It looks like Tommy Amaker and Harvard are starting to feel the fallout from the New York Times article that alleged they are lowering academic standards in Cambridge. Frank Ben-Eze, a 6'10" center who chose the Crimson over Big East schools, has reopened his recruitment. Ben-Eze was the best player in what was considered the best recruiting class in the history of the school. Ben-Eze hadn't been accepted by Harvard's admissions department yet and the Times reports that he had not reached Harvard's minimum academic standards. The center's summer league coach says that academics had nothing to do with his decision, however.
"Academically it was never an issue at Harvard," he said. "He was definitely up to standards. He just sat down and did some thinking. He's a bright young man and very smart."He's also pretty good at basketball. Rob Johnson, the coach, said that he's heard from Connecticut, Pitt and Boston College, among other big-time programs, since Ben-Eze put himself back on the market. That kind of interest is what opened so many eyes around the Ivy League in the first place.
The loss of Ben-Eze will hurt the Crimson on the basketball court but it will probably help Amaker weather the storm that's kicked up around his recruiting standards and style.
