Tuesday, April 19, 2011

MSU men's basketball team getting bigger ... literally

It doesn't appear that Minnesota State men's basketball coach Matt Margenthaler is done with recruiting this spring, but he certainly has solved the team's most glaring need: size.

In the last week, the Mavericks have added high-schoolers Zach Romashko (Blaine) and T.J. Okafor (Champlin Park)and Iowa Lakes Community College transfer Charles McNeal III. Each is around 6-6 or 6-7, with good numbers for scoring and rebounding.

Romashko and Okafor are more gifted scorers, apparently inside and outside, while McNeal is more of a scrapper. Regardless, the Mavericks, who have Connor O'Brien, Mike Bisenius and Mitch Grundman returning, will no longer have a size disadvantage.

Throw in guards Kelly Madison and Miles Chamberlain, who signed in the fall, and Margenthaler said this is the most talented recruiting class he's ever brought to Minnesota State. That's a big statement, considering all the talented players to put on the purple and gold over the last 10 seasons.

Margenthaler said Monday that he'd like to bring in at least one more player, preferably a transfer who is more mature and ready to play right away. The roster only has one true point guard (Jimmy Whitehead) and one known 3-point threat (Stephen Kirschbaum).

Since Margenthaler has already recruited size, he's free to add a shooter or ball-handler.

It might be a rebuilding season upcoming for the Mavericks, who made that historic run to the national semifinals, but it doesn't appear that the dropoff will be severe as fans may have thought. And it likely never will under Margenthaler.

It's only six months until Midnight Madness. Recruiting has a way of getting you excited for the next season.

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