A thorough look at Fresno State recruiting

Coach Steve Cleveland is in somewhat of a bind in not knowing how many basketball scholarships he can issue but the Bulldogs are working to land more recruits.

Bulldogs coach has a read on recruits
Cleveland expects solid hoops class, but faces wait to confirm.
Gary Estwick
The Fresno Bee
4/15/08

You won't find Cleveland hanging around his fax machine either. He does not expect to secure the remaining members of next fall's incoming class during the initial days of the men's basketball spring signing period.

"The young men we've sent NLIs to, we kind of have a good idea of what they're thinking, what they're going to do," said Cleveland, giving his best psychic impersonation.

"We're hopeful that over the next week, next eight days, we get some of those NLIs returned."

Fresno State, coming off its first losing season under Cleveland, is within reach of the best recruiting class of Cleveland's three-year tenure. It's this fact, coupled with academic progress by this season's seniors -- all are expected to graduate by next spring -- that has made a 13-19 season easier to forget.

Four high school seniors signed last fall -- Utah's Bracken Funk will delay his arrival on campus until after his church mission -- and Fresno State wants to add a point guard/shooting guard and several athletic power forwards along with Reggie Moore and Mychal Ladd (Rainier Beach High-Seattle), and Chris Jones of Newark Memorial.

For months, the coaching staff has traveled across the nation, visiting recruits in their living rooms. They've watched their games. Written letters, had phone conversations --too many to remember them all. Escorted recruits around campus...

Five recruits the Bulldogs are targeting:

Name: Robert Lowery
Height: 6-2 Position: PG/SG
Coming from: Cecil College (Maryland)

Name: Robin Benzing
Height: 6-8 Position: SF/PF
Coming from: Langen (German club team)

Name: JeJuan Brown
Height: 6-7 Position: SF/PF
Coming from: L.A. Southwest College

Name: Paul George*
Height: 6-8 Position: SF/PF
Coming from: Knight High-Palmdale

Name: Nicola Kecman
Height: 6-9 Position: PF
Coming from: Eastern Arizona College/ Belgrade, Serbia

*Orally committed

All they want in return is a letter with a signature in the mail...

Go here for the remainder.