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Post by dirty on Jun 19, 2005 9:08:10 GMT -6
The WBCA all-star game was the first time many people caught a glimpse of Milwaukee Riverside senior Ricky Franklin, who blossomed from a virtual unknown to the 2005 City conference player of the year and a first-team all-state selection.
Franklin remains unsigned but might have a better idea of where he'll play college basketball by the end of the week.
He is deciding between an invitation to walk on and redshirt at Wisconsin next season and compete for a scholarship for 2006-'07 or to accept a scholarship offer at St. Francis (N.Y.) College, a Division I school in the Northeast Conference.
Franklin said he would meet with Badgers coach Bo Ryan and his staff Thursday.
Meanwhile, Franklin was simply thrilled to take part in the festivities.
"Most of the all-star games tend to be looser, but everything is competitive," Franklin said "(There was) offense, not a lot of dunks like usual. It was just like a regular high school game. Nobody wanted to lose."
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Post by Pantherholic on Jun 19, 2005 9:15:26 GMT -6
i thought he didn't have the grades to compete at the D1 level? how is he all of a sudden capable of being admitted into UW of all schools?
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Post by Pantherholic on Jun 19, 2005 23:12:13 GMT -6
Ricky Franklin's interest in potentially enrolling at the University of Wisconsin and perhaps some day playing basketball for the Badgers was discussed in Sunday's edition of the Wisconsin State Journal.
But, Franklin's eligibility status for next year and beyond is a bit hazy.
According to sources close to the situation, Franklin achieved the necessary ACT score to gain eligibility status from the NCAA, but his grade-point average at Riverside was not sufficient enough for him to become eligible at a NCAA school in the fall.
As a non-qualifier, Franklin is not allowed to earn a scholarship, practice or compete in games at a NCAA institution until he achieves 24 credits and at least a 2.0 grade-point average. Once he meets those requirements, he will become eligible at any NCAA school.
Franklin, the Player of the Year in the Milwaukee City Conference and a first-team all-state choice by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), scored 17 points for the South All-Stars in a 103-97 loss to the North All-Stars in the WBCA Division 1 game Saturday at the UW Fieldhouse.
After the game, Franklin told Bill Cooney of the Wisconsin State Journal, "I want to play here (UW) real bad. Since I was little, I've wanted to play here."
If Franklin is able to pass 24 credits and earn a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 during his first year of college, he would have three years of eligibility remaining. If he is able to pass 80 percent of his undergraduate degree credits by the end of his fourth year of college, he could gain a fourth year of eligibility.
Franklin could attend a junior college and be eligible immediately for the 2005-06 season, but he can no longer attend a prep school and improve his core grade-point average because he is now a graduate of Riverside.
Franklin will reportedly meet with Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan and assistant coach Greg Gard to discuss his potential future with the Badgers.
Wisconsin could award Franklin a scholarship for the 2006-07 season, providing he passes the 24 credits and maintains at least a 2.0 gpa. The Badgers could also invite Franklin to walk-on for the 2006-07 season, and then perhaps award a scholarship for the 2007-08 season.
St. Francis College of Brooklyn Heights, N.Y., is actively recruiting Franklin. At St. Francis, a lower-level NCAA Division I school, Franklin would sit out the 2005-06 season and then likely earn a scholarship for the 2006- 07 campaign, providing he meets the NCAA academic guidelines for non-qualifiers.
Jim Datka, who served as the head coach at The Hope School in Milwaukee last season, was recently named an assistant coach at St. Francis and has known Franklin for several years.
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