The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

2005 class "perfect" through young season

SIU men's basketball coach Chris Lowery described it in one word - scary. No, he wasn't speaking of his team's performance in North Little Rock, but rather its future. In particular, its 2005 recruiting class.

High school seniors Josh Tabb, Bryan Mullins, Nick Rogers and Jordan Armstrong make up the aforementioned class, and each has instilled in their opponents the same type of fear Lowery will harness next season.

But Mullins has gotten off to the best start of the four - and maybe all of Illinois as well. In his season opener against Argo, Mullins led the Downers Grove South team to a 75-31 victory with his first career triple double. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard reeled in 13 steals and dished out 10 assists to go along with 13 points.

Mullins, who sat out the majority of the fourth quarter, knew the feat was within reach, but wasn't quite sure he tallied enough assists until the team managers showed him the stat sheet.

"I just saw all three across, and I was pretty shocked," Mullins said. Little did he know what lay ahead at week's end.

After two more wins, it was on to the championship game of the Battle of the Burbs Tournament against Waubonsie Valley and Northern Iowa recruit Mason Stewart.

At the free throw line, with his team leading 48-46, Stewart blew a chance to extend the lead to three when he missed the back-end of a one-in-one, leaving the door open for Downers Grove South.

And Mullins delivered, nailing a game winning three-pointer over Stewart to clinch a 49-48 Mustang victory.

"That kind of topped off the week," Mullins said of his first game winning shot. "That was pretty crazy."

Four games into the season, all Mullins has done is lead his team to a 4-0 record, annihilate Argo with his first-ever triple double and hit a game-winning shot to seal a title in his own team's tournament.

What could he possibly do for an encore? How about a career-high 25-point performance a week later in the very next game.

Mullins, known more for his defensive prowess than as an offensive juggernaut, has made an increased effort to shoulder the scoring load according to head coach Paul Runyon.

"He's got to have a strong back to carry our team this year because there's not a lot of kids right now who are stepping up yet," Runyon said.

Tabb, the gem of the 2005 recruiting class, is averaging 13.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and two steals a game for Carbondale Community High School.

The Terriers have gotten off to a 5-0 start, but faced Lynwood High School last night at the KMOX Shootout, probably the toughest opponent they will face this season.

Lynwood is one of California's best teams and has four Division I players, including UNLV-signee Jerry Davon Jefferson.

Tabb will make his home debut Saturday at 6:15 p.m. against Pinckneyville in the first of a three-game homestand before Christmas.

As for Armstrong and Rogers, they've also gotten their schools off to undefeated starts. Armstrong is averaging 14.3 points and about eight rebounds through three games for Muncie Central High School. The Bearcats are No. 3 in the AP Class 4A Poll.

Rogers has led Pendleton Heights High School to a 4-0 record with a 20.3 point, 11.3 rebound average. The 6-foot-8 forward is also blocking 1.5 blocks a game and shooting 67.9 percent from the floor.