hoops

Michigan secured a second 2021 pledge on Monday when 3star big Will Tschetter announced a commitment. Full analysis, film and projection in the Hello Post. In addition to adding Tschetter, the Wolverines made the first cut for another 5star and may very well end up with a third commitment in as many weeks.

Kobe Bufkin Set to Announce Friday

... pic.twitter.com/S9H9chcjTk

— Kobe Bufkin (@kb33zy_04) July 7, 2020

4star wing Kobe Bufkin announced a final 5 yesterday of Michigan, DePaul, LSU, Ohio State and Michigan State.

I’ve been ahead of the curve on this recruitment since the beginning and Michigan is in strong position here. Despite inclusion within the aforementioned final 5, Michigan State is not a factor here and hasn’t been. Ohio State came in late and wasn’t able to make up enough ground. DePaul and LSU are the other serious options, with DePaul having the longest relationship and LSU making a strong push recently.

I’m not into guarantees and gut feelings (see one Josh Christopher), but barring a last-minute change of heart, I fully expect Kobe Bufkin to announce for Michigan on Friday. I’ve confirmed with multiple sources that are very close to the situation.

[After THE JUMP: This week’s edition of we want 5-stars!]

Michigan secured its first pledge for the 2021 class, when Simeon HS (IL) wing Isaiah Barnes announced his commitment via twitter. While this came seemingly came out of nowhere, it is an outstanding pickup that hopefully sets things in motion for what has the potential to be a monster class.

GURU RANKINGS

For a prospect that is relatively new to the national scene, there is not much variation on where he sits in the landscape. Barnes comes in as a low/mid four-star type to all four services, with consensus agreement on the 180 pound weight and an even split between as to whether he is 6’5 or 6’6. Again, Isaiah has flown largely under the radar until the Spring, so there are no recent measurement to report. My eye test says he’s probably closer to 190 now and I’m going with 6’6 because it makes me feel better.

Note – I haven’t taken up the task of individual player rankings this season with no AAU events that provide me with evaluation opportunities against legit competition on a relatively level playing field. I am comfortable issuing a general star ranking/tiered structure as indicated above. In more simplistic terminology, I’d probably have Barnes in the 65-85 range overall pending more detailed live viewings.

[After THE JUMP: Scouting, etc.]

In Michigan's win over Rutgers the other night, Ignas Brazdeikis had one of his best games as a Wolverine. Even though he had to defend the physical (and much bigger) Eugene Omoruyi all game, Iggy scored efficiently, putting up 23 points against Omorouyi, Rutgers's top defender. He knocked down five threes, a season-high. Rutgers clearly wanted to isolate Iggy in the post and did so frequently. Over a quarter of Rutgers's possessions ended with an Omoruyi shot, free throw, or turnover, and many of those were post-ups on Iggy.

Michigan was a little more creative in trying to attack the matchup at the four. Iggy, more of a miscast wing, and Omoruyi, a traditional power forward, each had strengths and weaknesses relative to each other. Iggy got a variety of looks: spotting up and either shooting or driving against the closeout, a couple of ball screens with him as the ball-handler, and the 1-4 pick-and-pop. Michigan likes to have Isaiah Livers set a screen and then pop to the wing when he's playing the 4 or the 5, and they got Iggy some similar looks in this game against Omoruyi.

On this play, Michigan looks like they're going to run a Zavier Simpson - Jon Teske pick-and-roll.

Iggy comes to set another screen — a good one — after Teske settles towards the baseline.

Omoruyi has to contain Simpson and try to recover, but Iggy is open for three.

...and he airballs it.

[After THE JUMP: Iggy gets wide open threes, makes them.]