After losing four seniors, including three top-ten scorers in school history, it was imperative that Marquette head coach Buzz Williams and his staff continue their successful early recruiting run.
Mission accomplished.
Prep stars Vander Blue and Jamail Jones signed letters of intent to attend MU next year. Both players are considered top senior prospects.
Blue, a 6-4 swingman, averaged 17 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season at Madison Memorial. Blue, who is a candidate for state high school player-of-the-year, was ranked as high as No. 22 on national recruiting lists.
"I think Vander will live up to the hype," Williams said. "I think he'll have an immediate impact on our program."
Originally, Blue orally committed to Wisconsin during his sophomore season, but had second thoughts after his junior year. He will join former high school teammate Jaronne Maymon next season.
Jones, a 6-6, 205-pound forward averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists at Green Forest Christian Academy in Decatur, Ga., last season. He is ranked as high as 61st by national recruiting services.
"The first time I met him, I thought he was Wesley Matthews," Williams said. The way he talked, the way he looked, the way he played ... he's very humble."
With six days remaining in the signing period, Marquette is still hoping to land frontcourt help. Williams has two scholarships remaining for next season.
We want to sign as many guys as we can that are hard to guard, can pass, dribble and shoot and can guard multiple positions."
Emmett Prosser is a former sports producer at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online and has covered the Brewers, Bucks and Marquette basketball in many capacities for 13 years.
Prosser also signed a year's worth of 10-day contracts with the Cleveland Cavaliers' media relations department after graduating from Xavier University so he could get three-point shooting tips from NBA great Mark Price. The son of an English teacher and former basketball coach, Prosser attended Marquette high school.
In his spare time, Prosser enjoys live music and fooling people into making them believe he can play the drums. He also serves on the board of directiors for United Cerebral Palsy.