Terps Garner Preseason Basketball Honors
10/18/2002 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 18, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland enters the 2002-03 college basketball season minus four starters from its national championship team of 2002, but will be one of very few clubs in the country with as many as four seniors in its starting lineup.
Leading the cast of seniors is fourth-year starter Steve Blake who not only helped guide the Terps to the 2002 NCAA crown, but this year could become only the fourth player in NCAA history to reach 1,000 assists for his career. Already the Maryland season and career leader, Blake is 249 assists from joining Bobby Hurley, Ed Cota and Chris Corchiani as the only players ever to reach the 1,000 plateau.
The Terps' backcourt, anchored by Blake and joined in the starting lineup this season by senior veteran Drew Nicholas, should be one of the most experienced and most potent tandems in the country. Similarly, the Maryland frontcourt was also ranked among the nation's best, led by returning seniors Tahj Holden and Ryan Randle, and junior college transfer Jamar Smith. The frontcourt and backcourt both were ranked among the country's Top 20 by The Sporting News.
Also ranked highly during preseason previews was the Maryland recruiting class, ranked fourth by Lindy's and eighth by Athlon Sports. Athlon and Street & Smith's both placed all four Terrapin freshmen among the nation's Top 100 College Freshmen.
Maryland in national preseason polls through mid-October: FOXSports.com (12), The Sporting News (14), Lindy's (15), Street & Smith's (15), Blue Ribbon Yearbook (16), CBSSportsline.com (16), Basketball News (17), CollegeInsider.com (18), SLAM Magazine (18), ACC Basketball Handbook (20), ESPN.com (22).
A look at some individual player rankings in various preseason publications:
Steve Blake, Sr., G Wooden Award Player of the Year Nomination No. 8 point guard in nation, FOXSports.com No. 9 floor leader in nation, Athlon Sports No. 9 point guard in nation, The Sporting News No. 15 point guard in nation, Lindy's ACC's Best Penetrator, Street & Smith's ACC's Best Playmaker, The Sporting News ACC's Best Under Pressure, Street & Smith's First Team All-ACC, ACC Basketball Handbook First Team All-ACC, Athlon Sports First Team All-ACC, Lindy's First Team All-ACC, Street & Smith's First Team All-ACC, The Sporting News Second Team All-ACC, Basketball News Nik Caner-Medley, Fr., F No. 77 college freshman in nation, Athlon Sports Top 100 College Freshmen, Street & Smith's Travis Garrison, Fr., F No. 50 college freshman in nation, Athlon Sports Top 100 College Freshmen, Street & Smith's John Gilchrist, Fr., G No. 67 college freshman in nation, Athlon Sports Top 100 College Freshmen, Street & Smith's Tahj Holden, Sr., F No. 25 power forward in nation, FOXSports.com Second Team All-ACC, ACC Basketball Handbook Second Team All-ACC, Athlon Sports Second Team All-ACC, Basketball News Chris McCray, Fr., G No. 44 college freshman in nation, Athlon Sports Top 100 College Freshmen, Street & Smith's Drew Nicholas, Sr., G No. 13 shooting guard in nation, FOXSports.com Third Team All-ACC, ACC Basketball Handbook Third Team All-ACC, Athlon Sports Third Team All-ACC, Lindy's Ryan Randle, Sr., F Honorable Mention All-ACC, ACC Basketball Handbook Jamar Smith, Jr., F Best JC transfer rebounder in nation, The Sporting News No. 3 impact JC transfer in nation, Lindy's No. 3 JC transfer center in nation, Lindy's No. 3 JC transfer power forward in nation, The Sporting News
