LuckyVike Is Gonna Hate This

**COJOMAY** · 11-22-2007, 11:09 AM

From the St. Paul Pioneer Press

Tubby Smith's highly regarded 2008 recruiting class got even better on the last day of the early signing period with the top guard in Canada deciding to play for the Gophers.

Devoe Joseph, a 6-foot-3, 170-pound senior shooting guard at Pickering High School in Ajax, Ontario, just outside of Toronto, completed Smith's five-player class by signing Wednesday night, according to Ro Russell, Joseph's AAU coach.

Russell, who runs the Grassroots Canada AAU program, called Joseph "Canada's most visible player" at the high school level.

"Tubby was up here six times and really worked to recruit him," Russell said. "Devoe felt most comfortable there because he also felt like he would have an opportunity to step in right away and help Minnesota to be competitive in the (Big Ten Conference). He didn't want to go to a program and just be another guy."

Joseph, ranked as high as the 82nd-best player in the 2008 class, is rated a four-star recruit by rivals.com and scout.com. He averaged 27 points a game last season, and Pickering had a 40-4 record.

Minnesota's class was ranked 12th in the nation by hoopscooponline.com. and 15th by hoopmasters.com. before Joseph signed. It also included 6-11 Ralph Sampson III of Northview High School in Duluth, Ga., 6-10 Colton Iverson of Yankton (S.D.) High School, 6-7 Paul Carter of Missouri State-West Plains College and 6-5 Devron Bostick of Southwestern Illinois College.

Did you notice that line that said Tubby had the 12th best recruiting class in the NATION! Better, in fact than Kentucky. So much for the Kentucky fans that said Tubby can't recruit! I love it!

**marstc09** · 11-22-2007, 11:26 AM

;D

**Prophet** · 11-23-2007, 07:45 AM

Kentucky has awesome facilities, if you have ever been on the campus and see how the BB players are treated and their living accomodations it is actually amazing.

Good for Tubby!