Bearcat Men's Basketball Recruits Ranked Ninth

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The University of Cincinnati's incoming class of recruits has been ranked in the top 10 of two recruiting services.

Both Future Stars, compiled by Van Coleman, and Hoop Scoop, whose editor is Clark Francis, have ranked the Bearcat newcomers as the nation's ninth-best recruiting class. It is the sixth time in the past nine years that Cincinnati's recruiting class has been ranked in the top 10.

Both publications rate the classes of Duke and Michigan State as No. 1 and No. 2. Hoop Scoop has the Bearcats tied with Illinois for the ninth position, trailing Iowa State, North Carolina, Maryland, Villanova, Oklahoma State and Florida. Future Stars has North Carolina, Maryland, Iowa State, Villanova, Arizona and Illinois rated ahead of the Bearcats.

Other notes from the recruiting rankings:

• Eric Hicks is Cincinnati's highest-rated high school recruit, ranked No. 40 by Brick Oettinger's PrepStars and No. 44 by Dave Telep's TheInsidersHoops.com. The 6-6 forward from Greensboro, N.C. is No. 88 by ESPN.com.

• Chadd Moore is ranked No. 58 by PrepStars, No. 62 by ESPN.com and No. 79 by TheInsidersHoops.com. Moore, a 6-2 guard from Huntsville, Ala. who played at Oak Hill Academy, was rated the No. 10 high school senior point guard prospect by Prepspotlight.com.

• Armein Kirkland, a 6-7 guard from Tyler, Texas, is No. 96 according to ESPN.com and No. 122 by PrepStars.

• Tony Bobbitt is the No. 6 rated junior college prospect according the PrepStars. Bobbitt (Daytona Beach, Fla./College of Southern Idaho) was named to the junior college All-America first team by FutureStars with Kareem Johnson (Eufaula, Ala./Chipola College) earning second-team honors.