New kids on the block

Last season, the IU football team faced a historic season and accomplished its season long-goal to “Play 13” games.

This season, it’s the men’s basketball team facing a historic season. With senior Kyle Taber and sophomore Brett Finkelmeier being the only two returning players, IU coach Tom Crean has a chance to “Play 14” new players in 2008.

Since he was named IU’s coach, Crean and his staff have searched furiously for players who could help his team this year.

In addition to purging last season’s roster, class of 2008 recruits Devin Ebanks and Terrell Holloway backed out of their commitments when Kelvin Sampson resigned. But freshmen Tom Pritchard and Matt Roth elected to stay with the Hoosiers, immediately becoming cornerstones of the program.

Searching for some experience, the Hoosiers signed two junior college players to fill out their freshman-filled squad. Devan Dumes, an Indianapolis native, played at Vincennes University last season before signing this summer, and 7-foot center Tijan Jobe committed to the Hoosiers after playing for Olney Central College last year.

Including Pritchard and Roth, the Hoosiers have nine freshmen.

Nick Williams, who was named Alabama’s High School Player of the Year last season, followed Crean to IU after previously committing to Marquette. Malik Story, a 6-foot-5 swingman, comes to Bloomington after growing up in California. Verdell Jones III, a Champaign, Ill., native, bucked Illinois tradition to suit up for the Cream and Crimson.

In all, the Hoosiers have seven walk-ons. Crean has reiterated he will hold tryouts throughout the season looking to add talent. Three of the walk-ons were recruited by Sampson (Daniel Moore, Kory Barnett and Broderick Lewis) but elected to stay with the Hoosiers to play under Crean. Others, like junior Steven Gambles and freshman Evan White, were discovered in open gym tryouts.

Another recent addition, Kipp Schutz, was given a tryout after he beat Dumes in a 3-point competition between the IU baseball team, on which Schutz is an outfielder, and the basketball team.

But arguably the most talented of the new 14, junior Jeremiah Rivers, will not play this season. Rivers transferred from Georgetown this summer, which makes him ineligible this season.