Dante Holmes - 6'3" SG

[Jamie]

Anyone know anything about this guy? He's a shooting guard at St. Francis Academy in Maryland and apparently we're in the running for him.

Just spoke with Dante Holmes of St. Frances Academy (Md.)...he has trimmed his list to St. John's, Loyola (Md.), UAB and South Florida.

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello)

April 15, 2010

[Mama_Bull]

His ESPN profile:

Dante Holmes | SG 

Hometown  Baltimore, MD 

High School St. Frances Academy 

Position rank Shooting Guard # 86

Height 6'3"

Weight 175 lbs.

Last Updated: 4/15/2010 Data provided by Scouts, Inc.

Evaluation / Notes On the Trail / Features

Status

Undeclared

Scouts Grade

87

Evaluation

January, 2010: Holmes is a good looking athlete that played a solid all-around game leading his team in both scoring and rebounding. He showed the ability to get to the rim, absorb contact and finish. He is a high energy guy that gets out in transition and is in attack mode...

  http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/tracker/player?recruitId=66517&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncb%2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fplayer%3frecruitId%3d66517

Recent ESPN article mentioning him:

Nothing to do but watch

Dante Holmes sat quietly in the last row of the arena Saturday. His senior year at St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) finished a few weeks ago but wanted to catch a glimpse of the nation's elite team.

"It's tough sitting here; I want to be playing," he said.

Holmes could only wonder "what if."

A year ago, St. Frances was playing in the inaugural ESPN RISE National High School Invitational and 6-foot-3 Holmes was the high-energy swingman that sparked the offense.

This year the Archdiocese of Baltimore put the kibosh on a return trip when the tournament was booked during three days of Holy Week. The same could be said for St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.), who weren't allowed a return trip this time.

Saturday he watched as Findlay Prep of Henderson, Nev. won the NHSI trophy at Coppin State's Physical Education Complex.

"We had a good year; played against nationally ranked teams like St. Benedict's and Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) at the City of Palms (Classic). Those were close games. I really think we could match up against these big programs," Holmes said.

"It would have been nice to play Findlay Prep or Oak Hill Academy; those the top two teams every year."

Holmes, a second team All-Baltimore selection, helped the Panthers claim the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association Conference A crown. He surpassed 1,200 career points, averaging 15 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.

This is spring break for area schools. That's good news for Holmes who must sift through the stack of college offers. He's already vetted by the NCAA Clearinghouse, so what will it be?

"I need to get started on this, right?" he said.

Well, Alabama-Birmingham has shown the most attention and is pressing for a visit. Rice and Houston are serious players while programs such as George Mason, Delaware State, Marquette, St. Bonaventure and Loyola (Md.) are involved.

UAB piques his interest the most because of their up-tempo style.

"I like to get up and down the floor in transition and press and trap on defense," Holmes said. "I'll really do whatever it takes to win or help my team."

St. Frances coach Mark Karcher, a former standout at Temple, feels "whoever gets Dante will get a hard worker, a complete player."

Karcher, who completed his second year at his alma mater, has influenced Holmes' game.

"He's getting me ready for college," Holmes said. "Coach's workouts are hard. We'd run hills in 90 degree weather; I'm definitely in great condition and beginning to shoot the ball more consistent."

Christopher Lawlor has covered high school sports for more than 20 years, most recently with USA Today.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/basketball/mens/news/story?id=5053058

[Bullpride08]

sad.  This looks like the answer to Poland, and tells you the likelihood of Polland.  Wow what a drop.  What's more disappointing to me is it seems to tell me someone feels we need a body like this which probably means Burwell, and Noriega are still not counted on, and as we all know Dority is an extreme project so coach needs another shooter.

Numbers would say if Burwell, Noriega, and Dority could be counted on, with Richardson, Haynes, and Crater you'd have enough guards to not be forced to not go mining for sub-par talent, but if 3 or more at this point can't be counted on..... :-[

I feel for Stan a bit because he's tried recruiting but he's just been crushed every step of the way.  Polland would have been our best signing in this class.  Certainly not elite but would have been a very good contributor.  Now, we're back to square one. :-[

[Vega]

sad.  This looks like the answer to Poland, and tells you the likelihood of Polland.  Wow what a drop.  What's more disappointing to me is it seems to tell me someone feels we need a body like this which probably means Burwell, and Noriega are still not counted on, and as we all know Dority is an extreme project so coach needs another shooter.

