![]() ![]() Castille will be coming in as a tailback, so we can play in the backfield together. "The coaches told me that if I come in and work hard that I have a chance to start as a freshman," McClain related, "or at least get playing time. He moves well laterally and will be playing a lot of linebacker this year as well, though he projects as a fullback in college. McClain also had 97 tackles at linebacker. ![]() He racked up 1,070 yards rushing and scored 21 touchdowns at fullback. McClain, (6-1, 242, 4.59) of Tuscaloosa County, is rated the #1 fullback in the South by BorderWars and is a big, punishing runner. I feel real comfortable with them and I like their philosophy." "I have always been a fan of Alabama," Castille said, explaining his preference for the Tide. Though his decision didn't become public until Sunday morning, when his father Jeremiah spoke to a television reporter, Castille committed to Franchione the previous day. I told him that I was going to meet with Coach Fran (Sunday) with my parents and that I was going to commit also." McClain said, "We were in the locker room (Saturday, following the scrimmage) and Tim told me that he had just committed to Coach Fran. McClain and Castille's decisions made for a terrific one-two recruiting punch for Alabama. ![]() McClain (left), teammate Terrence Jones (center) and Tuscaloosa County Coach Robert Higgenbotham (right) visit practice last spring. "My family, coach and I went over and sat down with Coach Fran and I told him I was ready to get it over with." "I committed a little over an hour ago," McClain told Sunday afternoon. Bona, who is still recovering, is not expected to play on UCLA’s three-game tour of Spain later this month.Both McClain and Castille were rated the top players at their position in the state of Alabama, and their decision to go ahead and announce their intentions to sign with the Tide strengthens an already impressive 2003 class. With 6-9 Adem Bona returning for a second college season after his first was cut short because of a shoulder injury, the Bruins now have a pair of imposing big men on their roster. He’s a humble young man with great parents, and he’s blessed to stand at 7-foot-3 with such talent and a strong work ethic.” He has tremendous size and skill and has developed a great understanding of the game of basketball. “Throughout this process with Aday, he and his family have stood firm on one thing – that they want a great education for Aday, and to see him grow as a young man at UCLA. “We are excited to announce the addition of Aday to UCLA,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said in a statement. ![]() Mara helped lead Spain to a second-place finish at the FIBA U18 European Championships last month, where he averaged 14 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 blocked shots while shooting 61.3% from the field in seven games. Mara is considered a skilled shot-blocker, lob threat and pick-and-roll finisher with excellent passing skills, great footwork, a good mid-range jumper and the ability to play with his back to the basket. Mara, 18, should help UCLA’s outlook for next season as the program looks to replace a slew of talent from a team that went 31-6 overall, won the Pac-12 regular-season title at 18-2 and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The announcement came one day after Mara posted on Instagram that he was leaving his Spanish professional team, Casademont Zaragoza. Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 center from Spain who is projected as a possible lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, has signed with UCLA, the school announced Thursday. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |