Tigers' Class of '09 looks strong

This May, for the first time in six years, the men's basketball team will graduate a senior class that includes two players who scored more than 1,000 points over the course of their Princeton careers — guard Will Venable and center Judson Wallace. With four players from the Class of 2009 committed to joining the Tigers next season and a fifth seemingly headed to Princeton as well, head coach Joe Scott '87 has a better picture of how well his squad will rebound from the considerable loss of talent and leadership.

"Whatever your vision of your program might be," Scott said, "it's going to show up in your recruiting."

It is now certain that guards Geoff Kestler and Jason Briggs, forward-center Noah Levine and forward Michael Strittmatter will be a part of the Class of 2009's contribution to that vision.

In the coming weeks, a fifth recruit, the highly touted guard Alex Okafor, may be officially added to that group. Earlier this month, the Trenton Times reported that Okafor will attend Princeton, but because he is a regular decision applicant NCAA regulations only permit Scott to acknowledge that the team recruited him.

Additionally, Scott confirmed that forward-center Harrison Schaen will return to the team as a sophomore. Schaen is spending the 2004-05 school year away from Princeton after playing a key role off the bench during the 2003-04 season.

As for the newcomers — Scott's first recruiting class as the Tigers' head coach — Scott believes they each has what it takes to succeed in his system. While many criticized Scott for the strictness of that system as the Tigers stumbled to a 6-8 Ivy League record this year, Scott's defenders point out that his approach will not receive a fair test until Scott has had a chance to begin developing his own recruits.

"Across the board, this class has good size, length and speed, be it at guard, forward or center," Scott said. "Those are all things you don't teach, and the taller you can be at every position alleviates the pressure of having one big guy, which is the hardest thing to recruit at this level."

While all of that is no doubt true, Scott also realizes that successful careers are not defined by physical attributes alone.

"Each guy has a chance to come in and help us right away," Scott said, "but what it's going to come down to is how mentally and physically tough they are, and how quickly they become consistent with their skills and start showing they can handle the rigors of college."

Even though Scott has not spent enough time with any of the new players to be sure if they will flourish at the college level, he is already extremely excited by their on-court potential.

Breaking down the class

To begin with, there is Kestler, a six-foot, three-inch native of Mt. Lebanon, Pa. The son of a coach, Kestler is known as a stellar three-point marksman who possesses the ability to create shots for himself off the dribble.

"He's physically ready," Scott said. "Sometimes, a guy comes here and he needs to get stronger, but he's mentally tough, sneaky and more athletic than you think. I like him as a kid, too."

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Competing with Kestler for a spot in Princeton's guard rotation will be the six-foot, two-inch Briggs, whom Scott describes as "fast and a little bouncy." Scott said he thinks that Briggs, who hails from Olympia, Wash., "will need a little time to develop, but possesses the athleticism that is going to help the team in the future."

The same could be said about Strittmatter and Levine, two six-foot, eight-inch post players who hail from Phoenix, Ariz., and Pottstown, Pa., respectively.

Scott said Strittmatter, who is listed at just 200 pounds, "needs to get stronger, but is skilled and very mobile."

Meanwhile, Scott projects Levine as a center who, like the classic Princeton big man, is also "a very good long-range shooter." Levine is known for the quick release on his jumper and his skills facing the basket.

Finally, if Okafor does indeed decide to make the trip from his hometown of San Jose, Calif., to Princeton, the quality of the Tigers' incoming class will immediately skyrocket. A six-foot, five-inch slasher also recruited by Stanford, Okafor may well possess the same kind of star quality that Wallace and Venable did.

While he is unsure whether any of the soon-to-be Tigers will find a vacancy in the starting lineup waiting for them next season, Scott knows that he needs the Class of 2009 to step up in whatever capacity they are needed.

"We have a nucleus of players coming back from last year's team, but we need the new guys to have an immediate impact, and I have a lot of confidence that they will," he said. "It's usually not the dribbling, shooting or passing that determines that — it's the mentality and the physicality and their being ready for the daily grind."