Jrue Holiday receiving the Gatorade POY award

The Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden last year was ridiculous. We got our first glimpse at Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin. (We were supposed to see Kentucky’s Patrick Patterson too, but Billy Gillespie’s bunch couldn’t beat Gardner-Webb in the qualifying round.)

Though this year’s crop of freshmen isn’t quite as impressive across the board as it was last year, we’re going to see some serious talent for the first time in person when Duke, UCLA, Michigan, and Southern Illinois come to Madison Square Garden this Thursday and Friday. Here are the names that you should look out for:

* UCLA’s Jrue Holiday – Though everyone in the nation is geeked about Darren Collison, who was tearing it up at L.A.’s Say No Classic over the summer, don’t overlook the Bruins’ freshman guard. Holiday was the Gatorade National Player of the Year at Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) last year, posting 25.3 points, 12 boards, and 6.4 assists per game. He’s a proven winner too, leading his high school team to a 113-12 record over his four years.

* Duke’s Elliot Williams – Though the Blue Devils’ cast of characters should be familiar to most – 6-8 F Kyle Singler, 6-4 G Nolan Smith, 6-5 G Jon Scheyer and 6-4 G Gerald Henderson – there is a freshman on this roster with perhaps more athleticism than anyone to don the Duke uniform since Dahntay Jones. 6-4 G Elliot Williams has bungees – in 14 minutes against Georgia Southern, he pulled down 11 rebounds. If you need some proof of his hops, check out this clip of him in high school.

* Michigan’s Manny Harris – Harris is a sophomore, so we’ve seen him play a bunch on national TV last year. But it should be a treat to watch him live. Going into the season, he was one of the frontrunners for Big Ten Player of the Year, and he hasn’t disappointed. Dick Vitale named him National Player of the Week over the season’s first seven days because of the 30-point, 7-rebound game he posted against Michigan Tech, followed by a 26-point, 10-rebound night against Northeastern.

* Southern Illinois’ Bryan Mullins – The Salukis are a long-shot in this year’s showdown. If they’re going to do anything in their opening round matchup against Duke, they’ll rely on Mullins to create easy baskets. Through two games this season, Mullins has posted 11.5 points and 10.5 assists per night. The Mullins vs. Greg Paulus match-up will be one to watch.