The Wolverine

June-July 2020

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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JUNE/JULY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 35 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 MATTHEW CLEVELAND 6-6 • 190 • SG Milton (Ga.) Pace Academy Rivals' No. 38 2021 prospect Michigan first started recruit- ing Cleveland back in October, and the relationship has con- tinued to progress. Howard offered the s t a n d o u t w i n g i n May and is building the relationship. Cleveland is one of the top scorers in the 2021 class. He averaged 22.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.9 steals a game this season for state champion Pace Academy. "I can play one through four," Cleveland said when asked to de- scribe his game. "I feel like I'm a high-energy guard and a good leader who can knock down midrange shots. "[Michigan] likes me on the pe- rimeter in space where I'd be able to come off ball screens, create and also play off the ball … put the ball in my hands." In short, he can do it all, one of the reasons he has picked up dozens of offers. Kansas, Missouri, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Stanford, Mi- ami, Maryland, Michigan, Louisville and others are on his short list, and he's still got plenty of research to do before he narrows it again. He insists he is wide open. That includes a trip to Michigan after social distancing restrictions are eased. "I talk to Coach Howard almost every day, texts and phone calls," Cleveland said. "He's a sincere guy, really cares about what's going on in my life." JADEN HARDY 6-4 • 180 • SG Henderson (Nev.) Coronado Rivals' No. 6 2021 prospect Hardy, a Michigan native, is elite, being named Nevada's Player of the Year this past season after post- ing 30.4 points, 9.1 re- bounds and 8.4 assists per game. U-M is on his short list with Ari- zona, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon, Kentucky, Kansas, Memphis and Texas Tech. "Those are the ones that have been contacting me the most," he said in May. "I haven't taken any [official visits] yet. I think that I am going to take some whenever all this clears up and take some with my brother." That includes one to Michigan. "I want to go back to where I am from, so I will definitely take one back there," he explained. "Also, probably Arizona, Kentucky and Arizona State. My mom still lives [in Michigan], so with her being there, that is why I would think about go- ing there and to play in front of my family because they are all still there too." He likes what he's seen from Howard. "He is doing good. He is a player's coach. I think a lot of players like him and he wins," Hardy said. "He is going to push you and he is going to help develop you." HARRISON INGRAM 6-7 • 205 • SF Dallas St. Mark's Rivals' No. 13 2021 prospect The five-star wing and former M i c h i g a n b a s k e t - ball summer camper (2018) has gone na- tional. Evans calls him "arguably one of the most versatile pros- pects in his graduating 2021 class" and adds, "thanks to his size, skill set and in- tangibles, he is a coveted recruit for the very best." Ingram recently narrowed his list to Michigan, Arkansas, Baylor, Lou- isville, Memphis, North Carolina, Purdue, Stanford, Tennessee and Texas A&M, noting, "each of them has something different that makes them special from the rest." He has already visited Purdue, Stanford, Arkansas and UNC, and he said May 20 he hoped to visit Michi- gan again and Louisville before com- mitting this fall. "That would be ideal, but with coronavirus I just don't know when everything will be safe again," he admitted. Evans describes Ingram as best used on the ball as a giant playmaker. "He has no issues creating his own offense in the half-court, and also for others," the analyst said. "He is as good of a scorer out of the low-post as he is from behind the arc, and is lauded for his winning intangibles." He is also an elite student, one of the reasons Purdue and Stanford are thought to be his leaders. Michigan is an elite institution as well, of course, so Howard could have a shot. "My relationship with Coach How- ard is still in the beginning stages, but we click, and our first conversa- tion didn't even have anything to do with basketball," Ingram said. "I talk to him often and love the rest of the coaching staff." ANGELO BRIZZI 6-4 • 170 • SG Warrenton (Va.) Highland Rivals' No. 149 2021 prospect Brizzi exploded on the national scene this spring after schools got a look at his impressive junior year film and, spe- cifically, his shooting. He has got legitimate range to 30 feet and averaged 20.3 points, 6.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game. He also proved he was more than just a shooter, a self-described "scor- ing point guard who can shoot it off the dribble and off the catch from deep." Michigan followed Vil- lanova, LSU, Georgetown and Vir- ginia Tech, among others, with an offer, and Kentucky and Northwest- ern followed. "Teams like my shooting, but also when things break down, I'm a pretty good playmaker, good looking for my teammates," Brizzi said. "One of the things coaches say they love is I'm a gritty point guard … will dive on the floor, things like that." He patterns his game after former Ohio State guard Aaron Craft, in fact, and still likes the OSU program. "I know [Michigan fans] don't want to hear that," he said with a laugh. But the Buckeyes aren't in the mix, while U-M is. His father reached out and formed a relationship with Mich- igan assistant Phil Martelli when Martelli was still at St. Joseph's, and it's grown since. "When he went to Michigan, he contacted me directly. We've been in touch since then," Brizzi said. "I've al- ways been talking to him, and I spoke with Coach Howard [in late April] for the first time on a Zoom call."

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