Point guard Crater will transfer to USF

Friday night's 59-54 loss to No. 13 Syracuse was a near-miss for USF men's basketball, but coach Stan Heath got something big out of the game. Former Ohio State guard Anthony Crater, who attended the game with his mother, has decided to join the Bulls as a midyear transfer.

"I see myself making a difference there," said Crater, who will start classes this week. "The style of play and the coaching staff were great, and this is what I wanted, from a school standpoint and a basketball standpoint."

Crater, a quick 6-foot-1 guard who played 10 games at Ohio State as a true freshman, will not be able to play for the Bulls until the end of fall exams in December, but will then have two and a half years of eligibility with USF. (Originally, we reported he would have three-plus seasons at USF, but he has used a full year of eligibility this season.)

He said he had intended on making a visit to Baylor before making a decision, but liked USF enough Friday that he didn't need any other visits. He said his strengths on the court are his quickness and his passing ability.

"My best strength is that I can make everyone around me better. I think I'm a leader," Crater said. "I've been working on my defense the last two years, so my defense is getting better, too."

The Flint, Mich., native averaged just 1.2 points as a Buckeye, playing 13 minutes per game, but comes to the Bulls with high recruiting accolades. Both major recruiting sites rated him a three-star recruit, and Scout.com ranked him as the No. 21 point guard in last year's class. He had scholarship offers from elite national programs such as Kansas, Arizona and Pittsburgh, according to both recruiting sites.

He's the fifth midyear transfer to join the Bulls in the past four seasons -- guard Jesus Verdejo (Arizona) and center Kentrell Gransberry (LSU) in December 2006, guard Aaron Holmes (Florida State) in 2007 and guard Mike Mercer (Georgia) last season.

He's often known by the nickname "Noopy," given to him by an aunt when he was a toddler, but he said he'll simply go by Anthony at USF. He'll be the second freshman guard from Michigan on USF's roster next season, joining Jordan Dumars of Detroit.

Comments

[Anon]

I feel sorry for Anthony. He got caught in the same trap of others USF recruits. Lots of promises....

[Steve O'Neal]

Only G.A. would know who is posting under multiple names. Me, I only use my real name. Well I have to go get my rest now. I need to go work out in the am and try to build up the muscles. It's OK, I'm not a perimeter BB player, so the muscles won't be wasted.

[Bull Hooper]

i think one person, posting under multiple aliases, is responsible for most of these posts. whenever somebody lavishes praise on somebody spouting absurdities, i get suspicious. i will be at the game wednesday night.

[Steve O'Neal]

More reality, I was just messin' with you a little. I know what you meant. You obviously pay attention and know what you are talking about. You are a Bulls fan. GO BULLS!

[more reality]

you are nuts, as I told you before 'firestanheath' we have the best we're going to get...the program is not getting any better, we had a great bench coach with CRM and he did worse. The best is to pray stan can make it work in one of the worst big conference jobs in america and make it at a place koby and shaq would play.

As it stands we've got the best we're going to get and your a fool to believe otherwise.

[FireStanHeath]

We could have Koby and Shaq on this team, but without coaching we will never be a cohesive unit on the court and will always struggle. Doug Woolard, I emplore you to Fire Stan Heath!

[more reality]

well it was a point about size, not to be taken so literally- perhaps it didn't sound right. The point was Gilchrist really should play smaller, leaner to fit his game rather than bigger and thicker like a Onuaku. He should slim down a bit and add lean muscle mass, play like the swing player his game resembles.

[Steve O'Neal]

I did not say he had to be like cuse player. You are the one that said low post players had bellies. I was just using cuse player as an example of trim athletic low post player with no "tire" around the middle. I'm not saying that he has to be low post player either. I'm just guessing here, but I'd think any athlete in a physical sport such as BB would benefit from having muscles as opposed to not having muscles. Skinny people can be out of shape also. I agree we need big bodies down low to be competitive.

[more, and more reality]

O'Neal, I sit about six rows from courtside- center court, so perhaps you have better eyes. Funny even on tv for previous games announcers often comment about Gus' out-of-shape appearance, and conditioning. Do you think it is any secret why the kid only plays about 24 minutes a game and we put in inferior talent in his absence? Everyone with the team is aware of his poor conditioning, and 'softness' in certain areas.
The kid looks lethargic, and plays like a sloth at times.

You are comparing him to Cuse's center, but again, you are completely missing the point. He is not that player, he is not that player, have you read anything about this kid's MO and skill-sets? If you haven't then you should because you would find out Gus Gilchrist is suppose to be a swing player in the same style as Earl Clark who is 6-9 220lbs...Gus Gilchrist was suppose to be on campus at 6-10 230lbs, and right now he's closer to 250lbs. It shows in his footwork, his leg stamina, his endurance.

