Maryland lands Diamond Stone

This is huge!!!

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2328965-diamond-stone-to-maryland-terrapins-land-5-star-center-prospect?utm_campaign=tsiphone&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com?is_shared=true

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

October can't get here soon enough. Hopefully for 2 reasons.

Wisconsin fans saying the only reason that he didn't get commit there is because his grades weren't good enough. That can't be true, right? Maryland is an excellent school academically. Probably more highly regarded than Wisconsin.

Anyone think we'll be a top 5 or even top 3 team in the pre season polls?

Anyone think we'll be a top 5 or even top 3 team in the pre season polls?

Top 15 would be my guess. Either way I am beyond stoked.

Wisconsin fans saying the only reason that he didn't get commit there is because his grades weren't good enough. That can't be true, right? Maryland is an excellent school academically. Probably more highly regarded than Wisconsin.

I don't know about that. Wisconsin is a very good school.

But in the world of college recruiting, there's always talk like that whenever someone chooses the OTHER school.

Or my favorite is after drooling over getting the guy for months, the fans who follow recruiting like we follow the Orioles suddenly come up with 10 reasons why they are better off without the guy, he's not a great fit, etc.

I love my Hokies but I just don't follow the recruiting at that level. People obsessing over the whims of 17 and 18 year olds just gets way out of hand. I just wait for signing day and then read about all the guys we got. Kind of like I do with the baseball draft. Just not enough hours in the day to learn about these guys in advance to the point where I can actually have an opinion on who the Orioles should take in the 2nd round.

We should be top five preseason. A starting five of Melo, Brantley, Layman, Carter, and Stone will be dynamic. Deep bench too: Dodd, Nickens, Wiley, Cekovsky and the other big transfer from Europe whose name is escaping me. Wouldn't be surprised if one or two of those guys transfers.

I don't know about that. Wisconsin is a very good school.

But in the world of college recruiting, there's always talk like that whenever someone chooses the OTHER school.

Or my favorite is after drooling over getting the guy for months, the fans who follow recruiting like we follow the Orioles suddenly come up with 10 reasons why they are better off without the guy, he's not a great fit, etc.

I love my Hokies but I just don't follow the recruiting at that level. People obsessing over the whims of 17 and 18 year olds just gets way out of hand. I just wait for signing day and then read about all the guys we got. Kind of like I do with the baseball draft. Just not enough hours in the day to learn about these guys in advance to the point where I can actually have an opinion on who the Orioles should take in the 2nd round.

I agree. When I was 17, my main concern was going to a school that had a higher percentage of females than males.

We should be top five preseason. A starting five of Melo, Brantley, Layman, Carter, and Stone will be dynamic. Deep bench too: Dodd, Nickens, Wiley, Cekovsky and the other big transfer from Europe whose name is escaping me. Wouldn't be surprised if one or two of those guys transfers.

I agree that we'll be top 5. We're going to be a huge team. Kentucky sized.

Stone, Carter, Dodd, Cekovsky, Layman, Bender. All 6'9 or bigger.

Wisconsin fans saying the only reason that he didn't get commit there is because his grades weren't good enough. That can't be true, right? Maryland is an excellent school academically. Probably more highly regarded than Wisconsin.

FWIW, US News and World Reports rates Wisconsin as the 13th best public university in the nation and Maryland at 20th.

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/top-public

According Stone's father, MD has upside.

"All four teams were quality choices," his father, Bob Stone told IMS tonight. "Maryland, they've got upside."

http://maryland.247sports.com/Bolt/Diamond-Stone-Commits-to-Maryland-36447306

I would assume that is in reference to all the seniors graduating at Wisconsin vs. MD losing 1 star and a couple of low contributing role players. If Stone is as good as advertised, and ends up a 1 and done, then he doesn't want to play at a school "rebuilding". I use that term lightly, because Wisconsin will good next year, but probably not as good as this year. With MD, there is hope of much bigger things next year.

I knewwwww it!! But didn't want to jinx it. Turgeon flew to Wisconsin after the Rutgers game rather than going home with the team. That had to mean the Terps were in serious play for him. It seems he's built a great friendship with Brantley. And there were rumors he'd announce leading up to the McD game. I figured if he was going to Wisconsin, he'd have a press conference at his high school or something; not announce while he's heading out of town. By the way, his coaches at the McD game are from the Bullis School in Potomac.

I just can't stress enough the importance of landing someone like Stone.

I even actually think this has an impact on Haskins and Diggs for the football program.

Yeah, we're going to be figgin loaded next year.

Melo/Stone/Carter/Layman are all NBA draft worthy. Should see a couple of the other young guys now develop with so much talent around them.

Wouldn't be surprised if Ceko and Wiley transfer.