Hank Thorns, a Valley High School (Las Vegas, NV) point guard, is the newest addition to the 2007 recruiting class. In addition to Tech, Thorns received scholarship offers from odu, uva, new hampshire, and nevada. It has also been reported that kentucky was very interested in Thorns after Jai Lucas committed to Florida.

Hank is short, in the 5′9″ or 5′10″ range, but extremely quick. He averaged over 27 points per game this season and over 12 rebounds, so he isn’t afraid to mix it up with the big boys inside. He also has averaged close to seven assists per game over the last two seasons.

Coach Greenberg described Thorns as “a winning player, a winning person and an outstanding student [SAT was over 1200]” , and that Hank will make an “immediate impact”.

Profile: Hank Thorns

Niemo’s Tangent: Hank plays AAU for the Las Vegas Dogcatchers. You cannot make stuff like this up! I see VT is trying to clean up their “dog reputation” after the recent Michael Vick allegations!

“Due to the tragedy of April 16, we understand the Gilchrist family’s genuine concerns regarding Augustus attending Virginia Tech in the fall of 2007,” head coach Seth Greenberg said. “We think the world of the Gilchrist family and developed a close relationship during the course of the recruiting process over the past two years.”

“We respect his decision to attend prep school and use the year to mature, continue his development and better evaluate the healing process on the Virginia Tech campus. It is our hope, that as time passes, he will embrace the reasons he originally committed to Virginia Tech and the tremendous opportunity that both a Virginia Tech education and Virginia Tech basketball can offer his future.

“It’s important to understand that the Gilchrist family has not asked for a release. Although disappointed, we respect their decision and look forward to having them back on campus this fall so they can see first-hand the togetherness and unity of our campus.”

From HokieSports.com

June 3, 2007
Coach Greenberg to speak at Richmond Scholar-Athlete banquet | Richmond Times-Dispatch

June 2, 2007
Report on Coleman Collins from Predraft Camp | WRAL.com

June 1, 2007
Coleman Collins and Zabian Dowdell Update - 2007 NBA Predraft Camp: Days Three and Four + Media Day Notes | NBADraft.net

Tech has room for newest recruit | Roanoke Times

Miami Heat looking at Zabian Dowdell | Sun Sentinel

May 31, 2007
Las Vegas guard picks Va. Tech | Lexington Herald-Leader

Thorns picks Va Tech | Louisville Courier-Journal

Virginia Tech signs guard | ESPN.com

Thorns inks with ACC | Rivals.com

Pre-Draft Report on Coleman Collins and Zabian Dowdell | HoopsWorld.com

NBA predraft camp: Day 1 (Report on Coleman Collins) | cnnsi.com

Tech adds recruit | Roanoke Times

Hokies secure point guard | Richmond Times-Dispatch

May 30, 2007
Hokies add Thorns to basketball signees | HokieSports.com

Hokies get another recruit | Newport News Daily-Press

Seth Greenberg’s comments on Augustus Gilchrist | HokieSports.com

Hokies, ISP Sports, partner with Washington’s Triple-X ESPN Radio | HokieSports.com

A Hokie Site For Your Perusal | Duke Basketball Report

East Coast Workout Swing: Day 8 (Zabian Dowdell, J.R. Reynolds, etc) | Draft Express

May 29, 2007
Thorns to Virginia Tech? | Sidelines

ACCers at the Pre-Draft Camp | AOL Fanhouse

NBA Draft Diary: Zabian Dowdell | draftexpress.com

We had the recent opportunity to catch up with ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi to get his feedback on the future of Hokie basketball, among other topics.

Joe’s “real job” is the chief marketing officer for Saint Joseph’s University. He graduated from St. Joe’s in 1982.

Joe answered the questions below on Thursday, May 25, 2007.

TechHoops: At one time in February, you had 9 ACC teams making it to the Big Dance. What is your opinion on why the ACC had such a poor performance in the tournament (only 1 of 7 teams made it into the Sweet 16)?

Joe: Most performance in the tournament is fairly random (both at the team and conference level). Other than a few obvious early-round mismatches, we’re talking about an event in which the majority of games are in the “coin flip” category. So we probably shouldn’t make assertions about whether a conference is trending up or down based on a small sample of mainly random outcomes. By RPI, only Carolina (No. 4) and Maryland (No. 16) would have been forecast as Sweet 16 teams this year; so, while the 2007 results may have seemed poor for the ACC in a historical sense, they weren’t too far off in terms of the actual level of the teams this year. Personally, I thought Georgia Tech would make the Sweet 16 and that NC State (had the Wolfpack qualified) was playing well enough at the end of the year to do the same. Duke, B.C, and UVa appeared “spent” to me for one reason or another. I’ll leave the VaTech analysis to your readers!

