Texas Tech Basketball: Breaking down the 2018 recruiting class
https://bustingbrackets.com/2018/09/09/texas-tech-basketball-breaking-2018-recruiting-class/
After an excellent 2017-18 campaign, head coach Chris Beard is bringing in a high-quality recruiting class for the future of Texas Tech basketball.
Texas Tech basketball’s Chris Beard is one of the top rising stars in the coaching ranks. Even though he only has three years of experience as a head coach at the Division-I level, there are few who have been as successful. He has already risen to taking the top job at a major conference program at Texas Tech and guided them to a tremendous campaign in just Year 2. In his three-year career to this point, Coach Beard has put together a 75-29 record (.721) and reached two NCAA Tournaments.
Now, as we look ahead to this upcoming campaign, it will be interesting to see what rabbit Coach Beard pulls out of his hat. Even though the Red Raiders seemingly lost a ton of talent this offseason, including Keenan Evans and Zhaire Smith, I would not want to be the person projecting this program to miss the Big Dance. Key returners will be the focal point of the team this year but newcomers will also play a big role.
For starters, Texas Tech is bringing in two of the top graduate transfers in the entire country. Both Matt Mooney (South Dakota) and Tariq Owens(St. John’s) represent elite additions that can help the team win right away. Furthermore, Coach Beard secured a more than respectable recruiting class in the country. When taken together, the four incoming players (three freshmen and one JUCO transfer) make up the No. 32 overall recruiting class.
So, with these being said, let’s break down how each of these incoming recruits might impact the program.
Deshawn Corprew – South Plains College
Forward | 6-foot-5 | 210 lbs | No. 2 JUCO
A former top-100 recruit out of the 2016 class, Deshawn Corprew spent last season at South Plains College. During this season, the young forward posted outstanding numbers. In 35 contests with the Texans, Corprew averaged 12.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. From an efficiency standpoint, he was also quite strong, posting shooting slashes of .459/.365/.744.
Now back in Division-I, Corprew projects as an immediate contributor for Texas Tech. On the whole, he is ranked as the second-best JUCO product in this class and has the potential to be very dangerous on the wing. Although not a tremendously great shooter at this point in time, Corprew is incredibly tough to cover as a finisher around the basket. Either as a straight-line driver or as an off-ball cutter, Corprew is excellent in attacking the hoop and can finish through traffic when necessary.
Defensively, he possesses plenty of athleticism to cover most players and is switchable in regards to positions 2-through-4. Furthermore, he is an underrated playmaker with the ball in his hands. He sees the court quite well for a wing and has no trouble dishing to open teammates when they are open along the perimeter. A well-balanced player on the whole, Corprew will be a nice rotation piece for the team. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Josh Mballa – Putnam, CT
Forward | 6-foot-7 | 215 lbs | No. 480 overall
Although far from the most highly-touted prospect in the 2018 class, Josh Mballa comes with plenty of potential. At 6-foot-7 with above-average athleticism, Mballa projects as a player who could develop into something special down the road. For now, though, it seems unlikely that he will find a significant role during his first season on campus. However, this does not mean that Mballa does not already possess some high-quality skills.
In fact, Mballa has a terrific nose for the basketball when it comes to rebounding. He has a well-built frame that he uses to carve out space in the paint while also deploying his athleticism to sky for missed shots. In addition, these same skills make him a potentially positionless defender on the wing or in the frontcourt. Quite simply, it is clear why Coach Beard and Co. are intrigued by this youngster.
In addition, Mballa is now the second player out Putnam Science to join the Red Raiders in as many years. Malik Ondigo, a member of the 2017 recruiting class, is the other. With four years of eligibility coming up, it will be interesting to see how Mballa develops under Coach Beard. He might not be a highly-touted player at the moment but his improvement will be key.
Kyler Edwards – Henderson, NV
Guard | 6-foot-3 | 200 lbs | No. 160 overall
Do-it-all guards are hard to come by in recruiting. Yet, Texas Tech has landed one of the best in Kyler Edwards. Although not a top-100 level talent, there are few things on the court that Edwards cannot do. He is an effective shooter, defender, and even a capable secondary playmaker when on the court. Above all, though, Edwards is at his best as a pure scorer with the ball in his hands.
