Recruiting: Health Key For Marist Men Newcomers

Here's another in the series looking at players joining conference programs for the coming season.

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MARIST MEN

- Nick Colletta, a 6-5, 190-pound freshman guard: He was named one of the top sophomores in the state of California in the 2010-11 season, averaging 24.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in 2010-11. And, then, he missed most of his junior season and all of his senior year at Glendora H.S. with a back injury. "We're happy to add Nick to our program," said Marist coach Jeff Bower, in a release issued by the school. "His skills fit in nicely with our returning players and will complement their strengths."

- Kentrall Brooks, 6-8, 200-pound freshman forward: Played three seasons at high-powered St. Anthony's (N.J.) H.S. under coach Bob Hurley Sr. He only averaged 4.7 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in 15.5 minutes of time per contest, but St. Anthony's had one of the nation's top teams this past season. Brooks had been a key reserve for a program that has won 93 of its last 95 games. "We're excited about to have Kentral ...." said former Marist coach Chuck Martin, who recruited the player. "He brings athleticism, length and a winning attitude to the program. The sky is the limit (for him)."

- Khalid Hart, a 6-2, 180-pound redshirt freshman: A highly touted recruit last season, he was expected to compete for major minutes as a freshman before suffering a knee injury in the preseason. He averaged 15.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in the 2011-12 season as a high school senior at The Sanford School in Delaware.

ANALYSIS: Hart would have played a lot last season, and if he's 100 percent recovered from his knee injury, he could have a big impact over the next four years. He'll certainly be in the mix to get major minutes at both guard spots. Colletta is another player with past injury issues (back) that forced him to miss almost all of his final two high school seasons. He's Bower's first recruit and, if healthy, could provide offense, probably off the bench initially. Brooks has size and length, but it's hard to judge how much he'll be a factor right away, considering his limited role at the high school level. Marist, which has a strong returning group, doesn't need a lot of help from its incoming players, although the expected contributions of Hart will be a nice addition.