Maryland Basketball Targets At National High School Invitational

The National High School Invitational is upon us, and with it we get a chance to look at a couple of Maryland Terrapin targets (however much of a longshot they may be.) Sure, there are going to be players like Emmanuel Mudiay there, who is perhaps one of the top three or four players in the country and already has his road paved, but there are also going to be plenty of guys who might be giving the Terrapins a once-over just in case. I’ll be focusing more on them throughout the tournament.

1.) D’Angelo Russell – SG – 6’4, 180 lbs

HS: Monteverde, Kentucky

State Rank: 5th

National Rank: 64th

Positional Rank: 23rd

Other Major Offers: Louisville, N.C. State, Ohio State, Mizzou, Indiana

Outlook: Russell, a score-first guard, is on this list not because he really has a chance at this point to come to Maryland, but because Dalonte Hill has reached out to him in the past. The Terrapins haven’t even offered him a scholarship yet, but they have sent a recruiter out. That tells you a number of things. First, it tells you he probably wasn’t interested when the recruiter made his pitch. But it also tells you that the Terrapins might yet make another push in the future, or may even have this role filled with Romelo Trimble already in tow. Still, with a player this talented, he’s worth keeping a tab on.

2.) Therence Mayimba – SF – 6’6, 200 lbs

HS: Montrose Christian School, Maryland

State Rank: 3rd

National Rank: 64th

Positional Rank: 18

Other Major Offers: Georgetown, Indiana, Villanova

Outlook: A local guy (even though he’s a native of Gabon), Mayimba has the Terrapins on his short list, and that’s probably a good thing. Mayimba is rising quickly up the boards now that he has finally be afforded an opportunity to play. Last year, he was shrouded by a bunch of seniors on his talent-laden squad, but as an upperclassmen, he has displayed a propensity to score and some very stingy defense.

Mayimba is an incredibly bright kid by all accounts, and he’s not really even focused on deciding on a college right now, with academics a larger concern. He does have Maryland on his radar, and the Terrapins may be in the running for him in the end in hopes of filling a SF role in the future.

3.) Richard Lee – G – 6’2, 190 lbs

HS: Blanche Ely, Florida

State Rank: 5th

National Rank: 100th

Positional Rank: 23rd

Other Major Offers: Florida, Miami, George Mason, Tennessee

Outlook: Richard Lee is another one of those combo guards who is a big-time scorer. The Florida native doesn’t have the Terrapins high on his list, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t drawn their eye. Lee led Blanche Ely to the Class 7A semi-finals by dropping 22 points on his former team, and looks to continue to impress at the National High School Invitational.

A lot of SEC schools are recruiting him heavily, but Miami has made a big push as well and their recent success bodes well for their chances to nab him. Since transferring to Blanche Ely, Lee has shot up a lot of boards in Florida. With a summer of AAU under his belt and a senior year, Lee could be a hot commodity in the future. Maryland has a lot of players at his position committing, but should certainly give him some consideration.