6/2/2020 basketball Edit

Michigan Hoops Recruiting: New Offer Will Tschetter, Updated 2021 Hot Board

Chris Balas • Maize&BlueReview

Senior Editor

Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Juwan Howard continues to offer players in the 2021 class and beyond. Here's the latest ...

First, the most recent offer — Minnesota native Will Tschetter.

According to Rivals.com's Corey Evans, Tschetter "is the perfect new age forward that can play a variety of spots in the front court. He is a bouncy bodied four-man that has the ball skills to jump to the small forward position thanks to abilities in the open floor and shot creation in the half-court."

Stewartville High Schoo is located about a two-hour drive south of Minneapolis, and Tschetter is a two-sport athlete who also plays quarterback for his local high school. He averaged and eye-opening 34.5 points, 11 rebounds and three assists per game and was set to travel with the Minnesota Heat travel program and coach Willie Vang this year.

“Will is the definition of a stretch forward. He shot 45-percent from 3 this year but can also put it on the floor,” Vang said. “He has really improved his athleticism in the past year. Will has a 3.99 GPA and will be a great asset in the right college system for him.”

Evans reports Tschetter has already taken unofficial visits to Minnesota and Northern Iowa, and has spent a junior year official visit to North Dakota State. Prior to the pandemic, Tschetter had plans on taking official visits to Colorado State and Northern Iowa ... it appears that his recruitment is about to blow up. Minnesota and Nebraska recently offered, along with Arkansas.

The latest on the other 2021 offerees:

Rivals.com's Eric Bossi called Brizzi one of the players who could have shined in the live April evaluation period. He’s got legitimate range to 30 feet and averaged 20.3 points, 6.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game.

He also proved he was more than just a shooter, a self-described “scoring point guard who can shoot it off the dribble and off the catch from deep.” Michigan followed Villanova, LSU, Georgetown and Virginia Tech, among others, with an offer, and Kentucky and Northwestern followed.

“Teams like my shooting, but also when things break down, I’m a pretty good playmaker, good looking for my teammates,” Brizzi said. “One of the things coaches say they love is I’m a gritty point guard … will dive on the floor, things like that.”

He patterns his game after former Ohio State guard Aaron Craft, in fact, and still likes the OSU program.

“I know [Michigan fans] don’t want to hear that,” he said with a laugh.

But the Buckeyes aren’t in the mix, while U-M is. His father reached out and formed a relationship with Michigan assistant Phil Martelli when Martelli was still at St. Joseph, and it’s grown since.

“When he went to Michigan, he contacted me directly. We’ve been in touch since then,” Brizzi said. “I’ve always been talking to him, and I spoke with Coach Howard probably two or three weeks ago [in late April] for the first time on a Zoom call.”

That’s when he picked up his offer.

“Hopefully we can start taking visits again sometime soon,” Brizzi said. “Michigan will definitely be on the list.”

The five-star wing and former Michigan basketball summer camper (2018) has gone national. Evans calls him “arguably one of the most versatile prospects in his graduating 2021 class” and says, “thanks to his size, skillset and intangibles, he is a coveted recruit for the very best.”

Ingram recently narrowed his list to Michigan, Arkansas, Baylor, Louisville, Memphis, North Carolina, Purdue, Stanford, Tennessee and Texas A&M, noting, “each of them has something different that makes them special from the rest.”

He’s already visited Purdue, Stanford, Arkansas and UNC, and he said May 20 he hoped to visit Michigan again and Louisville before committing this fall.

“That would be ideal, but with Coronavirus I just don’t know when everything will be safe again,” he admitted.

Evans describes Ingram as best used on the ball as a giant playmaker.

“He has no issues creating his own offense in the half-court, and also for others,” he said. “He is as good of a scorer out of the low-post that he is from behind the arc and is lauded for his winning intangibles.”

He’s also an elite student, one of the reasons Purdue and Stanford are thought to be his leaders. Michigan is an elite institution as well, of course, so Howard could have a shot.

“My relationship with Coach Howard is still in the beginning stages, but we click, and our first conversation didn’t even have anything to do with basketball,” Ingram said. “I talk to him often and love the rest of the coaching staff.”

Michigan should have a shot here.

