.”

Brown said the move to C-USA affected his decision.

“(C-USA) is one of the top basketball conferences,” Brown said. “I wanted to be in it.”

The Frogs lost their leading scorer (Ryan Carroll), rebounder (Derrick Davenport) assist man (Thomas McTyer) to graduation. Tubbs said the strength of the class is the weaknesses they will help fill.

“There wasn’t any one guy who it was like, ‘My God, we have to have this one,’” Tubbs said. “We had a need at point guard. Santee fills that. We need inside offense, and Brown fills that void. The thing is they fill our needs.”

Decisions on possible redshirts will be made after practice begins Oct. 13. Last season, decisions on redshirts for Corey Valsin and James Smith were made after practice began. Redshirt players practice with the team, but cannot participate in games.

“Everyone will be treated as if they will play,” Tubbs said. “I like the idea that players make their own way.”

That three of the recruits arrive from high school provides another benefit, Tubbs said. True freshmen have four years of varsity eligibility, whereas transfers have only two.

Starting in 1997, TCU started recruiting heavily from the junior college ranks. Mike Jones, Malcom Johnson, Lee Nailon and Marquise Gainous, key parts of three consecutive 1997-1999 postseason trips, all arrived via the junior college circuit.
“There’s no question that everyone wants freshmen,” Tubbs said. “The foundation of any program is freshmen.”

Despite the group’s list of accomplishments, Tubbs said one thing impressed him most of all.

“I think what we have here is a good group of people,” Tubbs said. “They’re good academically, and I think they’ll be responsible, reliable people.”

Matt Stiver
m.r.stiver@student.tcu.edu