Here's a Fine Collection of Signing Day Links

Purdue signed an underrated class in the opinion of the Good Mongrel. The highest I've seen them ranked is 14th by Maxxpreps but Terone Johnson and Travis Carrol are kids who can help a team early in their careers and Anthony Johnson and Donnie Hale both have what it takes to be good four year players in the Big Ten. This is the follow up to the 2007 class that Boiler fans have been waiting for.

Here's a link from the Louisville Courier-Journal which focuses mostly on Hale but also touches on some other Louisville area stars signing such as Curtis Washington, Ricardo Johnson, Sean Samsel, and Josh Sewell who checks in with the most mature quote of the day after acknowledging he had interest from bigger programs, “At the end of the day I feel like I made a great decision,” the 6-5 guard said. “I really feel comfortable with the staff and school and can grow on and off the court. Basketball will take care of itself. I'm not going to play in the NBA or anything, but I am going there for the business marketing program and let basketball take care of itself." I'm sure Sewell will be pleased with his basketball opportunities at Miami as well as his academic environment. The photo on the right is Sewell from a Louisville Courier-Journal shot. http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20091111/SPORTS11/911110428/1034/SPORTS06/New+Albany+s+Donnie+Hale+signs+with+Boilermakers

Indiana received an LOI from defensive specialist and Youtube Dunkmaster Victor Oladipo from Dematha, Maryland. Here are the obligatory quotes from the head coach on the signing. http://blogs.heraldtimesonline.com/iusp/?p=5476

Here are a couple of Chicagohoops links on some signing day news. Patrick Miller of Chicago Hales-Franciscan committed to Tennessee State. Miller played for Old Gold over the summer. http://www.chicagohoops.com/articles1/patrickmillertsu.html On the flip side, signing day also comes with a few decommitments and Illinois Warriors star Fabyon Harris who plays for Chicago Hyde Park pulled his pledge from Northern Colorado.

Brad Brownell's Wright State program added an infusion of talent yesterday. Brownell said Kegan Clark (Jeffersonville, IN) is the most prepared to play but all the Wright State signees have a chance to play early with four graduating seniors to replace. Kory Stanton, AJ Pacher (Vandalia, OH Butler), and Colt Darling (Holt, Michigan) are the other immediate signees while Matt Vest will redshirt a year before playing. http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayton-sports/wright-state-university-raiders/wright-state-recruits-will-ease-seniors-exit-397261.html

Brian Gregory has signed a huge class for the Dayton Flyers. Juwan Staten, Jesse Berry, Brandon Spearman, Ralph Hill, and Devin Oliver constitute one of the deepest classes I can remember for a mid-major program. http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayton-sports/university-of-dayton-flyers/what-does-uds-gregory-have-to-say-about-his-5-newest-recruits-397215.html Here is another article on local star Juwan Staten. http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayton-sports/university-of-dayton-flyers/staten-sticks-to-his-word-signs-with-ud-397214.html Berry is my favorite player of the group in terms of on-court ability, but he has a reputation for being a scorer who doesn't think a lot about the rest of the game. This article from his hometown newspaper shows how hard Berry has been working on his passing and his defense, he sounds like he's got his stuff together. http://www.jconline.com/article/20091112/SPORTS01/911120328/1038/Lafayette-Jeff-senior-Berry-joins-talented-Dayton-group

2010 star Kyle Vinales committed to Grand Valley State yesterday. Ginales is a good shooter from North Farmington who played point for the Detroit Fire last summer. http://blog.mlive.com/highschoolbasketball/2009/11/grand_valley_gets_in_on_the_ac.html

Kentucky signed outstanding athlete and scorer Stacey Poole from Jacksonville, Florida. He played this summer for the Jacksonville Lee Bulls and his father was an all time great for conference rival Florida. That has to be painful for Florida fans, sure right now every fan base pretends their school didn't really want the kids they didn't get and none more so than UK media outlets, but soon enough the face of UK basketball might be a little too familiar for them. Here's a link with a few quotes from Coach Calipari on Poole. http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/2009/11/calipari-on-poole.html

Former Louisville Manual star Jacob Jenkins has inked a letter of intent to Bellarmine. http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/2009/11/remember-jacob-jenkins.html Here's the new class for Bellarmine. http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/blog.html

Butler has landed a great recruiting class. Bloomington South's Eric Fromm is a solid 6'7 forward who is versatile enough to play away from the paint. Kyle Marshall is a nationally ranked forward from Penbrook Pines, Florida, and the big fish in the eyes of the Mongrel is Crishawn Hopkins from Indianapolis Manual. http://www.indystar.com/article/20091112/SPORTS0605/911120481/1004/SPORTS/Butler+s+2010+class
You don't have to be a superstar to get to play D1 basketball at a top notch institution. JR Reynolds of Chicago Whitney Young was one of several CPL kids who sign an LOI and he came off the bench for the state champs in high school. The link discusses the Rice commitment and also mentions some other CPL stars signing yesterday including some comments from his teammate Anthony Johnson. http://yourseason.suntimes.com/boys_basketball/1878181,111109-local-signing-day.article

Transfers have become so common for D1 basketball players that more and more teams now consider signing more players than they have spots for. The Akron Zips took a commitment from Dakotah Euton last week and received LOI's for all three of their signees so they will need to see a place open, but many coaches already know where the spot will come from or are otherwise willing to risk overcommitting because they see so many transfers. The Zips also signed Michael Green from Dublin Coffman High and 6-7 forward Josh Egner from Massillon Jackson.
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/index.ssf/2009/11/post_6.html

The same link also shows four signees for Coach Gino Ford's Kent State program. 6'8 Mark Henninger from Massillon Jackson, 6'4 Eric Gaines from Chicago Hillcrest, 6'6 Kenny Knight from Cincinnati Winton Woods and 6'4 juco guard Carlton Guyton form a very solid group. Gaines and Knight are two very dynamic wings who impressed the Mongrel in July, the future looks very bright for Kent State and they have one more open ride to fill in the spring if they choose.

Ernie Zeigler's Central Michigan program should have no problems developing chemistry. They brought in a recruiting class with two teammates from the same AAU program and a third expected to sign next year. Nate VanArendonk and Colin Voss signed yesterday, and junior Jordan Myrick is expected to sign next year. http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-1359932882883707984/three-west-michigan-basketball-players-sign-with-central-michigan-fourth-on-way/

Murray State has inked Reynoldsburg HS (OH) standout Kevin Gray. Congrats to Kevin, his family, and the Racers! http://www.buckeyeprep.blogspot.com/

Roy Marble Jr (MI) faxed in his LOI to Iowa. http://scouthoops.scout.com/2/918418.html

Ben Brust (IL) has faxed in his LOI to Iowa as well per Telep's free signing day blog (linked above with Marble), all four of Iowa's outstanding commitments have signed.