Allen holds offers from Florida, Miami, N.C. State, Villanova, Virginia and others after averaging 11.1 points per game last season for Maret School. He plays in the same AAU program as U-M 2020 signees and incoming freshmen Hunter Dickinson and Terrance Williams and can play multiple positions, which fits into the mold of player U-M head coach Juwan Howard has been looking for on the recruiting trail and in the transfer market this offseason.

U-M will likely receive a visit from Allen once he's allowed on the U-M campus. Watch for more on him in an article to come.

Weston also holds offers from Arizona State, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin and others. He averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds per game last season in the Chicago Public League, earning second-team IHSA Class 3A All-State honors. Last summer, he averaged 13.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game with the Mac Irvin Fire (same squad as 2020 signee Jace Howard) on the AAU circuit.

He can play multiple positions on the floor.

"It doesn't matter where you put me, I'm sill going to rebound, I'm still going to pass and score," Weston told Orange & Blue News recently. "Most schools are looking at me to play the two or three, though."

Illinois has been hot on the trail. He is looking at Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Woodstock Academy in Connecticut, and perennial power Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, NH for his final year.

"Right now I'm just trying to find out what's best for me," he said. "I don't have a top five or anything yet, but Illinois is definitely up there. "

Duke has a head start here, but others are definitely in the mix. From Evans:

"Bediako’s family and dad live in the midwest. It’s why Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State are so heavily involved. Alabama has invested a whole on him. But, you know, Duke was really the first big time school to offer and I think that reverberates with him somewhat still. Push comes to shove, I think Duke will be pretty hard to beat.

“Bediako is someone that there’s been talk about him maybe moving into 2020, and there still is, but it seems he’s pretty comfortable remaining in the 2021 class.”

He's an elite shot blocker on defense. On offense ...

"He’s a good feel scorer around the bucket," Evans said. "Kind of wants to play facing the basket a little too much. He can make shots to 20-feet, but he’s much more efficient and much more productive from 12-feet and in. Energy guy. Rim runner. Great defensively.

"When you talk about someone who is 6-foot-10, 6-foot-11 with a 7-5 wingspan or so, with instincts, timing and a motor, Bediako represents all of that.”

Warley has close ties to Michigan assistant Phil Martelli and received an offer within the last week. U-M should have a great shot here after a virtual visit that went well.

"I hadn't seen [Howard] face to face before. I had chatted over the phone a couple times with him, but it was good just to be able to see him visually, put faces with names, see the campus," Warley said.

Warley has long said a trustworthy coaching staff, a challenging schedule, a welcoming school community and a challenging academic environment would be high on his list of priorities, and U-M fits the bill.

It doesn't hurt, either, that his father and uncle both played with Martelli at St. Joseph, while his uncle coached with him there, as well.

"Most of what I heard about him wasn't even related to basketball, but the kind of guy he is," Warley praised. "My uncle said that was why he coached because with him; he knows what type of guy he is."

Warley is about to cut his list to 10, and U-M should be on it.

Our recent story: JALEN WARLEY TALKS VIRTUAL VISIT

Michigan offered Akins this winter, but Michigan State is recruiting him hard. He’s a good friend of 2021 MSU pledge and fellow Detroiter Pierre Brooks, and there’s been a lot of chatter that he’ll follow his friend to East Lansing.

“MSU is in an awesome spot and could be rather picky for who it pushes for filling its backcourt need,” Rivals.com’s Corey Evans said. “[Chicago area five-star] Max Christie is the better of the two prospects, but that is not said to slight Akins. Rather, it is more about addressing the idea of whether the Spartans want to hold Akins off from committing so it could get a better sense of where Christie sits before his fall commitment.”

Michigan is in on Christie, as well.

Akins saw U-M handle MSU in person this year, but he wants to bring his mother back to campus once things open back up. However, it appears Akins is leaning toward joining Brooks at MSU, and he didn’t deny he was very interested in that.

“I’m taking my time with my recruitment at the moment,” he said in early May. “Michigan is still in the mix … we are building up the relationship, [but] Pierre and I have a connection from playing travel ball together, so it could be fun playing with him. But nothing is final right now.”

