This is the first installment of our summer "Getting to know" series on IU's 10 new players. Today, we focus on Devan Dumes, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound combo guard from Indianapolis. Also, happy holidays.
Behind 'Devan the Dude' Dumes will be with his third team in three years when he suits for the cream and crimson this fall. Like most boys who grow up playing basketball in Indiana, Dumes said it has always been a dream of his to play for IU. Although he was one of the top players in his conference and a standout scorer at Dectatur Central in Indianapolis his senior year, Dumes was not recruited by the Hoosiers and eventually signed with Eastern Michigan.
As an Eagle, Dumes had a fairly successful freshman season, including a now well-known 16-point explosion against Tom Crean's Marquette squad. When Dumes signed with IU this summer, Crean recalled the game and said the 6-2 guard "made quite an impression on our staff."
Dumes left Eastern Michigan after one season. Rather than sit out a year, Dumes signed with Vincennes, a junior college in Indiana. Under head coach Everick Sullivan, a former Louisville guard, Dumes led his team to a 28-6 record and the NJCAA National Tournament. That season, Dumes averaged nearly 17 points per game and converted a school-record 109 3-pointers.
Looking to move up to a major Division I program, Dumes chose IU this summer over Ohio State, South Alabama and UTEP. After signing with the Hoosiers, Dumes admitted that Ohio State finished in second place in his recruitment. Dumes becomes the first player to transfer from Vincennes to IU since Courtney Witte in 1981.
On the floor Due to his height, Dumes is largely categorized as a combo guard. He's more of a natural two-guard, but Dumes could play some point guard for the size-challenged Hoosiers this fall.
For the most part, Dumes can safely be described as a shooter. Dumes once compared his game to Eric Gordon's, noting that although EJ is more athletic, "shooting-wise, I feel like we're on the same page."
Not many people except Dumes to come in and fill EJ's void. I think Hoosier fans can expect Dumes to play similarly to Marshall Strickland, especially with Strick played two-guard for the Hoosiers. Dumes is said to be an excellent on-the-ball defender and a real ball hawk. Like Strickland, he also is an above-average free throw shooter.
How Dumes fits in with the Hoosiers He might be new to Big Ten basketball, but Dumes is IU's second-most experienced player behind Kyle Taber. He is the only player besides Taber to have received playing time on a Division I team and should see a lot of floor time immediately. Dumes is a likely candidate to begin the season in the team's starting backcourt or come off the bench as the team's scoring sixth man.
People who know more than me on Dumes "He is a combo guard that can shoot the three ball and he can use his dribble and college body to get to the rim. He is a great free throw shooter and is very good in the clutch... The most important characteristic about his game is that he can really defend on the perimeter. His on the ball and off the ball principles are fundamentally sound." - Vincennes coach Everick Sullivan in an interview with IU Planet
"We are equally as thrilled to get a kid from the state of Indiana. He really tore it up at the end of the season and I liked the way he helped lead his team to the national tournament." - Tom Crean
The numbers don't lie... '07-08 at Vincennes: 16.9 ppg, 4.1 apg, 109 three-pointers for the season (school record) '06-07 at Eastern Michigan: 8.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 33.8% from 3-point range '05-06 at Decatur Central (HS): 24.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.6 apg
More on Dumes * Remember this at Hoosier Hysteria IU fans: Dumes is nicknamed "Debo." * While on the subject of his name, it is not spelled with an "o" like many (including myself) once believed. * Dumes on TC: "Coach Crean is an unbelievable man. I love the way he's intense and how he runs up and down the sideline. And besides that, he's an incredible teacher. As for me, I feel like I can bring some things that I've always done in my life like skill, leadership, enthusiasm and passion for the game." * Watch Dumes announce his decision to go to IU, via The Herald-Times
Check back for our next featured Hoosier, Verdell Jones.