With the potential to be a deadly offensive weapon both from beyond the arc and from mid-range, Edwards projects as a difficult player for defenses to match up against. He already possesses a strong frame that will possibly allow him to play significant minutes right away for the team. While it seems unlikely that Edwards will usurp a starting role in his freshman season, he could be a versatile offensive option off the bench for the team.
With his varied skill set, Edwards has the potential to fill many different roles during his career at Texas Tech. Coach Beard is more than capable of “mixing things up” from time to time and Edwards could be used in various ways over the next few years. He might not be the top-rated recruit in this class but he can definitely make an impact.
Khavon Moore – Macon, GA
Forward | 6-foot-7 | 215 lbs | No. 54 overall
There are not many prospects as intriguing in the country as Khavon Moore. With excellent size (6-foot-7) to go with superb length and above-average athleticism, Moore projects as an absolute menace at the college level. Quite simply, he is a matchup nightmare because he can beat you in a variety of ways on both ends of the floor. A tremendously switchable defender thanks to his long arms and elite quickness, Moore is nearly impossible to score on. In addition, he never gives up on plays and hustles for every loose ball.
Offensively, Moore might not be a polished scorer but he can still make opponents pay. Furthermore, he is easily one of the most dangerous transition weapons in the 2018 class. Moore is incredibly fast in the open court and can finish above the rim with relative ease both off of the bounce and off the catch. However, let’s not simply say that he is a one-dimensional offensive player, either. An unselfish player with the ball in hands, Moore is able to create for others well when he draws attention offensively.
Although his role might not be known yet, it seems likely that Moore will find plenty of minutes for the Red Raiders as a freshman. His versatility alone makes him a potentially valuable rotation player and his rebounding skills, which I failed to mention above, will also help.
With these players coming in, Texas Tech basketball’s upward trajectory looks to continue. Head coach Chris Beard is off to a tremendous start with the program and building off of that is necessary. This four-man class, as well as the two incoming grad transfers, will certainly help with that.
https://bustingbrackets.com/2018/09/09/texas-tech-basketball-breaking-2018-recruiting-class/
After an excellent 2017-18 campaign, head coach Chris Beard is bringing in a high-quality recruiting class for the future of Texas Tech basketball.
Texas Tech basketball’s Chris Beard is one of the top rising stars in the coaching ranks. Even though he only has three years of experience as a head coach at the Division-I level, there are few who have been as successful. He has already risen to taking the top job at a major conference program at Texas Tech and guided them to a tremendous campaign in just Year 2. In his three-year career to this point, Coach Beard has put together a 75-29 record (.721) and reached two NCAA Tournaments.
Now, as we look ahead to this upcoming campaign, it will be interesting to see what rabbit Coach Beard pulls out of his hat. Even though the Red Raiders seemingly lost a ton of talent this offseason, including Keenan Evans and Zhaire Smith, I would not want to be the person projecting this program to miss the Big Dance. Key returners will be the focal point of the team this year but newcomers will also play a big role.
For starters, Texas Tech is bringing in two of the top graduate transfers in the entire country. Both Matt Mooney (South Dakota) and Tariq Owens(St. John’s) represent elite additions that can help the team win right away. Furthermore, Coach Beard secured a more than respectable recruiting class in the country. When taken together, the four incoming players (three freshmen and one JUCO transfer) make up the No. 32 overall recruiting class.
So, with these being said, let’s break down how each of these incoming recruits might impact the program.
Deshawn Corprew – South Plains College
Forward | 6-foot-5 | 210 lbs | No. 2 JUCO
A former top-100 recruit out of the 2016 class, Deshawn Corprew spent last season at South Plains College. During this season, the young forward posted outstanding numbers. In 35 contests with the Texans, Corprew averaged 12.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. From an efficiency standpoint, he was also quite strong, posting shooting slashes of .459/.365/.744.