Michigan recently offered the in-state standout, and there are rumblings the the family really likes U-M. He averaged 22 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while shooting 65 percent from floor and 34 percent from the three-point line to help Christian to a 20-2 record.

Bufkin has not yet been available to talk about his Michigan offer. Northwestern, DePaul, Rhode Island and TCU are among his other offers.

“Getting an offer from your hometown school is big,” Bufkin said when offered by MSU. “But at the end of the day, its another offer and you’ve got to treat them all the same.”

Improving his off-hand has been a focal point during Bufkin throughout his junior season at Christian.

“I am just trying to use it as much as I can," Bufkin said. "And then always trying improve my feel, during the past two years getting a better feel for the game."

Michigan first started recruiting Cleveland back in October, and the relationship has continued to progress. Head coach Juwan Howard offered the standout wing in May and is building the relationship.

Cleveland is one of the top scorers in the 2021 class. He averaged 22.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.9 steals a game this season for state-champion Pace Academy.

“I can play one through four,” Cleveland said when asked to describe his game. “I feel like I’m a high energy guard and a good leader who can knock down midrange shots.

“[Michigan] likes me on the perimeter in space where I’d be able to come off ball screens, create and also play off the ball ... put the ball in my hands.”

In short, he can do it all, one of the reasons he’s picked up dozens of offers. Kansas, Missouri, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Stanford, Miami, Maryland, Michigan, Louisville and others are on his short list, and he’s still got plenty of research to do before he narrows it again. He insists he’s wide open.

That includes a trip to Michigan after social distancing restrictions are eased.

“I talk to coach Howard almost every day, texts and phone calls,” Cleveland said. “He’s a sincere guy, really cares about what’s going on in my life.”

Christie has had virtual Zoom calls with Villanova, Virginia, Ohio State, Michigan State and Northwestern. U-M seems to have faced after offering last summer ... his mom went to Northwestern.

From Evans:

"For my recruitment, I plan to commit before my high school season starts next year," he said. "I plan to go into that without having any of the pressure and that I can just represent the school that I committed to whenever that time comes. I am still taking it slow and the recruiting process is getting towards the end but I am in no rush."

Any schools you feel you definitely want to see before doing that?

" Most of the schools that have contacted me like Villanova, Virginia, Duke and I still want to keep going to Michigan State, along with Northwestern and Ohio State," he said.

Holmgren recently picked up an offer and announced it on twitter. He's extremely thin for a seven-footer but he's unbelievably skilled.

"Definitely, Minnesota, Gonzaga, Georgetown, Memphis, UNC, Ohio State and then one or two others," Holmgren said of his list in mid-April. "I don’t know exactly what schools ... but I definitely am going to try and see Memphis, UNC, and get out to Georgetown again. From there, I would have figured out next year later on."

He's doing his best to stay in shape during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is supposed to be my last hoo-rah and it kind of just got dumped on," he said. "I tried to just go up to the park and play basketball because that gets my mind off everything, but then my parents wouldn’t let me do that since there is state lockdown so I have to stay at home.

"I still go out to the back and shoot and we have some weights in the basement, I lift down there, but other than that, it is pretty much eat, sleep and play video games, just because there is really nothing else you can do."

U-M faces an uphill battle to win out here.

A late-bloomer, Watson picked up early offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Maryland, Oregon, UCLA and USC and will likely start getting them from the “bluebloods” soon, Evans said. He broke out as a national-level type of prospect last July at the USA Basketball minicamp and averaged 23.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game this year ag Poly.

“He is all that a program looks for in a high-level wing-forward,” Evans said. “He possesses great length, ball skills for his size, the ability to play three different positions and he has great character.

“However … some programs haven’t had the chance to get a great look at since his emergence.”

Watson may also be one of those players that is hurt by the coronavirus travel ban, Evans added, noting he would likely have earned more high-profile offers on the spring AAU circuit.

“Unless he commits before the summer wraps up, I would be surprised if more national suitors don’t line up for Watson sooner rather than later,” Evans said.

Watson tweeted he was “blessed” to receive a Michigan offer in mid-May after a call with Howard, but the Wolverines are playing from behind a bit. It’s also hard to pull a kid from the West Coast.

