Hoops Housekeeping: Former No. 1 player in the class of 2008 transfers

There was a point in time not too long ago that John Riek was a sure thing.

Back in 2008, Rivals had the 7'2" Sudanese center as the No. 1 recruit in the country, Chad Ford had Riek as a top 10 pick in the draft, and just about everyone believed that Riek had the potential to be the first pick in the draft one day. That all seems so long ago, as news became official that Riek is transferring out of Mississippi State.


Riek was never really able to find a comfort zone with the Bulldogs. He played in just 14 games as a sophomore, averaging a measly 1.2 ppg and 1.3 rpg.

Riek still has NBA potential and he will be an intriguing piece for whoever picks him up the summer, but he is going to need to learn how to be more than tall if he is ever going to fulfill that potential.


Andre Walker transfers to Xavier: Its official. Walker is headed to Cincinnati to join the Musketeers. The 6'7" forward, who spent the previous three seasons at Vanderbilt, will be eligible to play immediately after graduating in three years. He'll provide some depth and versatility to Chris Mack's frontline, but Walker is probably not going to be a star with Xavier. Last season, he averaged 3.0 ppg and 3.0 rpg while battling a severe ankle sprain and mono.


Reggie Johnson out for six months: Jim Larrananga's Miami team took a huge hit late last week as Reggie Johnson -- their 6'10", 300 lb double-double machine of a center -- underwent successful knee surgery. Johnson had torn his meniscus earlier in the week. He will be out for five to six months as he recuperates. If all goes according to schedule, Johnson will be cleared by early December, but there is no telling how long it will take him to get back into game shape.


Hofstra adds another transfer: Mo Cassara has landed another big-time transfer, as Taran Buie has joined Jamal Coombs-McDaniel in choosing the Pride. Buie, a former top 100 player coming out of high school, spent last year at Penn State. But Talor Battle's half brother was only on the team for the first semester, as multiple disciplinary issues resulted in Ed DeChellis giving the freshman the boot.


Nick Russell to SMU: Russell, who announced his intentions to transfer out of Kansas State back in May, has picked a school to play out his final two years of eligibility. The 6'4" guard is headed to SMU to play for head coach Matt Doherty. Russell averaged 4.2 ppg and 1.9 rpg last season.


Valpo makes a high-major pick-up: Bobby Capobianco, who left Indiana amid a loss of playing time and a scholarship crunch, had finally settled on a school. The 6'10" forward is headed to Valpo to play for Bryce Drew.
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Players joining teams mid-season

In case you missed it, The Quad, the New York Times college sports blog, had a great read yesterday about Ater Majok, UConn's Sudanese-by-way-of-Australia big man that will be suiting up in a UConn uniform for the first time today.

UConn has really been missing one thing this season: depth. The Huskies have some talented youngsters in their back court - Darius Smith, Jamaal Trice, Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, Donnell Beverly - that are still learning what Jim Calhoun requires if you want to get playing time. But UConn has no front court depth. Yes, Gavin Edwards comes off the bench, but he has been playing over 30 minutes a game as Charles Okwandu is simply not ready for this level of competition.

Majok will finally be eligible on Sunday, but how much impact will he have.
(photo credit: Jamati)

While Edwards, Alex Oriakhi, and Stanley Robinson have been pretty good in the early going, UConn needs more bodies up front if they expect to compete in the Big East. Which is why the addition of Majok is so important. He provides the rebounding, shot blocking, and a mean streak off the bench that UConn doesn't have right now.

I warn Husky fans not to be too excited about Majok just yet. He may end up being the next Ajou Deng. But he could also end up being the next Josh Boone or Charlie Villanueva.

But Majok is far from the only mid-season addition.

What other mid-season additions will make a difference this year?

Derrick Caracter, UTEP: We all know the story on Caracter, but after a year and a half away from the court, Caracter was cleared to play last weekend. He has played three games with the Miners, notching two double-doubles. UTEP was sorely missing a big-bodied banger on the block, and Caracter provides that, assuming his stays in shape and keeps his attitude in check. With Caracter, UTEP is a real threat to win C-USA.

Derrick Caracter has two double-doubles in three games since becoming eligible.
(photo credit: UTEP athletics)

Brady Morningstar and Jeff Withey, Kansas: In the days following the fight between the Kansas football and basketball teams, Morningstar was arrested for suspicion of DWI, which resulted in him being suspended by Bill Self for the first semester's games. While Kansas is a very deep team this year, the return of Morningstar is important. He is their best perimeter defender, an excellent shooter, and the guy of glue guy that does enough little things that it forces a coach to keep you on the court. There is a reason he went from walk-on to starter last season. Morningstar isn't going to post huge numbers, but his addition will be important for the Jayhawks goes of winning a national title. Morningstar had 2 points, 3 assists, 2 boards, and 0 turnovers in 22 minutes against Michigan.

Kansas also got news that Arizona transfer Jeff Withey was academically cleared to play. While he likely won't see too much playing time, Withey was a top 100 recruit and provides Self with even more depth on an already loaded roster. He didn't play against Michigan.

