PonyFans.com

August 17, 2006
Iowa adds fast developing California Big Man...
By Van Coleman [email protected]

Steve Alford and his Iowa Staff added some much needed inside depth with the addition of 7-0 California big man Josh Crawford...

As we reported last week, 7-0 Josh Crawford from Long Beach, CA Wilson was going to visit SMU last weekend, then head on to Iowa City and visit the University of Iowa.

He just returned home from the Iowa visit this evening and decided to make his college decision. So he could make arrangements to head to college. He has decided to turn around this weekend and head right back to the Iowa, as he has decided to become a Hawkeye according to his Summer Coach Etop Udo-Ema.

"I just got off the phone with Josh a couple minutes ago, and he's decided to commit to the Iowa Hawkeyes," Coach Udo-Ema told Hoopmasters. "He loved the players and the coaching staff. He felt he'd found a home at Iowa."

"He will be heading back to Iowa City on Saturday to get settled in on campus. Josh just got cleared by the Clearinghouse, so he's ready to go."

Crawford really blew up in the second half of July play for Udo-Ema's Compton Magic squad and was named to the "Top 30" All-Star team at the Fullcourt Press All-West Camp. He had developed lots of interest according to camp director Dinos Trigonis.

"His impressive play in July and here at the All-West Camp has created a lot of interest in him."

He was heading to 7-West Academy for a year of Prep School until, Iowa, SMU, San Diego, Pepperdine, and Long Beach State started to talk with him about joining them this fall. He looked at all these schools this month before choosing the Hawkeyes on Thursday night.

Crawford is a late bloomer who has only been playing seriously for two years, since growing from a 6-1 freshman into a 7-0 senior. He averaged 13.3 points and 7.7 boards in his second full season at Long Beach Wilson last winter. His late growth spurt makes Crawford an intriguing prospect, since he has such developed facing skills according to Coach Udo-Ema.

"What gets most coaches excited about Josh is his amazing foot quickness for a big man his size," Udo-Ema explained. "He has solid facing skills and range to the arc, plus he can handle the rock too. If he can add 25-30 pounds while he's at Iowa, he's a pro!"

Iowa fans will see a lot of Eric Hansen in Crawford in his size and mobility. He's not the shotblocker that Hansen is, even though he averaged 4.6 blocks a game at Long Beach Wilson. But, he similar abilities to knock down jumper score with quickness versus wide bodied foes.

He may red-shirt down the road (depending on how quick he adds much needed bulk), but as a freshman Josh Crawford will be counted on to add depth to the Iowa frontcourt, that was lost this fall when Class of 2006 signee Jamie Vanderbeken didn't qualify through the Clearinghouse.






TALK ABOUT THIS ARTICLE NOW

Yes, when Iowa recently lost their incoming 7' recruit to grades, that gave Iowa significantly more PT to offer and increased their urgency to get Crawford.

How the hell does anywhere in Iowa remind a california kid of "Home". I must have missed the sunny beaches in the cornfields.

me@smu wrote:How the hell does anywhere in Iowa remind a california kid of "Home". I must have missed the sunny beaches in the cornfields.

"If you build it, he will come."

There's other fish in the sea. We have time. I just hope we can get Roberson away from that fossil, Knight.

If we pull that off, it will be a real coup. Knight might be long in the tooth, but he's still Bobby Knight. Hope Coach Dirty can pull it off.

All together now....We did not want him anyway!!!!

I'd be willing to bet that the DMN report that Roberson is down to SMU and Tech is total BS. They may be favorites-not sure -haven't seen any quotes to that effect. None of the other services are report this and they have recent reports. I bet there are many many more teams in the running.

Doubt it is really down to us two...more that we are at the top of his list. Rivals article has him saying essentially that:

"Texas Tech, SMU, Oklahoma and Kansas State, but Texas Tech and SMU are probably my top two because they are closer to home," Roberson said.

I would agree with those points. However, it's my understanding that Wills covers Collin County. If that's the case, one would think he's plugged in with all the Plano schools coaches/players. That doesn't mean he knows Roberson's head, but he would have a pretty good idea.

As for Crawford, "We didn't want him anyway''

I heard we backed off due to an alleged corn field surfing incident. Ugly....very ugly..........

[quote="Big10Ponyfan"]There's other fish in the sea. We have time. I just hope we can get Roberson away from that fossil, Knight.[/quote]

With all due respect, no, there arent any more fish, not in this particular sea.
Crawford was a player who would have contributed this year, when we are somewhat short handed (10 players on scholarship, short of the 13 limit for mens basketball). Getting a late bloomer who showed real promise at this stage, right before school started, would have been like finding a four-leafed clover. When you're going into a season 3 ships short of a full squad, finding a guy who can contribute at this late stage is like winning the lottery. There will be other players you can use the scholarship on, but they wont be arriving until 2007, or later. Crawford would have been playing this year. Next years freshman class will be fairly large anyway (7 scholarships to give). Signing a guy for this year would have evened out the classes a bit (Only one freshman coming in this year, and only one sophomore left from last years recruits), and given you a slightly more experienced player in the years ahead.

In a different thread, another poster mentioned that Bamba has been saying he intends to leave after his junior year. I've heard the same thing, so as things stand now, in 2 years we'll have 0 seniors, 1 junior, and some combination of 12 freshmen and sophomores. So after going through 2 rough years of being shorthanded, what we'll be looking forward to is a team thats entirely underclassmen.

While I'm on this subject, Doherty has publically stated that he doesnt intend to go after any transfers or JC players. I sincerely hope he rethinks that, because it will seriously unbalance the classes, and leave us terribly young and inexperienced for the 2008-2010 seasons. With as many scholarships as we have available this year, at least 2 need to go to JC kids who would be in next years junior class.

As much as it pains me to take JUCO kids, I agree with XtC. We are going to be very young next year and will be in big trouble this year. (Hey students, if you played high school basketball you might be able to walk on this year and see your name in lights). On the other hand, with the new breed of college basketball where stud players go pro after their freshman, sophomore and junior years, its no secret that unless you build a Fab-five freshman team, you need to have some work horses to go with the one year wonders, or you have to follow a George Mason model which is to build a once every four years type team that plays together for four years. Given our patience level, I don't see Doh going with that model. So, a few JUCO's will be needed to jump start this program so that we can get that Fab-5 freshman team.

Re: Bamba Fall leaving .... a lot will happen between now and then. Maybe he'll have such a great year that he comes out this year, or maybe Coach D convinces him to stay all four.

As for only having 10 guys on scholarship now, that's OK. Coach D said right away when he was hired that he wasn't going to sign guys "just to announce signings." He said he might well hold some extras for next year, and then go nuts chasing stud players. Personally, I like that approach a lot.

There comes a point when beggers can't be choosers. I agree that we wait until we see what happens with the players of our dreams. But when the last call comes you'd better have been talking to the homely kid, because then its time to settle or be frustrated.