Rob Long: Terps' Basketball Recruitment Shopping List
If you watched the Maryland Terps lose to the West Virginia Mountaineers on Sunday night you clearly noticed the glaring weakness for Mark Turgeon's team. Outside of Melo Trimble, the Terps seriously lack ball handlers. Bob Huggins exploited that with his pressure defense throughout the night. At times, the Terps were able to beat the press but Huggins and company knew they could eventually force enough turnovers to get to the round of 16.
The Terps have already addressed that with the 2015-16 addition of Jaylen Brantley. The junior college transfer will have three years of eligibility remaining when he arrives at College Park. Brantley, according to Keith Cavanaugh of the Terrapin Times, will allow Trimble to play off the ball more as well as put another ball handler on the floor. Something that's needed badly if you watched Sunday.
The Terps also need a true big man. They have big guys, but not a "true" big man. They need a presence in the middle and they are hoping to land the 6'10", 246 pound center Diamond Stone from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's been reported that Stone is considering Wisconsin, Maryland and UConn. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
Overall, this was a good year for Mark Turgeon's team as they finished at 28-7 in their inaugural year in the Big Ten Conference. While the sting of not making it to the round of 16 is still fresh, it looks like the arrow is pointed up for the Terps.
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