Numbers would say if Burwell, Noriega, and Dority could be counted on, with Richardson, Haynes, and Crater you'd have enough guards to not be forced to not go mining for sub-par talent, but if 3 or more at this point can't be counted on..... :-[

I feel for Stan a bit because he's tried recruiting but he's just been crushed every step of the way.  Polland would have been our best signing in this class.  Certainly not elite but would have been a very good contributor.  Now, we're back to square one. :-[

I too am not high on Holmes. What I see is a guy with a low ceiling but I believe Polland has good potential to be a very good player for us. I actually was excited about the spring signing class if Haynes, Robertson, Polland, and Gardner were apart of it. Those three are probably our starting backcourt to start the season.

All we can do now is keep our fingers crossed that Polland and Gardner sign with us. The problem is when we lose out on good prospects we end up playing against them with replacements that are not up to that skill level. We can't keep trying to play catch up in recruiting year after year for this program to advance.

Let's hope that Stan has a equal or better option for SG if Polland doesn't sign with USF.

[The Great 8]

It's time to bribe. Someone send Heath a copy of 'Blue Chips'

[Held_AccountaBull]

It's time to bribe. Someone send Heath a copy of 'Blue Chips'

Whatever it takes. Just win baby.

[DELdaBull]

The worst part is chics at USF are top notch.

Hot and not stuck up (unlike that school up north).

[NormalBull]

How many times have you all seen Holmes play?  How much video?  I am just curious where you are getting your evaluations from.  An article?  That's a little dangerous.  CSH seems to know what he is doing.  I would think that if he likes the kid, we will pursue him.  If not, we hold the schollie and look at transfers or rising seniors.

To me, if you believe that Showtyme, Robertson and Noriega can shoot the outside J, then Holmes makes sense as a Mercer-type slasher that can really get up and down the court and get to the rim.  He might really help if he is/can become a hard nosed defender.  I haven't seen any film on the kid, so I will wait and see.

Normal

[Held_AccountaBull]

How many times have you all seen Holmes play?  How much video?  I am just curious where you are getting your evaluations from.  An article?  That's a little dangerous.  CSH seems to know what he is doing.  I would think that if he likes the kid, we will pursue him.  If not, we hold the schollie and look at transfers or rising seniors.

To me, if you believe that Showtyme, Robertson and Noriega can shoot the outside J, then Holmes makes sense as a Mercer-type slasher that can really get up and down the court and get to the rim.  He might really help if he is/can become a hard nosed defender.  I haven't seen any film on the kid, so I will wait and see.

Normal

Since Vega likely knows way more about recruiting than anyone else, I'll take his word for it. If he says the kid has a low ceiling, than he probably does.

[Vega]

How many times have you all seen Holmes play?  How much video?  I am just curious where you are getting your evaluations from.  An article?  That's a little dangerous.  CSH seems to know what he is doing.  I would think that if he likes the kid, we will pursue him.  If not, we hold the schollie and look at transfers or rising seniors.

To me, if you believe that Showtyme, Robertson and Noriega can shoot the outside J, then Holmes makes sense as a Mercer-type slasher that can really get up and down the court and get to the rim.  He might really help if he is/can become a hard nosed defender.  I haven't seen any film on the kid, so I will wait and see.

Normal

Since Vega likely knows way more about recruiting than anyone else, I'll take his word for it. If he says the kid has a low ceiling, than he probably does.

Well I'm not always right but for an amateur recruitnik  I do alright.

Anyways anybody can make the call on the comparisons between Holmes and Poland. Coach Heath has been recruiting both guys for a while but it was Poland that Heath really wanted over Holmes as we now know. All coaches have A, B, and C list of recruits they have narrowed it down too. My guess is Poland falls on the A or B list and Holmes probably on the C list judging by the SG prospects USF have offered and pursued since last fall.

Like I said Heath has had Holmes on the back burner for a while just in case other higher up options fell through. I really believe the athletic advantage and stronger body is whats separates Poland and Holmes. Both advantages are heavily in favor of Poland and the fact that he had offers from USF, WVU, OU, and Cincy even while REDSHIRTING should tell everybody about this guy's potential impact in college. That's a very rare happening right there.