By Chris Monter
FOXSportsNorth.com
February 21, 2011
The Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball team has struggled recently, winning just once in their last six games as they continue to struggle without senior point guard Al Nolen. The loss of Nolen and the transfer of junior playmaker Devoe Joseph to Oregon, has caused head coach Tubby Smith and his staff to look hard at a junior college point guard.
Minnesota signed a strong two-man class in the early signing period and has an available scholarship with the defection of Joseph.
Smith watched Julian Welch, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound sophomore guard from Yuba (Calif.) Community College score 30 points in a 109-92 victory over Mendocino Friday in the championship game of the Bay Valley Conference tournament Sunday.
Yuba will have a home game next week in the first round of the NorCal playoffs. The playoff seeding committee will announce its seedings on Monday.
Welch was named the Big West Conference Freshman of the Year last season after he finished fourth on the team with 7.8 points per game. He redshirted during the 2008-09 season and decided to leave the program and transfer to a junior college with the hopes of playing at a higher Division level.
Welch has shined at the 49ers, who are off to a 25-5 start. They have won 13 straight games and 15 of their last 16 contests. Welch is averaging 20 points and five assists per game this season.
Welch is also hearing from California, TCU, UNLV, Utah State and St. Mary's.
Yuba head coach Doug Cornelius said that his relationship with Minnesota director of operations Joe Esposito has helped the Golden Gophers.
"Esposito is a great guy," said Cornelius. "I sent him two kids when he was the head coach at Angelo State and so we have had a pretty good relationship over the years. I know that he really likes Julian and I think Coach Smith, from what I've heard, really likes him, so we just need to get the two together and see what happens. He is good enough to play, that's for sure."
Cornelius feels that Welch is a player with many strengths.
"The best off-the-dribble player I have ever seen at this level, without question," said Cornelius. "The kid can go right or left at the basket and finish at the rim, draw contact and finish. He is 90 percent free throw shooter, so he draws fouls and goes to the free throw line and makes plays. He is an unbelievable passer. He can really see the floor, In out last game, he had five assists and probably should have had ten, because he threw passes that were so unbelievable that they were going off guy's foreheads. He is just a little more advanced than guys at this level, ready for the speed that he can play at. He is going to be really good at the next level."
If Minnesota does land Welch, it would give them a three strong backcourt additions to go with their fall signees.
Andre Hollins, a 6-foot-2 guard from Memphis (Tenn.) White Station, helped lead the Spartans as they defeated Mitchell 76-63 in the District 16-AAA quarterfinals Saturday. He is averaging a team-high 25.6 points per game as the Spartans improved to 24-5. They face Central (22-7) Monday in the District 16-AAA semifinals. The two teams have meet three times this season. The Spartans won last Friday 71-68 in overtime as Hollins had his first game-winning shot for the Spartans, a 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left. White Station got a bit of revenge as they had lost to Central 60-53 in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Classic and 56-46 at home earlier this season.
Hollins has the ability to play both guard spots and could see significant minutes at point guard, if the Gophers don't land a junior college playmaker. Hollins showed his scoring ability by going for 46 points against prep power Findlay Prep earlier this season.
Joe Coleman, a 6-foot-4 guard from Minnetonka (Minn.) Hopkins, scored 25 points as the Royals defeated Eden Prairie Friday and 24 points in a 95-71 win over Duluth East Saturday. They improved to 22-1 with the wins. Coleman is scoring 22.3 points per contest. They face Wayzata on the road Tuesday.
Eden Prairie defeated Hopkins 75-71 for the Royals' lone loss this season. Hopkins is ranked No. 22 in the most recent USA Today poll. Coleman was recently named one of the 20 finalists for Minnesota's Mr. Basketball, an award he is expected to win. Coleman averaged 24.7 points per game as a junior and helped lead Hopkins to back-to-back Class AAAA titles.
Coleman is one of the top athletes in the state. He needs to improve his outside shooting and ballhandling, but he has no fear taking the ball to the hoop. Coleman is the younger brother of former Gopher Dan, who was 6-foot-7. Minnesota would love it if he added one inch or two to his frame.
The Gophers will also add two talented schoalrship freshmen to the fray next season. Center Elliott Eliason and Latvian forward Oto Osenicks redshirted this year and will have four years of eligibility remaining.
The Gophers already had 6-foot-11 Ralph Sanpson III and 6-foot-10 big men Colton Iverson and Maurice Walker on the roster, so they can afford to be patient with the Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year. Eliason helped lead Chadron to the Nebraska state championship game. His game has been compared to Iverson, due to ability to run the floor and score inside.
Osenicks was not eligible to play this season, due to NCAA Clearinghouse issues. His outside shooting ability could gain him significant playing time as the Gophers will lose Blake Hoffarber, their lone consistent 3-point threat.
Valparaiso transfer Chris Halvorson, who is walking-on for the Gophers, will be eligible next season. He is an athletic forward who will provide some-much needed frontcourt depth.
The Gophers could have an additional scholarship if Trevor Mbakwe or Rodney Williams decided to turn pro or if a player decided to transfer.
