Devin Ebanks commits to IU

Kelvin Sampson fulfilled his promise to bring the state of Indiana’s best players to IU. Now the Hoosiers coach has recruited New York’s finest.\nDevin Ebanks, a 6-foot-8 forward regarded as one of the top 15 recruits in the class of 2008, held a press conference Saturday to announce his verbal commitment to the Hoosiers. \nThe New York City native was playing in his home state this weekend for his Amateur Athletic Union squad, Team Take Over, at the Battle In The Bronx Tournament at Fordham University. After his game Saturday morning, Ebanks made his announcement with his family by his side. \n“Me and my family agree that Indiana is the best situation,” Ebanks told cable television network CSTV.\nThe turning point in Ebanks’ recruitment came in mid-May when the forward traveled to Bloomington for the adidas May Classic. Up to that point, University of Miami in Florida appeared to be Ebanks’ favorite in his recruitment, but the Hoosiers surged forward in the race after Ebanks and Sampson sat down and talked in person. \nToward the end of his visit to IU’s campus, Ebanks described his college decision as “neck and neck” between the two schools. In the end, IU may have won the recruiting battle due to Sampson’s ability to help Ebanks concentrate in areas where he might need improvement. \n“He is a hardworking coach, and if I come here he will really help me with my defense,” Ebanks said last month in Bloomington. “He says he is a defensive coach, and I really need to work on my defense.”\nIn addition to his contact with Sampson, IU assistant and fellow New York native Rob Senderoff heavily recruited Ebanks. \nEbanks is the third player to verbally commit to IU’s recruiting class of 2008. The Hoosiers have also received commitments from Scott County, Ky., native Bud Mackey and Fort Wayne North Side’s E’Shaunte “Bear” Jones. \nWhen Ebanks and Jones arrive on campus next summer, it will be the second time the two players will have competed on the same team. Last month, Jones played with Ebanks and Team Take Over in the adidas May Classic. \nRivals.com ranks the Oakdale, Ct., St. Thomas More prep school’s to-be-senior as the No. 11 recruit in the class of 2008 and is viewed as a program-altering type recruit. Ebanks has the versatility to play above the rim and behind the arc and has a skill set comparable to recent college stars Rudy Gay and Kevin Durant. \nLater this week, Ebanks will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., to compete at the 2007 USA Basketball Men’s Youth Development Festival. The invitation-only tournament consists of 30 of the nation’s top high school underclassmen. \nWith scholarships still available for the class of 2008, the Hoosiers will most likely focus their next recruiting efforts on adding a post player or a point guard. Included in the Hoosiers 2008 targets are East Chicago, Ind., foward Angel Garcia; Saginaw, Mich., power foward Draymond Green; Washington, Ill., point guard Lewis Jackson and Montverde Academy, Fla., point guard Dashan Harris.