The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/402034
BASKETBALL RECRUITING "We've talked about Michigan, his dad and I," Holloway said. "His dad was really impressed on the visit. It's Michigan. To me, Michigan is always in the mix because of history and the coach they have, the tradition there that's starting to really build. "That Kansas offer opened up ev‑ eryone else's eyes to see that they should be looking at him. I'd say a school like Michigan has got a great shot." Cook is in no hurry to decide and will take more visits before paring his list. Madison (Ala.) Madison Academy's Joshua Langford, meanwhile, is in no hurry to decide on a school, but the class of 2016 standout is starting to narrow his list. Michigan sent three coaches to see him in October during his in‑home visit, and Rivals.com's No. 22 prospect nationally couldn't help but be impressed. The 6‑6, 200‑pound Langford is the best player on a loaded Atlanta Celt‑ ics AAU team, a versatile shooting guard being recruited by most elite programs nationally. Florida, Stan‑ ford and others like Cal, Vanderbilt and Alabama stopped in to visit him, as did Michigan State. The coaches let Langford know he is the kind of kid they're looking for on the court and off, and they feel he'd be a great fit. "It was great," Langford's father, Tellus Langford, said. "Coach Beilein and his staff are great people as well as great basketball coaches." The coaches hosted Langford over the summer, and everything from the academics to the campus and bas‑ ketball seemed to impress. The com‑ bination of school and basketball is one of the things keeping U‑M high on Langford's list, and it's one of the reasons he will make a return trip for an official visit. WHERE MICHIGAN STANDS WITH OTHER CLASS OF 2016 OFFEREES Tyus Battle (6-5, 180, SG, No. 16 junior nationally): Syracuse, Duke and Kentucky are a few high on the Gladstone (N.J.) Gill St. Bernard standout's list, but U‑M is in great shape. He's a good friend of Hender‑ son (Nev.) Findlay Prep elite point guard Derryck Thornton Jr. (6‑1, No. 9), and though not necessarily a package deal, the two would like to play together. Battle has taken recent visits to Ohio State, UConn, Kentucky, Syracuse and Louisville in addition to U‑M, and he'll visit Kentucky for Midnight Madness, and see Duke and U‑M again soon. The Battles are in fre‑ quent contact with the Michigan staff. Seth Towns (6-7, 180, SG, No. 124 player in the country): Columbus (Ohio) Northland's Towns grew up an Ohio State fan, but the Buck‑ eyes haven't shown a lot of interest while U‑M has. He was in Ann Arbor for two Michigan camps this sum‑ mer and picked up an offer, though he doesn't seem to be in a hurry to decide. He played well at the team camp, and he holds a committable offer, but he wants to see who else is interested. Michigan is still thought to be his leader.