By RICHARD CROOME
Eagle Columnist

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A top 15 ranking and a berth in this week's preseason NIT semifinals in New York are proof the Texas A&M men's basketball program is making headway outside the Texas state borders.

The 2008 recruiting class validates that point as well.

Mark Turgeon and his staff secured two of Florida's handful of four-star recruits, point guard Dashan Harris and forward David Loubeau, last week in an attempt to keep the national spotlight shining on the Aggies.

Turgeon's first recruiting class at A&M was quality over quantity, out of necessity. With only two scholarships available, Turgeon and his staff hit the road immediately this spring to find players who would complement a roster already responsible for a big part of the program's resurgence under former coach Billy Gillispie.

Consider the mission a success.

Harris is a 6-foot pure point guard who excels in leading his team and defending. He is ranked as the class' 10th best point guard nationally and the No. 1 floor leader to commit to a Big 12 team according to Rivals.com.

His statement, "Games are won on defense, and I take pride in my defense," would make any coach smile.

Point guards are often evaluated like quarterbacks, by whether their team wins or loses, and Harris has guided Florida's Monteverde Academy to a 55-1 record over the past two seasons, averaging 12 points and 10 assists a game as a junior.

Turgeon and his staff also may have noted that Harris had family in Houston and was originally from New Orleans.

Recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons rated Harris as one of the quickest and fastest players at his NBA top 100 camp, calling him a perfect fit for Turgeon, who likes his teams to get up and down the court.

"I think it is great that wherever the best players are, they are going to try and get them," Gibbons said of A&M's new coaching staff. "With their style of play, the school, the academics, I hope they continue to get that quality of player."

Another barometer for judging talent is the other schools interested in a player. Harris chose A&M over Kentucky, Oklahoma, Southern Cal and Indiana, among others.

The 6-8 Loubeau of Florida's Westlake Prep is ranked No. 67 overall by Rivals.com and is continuing to move up after being reclassified from the 2009 class, in which he was considered a top 50 recruit.

The versatile Loubeau, like Harris, will fill a void for the Aggies, who will get a forward with height who can chase smaller players defensively while facing-up his defender on offense.

He's also considered a relentless rebounder by his AAU coach, which would be hard to argue considering he averaged 19 boards a game last year. His 31 points per game would also back the fact that he can score inside and hit the 3.

Most importantly, though, Loubeau's a winner. His AAU team, Team Breakdown, claimed the 2007 national title.

"I know this says a lot that they are from Florida and they are coming to Texas A&M," A&M junior Josh Carter said. "I think that is saying we've stepped up a little bit as far as national recruiting, and it's good that I've been able to play a part in that role."

After the early signing period ended, the Aggies were one of only two Big 12 teams with two four-star players in the Rivals.com rankings. Kansas, at No. 8 overall nationally, was the other.

"These two young men are what A&M needed at their positions, and that's in recruiting," Gibbons said. "If you rated classes based on two players, it would be one of the top five classes in the country."

Classes aren't rated based on two players, however, so A&M's class is not among the Top 25. Still, Turgeon did his recruiting homework and passed the test in getting the two highly touted Floridians.

• Richard Croome's e-mail address is richard.croome@theeagle.com.

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