Gus Gilchrist is not suppose to add muscle. He is not going to be 275lbs Onuaku for Cuse, or 280lbs Kentrel Gransberry. That is not his game. If you were courtside then you saw two 15ft baseline jumpers by Gus, one in the first half, both were money. You can't teach that stuff, slim him down and he does that all day for you like Summers does for Georgetown. If Onuaku or Gransberry tried those same 15ft jumpers their shots would fall about 5ft short (air balled)...they are back to the basket guys, Gilchrist is not, he hit three jumpers against Syracuse all from 10ft or further back, and facing the basket.

That's his game, hell he's 2 of 10 from three point range, better than Mercer and Howard. The staff would rather get him into shape like 6-8 230lbs Dejuan Summers for Gtown, or 6-9 220lbs Earl Clark, or even 6-9 235lbs Dante Cunningham for Nova who has a very nice 10-12ft jumper and does lots of damage facing the basket.

I am not trying to argue the semantics about his weight or conditioning. Other than to say he reported about 20lbs more than expected, and his play shows. Also, he's not the type of player you're describing or looking for. The player you're looking for is not on the roster right now, maybe Rivas someday, but we still need to find and sign a power low block guy, as you described, but Gilchrist is not that type of player- if he ends up being it then he was a monumental waste in talent.

[Steve O'Neal]

I didn't know having toned muscles would be "useless" or hurt ANY college BB player. Or maybe just not have weight rooms for the BB team. Just save the money, after all muscles are overrated and useless.

[Steve O'Neal]

Make him "get skinny"? I was sitting 2nd row courtside and I didn't notice him being FAT. As a matter of fact several people around me said he needed to bulk up some. You made the statement that he has a tire around his belly like a low post player. Sounds like your saying ALL low post players have fat bellies. Maybe you are missing reality. I'll beleive my own eyes,thank you. I'm no BB expert but I could have sworn that the cuse center was built like a bodybuilder almost. Very small waist and large chest, shoulders, arms, legs. You get the point, NO TIRE AROUND HIS BELLY! Gilchrist may not be in the best shape, but he could certainly bulk up and help his game, not hurt it. The guy hasn't played college BB in like 2 seasons. Let him get back where he would be if he had not missed so much time.

[More, and more reality]

O'Neal, you miss the point, and you're missing reality. The player you describe is not Gilchrist. Gilchrist has never, nor will he ever, be a banger inside. That's not his game, that's not his forte. Read his HS MO, he's a wing forward that shoots from 15ft out deftly, and is very skilled away from the basket.

He's an average rebounder at best. You can make him get skinny and add muscle but that will be useless! Gilchrist needs to slim down and become the player he was touted as coming out of HS, a player like Summers, or Earl Clark, not like Kentrell Gransberry. The kid will transfer before he does what you're suggesting- and trust me it would happen.

He needs to dedicate himself and become the player he's suppose to be, or else just resign himself to being a fat benchwarmer. BTW, if you think he'd be a stick losing 20lbs then you need to get a better look at Gus...particularly his waist line. Lose 15-20lbs and Gus will be the player everyone hoped of him out of hs.

[Steve O'Neal]

Did I say that he needed to get FAT? NO, I said more muscle! Lose the belly and put on some BEEF and he'll be able to play better against the big bodies in the Big East. If he lost 20# he'd look like a stick. He wasn't getting manhandled in the 2nd half of the cuse game. GO BULLS!

[More Reality]

O'Neal, Gilchrist got man handled because he's not a low post type player and isn't great at positioning and timing.

What Gilchrist needs to do is get into the gym to trim about 20lbs off that body. He's got a great outside shot, and a quick first step for a big guy, but he's got a tire around his waste like he's a low post player. If he loses the weight he becomes a really nice wing player that causes mismatch fits for teams like Dante Greene did for Da Cuse last year, or Summers does for Gtown.

If he stays out of shape, and chubby then he's stuck at four, and to slow and out of shape to play an inside-out game, which is what he's trying to play. He needs to try and stop catching up to his buddy Woody in terms of body style. We'll see by next season if Gilchrist wants to be a bust (relative in terms of his potential), or bigtime. Lose the weight and get in shape and we've got something with him.

[Paisa el Toro]

What USF needs is some help at the 4 and 5 positions from a kid that's a simple role player. We have talent at the 2 and 3 positions. Mercer and Crater will run the point, but we need some beefy, intimidating muscle at the 4 and 5 to compete in the Big East. Reality is spot on.

[Steve O'Neal]

Gilchrist should get in the weight room and put on some muscle. I thought that in the 2nd half of syracuse game that Gilchrist got mad and started playing tough. The whole team did. We started to go inside more and get more rebounds and make some plays down low. I'm sure Heath knows what he needs to compete and will work to get those players here. I'm also pretty sure that Gilchrist will add bulk and be better able to compete down low against the other BE teams. GO BULLS!

