BREAKING NEWS: Tom Izzo and A New Spartan Got Some Great News….
Just days after losing to MTSU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans are already turning the page to next season. A heartbreaking loss doesn’t define a program and Izzo has built a true program.
With the Spartans already possessing one of the nation’s top 2016 recruiting classesthey are still in play for (and at Spartan Nation we believe that they will land) the nation’s top unsigned player in Josh Jackson. Moments ago the Spartans got some more great news.
Star incoming freshman Cassius Winston became the 36th Michigan Mr. Basketball and the 13th Spartan. Winston is a 6’ 165# point guard.
Here is Winston’s full signing day bio from MSU:
Cassius Winston (G, 6-0, 165, Detroit, Mich./Univ. of Detroit Jesuit) Averaged 22.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.1 assists as a junior, playing for Coach Pat Donnelly at U-D Jesuit ... Led U-D Jesuit to 2015 Michigan Class A Semifinal with a 22-4 record, including 7-1 in the Catholic Central League, capturing a league championship ... 2015 Detroit News and Detroit Free Press Dream Team honoree ... Two-Time Associated Press Class A All-State First-Team honoree in 2014 and 2015 ... 2015 Max Preps Junior All-American Fifth-Team honoree ... Two-Time (2014, 2015) All-Metro and All-Detroit selection by the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press ... 2015 MLive.com Detroit Dream Team and Detroit Player of the Year ... Three-time All-Catholic League Team selection (2013-2015) ... Scored 34 points in the 2015 Class A Quarterfinal vs. Clarkston, including scoring the game-winning layup with 4.0 seconds remaining ... In the last three years, Winston has led U-D Jesuit to the Class A semifinals twice, captured two Class A regional championships, three straight District 21 Championships, three straight Catholic League team titles, and three straight Catholic League A-B Tournament titles ... Averaged 18.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 9.0 assists as a sophomore, guiding U-D Jesuit to a 24-3 mark and a Catholic Central League championship ... Helped the Cubs advance to the Class A Semifinal, by making two free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining to defeat Detroit Cass Tech in the regional title game ... Averaged 17.0 points, 7.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds as a freshman, helping U-D Jesuit to a 21-5 mark, a Catholic Central League championship and a berth in the regional title game ... Earned Detroit News All-Detroit Third Team honors and All-Catholic League Team accolades as a freshman ... Played AAU basketball with The Family ... Rated among the Top 32 players in his class by Rivals.com (#28), Scout.com (#28), ESPN 100 (#29) and 24/7 Sports (#32), resulting in a 24/7 Sports Composite ranking of #29.
After equating Winston to the straw that stirs the drink on signing day Izzo said of the newly minted Mr. Basketball, “He’s had game winners, he’s had clutch free throws his sophomore year. He’s a winner. I watched him in Chicago this summer and kind of just let things happen and when it was crunch time he took over a couple of games and scored 30. Just did a lot of good things. He is the consummate point guard because he can make other people around him better.”
Congratulations to Winston!
