BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: SOUTH FLORIDA

Commitment Alert: Jordan Dumars, 6'6 F from Detroit Country Day

Projected 2008-2009 Roster:

Seniors: Mobalaji Ajayi (BF), Jesus Verdejo (G/F), Aris Williams (BF)

Juniors: Chris Howard (PG), Mike Mercer (G), Alejando Rivas-Sanchez (C)

Sophomores: Dominique Jones (SG)

Freshman: Dwan McMillan (PG), Eugene Teague (BF/C), Eladio Espinosa (F), Gaby Belardo (G), Teeng Akol (C), Augustus Gilchrist (C)

Early 2009 Commitment: Shaun Noriega (G), Jordan Dumars (F)

Another son of a highly visible basketball peronality is headed to the Big East. While Stan Heath spent time in the Michigan area, he became close with personnell of the Detroit Pistons, including Joe Dumars. Now, Joe Dumars' Son is set to Join Bulls (St. Petersburg Times) as a 2009 commitment as Jordan Dumars make a pledge to South Florida.

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Stan Heath reached back to his Michigan roots for the latest commitment for the Bulls as 6'6, 230 lb forward Jordan Dumars has made an oral commitment fo the USF program. Dumars is the son of former NBA star and current Piston executive Joe Dumars. Jordan Dumars attends Detroit Country Day School and had formed a close relationship with Stan Heath that began with the relationship between Heath and his father.

On paper, Dumars fills a position of need on the USF roster (small forward) and leaves Stan Heath and staff with one scholarship remaining for the class of 2009 as the Bulls have even scored for the class of 2009 earlier with North Port shooting guard Shaun Noriega. Of course, with how busy it has been with players coming and going from their program, that could very well change.

There has been many additions to the USF program this spring (Teeng Akol, Alejandro Rivas-Sanchez, Dwan McMillan, Eugene Teague, Eladio Espinosa and Gaby Belardo), but the seventh player to join the program this spring might be the most important. August Gilchrist, the highly regarded center from the class of 2007 out of Progressive Christian Academy in Maryland, announced over the weekend he will transfer to South Florida and be the player Stan Heath hopes to build his program around.

Gilchrist's story has been a long one, already. Even though he has yet to play a single college basketball game, Gilchrist has 'transferred' twice, once out of his originial letter of intent with Virginia Tech and now from Maryland. Gilchrist was not in school the fall semester of 2007 as he looked for a new home after being released from the Hokies. He settled on Maryland when he sat out the spring semester. However, he was unaware of the long-standing ACC rule that transfers within the conference not only had to sit out the year, per NCAA transfer rules, but in the ACC the inter-conference transfers lost that year of eligibility. That meant Gilchrist would only have 2 1/2 years to play when he became eligible this December.

Now that Gilchrist has picked South Florida, USF can apply for a waiver to see if Gilchrist could play this season. If granted, Gilchrist would get to play four years, a better bet might be a waiver that would allow him to play in the second semester, giving him 3 1/2 years to play, or, the NCAA will make him sit out the entire season, which would likely leave him with 3 1/2 years of eligbility beginning the 2009-2010 season. We will see how they rule...

The Bulls were needing immediate help in the class of 2008 with transfers of five players since the 2007-2008 season began. Guards Dante Curry, Aaron Holmes and Solomon Bozeman, along with forwards Ade Saaka and Orane Chin have all left the Bulls program to look for opportunities elsewhere.

Prior to adding Gilchrist, the Bulls also added Teeng Akol out of the IMG Academy. Akol still faces some work ahead of him to qualify. Another new face on next year's team will be Georgia transfer Mike Mercer, who will have 1 1/2 years of eligibility beginning this December.