It's not as bad as it seems if you look to next season.
Forward is set.
The team MUST get better play from the point guard spot. A good point guard makes everyone else better. Fix this and the team soars. Don't fix that and scr#*$d.
And look at the recruits coming in.
Minnesota Gopher Basketball welcomes three 2023 recruits on National Signing Day
- by Ryan James
- Nov 9, 2:27 PM
University of Minnesota men's basketball head coach
Ben Johnson has announced that
Cameron Christie,
Dennis Evans and Erick Reader will join the Golden Gopher program prior to the 2023-24 season. Christie and Evans have signed National Letters of Intent, while Reader is set to join the team as a preferred walk on. In addition, Johnson has announced that freshman
Kadyn Betts will redshirt the 2022-23 season and be a part of the 2023-24 freshmen class. The Pueblo, Colo., product reclassified to the 2022 class and joined the program in August.
Christie is a 6-5, 160-pound guard from Arlington Heights, Ill., and Rolling Meadows High School under Kevin Katovich. Christie is ranked as the No. 1 recruit out of Illinois this season and ranked 84th nationally by 247Sports.com. A First-Team IBCA all-state selection, Christie helped Rolling Meadows to a 28-6 overall record and a Mid-Suburban East conference championship. Christie led the team to its first regional title in more than 21 years. As a junior, Christie surpassed 1,000 career points and averaged 22 points at Rolling Meadows. As a junior, Christie also shot 53 percent from the field, was 93 percent at free throw shooter and 42 percent beyond the arc last season. He also averaged 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Christie garnered all-state honors from the Sun Times and Hoops Report, while he was named the conference player of the year and an Under Armour Top 30 list. As a freshman, Christie was an all-area selection and averaged 11 points. Christie also plays with the Illinois Wolves on the Under Armour club basketball circuit with Mike Mullins.
"Cam is a driven, competitive winner and we're excited to see him bring that edge to Minnesota," head coach
Ben Johnson said. "He understands what it takes to play at this level and has taken unbelievable strides in his game. He's incredibly driven to be the best player he can be. Cam's a versatile guard that can run an offense at the point. He can dribble, pass and shoot, is athletic and has a high IQ. We're excited to add someone like Cam with his personality, talent, ceiling and his drive to our program."
Evans is a 7-1, 210-pound center hailing from Riverside, Calif. Hillcrest High School under Hugh Wood. Also playing for Team Inland and "Kool-Aid" Perry, Evans is listed as the No. 13 recruit from Rivals.com, the 27th from 247Sports and 28th from PrepHoops.com. With Hillcrest last year, Evans averaged 11 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks per game as a junior. He led Hillcrest to a River Valley League Championship in 2022. A true rim protector, Evans produced a 16-block performance last year, which set a new state record. Evans also posted 10-block
performances five times last year. He also included a triple-double once last season, his second of his career, the first coming as a sophomore. A standout on the USA Basketball circuit, Evans was also a member of the u17 USA Basketball team that took home gold this past summer in the FIBA championships in Malaga, Spain. He also recently was a part of the USA junior national team training camp this fall.
"Dennis brings a unique talent to Minnesota," Johnson said. "With his size and length, Dennis brings a great defensive presence. He's taken unbelievable strides from last year to now because of his great work ethic. He lives in the gym and has a passion for player development. He's all about the right stuff and a team guy that understands the process. Someone like Dennis, with his talent and upside, he's a defensive game changer. At the same, he creates a unique challenge offensively for opposing teams due to his high skill level and unique game."
Erick Reader is a 6-8, 195-pound forward from Bloomington, Minn., and New Life Academy. As a junior last year, Reader averaged 13.5 points and shot 54.5 from the field. He also averaged 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1 block and 1 steal per game. With New Life Academy under head coach Robbie Whitney, Reader led the team to the Minnesota State High School League State semifinals last season, and were Skyline champions. A First-Team All-Skyline Conference honoree, Reader holds the school record for rebounds in a game (21) and ranks in the top three in school history for total rebounds in a season at 283. Reader also plays for Grassroots Sizzle and head coach Larry Suggs and Brian Sandifer. A standout student, Reader was also an ACSI Distinguished Christian High School Student Award for leadership and received a Scholar Athlete award for a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
"We're excited to have Erick join our program as a preferred walk on," Johnson said. "Erick will provide some depth to our program, is a local talent with a good skill level that can protect the rim and can score on the block. We're looking forward to working with him next year and watching his continued development."
Minnesota Gopher Basketball welcomes three 2023 recruits on National Signing Day
247sports.com
