Vega

It's a rare day when someone "commits back" to a program that they decommitted from, kinda hard to get back across that burned bridge. Usually I would agree with you. But not in this case.. It honestly seemed to me he decomitted to appease his dad. Lot of pressure on Cassell Jr from his friends around the Maryland program to sign with the Terps. I know and Jr knows that USF is the best situation for him but peer pressure is tough to overcome as we all know. I will hope for the best and if we don't get Cassell then Applewhite is not a bad fall back prize. I just worry about Abdul-Aleem playing PG to backup Collins. I think Aleem can do much more then that and USF won't get the full potential from him that way.

If Applewhite visits, Brock will probably be the host for him too since both are from Memphis.

Has a recruit ever said, about a recruiting trip, anything worse than "it went well" or something similar? Not sure but I have seen recruits commit to a school while on an official visit to another school. I assume that the visit didn't go well.

Auman with 2 updates Guard Sam Cassell Jr. says USF official visit "went well," but no commitment. Will decide in next couple weeks. Pitt, Maryland also in mix. Power forward Kore White, graduate transfer from FAU, said USF visit was "good." No decision, next visit is La Salle, likely next week. http://twitter.com/#!/gregauman

I stand by what I said before, I think we were fine w/o White. Yeah some may view it as a low risk/high reward kind of deal but I would much rather see LeDay, Fitz, and Rudd hold down the 4 spot. Also Austin can play there as well. White isn't good enough and at this point of his career he ain't getting better to be the kind of player taking away valuable experience from a much more talented player. I'm very surprised Heath would go this route. Is there like a connection with a future recruit because of White?

If Cassell Jr comes to USF don't be surprised if he is starting along with Collins in the backcourt. Jr is 6-4 so he is tall enough to play at the SG without worrying so much about a mismatch. Poland has potential to be very good but he also is inconsistent just like Rudd. That's why I'm not ready to pencil either of them in as starters at the beginning of the season. Hawkins, Abdul-Aleem, and maybe Cassell Jr can come in with a lot of confidence that they have a chance to start. In fact the only real advantage Rudd and Poland have over the new guys is that they have been through the battles on the college level. Overall skill set is advantage 2012 class.

If Bulls get Cassell Jr then Nash is not going to play. Also I don't like the Kore White guy. I would much rather go with what we have and playing Rudd at the 4 spot some.

According to this guy Nash is leaving the USF Bulls. I mean if true it certainly wouldn't be a shock to anybody. Coach Heath would also have 2 open scholarships to use for the 2012 class or just hold 1 over for the 2013 class. Anthony Ray †@ArizonaPreps University of South Florida sophomore point guard Blake Nash has asked for his release and will transfer schools. http://twitter.com/#!/ArizonaPreps Will miss Nash but we thank him for being a huge part of that Big Win at Nova when Collins went down. He was part of arguably the best offensive performance of the regular season. I see Mama_Bull already had it up. The Mod can just delete this topic

Let's hope that happens or however it goes down USF needs Cassell Jr. Potentially he might be the single most important recruit Heath/staff has brought in since becoming USF head coach. Cassell would be right there with Collins in terms of what he can bring to this team. A shooter/scorer that can also handle the ball, who makes shots under pressure is huge and currently we lack that player since Jones left for the NBA. Coach Skeets gets USF on the right players from his recruiting area but none have ever signed with USF. We all are pulling for that to finally change with a commitment from Cassell Jr next week. I hope that UF doesn't look to steal Skeets. I saw a tweet by some Maryland fan earlier today about that possibility and didn't think much of it, until I saw this today: Kansas has hired University of Florida assistant Norm Roberts, bringing back a familiar face to join Bill Self’s staff. I saw that and I'm still not worried about losing him to the UF at the moment. Skeeter's recruiting ties are in an area that UF doesn't care to recruit to my knowledge. The Baltimore area is where quite a lot of USF's recruiting budget is spent which is another reason why getting Cassell Jr is important. I'm not sure how much more time and money USF should spend in that area to always come up empty.

Let's hope that happens or however it goes down USF needs Cassell Jr. Potentially he might be the single most important recruit Heath/staff has brought in since becoming USF head coach. Cassell would be right there with Collins in terms of what he can bring to this team. A shooter/scorer that can also handle the ball, who makes shots under pressure is huge and currently we lack that player since Jones left for the NBA. Coach Skeets gets USF on the right players from his recruiting area but none have ever signed with USF. We all are pulling for that to finally change with a commitment from Cassell Jr next week.