[Stosh]

Reality is spot on! The kid Crater can play (I'm an OSU alumnus and was sad to see him go.) His stats do not do him justice. He is a true PG and that is something USF is missing. It will be really nice to not have to have Howard bringing the ball down court all the time. Since we did not land Clanton I'm sure Heath has his eye on a few big men xfers..but it needs to happen fast!

[Dave W]

I guess saw just how badly he was needed. He'll get 30 minutes a game right off the bat to prove himself. USF is actually a great transfer destination- best weather, best conference, and guaranteed playing time. If a guy wants to win, though, he should sit on the bench at his school and say that he helped out in practice.

I like the potential of a Gilchrist, Jones, Mercer, and Crater nucleus. However, Stan needs to find instant impact bigs if this team is to have any chance at being competitive next year or in two years. If he can't, then we should just pack the program in and give all of the money to football.

[Reality]

Gilchrist is not a 5. He is hardly a 4. He is a big 3.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Seems like every year we are bringing in some transfer guard...

last year with was mercer.

Velcro is right on, we need a 6-10. We have very litte in the 4 and 5 spot.

And I can't stand Velcro.

[velcro]

Onuaku is one strong player. Unfortunately for us, almost every team in this league has one of those guys... except us. We need strength in the 4 and 5 position badly. I hope stan can find something. We have some height, but they can't handle powerful players. And with Williams and Ajayi graduating... it is even more a need. We'll have just Rivas and Gilchrist down low to play the 5... Gilchrist and Espinosa for the 4. They will get bullied badly. Not sure how this situation is going to get fixed by next season. Fingers crossed.

[Reality]

Great Pickup. He is an excellent distributor. This should free up DJ and MM to play off the ball and hopefully create some options.

The part the Optimists are missing is that we have not a SOUL that can play down low. Stan needs to get a few big men, or the disaster will continue.

[NickLurby]

This is where patience is paying off.
Next year we'll have Nique, Gus, Dumars, Mercer, and more. Excellent young nucleus.
Will pay off on the court and in recruiting.
This year still offers opportunity after the way we competed against Cuse.

[Tony Grier]

Bull Hooper said it best. A Sun Dome crowd could sway anyone. Fans wonder why players don't sign here, and then never attend games to support the program.

Noopy Crater, as a point guard, must hit shots when open and keep the defense honest. Long way from evaluating him, so good news on the recruiting front.

[Greg Auman]

Dan, Crater will be eligible at the end of exams in December, just as Mercer and Gilchrist were this year. He'll probably miss about 7-8 games then be eligible the rest of the year. We write it as three and a half years, but it's really more like three and three-quarters ...

[Greg Auman]

I wouldn't call him "Noopy" too much. He told me "now I hate that name," so seems like he's fine with Anthony.

[Steve O'Neal]

Welcome news for the BB program. GO BULLS!

[go bulls]

i asked about his nickname noopy was a kid name. he wants to go by anthony.
welcome anthony

[BC]

In addition to height, could we please add some weight in the paint. I haven't seen a whole lot of the new look Bulls squad, but it looked last night like Ajayi is really our only thick big man. And it looked like Onuaku (sp?) had his way in the post when they actually posted him up. Our guys are way too thin to bang around in the paint

[JT (Atlanta)]

Bull Hooper,

I can tell you now it would run strongly against Crater's past AAU and NCAA career if he turned out to be a shooter at USF. His job on O would be to set up good shots for Jones and -hopefully- Dumars, Noriega, and Gilchrist.

..Listing those names make me scared of how small this team is still looking in the future. Hopefully Heath can work some magic to add more young height to the lineup, considering Gilchrist plays like he's 6'5".

[usf alum]

this is a "Bling Bling" signing

Fo Shizee on da Hizee

[Dan]

This might be a dumb question but he will be eligible at the end of 09 correct? Also as for the game, the one thing that USF still needs to work on is keeping the crowd rocking. It was huge let down after USF started making a come back and Syracuse took a time out, there was some slow music being played during the time outs and it took the crowd right out of the game. That seriously made me upset. Get your act together sound guys, you need to continue to get the crowd rocking when your team is starting to make a run.

[BasketBull.]

Finally, some good news. We need a point guard badly.

Man, I'd give my right arm to have USF playing good basketball, again.

1992 was our last NCAA...
We lost to UCF in 2008...

There's only one place to go now: UP!

[Bull Hooper]

i hope he can shoot. there's a lot to like about Chris Howard's game, but there are times when i wish he was a better shooter. I looked in Noopy's eyes last night, and i liked what i saw. he sure made USF his choice very quickly. so there must be something going on here that he really likes. one thing's for sure: the SunDome rocked big time last night.