The University of Cincinnati's five incoming players are entering the program at a good time if they want minutes right away.

        Kareem Johnson, a 6-foot-8, 250-pound center from Chipola Junior College who visited campus this past weekend, signed a national letter of intent Monday and completed a recruiting class that will try to replenish a team that lost four starters (Steve Logan, Immanuel McElroy, Jamaal Davis, Donald Little).

UC 2002-03 ROSTER

Name Pos Ht Class 2001-02 ppg    Taron Barker G 6-1 Sr. 2.5    Tony Bobbitt G 6-3 Jr. 17.8    Rod Flowers F 6-8 Jr. 1.4    B.J. Grove C 6-11 Sr. 1.4    Eric Hicks F 6-6 Fr. 30.7    Derek Hollman C 6-10 Sr.* DNP    Jimmy Hubbard F 6-6 Sr. 1.6    Kareem Johnson C 6-8 Jr. 12.2    Armein Kirkland G 6-8 Fr. 20.6    Jamaal Lucas G 6-2 So. 0.2    Jason Maxiell F 6-7 So. 8.1    John Meeker G 6-1 So. 0.8    Chadd Moore G 6-2 Fr. 8.0    Leonard Stokes G/F 6-6 Sr. 12.7    Field Williams G 6-3 Jr. 6.5    * UC is applying to get Hollman a sixth year of eligibility so he can play in 2003-04

        “He's a big, strong guy that's going to be able to score close to the goal for us,” UC coach Bob Huggins said of Johnson.

        UC signed one other junior college player last week, shooting guard Tony Bobbitt from the College of Southern Idaho. It also signed three high school players last fall: guard Chadd Moore, forward Eric Hicks and guard Armein Kirkland.

        Van Coleman of FutureStars has said that with Johnson, UC's recruiting class should rank at least among his top 15.

        Said Bob Gibbons of All Star Sports: “When it's all said and done, that will be among the top eight recruiting classes in the nation — and that's conservative. I think Coach Huggins has filled in the holes in the program that he needed to be very successful. He has an excellent infusion of new talent and a couple of guys with the potential to make an immediate impact.”

        Huggins said all five recruits will spend the summer in Cincinnati and everyone, with the exception of Johnson, needs to get stronger.

        “From a physical standpoint, they're not as ready to play,” he said.

        “We lost four starters. All those (new) guys are going to have to play. I feel good about the guys we've got returning; I know what they're going to do. I think that Tony and Kareem, just because they're mature, ought to be able to come in and help us sooner. Eric Hicks is certainly strong enough to help us.”

        Hicks, from Greensboro (N.C.) Dudley High School, put on a show at the Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic at Freedom Hall in Louisville on Saturday night. He was selected his team's MVP after he totaled 24 points and 10 rebounds; he also won the halftime slam-dunk contest.

        Louisville Courier-Journal columnist Rick Bozich wrote that Hicks was the best player on the floor, saying: “He's harsh. He's fearless. He's relentless.”

        Bozich also wrote:

        “How does Bob Huggins keep uncovering guys like this?

        “Picture Ruben Patterson with muscles. Or Melvin Levett with a mean streak. Or a guy you're going to hate to see walk into Freedom Hall with Cincinnati.

        “Hicks ... grew up dreaming of playing for the University of North Carolina. Carolina didn't want him. Now the kid plays as if he is determined to make Carolina coach Matt Doherty look like the biggest fool on the planet.”

Timing is good for UC recruits

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