“I think it’s possible,” Evans said. “But they’d really have to put in some work.”

Keels has already taken official visits to Ohio State and Virginia, and Michigan is playing from behind. From Rivals.com's Corey Evans:

Among the perceived leaders for Keels are Villanova and Virginia. He has already taken an official visit to UVA, and also took one to Ohio State in the fall. It is never a smart thing to underestimate the chances of Duke or North Carolina, both of which signed one of Keels' high school teammates last year (Jeremy Roach at Duke, Anthony Harris at UNC).

However, if someone like Michigan wants to enter the race, I can see Keels being willing to hear what Juwan Howard and his staff have to say. It might only help their cause further that Keels will have two travel teammates,

Hunter Dickinson and Terrance Williams, that will soon enroll at the Big Ten program.

I am not willing to bet against Duke, UNC, Villanova and Virginia, but Michigan could have a chance if it decides to place a priority on him in the coming months and Keels is willing to keep his recruitment open until the fall.

Hardy, a Michigan native, is elite ... and U-M is on his short list.

"Arizona, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon, Kentucky, Kansas, Memphis, Texas Tech and Michigan. Those are the ones that have been contacting me the most," he said in a recent interview. "I haven’t taken any [official visits] yet. I think that I am going to take some whenever all this clears up and take some with my brother.

"I think that I am going to take one to Michigan. I want to go back to where I am from so, I will definitely take one back there. Also, probably Arizona, Kentucky and Arizona State. My mom still lives [in Michigan], so with her being there, that is why I would think about going there and to play in front of my family because they are all still there, too."

He likes what he's seen from head coach Juwan Howard.

"He is doing good. He is a player’s coach, and I think a lot of players like him and he wins," he said. "He is going to push you and he is going to help develop you."

Barnes will likely earn a fourth star at some point in the near future — the absence of a spring AAU season has probably prevented it. He's earned scholarship offers from Kansas, TCU, Maryland, Iowa, St. Louis and now Wisconsin since March 26 and got his U-M offer on a Zoom call with Juwan Howard.

“Over this past season, a lot of the stuff that I did and a lot of my achievements were not talked about," Barnes told BadgerBlitz.com. "After coaches saw me or watched my film and talked to me, I began to start receiving offers.”

Illinois and Kansas seem to have gotten a head start for the 18-ppg scorer. Barnes also averaged seven rebounds.

He'll transfer high schools for the second time for his senior season, though he has yet to decide where.

Georgia appears to be a strong leader here, while Florida State is also recruiting him hard. Getting him on campus would be the first step for Michigan.

"He fits the modern day model for what you want out of a four man. When his jumper is falling he puts up huge scoring totals and is so versatile," Rivals reported. "He’ll always rebound the ball and has a nose for the rim."

He's denied rumors he'll go directly to the G-League. Arizona, USC, Michigan and UW-Milwaukee are involved, but he seems most likely to play at Georgia or FSU.

From Evans:

"I am not sure that there is five-star junior that is near his college commitment but one that is worth monitoring is Moussa Diabate, primarily because he has the chance of reclassifying into the 2020 class.

"A school list has yet to form with Diabate as more programs are jumping into the picture. Whether it is the in-state Florida program, Memphis, Michigan or even Kentucky, Diabate will be a nationally coveted prospect regardless of the year he chooses to enroll. My guess is, though, that the interest geared towards him this winter and spring ultimately tips Diabate into the 2020 class."

Baldwin's dad is the head coach at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and he's seriously considering playing there. Duke, Kansas and Kentucky are up there and he also likes Northwestern, where his dad played.

No recent mention of Michigan, including in this Q&A.

OFF THE BOARD

From Evans:

The top-rated prospect in the 2021 class, Jon Kuminga has taken the final step with his recruitment before coming to a decision for college. While rumors continue to swirl around a potential reclassification later this summer, Kuminga has cut his school list for the final time.

A 6-8 small forward prospect that just completed his junior season at The Patrick School in New Jersey, Kuminga has been a heavily recruited and prioritized prospect since his high school career began. On Friday, he decided to narrow his school list to a group of four that consists of Auburn, Duke, Kentucky, and Texas Tech, while the G-League is also a legitimate option in the fall.

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