PonyFans.com

Jason Washburn. 6'11 200-210 lb Center out of Michigan. Listed as a 3 star by both Scout and Rivals. Rivals has him as the #121 player in the nation on their Rivals150 (#18 center prospect) and Scout has him at the #33 center prospect in the country. Scout reports SMU interest, Rivals does not.

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=2666256

http://smu.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp? ... 17&Sport=2

Then lets go after the one on Scout.

Apparently we are recruiting the Detroit area hard this summer. A sportswriter from that area is saying we have a verbal commitment from Chris Clarke, a forward from Orchard Lake (detroit suburb) St. Marys. I have no idea if Clarke has actually committed, but he did take an unofficial visit to the campus.

For a center he looks a little tall and needs to put on some serious weight.

I hope that the QB's are not slowed down when coming from under center.

Can this guy really block?


Kidding, does need weight.

The XtC wrote:Apparently we are recruiting the Detroit area hard this summer. A sportswriter from that area is saying we have a verbal commitment from Chris Clarke, a forward from Orchard Lake (detroit suburb) St. Marys. I have no idea if Clarke has actually committed, but he did take an unofficial visit to the campus.

Any links for us XTC?

The XtC wrote:Apparently we are recruiting the Detroit area hard this summer. A sportswriter from that area is saying we have a verbal commitment from Chris Clarke, a forward from Orchard Lake (detroit suburb) St. Marys. I have no idea if Clarke has actually committed, but he did take an unofficial visit to the campus.

http://users.aol.com/johnh86395/private ... 99-00.html

Scroll down to the bottom

mustangnation wrote:

The XtC wrote:Apparently we are recruiting the Detroit area hard this summer. A sportswriter from that area is saying we have a verbal commitment from Chris Clarke, a forward from Orchard Lake (detroit suburb) St. Marys. I have no idea if Clarke has actually committed, but he did take an unofficial visit to the campus.

http://users.aol.com/johnh86395/private ... 99-00.html

Scroll down to the bottom

I saw a Michigan newpaper listing of top players, I guess in Michigan, that had Clarke the number 4 forward and showed him committed to SMU. I am assuming the SMU is Southern Methodist and not some other SMU.

MustangIcon wrote:Any links for us XTC?

http://www.chrisclarke.com/

Top 10 players in the Michigan 2008 class according to Bankhoops.com which released these rankings on April 26, 2006. That would have been right at the end of their Soph Season.

2008 —
1. Anthony Crater 6-1 Flint Southwestern
2. Paul Williams 6-4 Detroit Renaissance
3. Brad Redford 5-11 Frankenmuth
4. Drew Maynard 6-5 Lake Orion
5. Draymond Green 6-6 Saginaw
6. Jason Washburn 6-9 Battle Creek Central
7. Christopher Clarke 6-8 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s
8. Blake Cushingberry 6-3 Romeo
9. Terrance Hopkins 6-3 Detroit Redford
10. Quintin Jones 6-5 St. Claire Shores South lake
11. Latreze Mushatt 6-4 Saginaw Arthur Hill
12. Eric Evans 5-9 Detroit Northwestern
13. Zack VanLoos 7-0 Marysville
14. Sean Jones 6-10 Carson City-Crystal
15. Caleb Dean 6-8 Novi
16. Brad Guinane 6-5 St. Joseph
17. Lonnie Pugh 6-5 Grosse Ile
18. Corey Person 6-3 Kalamazoo Central
19. Josh Collins 5-10 Detroit Winans
20. Matt Johnson 6-2 Ann Arbor Pioneer
21. Stacy Waters 6-4 Detroit Renaissance
22. Marcus Pruitt 6-11 Detroit Pershing
23. Derek Kingshott 6-3 Zeeland West
24. Dustin Dibble 6-3 Charlevoix
25. Dominique Buckley 6-1 Romulus

This is old but:

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Reliable sources have Christopher Clarke, a 6-foot-8 junior from Orchard Lake St. Mary's, visiting the WMU campus today. Clarke may be the most naturally gifted player in the state's '08 class, with his agility and length. Last summer playing with Detroit Renaissance in summer leagues, Clarke got better by the week. His progress was slowed after transferring St. Mary's, where he was eligible the second semester, then came off the bench for the Class A semifinalist Eaglets. With increased strength and toughness, Clarke will again be one of the state's elite prospects.

http://www.mlive.com/weblogs/hsbasketba ... 06_08.html

An article i found from the same time and site:

http://www.mlive.com/weblogs/hsbasketba ... 06_04.html

Friday, April 21, 2006

Izzo visits St. Joseph sophomore
MSU coach Tom Izzo was in St. Joseph on Wednesday to check out 6-foot-5 sophomore Brad Guinane. Guinane is an intriguing prospect because of his skill level, age (won't turn 16 until next school year) and bloodlines (his dad played at the University of Detroit). He plays bigger then his height with his high, wide shoulders. Has a naturally big frame. He's fast end-to-end -- started as a varsity wide receiver in football -- but needs to work on his lateral quickness.

Guinane can be seen playing with the Basketball Workshop Suns at the Camp Darryl/Bankhoops.com tournament May 19-21 at Three Rivers High School.

Michigan State won't have many scholarships for the 2008 class, so it can be picky. Add Guinane to the other most likely in-state possibilities from that group, along with:

Chris Clarke 6-8 Orchard Lake St. Mary's
Caleb Dean 6-8 Novi
Draymond Green 6-6 Saginaw
Sean Jones 6-9 Carson City-Crystal
Drew Maynard 6-5 Lake Orion
Brad Redford 5-11 Frankenmuth
Jason Washburn 6-9 Battle Creek Central
Paul Williams 6-4 Detroit Renaissance

More recent Michigan Hoops rankings lists him as #1 PF prospect in Michigan.....

http://mihoopstars.tripod.com/id10.html

That's a bit odd. His teammate, Davide Curletti, is 4th on that list, but seriously outplayed him during the season. It wasnt close.

I wasnt going to mention this before, but Clarke did not have a good season last year at St. Mary's. I ran through the recaps of all their games couldnt find any where he scored in double figures. The superstar on their team was Kalin Lucas (point guard, going to Michigan State), but Curletti was their best player in the frontcourt. I hear Clarke is having a good summer, but it's odd to see him ranked over a teammate who consistently outplayed him.

Draymond Green is probably the most sought after player in that area this year. It's not the strongest year for hoops in Michigan.

The XtC wrote:That's a bit odd. His teammate, Davide Curletti, is 4th on that list, but seriously outplayed him during the season. It wasnt close.

I wasnt going to mention this before, but Clarke did not have a good season last year at St. Mary's. I ran through the recaps of all their games couldnt find any where he scored in double figures. The superstar on their team was Kalin Lucas (point guard, going to Michigan State), but Curletti was their best player in the frontcourt. I hear Clarke is having a good summer, but it's odd to see him ranked over a teammate who consistently outplayed him.

Draymond Green is probably the most sought after player in that area this year. It's not the strongest year for hoops in Michigan.

From what I am seeing in the articles I have found it seems like Clarke is a crazy athlete whose game is unpolished and did not have the best season (as you mentioned). Maybe this is a guy whose recruitment is being heavily based on his upside potential and athletic ability although not currently contributing at the level of his teamate Curletti?

I wonder if that might refer to St. Mary's University" of Minnesota which goes by SMU and is in that area of the country? But I guess XTC says that he actually visited us.