Keon Lawrence and Jeff Robison, Seton Hall: Lawrence, a transfer from Missouri who came back from suspension against Temple on Saturday, and Robinson, a transfer from Memphis who finally became eligible, both played significant minutes for the Pirates. Lawrence may be the better player, especially for Bobby Gonzalez's system, as he is a 6'2" scorer. But Robinson may be more important for the Pirates right now. Seton Hall has no problem scoring the ball, but they don't defend all that well. Robinson is an athletic, 6'5" guard that is strong enough to guard three or four positions on the floor.

Ibrahima Thomas, Cincinnati: Thomas, a transfer from Oklahoma State, is a talented 6'11" center, but I'm not sure how much he is actually going to help the Bearcats. Thomas is not an overly physical center, instead preferring to play on the perimeter and shoot some threes. He can hit that shot, and it definitely gives the Bearcats a different dimension along their front line, but can you see Mick Cronin using a center that doesn't rebound? Thomas played limited minutes in losses to Xavier and UAB, but had 10 points and 6 boards against Lipscomb on Saturday.

Jai Lucas, Texas: Lucas transferred in from Florida early last season, and just is getting eligible now. Texas is deep, and with Avery Bradley, J'Covan Brown, and Dogus Balbay, they now have four guys capable of playing the point. Lucas might be the best pure point guard of the guard - the most capable of running a team - but that may not be exactly what Texas needs. He will play some minutes, but expect Bradley, Brown, and Balbay to carry the load as they are more dynamic offensively.

Jai Lucas didn't score in six minutes against UNC.
(photo credit: Globe and Mail)

Gilbert Brown, Pitt: Pitt, who just got Jermaine Dixon back from injury, will have Gilbert Brown back in uniform on the 22nd. The Panthers, who are really struggling to score this season, sorely need Brown back. In addition to lacking offensive firepower, the Panther do not have a ton of athleticism this season. Brown oozes athleticism.

Mike Gerrity, USC: So did anyone know this kid, who has bounced from Pepperdine, to Charlotte, to USC, would make this big of an impact? In his first game with the Trojans on Saturday, Gerrity went for 12 points and 10 assists in leading USC to a 22 point win over Tennessee.

John Riek, Mississippi State: The Bulldogs are an excellent three point shooting team that likes to use four players around Jarvis Varnado offensively. Varnado is going to be an all-SEC pick, and is one of the premier posts in the conference. Riek, who was thought to be a top draft pick early in his career, hasn't played seriously in quite a while, and definitely looks like he has a ways to go before he is ready to contribute here. That said, Riek is a 7'1" shot blocker, and playing him alongside Varnado would mean that opponent's won't be able to shoot within ten feet of the rim. He's played just 1 minute in two games since he has been eligible.
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2009-2010 Team Preview: Mississippi State Bulldogs

2008-2009 Record: 23-13, 9-7 SEC (t-5th)

Key Losses: None

Key Returners: Jarvis Varnado (12.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 4.7 bpg), Barry Stewart (12.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg), Ravern Johnson (12.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Dee Bost (10.9 ppg, 4.3 apg)

Newcomers: Renardo Sidney, John Riek, Shaunessy Smith, Charles Parker, Baxter Price, Wendell Lewis

Jarvis Varnado will be the nation's best shotblocker this season.
(photo credit: Seattle Times)

Without a doubt, Mississippi State is the toughest team in the country to predict right now. Why? Because two of their most important pieces - Renardo Sidney and John Riek - are enormous question marks.

At this point, everyone in the country should know the situation with Sidney. Originally from Mississippi, Sidney spent his last three years in high school in Southern California. It was there that the Sidney family might have gotten themselves in trouble as the NCAA is currently questioning his eligibility as an amateur (click here for more details). Sidney would easily be one of the best freshman in the country. Standing 6'10", 260 lb, Sidney is a complete package on the offensive end. He is able to score in the post, but his face-up and perimeter game is much more developed than most kids his age and size, to the point that it is his strength offensively. Riek is facing a different issue. He has already been cleared to play by the NCAA (after he sits out the first nine games), but he has knee problems. When he was healthy two summers ago, many people had Riek pegged as a lottery pick, and possibly even the first overall pick. Standing 7'2", Riek will be a great addition to the Bulldogs, not only as another shot blocking presence, but to provide depth in the front court.

With Sidney and a healthy Riek joining Jarvis Varnado up front, these Bulldogs are a top 15 team. With them, they may not be the clear cut favorite in the weak SEC West.

Without those two, the Bulldog's fate is going to rest heavily on Varnado's shoulders. As you should know, Varnado is one of the most dominating defensive presences in the country. While standing just 6'9", he has long arms, exceptional timing and body control, and a quick second jump which makes a force around the rim. He will easily break Shaq's SEC record for blocked shots, and has a very real chance of setting the national record (535). Offensively, he is still developing. Varnado's frame is too thin, he has no left hand, and his offensive moves are mechanical, which is the main reason why adding a low post scoring threat like Sidney would be so beneficial for the Bulldogs.

