College Tracking: Class of 2016
Let’s take a look back at the 2016 class and see how the top 20 prospects in the class played this past season in college!
Charlie Moore (Morgan Park – Kansas)
Moore transferred last spring to Kansas from Cal. He sat out this season after averaging 12.2 points per game and 3.5 dimes as a freshman in the Pac 12. Look for him to step in for Devonte Graham next season.
Zack Norvell (Simeon – Gonzaga)
12.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.4 APG
On a team that has about five players average around 10-12 points per game Norvell fit right in as a redshirt freshman. The lefty sniper shot 47% from the field in the regular season. Norvell should see his game continue to evolve into a go to weapon for the Zags.
Nick Rakocevic (St. Joseph’s – USC)
8.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Rakocevic played around 20 minutes a game for the Trojans backing up and playing alongside their star Chimenzie Metu. With Metu out in the NIT Rakocevic went for 24 points and 19 boards for USC in their first round game. Could be a sign of things to come.
Barret Benson (Hinsdale South – Northwestern)
1.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG
Not quite the jump we were expecting out of the talented low post presence. He averaged only 9.6 minutes per game, but when given a bigger opportunity late in the season he produced against Iowa and Penn State.
Isaiah Roby (Dixon – Nebaska)
8.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.7 APG
Roby came on very strong toward the end of the season for the Cornhuskers averaging 13+ points per game and 8+ boards over his last seven regular season and Big 10 tournament games. Contributing in a variety of areas. Look for a breakout season next year.
Justin Pierce (Glenbard West – William & Mary)
14.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.4 APG
Pierce was one of my favorite players in this class and he had a big sophomore season. The wing scorer had eight games over 20 points including a pair of 30+ outings. Pierce has conference player of the year potential.
Devin Gage (Curie – DePaul)
5.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 2.8 APG
A ruptured achilles in his right foot cost Gage the majority of his sophomore season.
Nick Robinson (Kenwood – St. Joseph’s)
7.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.5 APG
Robinson saw a big bump in his field goal percentage this year along with an increase in most of his categories.
Mike Smith (Fenwick – Columbia)
17.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 4.6 APG
Smith was a player that I was a big fan of and couldn’t understand why more schools didn’t recruit him. He was a stud this year in the Ivy League going over 20 points on eleven occasions.
Nate Kennell (Metamora – Bradley)
9.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.8 APG
The perimeter shooting threat averaged over two makes a game from beyond the arc including 7-9 in a game against Indiana State where he had 25 points. The production was very hit and miss throughout the season.
Lorenzo Edwards (Lake Forest – St. Joseph’s)
1.7 PPG, 2.1 RPG
Not a great sophomore season for Edwards only playing 8.7 minutes per game. Didn’t have a bump in production from his freshman season.
Antonio Williams (Proviso East – Indian Hills CC)
9.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.1 APG
The athletic wing is garnering interest from four year colleges after a strong junior college season where he shot 53% from the field and 35% from three.
Tarkus Ferguson (Cahokia – UIC)
9.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.3 APG
Ferguson has been a nice get for UIC the last two seasons. Stuffs the stat sheet and closed strong with 23 points against UW-Milwaukee.
James Jones (Bogan – Buffalo)
Did not play this past season and is transferring from Buffalo. Averaged 1.8 points per game as a freshman.
Jacob Cushing (Neuqua Valley – Delaware)
3.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Cushing is an angular wing that was looked as a shooting threat from deep out of the prep ranks. Struggled this year connecting on only 27% from deep.
Loudon Love (Geneva – Wright State)
12.9 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.0 BPG
This was a player that I pounded on the table for more colleges to recruit. Most thought he would play football. After a knee injury he sat out his high school senior season and college freshman season. He has lost a ton of weight and is posting huge numbers shooting 53% as a redshirt freshman. Conference player of year potential.
Brendon Gooch (Belleville Althoff – SIU)
0.9 PPG, 1.4 RPG
Gooch redshirted his first year and didn’t see much game time as a freshman this year playing only 5.5 minutes per game.
Zion Morgan (Kenwood – Wabash Valley CC)
Morgan committed to UNLV out of high school where he spent his freshman season. Transferred to Wabash CC, but sat out this year with an injury. He is expected to be back there next season.
Tommy Lucca (Genoa Kingston – Michigan Tech)
15.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.6 APG
Never quite understood why this creative and playmaking guard didn’t get more attention at the low-major level. He is excelling at the D2 level where he shot 40% from the field as a sophomore.
Matt Chastain (LeRoy – Illinois State)
Committed to Loyola out of high school where he averaged 3.7 points per game. Transferred to Illinois State and did not play this year.