The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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JUNE/JULY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 21 2 0 2 0 B A S K E T B A L L R E C R U I T I N G I S S U E "We've known each other for so long, played with each other so many years, we kind of know what the other person is going to do," Dick- inson said. "It makes it easy for us to look for each other on the court, especially in high-low situations and things like that. "I think we're really good at know- ing where each other is going to be at certain points on certain plays." The 7-2 Dickinson might be the most polished back-to-the basket center to have emerged in the last five or six years, Evans said, elite around the rim. He averaged 16.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic and earned Gatorade's Maryland Player of the Year honors. At No. 37 in Rivals' rankings, he's also U-M's highest-ranked signee in the site's individual rankings since Kameron Chatman (No. 25) in 2014 (due to being an international pros- pect, 2018 five-star Ignas Brazdeikis was not awarded a numerical rank). Williams can also throw his weight around at 6-7 and uses his wide lower body to create room for him- self, though he has become more of a perimeter player as he has emerged. He averaged 17.9 points and 9.9 re- bounds per contest to win Gatorade's District of Columbia Player of the Year. "I like how he's really changed his game. When he was younger, he was always like a bully-ball kind of guy because he was pretty big, too, and he was pretty strong," Dickin- son said. "He would try to get to the rim every time and then developed a good, midrange jump shot. "In sixth or seventh grade, he really started to get the three ball, and since then he hasn't looked back. Now he's pretty much a sharp shooter from three." In Howard, a Rivals.com three-star prospect, U-M is getting a glue guy- plus, University School head coach Ron Oliver said. His worth goes far beyond his 10.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game totals. "You've got to have kids like Jace," Oliver said. "That's the difference between winning and losing. A lot of coaches decide to go the skill route, find guys who only shoot and make threes, but games have gotten closer over the course of time … you've got to find guys who will win little battles, and Jace is going to get you the loose balls, the extra possessions needed against teams consistently." All told, Michigan's class is slated to be the second best the program has signed since 2014, with only the 2018 crew (No. 11 nationally) checking in higher during that span. That group featured a five-star in Brazdeikis and three four-stars in power forward Brandon Johns, center Colin Castle- ton and DeJulius. U-M's 2020 class also marks only the third time since the 2013 cycle that the program has signed a mini- mum of three recruits rated as a four- star or higher, with 2018 and 2013 being the other two. The latter group featured five-star shooting guard Zak Irvin and a pair of four-stars in point guard Derrick Walton and power for- ward Mark Donnal. It was a bumpy ride, Evans noted, but the result was a good one for Howard and the Wolverines. "There have been more than enough potholes to maneuver the past 12 months," Evans said. "But it does appear as if the Wolverines will be just fine with Howard leading the program." ❑ At No. 37 in the class of 2020, Hunter Dickinson is Michigan's highest-rated signee in the Rivals.com individual recruiting rankings since Kam Chatman in 2014 (No. 25), because 2018 five-star Ignas Brazdeikis was not awarded a numerical rank as an international prospect. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM