The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/544673
BASKETBALL RECRUITING from behind the three-point line. In addition to the new names, Michigan coaches continue to pur- sue the familiar ones. Four-star Kevin Huerter, a 6-6 shooting guard who is ranked No. 80 in the class, has gen- erally played well this summer, but he averaged only 7.3 points, 6.3 re- bounds and 2.3 assists at the July 10 weekend Nike Peach Jam. The Clif- ton Park (N.Y.) Shenendehowa prod- uct did not shoot well in front of Beilein before having to leave for a baseball event after three games, dur- ing which he shot only 29.6 percent from the floor and 18.8 percent from three-point range. Huerter plans an August visit and could well receive an offer, though he's still torn between the 2016 and 2017 classes (but leaning towards 2016). U-M could take him for ei- ther but will battle Maryland, Notre Dame, Miami, Villanova, Syracuse, Gonzaga and Iowa for his signature. He said he speaks to all of those schools regularly. "Ever since Coach Beilein got there, they have been great," he said of Michigan in early July. "They like me a lot, but the way they do it is I would have to visit there to get an offer. I'm planning to, but I don't know when. It will probably be after the live periods. They are obviously going to be really good for years to come." Huerter hopes to pledge in the fall. Five-star small forward Miles Bridges, the nation's No. 24 recruit out of Huntington (W.Va.) Prep and formerly of Flint, Mich., is a longer shot and much more likely to end up at MSU than U-M at this point. The Wolverines did make the 6-6 pros- pect's recent top five, though, with Michigan State, Kentucky, North Carolina and Indiana. Bridges averaged 22.8 points at the Peach Jam, shooting 55.2 percent from the floor and an impressive 47.2 percent from three-point range. He had three games of more than 25 points and also averaged 10 rebounds per game, good for fifth overall. Kentucky and MSU are thought to be his favorites. Finally, another in-state prospect, Detroit East English Village shooting guard Kamari Newman, has become one to watch. The unranked 6-3 prep standout played well at the Michigan Team Camp in June and can really shoot the ball. CASSIUS WINSTON STILL IS THE POINT GUARD PRIORITY Beilein and Jordan watched 6-0, Detroit U-D Jesuit four-star Cassius Winston — the point guard prior- ity in the 2016 class — closely at the Nike Peach Jam over the July 10 weekend. Rivals' No. 28 senior in the land played with The Family AAU squad and "tried to will the team, but was too rusty after being out [for six weeks with a broken wrist]," TheWolfpacker.com's Jacey Zembal shared. Winston heated up, though, and finished fifth overall in assists at the event (6.0 per game). He also aver- aged 13.2 points, though he only shot 33.3 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from three-point range.