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     No surprises-- Tom Izzo signed his 15th MSU basketball recruiting class Wednesday.  I rank them this way in terms of chances to become a Spartan star some day-- 1) Keith Appling, Detroit Pershing; 2) Adreian Payne, Dayton; 3) Russell Byrd, Fort Wayne; 4) Alex Gauna, Eaton Rapids.  Of course that doesn't mean they'll all be bad or good or end up in that order, but it's a hunch a year before they become MSU freshmen.  They all get to play their senior years in high school.  I've seen more of Appling than the others and he looks like the next Kalin Lucas.  He could be Mr. Basketball by the end of this coming season.

     Payne was recruited by the big schools, so that sells me on him and Byrd is considered a terrific shooting prospect.  Can Gauna become the next Goran Suton and if he can he was worth taking.  Suton achieved so much more at MSU than I ever thought he would and if Gauna is of the same mind set may be he has a good futre like the rest.  Gauna was not recruited heavily by the same big schools as the others.

     They are Izzo type players and character kids and he always takes players of high moral character.  MSU basketball players simply do not get in trouble, not very much anyway over these 15 years.  They will not have it easy as an MSU basketball player but then if they win they'll enjoy the experience because the sport has become so big on this campus and community every single year and there seems to be no sign that Izzo's recruiting has slipped any.