There are four other big men on the Mississippi State roster whose minutes will vary depending on what happens with Sidney. The best of the group is probably 6'8" junior Kodi Augustus. Augustus, who came very close to transferring out of Mississippi State during the off-season, started early on in the season, but was benched midway through the year. Augustus has the ability to play out on the perimeter, giving coach Rick Stansbury some options if he wants to shuffle the line-up. Romero Osby should also see some minutes regardless of how the Sidney situation plays out. At 6'8" and a strong 230 lb, Osby is more of pure post than Augustus, but he can known down a perimeter jumper, which could help stretch the defense and create space inside. Junior Elgin Bailey and freshman Wendell Lewis are both big bodies that give the Bulldogs depth inside.

The perimeter is where the Bulldogs will get the majority of their scoring from. After Augustus was benched, Stansbury went to a four-guard line-up. One of the biggest reason this was successful was freshman point guard Dee Bost. Bost is a quick kid who can get by his defender and into the lane. He is not yet a great shooter, but Bost is fairly adept at drawing fouls as well as finding an open man. If he can cut down a bit on his turnovers (2.8 per game), Bost has a chance to be one of the best point guards in the south.

The Bulldogs have two solid scorers on the perimeter in senior Barry Stewart and junior Ravern Johnson. At 6'3", Stewart is more of on an all-around player. He gets to the line more, he's a better passer, and he is a better defender. That said, Johnson, who is the better shooter, is 6'7" and athletic, which allows Stansbury a bit of versatility with his line-ups. If he decides to go with four guards again, Johnson is the guy that will be forced to play inside. If Sidney does get eligible, the Bulldogs will likely go with a more traditional three guard line-up, using Phil Turner, who moved into a starting role after Augustus was benched, as a reserve. Turner is a tough kid. He is just 6'3", 170 lb, but Turner was the team's second leading rebounder at 5.5 rpg in just 24 mpg. Turner is a solid scorer, as he hit double figures 12 times last season. If Sidney gets eligible, Turner will be a dangerous option coming off the bench. Also expect junior Riley Benock, sophomore Twany Beckham, and freshman Shaunessy Smith to make a push for some back court minutes.

Outlook: As I said earlier, so much of what MSU does this season relies on the amateur standing of Renardo Sidney. If Sidney is granted eligibility by the NCAA, Mississippi State has a real chance of winning the SEC outright as they play in the much weaker West division. Without Sidney, this should still be an NCAA tournament team. Varnado is arguably the best defensive player in the country and the Bulldogs have a very underrated group of perimeter players. That should be enough for 22-25 wins and a bid.
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John Riek cleared by the NCAA

Big news today for Mississippi State as the NCAA has cleared 7'1" center John Riek to play. He is going to have to sit out the first nine games of the season.

Riek has loads of talent, and at one time was thought to be a guy that would be a top five NBA Draft. But after some knee problems and a flirtation with Cincinnati, Riek spent the season with IMG Academy in Florida.

If Riek is healthy, he will provide MSU with another excellent shotblocker to go along with Varnado. It may be tough for the two to play together offensively as they are both sub-par offensive players.

But with those two along a front line defensively, MSU may not give up a bucket in the paint all season.

The question now for Rick Stansbury - is Riek healthy and in game shape? And more importantly, will Renardo Sidney get cleared by the NCAA

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Kentucky may have some competition in the SEC

Well, if they land John Wall, they probably won't.

But there is a chance that they may not have the best front line anymore.

Two weeks ago, Mississippi State looked like a team that was going to struggle to compete with bigger teams. Their only inside presence from a year ago, Jarvis Varnado, had declared for the NBA Draft and the only big man recruit they had coming in was 6'9" Wendell Lewis, a three-star recruit.

Fast forward to today, and the Bulldogs look they may have not only one of the best front lines in the SEC, but one of the best in the country. This morning, Varnado, who led the team with averages of 12.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg, and 4.7 bpg, decided that he would be pulling his name out of the draft.

Rick Stansbury also managed to land two of the best big man available late in the recruiting process. Renardo Sidney's story has been well documented (here and here), but the MSU coach also landed John Riek. If you've never heard of Riek, well, you are probably not the only one. In 2007, Riek was considered one of the best recruits big man prospects, and a dark horse to be the first pick in the 2008 draft. But knee problems changed those plans. He declared for the draft, but eventually pulled out. Last year, he committed to Cincinnati, but never became eligible.

Riek still needs to get back to 100% and Sidney needs to be cleared as eligible. But with the Varnado's decision, the Bulldogs now return everyone of significance from last season's team that won the SEC tournament to reach the big dance, including wing players Barry Stewart, Dee Bost, Ravern Johnson, and Phil Turner.

It is still too early in the process to pencil the Bulldogs in as an SEC darkhose, it is safe to say things are looking good right now in Starkville.

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