Time to Cross Our Fingers with this Recruiting Roller Coaster

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What a week-and-a-half it’s been in Husky hoops! First, a teary goodbye to Elston Turner. Then, a we-hardly-knew-ya farewell to Clarence Trent. And, in the midst of it all, enough recruiting drama to fill the pool outside of Melrose Place.

Staff writer Craig Yamada takes a look at where the last 10 or so days have left the Huskies when it comes to their two most prized targets remaining on the board: Terrence Ross and Terrence Jones.

by Craig Yamada – Staff Writer

In case you missed this past week, let me get you caught up on the roller coaster known as UW recruiting:

  • 4/14: UW signs Aziz N’Diaye for the 2010 class
  • 4/15: Elston Turner Transfers, opening 1 scholarship for UW
  • 4/17: Josh Selby chooses Kansas
  • 4/17: Doron Lamb chooses Kentucky
  • 4/17: Terrence Jones drops 18 in a win for the West in the Jordan Brand Classic
  • 4/17: Terrence Jones claims he is visiting Kansas for an official visit
  • 4/18: Mike Anderson just says NO to UO coaching position opening
  • 4/19: CJ Leslie cancels his recruiting trip to Florida
  • 4/19: Rumors are spread about TJ’s mom claiming Kansas is not in the hunt
  • 4/19: Romar gets a 10-year extension on his contract
  • 4/20: Romar has an in-home visit with 6’7″ French forward Remi Barry in Los Angeles
  • 4/21: Coach Calipari cancels his trip to visit Ross and Jones to go visit a UK 2011 recruit
  • 4/21 (10:40AM): Clarence Trent Transfers to Seattle U, leaving two open scholarships for UW
  • 4/21 (11:00 AM): Terrence Ross announces on FB “he knows where he’s going to college.”
  • 4/21 (11:02 AM): Terrence Ross says he will announce on Sunday, 4/25
  • 4/21 (11:51 PM): Terrence Ross says he will announce on Monday, 4/26 instead
  • 4/22: Terrence Jones announced on Twitter he is announcing on Friday, 4/30

Out of breath reading this yet? No? Ok I’ll go on…

The first of many recruiting dominoes have already fallen. At the end of the day, these are the facts: UW has two scholarships available and Jones/Ross need two scholarships to play together.

Twitter me this, twitter me that. I have drafted this tweet for all of Dawg Nation, pending your approval of course.

@Terrence Jones/Terrence RossCan we book our tickets to Houston in 2011 or not?

The Final Four is 11 months away and I am holding my tickets on standby until I see some signed LOI’s. Let’s take a look on how we stand with each:

Terrence Ross – ESPN’s #30-ranked 2010 prospect

The Facts: Facebook is a wondrous invention and it proved so when Terrence Ross, the highly touted 6-5 guard from Portland, stated that he knows now where he is going to college. His status update read: “Ima announce in On Sunday…” This breaking update came just moments after the news of the Clarence Trent transfer and through the entire WWW (Washington Wide Web) into a blogging frenzy.

Analysis: Coincidence? Perhaps? He has been reported to be visiting UW on Saturday and will make his final decision on Monday. The Trent transfer may have been the missing piece to the puzzle that Ross may have been waiting for.

Best Guess: He’s A Dawg. (And this encouraging article from earlier today only makes me more confident!)

Terrence Jones – ESPN’s #9-ranked 2010 prospect

The Facts: He is still maintaining that Oregon, Oklahoma, Kentucky, UCLA and Washington are his final five. He has stated that he wants to visit Kansas to see what it is like on his last official visit. Josh Selby is using the classic peer pressure move to try and recruit Jones over to KU. CJ Leslie is still rumored to be leaning heavily toward UK which will have large implications on TJ if he decides to attend UK. TJ’s High School Coach, Pat Strickland, claims that Terrence Jones is “all over the place” in regards to his decision and “is not telling anyone.”

Several publications have suggested that Terrence is a UW lean and several have suggested he is a UK lean. Coach Calipari was scheduled to have a meeting with Jones and Ross today, but cancelled suddenly as he was hot on the trail on his way to talk to Marquis Teague, a 2011 recruit, before he announces his decision on Thursday. Terrence will be playing the waiting game as he is announcing next Friday.

Analysis: No one really has an accurate gauge of his interest. The Twitter universe is adding more fuel to speculation that he is becoming more of a UW lean as the days go by. Rock Chalk… I think not. In my opinion, Jones will not land at KU because he had already previously removed KU from his list months ago. Selby is a great player and could “do great things” with TJ, but KU already has enough personnel at TJ’s size and position. He would have to battle mightily with the Morris twins for playing time.

Best Guess: He’s a Dawg.

Thanks for coming! And now, we want your opinion!