... That Didn't Last Long

DeShawn Painter decided to be a preposterous tease for Maryland fans everywhere by announcing Tuesday that Maryland was in his final two, and then announcing today that he made up his mind ... and NC State it was. So, sorry if I got you all excited on Tuesday thinking that Maryland was going to land a legitimate recruit for 2009, because I really thought they would. Alas, though. What are you gonna do?

Gary's Overcompensating ... And I Love It

So I know the NHL and NBA are in the middle of great playoff series right now, but I want to do a little timeout to get you updated in the world of Terrapin basketball.

According to ESPN, DeShawn Painter, a top 100 player and top 20 power forward in the nation, has narrowed his college selection down to Maryland and NC State. Painter would be the prize recruit of this year's class and would almost certainly start from the get-go. No information I could provide about him would be unique, so go here for the scoop. 

Now I'm not going to do a long post and get all excited, because there's just as good of a chance that he'll be playing for NC State next year as Maryland. But I can't lie and say I'm not thrilled that Maryland is in the running for this. What it really shows is that Gary got a wake-up call last year. Between all the media coverage and what once looked to be nothing short of a disastrous season, Gary for the first time felt a little uneasy under the collar. How has he responded? By taking a team that had no business playing in the ACC and making them into an NCAA tournament team. By not only landing Jordan Williams and James Padgett (who seem to get better ratings by the day), but by already landing one solid and one great recruit for 2010. And now, he led the charge out of nowhere for Maryland to land Painter. It really shows Gary's still got it.

I'll keep you up-to-date as far as any new developments go. He's expected to make his decision by the 20th, so it won't be too long for now that we'll know for sure. If Maryland is in fact the choice, expect a lengthier post with how he'll fit in to the system here. 

(Photo Credit: ncstate.rivals.com)

Terps Laying Solid Foundation for Future

Let's be honest with ourselves for a second. As much as I've tried to stay optimistic on the matter, Maryland is not going to land Lance Stephenson. If Stephenson wanted to come to Maryland, he would be here already. So, it's time to chalk that one up to a good attempt and move on. 

Move on Maryland certainly has, as they have already landed a recruit for 2010 who is already much more highly rated than either of the members of their 2009 class. His name is Terrence Ross (pictured, left), and, according to ESPN, he's the number 41 player in the class of '10. At 6'6 and 180 pounds, he's ideally a shooting guard, but could certainly play small forward, especially in Gary's lineup. Most importantly, he's a pure shooter, one of the best in the nation as a high schooler. Originally from Oregon, he transferred to nearby Montrose Christian for academics. Dubbed as the best 2-guard prospect in the west before he came east, Ross was also actively pursued by Washington, Arizona State, Cal and Oregon State.

Maryland has also received a commitment from the number 30 point guard in the country for 2010 in Terrell Stoglin. Stoglin is still in "project" status, and will have to work on his jump shot, because at 6'0, he's not going to find it easy to get to the rim in the ACC. Still, though, he averaged 27.0 ppg and 7.5 apg as a junior this season and was recruited by PAC 10 powerhouses USC and UCLA.

The only questions that remain for the upcoming season lay with Greivis Vasquez, who still doesn't know whether he's coming back to school for his senior season, and 6'9 power forward DeShawn Painter, who was granted a release from his letter of intent to Florida last week, and has scheduled a visit to Maryland. Any update on either of those will instantly be put here. 

(Photo Credit: montrosebasketball.com)