Quick Hits: July 11, 2015

A variety of Terps basketball story lines in recent weeks regarding current and future players. We dive in to some of those topics in this July version of Quick Hits.

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Trimble Finalist for U.S. Pan Am Team

Maryland rising sophomore Melo Trimble is one of 16 finalists to represent team U.S.A. in the upcoming Pan Am games. Through four practices, the roster of hopefuls was cut from 21 to 16 and Trimble is on the verge of making the trip to Toronto.

Trimble is one of three players from the Big Ten Conference trying to make the team. Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes and Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine are also in the final 16. Terps coach Mark Turgeon is involved with the program, serving as a court coach during the training camp.

The final roster is expected to be announced on Sunday and Trimble should be on the team. The other point guards fighting for a roster spot and game minutes are Wichita State’s Fred Van Vleet and former NBA point guard Bobby Brown.

If all three are make the team, it will be interesting to see who starts and sees the majority of the minutes. Regardless of who starts, Trimble should see a lot of playing time for the team, who is being coached by Gonzaga head coach Mark Few.

The U.S. will begin group play on July 16 against Venezuela, who could be led by former Terps guard Greivis Vasquez.  

Terps Commit Cowan Shines at Under Armour Camp

Lead commitment for the Terps’ 2016 recruiting class Anthony Cowan participated in the in the Under Armour All-American Camp this past week. Cowan was one of the stars of the camp, finishing second in scoring with 22.7 point per game. His scoring average was only behind one of the Terps’ top targets, Markelle Fultz. Cowan also tied for the lead in assists with 8.7 assists per game and added 5.7 rebounds per game.

With his performance in the camp, Cowan caught the eyes of several analysts and scouts in attendance. ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla and Jeff Goodman were two of many who took to Twitter to express their thoughts on Cowan’s impressive play.

Cowan’s high school coach is former NBA and Texas guard T.J. Ford. The two played one-on-one during the camp and Cowan held his own.  Similar to Cowan, Ford was an undersized guard and was able to make it through college and into the NBA. Ford showed his eagerness to see Cowan with the Terps next season.

Rivals.com posted a couple videos of Cowan’s playing during the camp. The pair of videos show Cowan driving to the basket and dishing off for an assist.

Before the camp this week, Cowan was on the outside of ESPN’s Top 100 for the 2016 recruiting class. As the camp comes to an end, it is likely he will be moving up on the list.

Top Target Fultz Picks Up Offers

A potential prized recruit for the Terps is 5-star shooting guard Markelle Fultz. The rising DeMatha senior is the No. 21 player in the country according to 247sports and he received a pair of offers Thursday night at the Under Armour camp.

Kentucky has been considered a “dream school” for Fultz and head coach John Calipari was one of the coaches that offered. The second school the gave him an official offer was California.  These two offers are the most recent of 18 schools to offer Fultz, a list that includes Maryland, Louisville and Arizona.  

The Terps believe they have a shot at landing Fultz, especially after being able to nab Diamond Stone in the 2015 class. This is where a commitment like Stone looms large for the Terps, as it makes the program more appealing to top recruits since a previous top tier recruit has gone there. Though the Terps are in the picture, it is hard to imagine following his dream and going to Kentucky next year.

Fultz was another standout at the Under Armour All-American camp this week.  He showed the whole skillset to coaches, analysts, and scouts with his play.  Fultz showcased his offensive ability with the jumpshot and court vision on the fast break. If the Terps can somehow pull an upset and keep Fultz in state, the combo guard would be a huge addition for the Terps in 2016.

Keys for 2016 Recruiting Class

The 2015 season appears to be a promising one for the Terps as they have significant talent on the roster. With all of that talent, looms a strong possibility that it will all be gone after the season and leave the 2016 roster with several gaps.

Jake Layman and Rasheed Suliamon will depart as seniors after the season, then it is very possible that Diamond Stone and Melo Trimble will make the jump to the NBA. Depending on his production and play through the season, Robert Carter Jr. could also leave for the NBA. To keep up with the upward progression of the program, Turgeon will need to land another big time recruit (or two) in the 2016 class.

The most likely candidate appears to be Fultz, but a major need will be for the Terps to find a strong big man. With Cowan already in the fold to go along with Jared Nickens, Dion Wiley, and Jaylen Brantley, the Terps have plenty of guard depth. If Stone and Carter depart, the frontcourt offense will likely rely on the progression of Michael Cekovsky.

Turgeon will need to bring in a talent post player that can help continue the recent recruiting success. A steal for the Terps would be if they could swing No. 25 player in the class, center Udoka Azubuike. The Terps have given an offer, but they are competing against Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, and Florida State.

The Terps could also use help on the wing with an offensive playmaker at small forward. Wiley could develop as that player, but for additional depth the Terps have a pair of targets. No. 31 Mario Kegler and No. 37 Vance Jackson both have offers from Maryland, but it would take a strong push for the Terps to move up their lists.

It’s hard to look past the 2015 season because it looks so promising as the Terps are a national championship contender, but it could be one big year then done unless Turgeon does a lot of work for his 2016 class.