Sure he was here? Said on twitter he was with Pitt Guard, Tray Woodall, last night. I'm not sure. Just figured he was visiting here based on the info we had and since he is on a plane going back up north. I'm hearing he didn't come down this weekend, but I cannot confirm that is true. We'll know soon enough if he came down or is coming next week.

Aggressive 6-11/7ft guys with athleticism don't have a lot to worry about. Omogbehin and Bunu are 2 different kind of centers and I'll be shocked if Omogbehin is a MAJOR force his 1st season at USF. If he is then he might be 1 and done and Bunu won't have to worry about battling him for playing time. Btw the way the writer says Bunu could move up to 4*. Well let's be honest if he was either committed or strongly considering Kansas, UK, or UNC then he would already be 4* with a possibility of moving up to a 5*.

The guy next to him looks just as tall .... I'm not really sure which of those two are Egbunu. I didn't compare it to a known picture of him. Egbunu is the guy with the more ripped arms.

A better shooter for sure but athleticism is in favor of Holland. By the recruiting experts Cassell is considered the best available guard on the market, a market that includes DeMarcus. The question is can Cassell successfully make the transition to the PG spot in college where most seem to think he plays no matter where he ends up. The thing that stands out with Cassell Jr is that he's a BIG SHOT TAKER AND A BIG SHOT MAKER, very equipped to play either in transition or the halfcourt. IF USF lands him I fully expect to see Jr getting 10-15 minutes per game as a freshman because he will be the best shooter on the roster.

As of right now USF is his only scheduled visit. I believe the facilities and the location will really come into play here. I agree with Triple, I don't think Jr will end up at FSU because his father played there and most kids want to leave their own mark w/o the pressure to be like a famous parent.

Sam Cassell: My son has not committed to Maryland Contrary to recent reports, Sam Cassell Jr. has not in fact committed to play basketball at the University of Maryland. Who says? His father, that’s who. “False,†former NBA star and current Washington Wizards assistant coach Sam Cassell said exclusively to CSNwashington.com Monday night at the Verizon Center regarding news that his son is officially heading to the ACC program. “He’s considering Maryland. Maryland is still one of his top schools, but it’s not guaranteed that he’s going there. This is coming from his father, not one of his friends.†Cassell said his son officially visited the College park campus and that it “went well...he liked Maryland, but added "he's going to take a couple of [other] visits. If he chooses Maryland, Maryland it is." The 15-year NBA veteran mentioned Villanova, South Florida, Arizona and Florida State as schools still in the mix. “I just think he needs to compare Maryland to somewhere else,†said the father. “He has choices. There is no rush. He will be there for four years. This is a major decision.†After playing in the Baltimore area for St. Frances and Towson Catholic, Cassell Jr. spent his final two seasons at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Mass. The combo guard averaged over 16 points per game this past season and ESPN rates him as a three-star recruit. Cassell Jr. would be the sixth member of Maryland’s highly rated 2012 class. When the news broke on Sunday, the Wizards were in Boston playing the Celtics. “Speculation got out there – he might have put it out there. I’m on the road when I start hearing all these rumors that he’s going to Maryland," said the father. "I have nothing against Maryland. I just want my son to have more options than just one. “He visited Maryland. Like I told him, the grass is green at Villanova. The grass is green at South Florida. Let’s see what those schools are talking about before you make a decision.†Cassell, also a product of the Baltimore basketball scene, played two years at Florida State. The thought of his son playing for his alma mater is appealing, but not mandatory. “It would be nice, but I’m not forcing him to anything. This will fully be my son’s decision only. Not me, not no one else. I just want to give him options.†The initial signing date for signing a national letter of intent is April 11. Maybe before then, maybe not, the Cassell’s will come to a decision and announce it to the world. But not yet. “Decision coming soon,†said the father. “If they waited this long they can wait three more weeks.†http://www.csnwashin...666&feedID=6458

Well it's not over just yet Maryland Recruiting: Sam Cassell Jr. To Visit Florida State, USF, According To Report Mar 30 8:44p by Brendan Porath Read More: Florida St. Seminoles, Maryland Terrapins, South Florida Bulls The saga of Sam Cassell, Jr's recruitment took another turn on Friday, when reports surfaced that he planned to make visits to Florida State and South Florida. Cassell's father came out this week and said his son had not committed to Maryland, despite earlier news in the week that he had indeed committed to play for Mark Turgeon. Now, as Testudo Times writes, it appears he's taking a few other visits at the behest of his father: http://dc.sbnation.com/2012/3/30/2915329/sam-cassell-jr-maryland-recruiting-florida-state-south-florida Sam Cassell, " The grass is just as green at the other places as it is at Maryland"