TechHoops: Did you feel that Virginia Tech received an appropriate seed at #5? Not like it mattered in the end, but many Hokies questioned how uva could be a #4 seed and Virginia Tech a #5 seed when you compared their quality wins and strength of conference schedule. Your thoughts?

Joe: As I have written elsewhere, the Committee seems to be going backward in its ability to make logical seeding determinations. UVa was DRAMATICALLY over-seeded according to any logical application of bracketing precedent or ‘07 performance, not even factoring in unbalanced conference schedules. I think the Hokies were just about right.

Read more »

May 27, 2007
PG Thorns visits Blacksburg | HokieHaven.com

NOT YET TO VIRGINIA TECH (Hornets’ Graham transfers) | Raleigh-Durham News & Observer

May 26, 2007
Beyond the arc: NCAA extends 3-point range | inRich.com

May 24, 2007
Hokie basketball making progress | Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Spring Cleaning edition of the Kroger Roth Report | HokieSports.com

Shooting fallout hits athletics | inRich.com

May 23, 2007
Basketball recruits ready to become Hokies | Collegiate Times

Curry/Beamer team win Chick-Fil-A Bowl Alma Mater golf tournament (Clock runs out for ex-McDowell coach) | Charlotte Observer

Hokie athletics succeed, even outside of Lane Stadium | Collegiate Times

May 22, 2007
Duke’s class tops ACC rankings | The Fayetteville Observer

May 20, 2007
Gainesville high school basketball star, 1 other die in wreck | Ocala.com

May 19, 2007
Troy Aikman and Others Headline Tourney | wvnstv.com

May 17, 2007
ACC won’t expand basketball schedule | Greensboro News-Record

May 16, 2007
A taste of the big-time | Jerry Carino’s Hoops Haven

May 15, 2007
Hokies recruit withdraws | Newport News Daily Press

College Sports: Pregnancies, Gays, Recruits and Paris Hilton | The Big Lead

May 14, 2007
Va. Tech recruit reconsiders | RiseMag.com

Gilchrist unsure of playing at Va. Tech after shootings | SI.com

Recruit’s commitment to Hokies altered by killings | abc7.com

Virginia Tech basketball recruit changes mind | Greensboro News-Record

Hokies lose hoops recruit | Raleigh News & Observer

TechHoops.com is proud to announce our title sponsor for the 2007-08 season, the Campus Emporium of Blacksburg.

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Help support TechHoops.com by supporting our sponsors: Bookmark campusemporium.com and visit the store at 207 N. Main Street the next time you are in Blacksburg.

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If there was one recruit we lost before next season, I would have guessed it would have been Gus Gilchrist or Terrell Bell (from Georgia).  I had the chance to meet Gus, Malcolm Delaney, Jeff Allen, and Dorenzo Hudson at the Capital Classic in college park, maryland in early April.  Gus just did not seem to be as tight with the other three recruits in the game as they were with each other.  Granted, the other three practiced and played together that week, and Hudson and Allen played together at Hargrave this past season.  But still, Gus just did not seem to have the same connection they had.

Read more »

May 13, 2007

Gilchrist Says He Won’t Play For Hokies | Washington Post

May 12, 2007

Hoops signee changes his mind | Roanoke Times

Shooting May Have Cost VT A Prize Recruit | AOL Sports

Gilchrist Seeking Another Destination? | Washington Post

May 11, 2007

Future of No. 32 in the air at Tech | Roanoke Times

May 9, 2007

Matthews found guilty of sex assault | Roanoke Times

May 4, 2007

West Virginia, Virginia Tech add assistants | Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Coaches endorse longer 3 | Roanoke Times

Old leaves USC for Va. Tech | Charleston Post Courier (subscription)

May 3, 2007

Greenberg adds Old to coaching staff | AP

Local college roundup | Newport News Daily Press

Old joins Hokie basketball staff | HokieSports.com

May 2, 2007

Beamer, Curry aid Tech with victory | Newport News Daily Press

May 1, 2007

Basketball star on sexual assault charge | news.com.au

April 30, 2007

New Perspective for Virginia Tech NBA Hopeful | PR Newswire