The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2021 THE WOLVERINE 57 BASKETBALL RECRUITING Jett Howard (6-7, 180, Rivals.com's No. 65 junior nationally) were cata- lysts in a comeback from 10 down in the third quarter. Howard, Juwan Howard's son and a strong Michigan lean, is a spot-up shooter in IMG's offense with the ability to be much more on the wing. He hit two key triples in the third quarter to spur the comeback. Howard was in the right corner in the right place at the right time for his third triple, which brought IMG back within two points in the third quarter. While he wasn't a focus of the offense, Biancardi called him the "best shooter on the floor" in a star- studded game. He will likely have the ball in his hands more next season with Jaden Bradley, the top-ranked junior point guard in the class (and a U-M target), still by his side. Diabate, meanwhile, impressed with his length, motor and athleti- cism. He showed a bit of all of it in the win, even stepping out for an elbow jumper in the third quarter to help extend the lead. The 6-9 forward's wingspan is one of his most impressive features. He disrupted a number of passes in ad- dition to shots at the rim. He had one steal that he batted past midcourt and dove for the loose ball before it went out of bounds to keep it alive for a teammate's finish. His play in transition, though, is where he really impressed. He runs the floor incredibly well — he took a feed for an and-one opportunity at the free throw line, got to the rim with a defender on his arm and still finished. He missed the free throw, but his upside is off the charts. He put the ball on the floor and nearly finished left-handed with a spin dribble on a fourth-quarter move most guys his size don't have in their arsenal. But he also needs to get stronger. He had the ball stripped a few times after getting offensive rebounds he could have finished. His junior teammate Bradley (6-3, 170, No. 7) is another U-M offeree, and scored 18 with six assists, while fellow offeree and junior Jarace Walker (6-6, 220, No. 11) also played well for IMG. He is strong at the rim and also hit some mid-range jump- ers, playing much bigger than his 6-6 frame. He missed a couple at the rim down the stretch, but that's not the norm. He dominated in stretches and has overcome leg injuries this year to put himself firmly among the top 15 players in the country. Bradley is reportedly leaning to- ward Kentucky, while Walker likes the Wildcats, Michigan, North Caro- lina, Auburn and Maryland. The Tar Heels were thought to be a favorite, but Roy Williams' retirement seemed to catch him off guard. "It was really tough to hear that," Walker said. "He had a great career as a coach, is a great guy. He was re- ally helping his team win." CLASS OF 2022 GUARD WANTS MICHIGAN OFFER Michigan is still looking for its first 2022 pledge, but one target seems ready to pull the trigger if the Wol- verines offer. Menomonee Falls (Wis.) High point guard Seth Trimble has been waiting since last summer for U-M to extend a tender, and he's playing extremely well. The 6-3, 185-pounder is an out- standing athlete with a great handle and midrange game. He is also explo- sive at the rim and much better than his No. 109 ranking by Rivals.com. Trimble is now playing with Phe- nom University-Team Herro on the AAU circuit after leading Menomi- nee Falls to a 17-8 record and a berth in the Division 1 sectional finals while averaging 23.3 points, 5.9 re- bounds and 3.5 assists per game. His recent play has schools start- ing to line up, just as they were for his brother, former North Carolina starter and second-round draft pick J.P. Tokoto, seven years ago. "Michigan," he said when asked with schools talked to him a lot. "I talk to [assistant] Coach [Phil] Mar- telli at Michigan every day. He's a very good dude — I like him a lot. I love the way Michigan plays." Trimble hopes to take official vis- its in the summer, and U-M would likely be on his list. "[I want] a coaching staff that loves me and my personality, loves the way I play," he said. "A school where I can go and know I'm going to play and make a huge impact, be really the best player I can." ❏ Seth Trimble — a 6-3, 185-pound four-star point guard — averaged 23.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game during his junior campaign at Menomonee Falls (Wis.) High. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM