Busting Brackets
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AAC Basketball: Top 15 impact players from 2020 recruiting class

By Trevor Sinodhinos

ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: A detailed view of the court before the final game of the 2018 AAC Basketball Championship at Amway Center on March 11, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: A detailed view of the court before the final game of the 2018 AAC Basketball Championship at Amway Center on March 11, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 22: Head coach Frank Haith of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 22: Head coach Frank Haith of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images) /

15. AAC Basketball recruit rankings – Christian Shumate (Tulsa)

Following a two-point loss in the second round of the Illinois state playoffs, in mid-March, 6’6 Christian Shumate from Bloom High School turned his attention to the NCAA. After weighing his eight offers the shooting guard signed with Tulsa Basketball on Apr.17. Shumate played on a  high school team that featured five D1 recruits who finished with a 15-1 record. Shumate is not the inaugural entry on the AAC list of freshman that will make an impact because he will take over games, but because he is good enough to benefit from an opportunity.

The Golden Hurricanes finished tied for first in the AAC with a 13-5 record, but are set to lose leading scorer Martins Igbanu (13.6 PPG, 5 RPG) and shooting guard Lawson Korita (7 PPG).  With Korita no longer in the starting line-up, Coach Frank Haith will have to decide to put the new recruit or promote 6’7 senior Reggie Jones who started seven games and averaged 13 minutes and fewer than four points.

Shumate is athletic and while he was not the only option while at Bloom, he did show the ability to use his athleticism to not only get to the rim but get above it. At 180 pounds some additional weight would benefit him as would some more awareness on the defensive end. Shumate will not reach the lowest point total of an AAC All-Freshman team member Marcus Sasser of eight points, but the ones he does get will be highlights.