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Wisconsin basketball recruiting: 2016 F Aleem Ford, PG D'Mitrik Trice commit to Badgers

Greg Gard and company finally land their first two commitments for 2016, closing out the recruiting class in style.

By Phil Mitten
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to believe, but it has been nearly five years since the Wisconsin men's basketball program received a  commitment from a point guard. The wait is over now.

D'Mitrik Trice, the 6'0 younger brother of former Michigan State guard Travis Trice, is currently spending a post-graduate year at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., after playing out his high school career in Huber Heights, Ohio.

Trice made an official visit to Wisconsin this week along with teammate Aleem Ford and the recently-offered pair committed to the Badgers together on Saturday, per IMG Academy. They are Wisconsin's first two commits for 2016, completing the class in one smooth stroke.

As a post-grad, Trice averaged 16.2 points and 6.1 assists per game for IMG this past season. His stock picked up of late with offers from Ohio State and Vanderbilt, yet he definitely flew under the radar as a prep player, despite winning a state title as a senior with his father at Wayne High School in 2015.

Thus continues the Ohio pipeline to Madison that began around around the time associate head coach Lamont Paris arrived. Trice could potentially join Nigel Hayes, Vitto Brown, and Khalil Iverson as Buckeye products on the UW roster next season.

Ford is a 6'7 small forward who played his high school ball in Lawrenceville, Ga. before heading to IMG, where he averaged 16.5 points and seven rebounds per game.

Though Trice will not be relied upon heavily next season given the emergence of Jordan Hill, his commitment is vital to providing continuity in the backcourt once Bronson Koenig graduates. Since Koenig verbally committed to the Badgers in September of 2011, Wisconsin have been pretty content at the point guard position until the 2016 recruiting cycle. After handing out a couple of offers to combo guards types in 2015 that did not pan out, the Badgers approached the 2016 recruiting cycle with fervor, pushing hard for the likes of Payton Pritchard, JaQuori McLaughlin and Xavier Simpson.

Trice is ranked a three-star prospect by 247Sports, which ranks him No. 314 in the national class of 2016, No. 60 among point guards in the class and No. 19 among prospects in the class from Ohio.

As for Ford, he's also a three-star prospect according to 247Sports and the No. 344 overall player, No. 68 small forward and No. 20 player from Florida. Here's the scouting report on Ford:

Like D'Mitrik Trice, Ford is finishing up a post-graduate year at IMG Academy to gain more exposure. It appears to have worked. A late bloomer who grew quite a bit during his high school days in Georgia (Lawrenceville is between Atlanta and Athens), Ford was young for his class so he's still the same age as most high school seniors in the 2016 class. Ford has a good face-up game and can hit threes, bringing nice size to the wing. His struggle will be adding weight for the college game.

While scouting Trice in Florida, the Wisconsin assistants fell in love with Ford's game, then invited him up on an official visit along with Trice, where Greg Gard offered him a scholarship at the end of his first day in Madison. Some of his other Division I offers are from Hofstra, Richmond, Rutgers and St. Louis. Ford also picked up interest from Michigan and Butler.

Key Info

D'Mitrik Trice (B5Q Scouting Report)

Video:

Highlights: IMG Academy PG vs. Impact 2016 (02.19.16)
Highlights: D'Mitrik Trice Mixtape @ The National Prep Invitational (02.12.16)
Interview: D'Mitrik Trice Postgame Interview (03.28.15)
Highlights: Westerville South vs. Wayne [STATE FINAL] (03.28.15)
Highlights: Wayne Wins First State Championship (03.28.15)
News Feature: "Trice" the March Madness for one family (03.18.15)
Highlights: Huber Heights Wayne knocks off #1 ranked UNDEFEATED Findlay Prep - 2015 Flyin' to the Hoop (01.21.15)

Aleem Ford (B5Q Scouting Report)

Video:

Commercial: Basketball (03.29.16)
Highlights: IMG Academy PG vs. Impact 2016 (02.19.16)
Highlights: Aleem Ford #5 IMG Academy (12.09.15)
Highlights: 6'7 Forward Aleem Ford '15 Archer HS (02.27.15)
Highlights: Aleem Ford Archer Tigers (01.20.15)

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