Now back in Division-I, Corprew projects as an immediate contributor for Texas Tech. On the whole, he is ranked as the second-best JUCO product in this class and has the potential to be very dangerous on the wing. Although not a tremendously great shooter at this point in time, Corprew is incredibly tough to cover as a finisher around the basket. Either as a straight-line driver or as an off-ball cutter, Corprew is excellent in attacking the hoop and can finish through traffic when necessary.
Defensively, he possesses plenty of athleticism to cover most players and is switchable in regards to positions 2-through-4. Furthermore, he is an underrated playmaker with the ball in his hands. He sees the court quite well for a wing and has no trouble dishing to open teammates when they are open along the perimeter. A well-balanced player on the whole, Corprew will be a nice rotation piece for the team. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Josh Mballa – Putnam, CT
Forward | 6-foot-7 | 215 lbs | No. 480 overall
Although far from the most highly-touted prospect in the 2018 class, Josh Mballa comes with plenty of potential. At 6-foot-7 with above-average athleticism, Mballa projects as a player who could develop into something special down the road. For now, though, it seems unlikely that he will find a significant role during his first season on campus. However, this does not mean that Mballa does not already possess some high-quality skills.
In fact, Mballa has a terrific nose for the basketball when it comes to rebounding. He has a well-built frame that he uses to carve out space in the paint while also deploying his athleticism to sky for missed shots. In addition, these same skills make him a potentially positionless defender on the wing or in the frontcourt. Quite simply, it is clear why Coach Beard and Co. are intrigued by this youngster.
In addition, Mballa is now the second player out Putnam Science to join the Red Raiders in as many years. Malik Ondigo, a member of the 2017 recruiting class, is the other. With four years of eligibility coming up, it will be interesting to see how Mballa develops under Coach Beard. He might not be a highly-touted player at the moment but his improvement will be key.
Kyler Edwards – Henderson, NV
Guard | 6-foot-3 | 200 lbs | No. 160 overall
Do-it-all guards are hard to come by in recruiting. Yet, Texas Tech has landed one of the best in Kyler Edwards. Although not a top-100 level talent, there are few things on the court that Edwards cannot do. He is an effective shooter, defender, and even a capable secondary playmaker when on the court. Above all, though, Edwards is at his best as a pure scorer with the ball in his hands.
With the potential to be a deadly offensive weapon both from beyond the arc and from mid-range, Edwards projects as a difficult player for defenses to match up against. He already possesses a strong frame that will possibly allow him to play significant minutes right away for the team. While it seems unlikely that Edwards will usurp a starting role in his freshman season, he could be a versatile offensive option off the bench for the team.
With his varied skill set, Edwards has the potential to fill many different roles during his career at Texas Tech. Coach Beard is more than capable of “mixing things up” from time to time and Edwards could be used in various ways over the next few years. He might not be the top-rated recruit in this class but he can definitely make an impact.
Khavon Moore – Macon, GA
Forward | 6-foot-7 | 215 lbs | No. 54 overall
There are not many prospects as intriguing in the country as Khavon Moore. With excellent size (6-foot-7) to go with superb length and above-average athleticism, Moore projects as an absolute menace at the college level. Quite simply, he is a matchup nightmare because he can beat you in a variety of ways on both ends of the floor. A tremendously switchable defender thanks to his long arms and elite quickness, Moore is nearly impossible to score on. In addition, he never gives up on plays and hustles for every loose ball.
Offensively, Moore might not be a polished scorer but he can still make opponents pay. Furthermore, he is easily one of the most dangerous transition weapons in the 2018 class. Moore is incredibly fast in the open court and can finish above the rim with relative ease both off of the bounce and off the catch. However, let’s not simply say that he is a one-dimensional offensive player, either. An unselfish player with the ball in hands, Moore is able to create for others well when he draws attention offensively.
Although his role might not be known yet, it seems likely that Moore will find plenty of minutes for the Red Raiders as a freshman. His versatility alone makes him a potentially valuable rotation player and his rebounding skills, which I failed to mention above, will also help.
With these players coming in, Texas Tech basketball’s upward trajectory looks to continue. Head coach Chris Beard is off to a tremendous start with the program and building off of that is necessary. This four-man class, as well as the two incoming grad transfers, will certainly help with that.
