Recruiting

Recruiting Notebook: Beilein watches Ricky Doyle, Booker plans visits, Mizzou decommit lists Michigan

762924[1]John Beilein was in Florida on Thursday evening to check in on 2014 big man Ricky Doyle. Beielin joined Miami head coach Jim Larranaga in the stands (H/T Dan DeLuca) to watch the back-to-the-basket big man score 20 points and grab seven rebounds to lead Bishop Verot to a 36-point playoff win.

Doyle recently visited Miami and is also being recruited by Notre Dame, Michigan, Penn State, Boston College, Georgia, Alabama and others.

Doyle, missed most of the last two months with a stress fracture injury but has been playing well since his return including a 31 point outing against Dunbar. Doyle is averaging 23 points and seven rebounds in his junior season and Michigan is expected to get a visit after his season.

Devin Booker sets visits

Michigan and Missouri have long been involved in the Devin Booker sweepstakes. Michigan State jumped in head first this summer and Tom Izzo recently watched Booker at Moss Point. Local SEC schools have also paid plenty of notice to the 5-star junior. Most recently, the ACC has been taking notice as well.

Booker has scheduled a handful of visits later in the next several weeks; North Carolina on February 23rd, Duke on February 24th and Florida on March 2nd.

Most recently Booker scored 35 points in a 54-51 double overtime loss, missing a buzzer beater off back rim as the clock expired. Here’s recent footage of Booker scoring 43 points against Hattiesburg.

Anton%20Beard[1]Anton Beard lists Michigan

While Missouri is one of Michigan’s primary competitors for the Devin Booker’s services, the Wolverines and Tigers could soon be competing for another recruit. 2014 point guard Anton Beard decommitted from Missouri earlier this week and announced an early list that included Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Kansas, LSU, Michigan, Mississippi State, Tennessee and LSU.

Beard, a 6-foot native of Little Rock, Arkansas, is regarded as 4-star top-100 prospect by most services. While Beard is hearing from a host of new schools, he could be a name to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months as he reopens his recruitment.

Here’s a Rivals.com scouting report of Beard from a tournament this summer:

If Black wasn’t the most dominant player of the day, that title would have to go to his feisty Team Thad running mate Beard. A combo guard who can fill it up from all three levels and excels at scoring off the dribble, Beard is a tough competitor who somehow finds a way to will shots into the basket. He’s slippery off the bounce and even better around the rim as he finds ways to curl around bigger defenders to score and draw the foul. He also is a more-than-reliable shooter from downtown. Beard’s team needed him to score to win games on Sunday, but he also showed the ability to make plays for his teammates as a passer. The four-star sophomore is being recruited by Georgetown, Arkansas, Missouri, Memphis and Alabama.

ESPN, Scout update rankings

Both ESPN and Scout recently refreshed their recruiting rankings. While no Michigan commitments were chosen for the Jordan Brand or McDonald’s All-American rosters, all three are consensus top-100 recruits.

Derrick Walton (42), Zak Irvin (49) and Mark Donnal (95) all found spots in Scout.com’s updated rankings while ESPN likes the trio even more, slotting Irvin at 24, Walton at 35  and Donnal at 86.

Michigan offerees Devin Booker (19, 5-star) and Trevon Bluiett (45) both were in ESPN’s updated 2014 rankings as well. 2014 target Kameron Chatman (49) is also in ESPN’s top 60.

Booker (23), Bluiett (49) and Chatman (31) are also ranked favorably in Scout.com’s updated rankings along with Vince Edwards at No. 86.

Class of 2015 recruits Diamond Stone (2), Stephen Zimmerman (5) and Eric Davis (10) all made the cut for ESPN’s Top 25 in 2015.

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