Committed to Maryland today

Well actually I've been please with the first 35 minutes of the Cal game and the 2nd half of the Temple game. I never asked for "40 minutes of Hell". I have always thought the Bulls were at their best when playing aggressively on offense and that for the most part is why they have put it on these teams in the NCAAT so far. Like Dino Gaudio said after the Cal game, "when USF gets the offense nobody can beat them" Stan Heath in a recent article. "I think, sometimes, when you have a team you really trust and you feel like they get it, you can kind of pull the reins back a little bit and let them go. I think that's where I am at right now. I'm trying to let them go a little bit. I feel like there's a strong trust level of all of us kind of being on the same page." In other words less coaching and letting the guys play is a trademark of a good head basketball coach. Please no micro managing/coaching next season.

On paper they will be better but losing Anderson and Gilchrist changes how they play.

Here's another talented PF to watch: Demetrius Henry The four stars listed next to his name serve as wonderful garnish, but the actual beef sitting on the plate isn't going to cut it ... not yet. Or so goes the thought process in the camp of 6-foot-8 power forward Demetrius Henry, anyway. At 210 pounds, the high school senior doesn't fancy himself ready for college basketball. So, despite being fully qualified academically, he's decided to pack his bags for prep school next season. The extra year is all in the name of muscle. Henry will spend next year at Florida's Faith Baptist Christian School, where he'll look to add nearly 20 pounds to his frame and polish his talent, which is already turning the heads of Division I coaches to the tune of seven scholarship offers. "This is going to get him stronger," said Henry's AAU coach, Kenny Gillion. "He could have came to college this year and contributed, but I think the reclassification will allow him to come in and be a guy who could possibly average a double-double his freshman year." Ultimately, the revised, 2013 arrival date could help add a fifth star to his Rivals.com bio, but success in his recruitment is about seeing the promise from the jump. Kansas State, Missouri, Murray State, Miami, South Florida and Virginia Tech have already offered scholarships, and the gesture apparently means something at this stage in the process. Sooner or later, the mailbox is closing and the ringers are going off. According to Gillion, coaches need to join the party now or not bother knocking on the door down the road. Swooping in late isn't an option here. "If you haven't put an offer on the table by at least April, I don't even think Demetrius will be entertaining you," Gillian said on Thursday. And so some schools sit in better positions than others. No pecking order or favorites have been established, but being involved at this juncture provides a leg up, as the time for weighing new options is winding down. "If there's anyone out there right now who has really been on him, I'd say it's (assistant coach) James Kane at Murray State," Gillian said, "All of them are kind of even, though. Virginia Tech, South Florida, Kansas State; they've all done a great job. He could tell you something positive about each one of the schools. Visits, which Gillian said won't play a major role in Henry's decision, haven't been made or scheduled. Instead, the forward does his research from home by investigating proclamations made by coaches interested in his services. To him, this decision is too big to base on campus scenery and the promises of strangers. "Seeing a campus isn't that important to my guys," Gillion said. "My guys don't take a whole lot of visits. He's looking at what the coaches are doing. A coach told him he plays an up-tempo style, so he watches to see if they really do that. When a coach tells him he improved some big guy, he looks at the track record to make sure it's real. That's what he's doing." According to Gillion, Henry, who currently attends Oak Park (Fla.) Northeast High School and plays the AAU circuit with Team Breakdown, will look to trim his list this summer and could be committed as early as August. Assistant coach Lamont Evans is handling Henry's recruitment for K-State. http://kansasstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1332347

The USF staff are really trying to get Simmons to commit to USF before he hits the AAU circuit and the whole basketball world sees him. Recruiting has been extremely frustrating for USF especially over this last 1 or 2 years, so one can understand why their chances are better with Simmons now then it would likely be in a few months. I'll go into better detail later but those who follow recruiting like I do certainly should have a feel where I'm going with this. Also USF isn't the only school trying to apply the pressure. Back-to-basket scorers are hard to find and usually the most traditional rich schools gobble them up.

One of the players who has been creating some buzz of late is 6-9 230-pound junior post man Antravious Simmons . This Physical low post scorer has been averaging 17 points and 11 boards for the year so far, but according to our good friend Shawn Powell, former NBA scout and future NBA Draft site author for XOFan network, says that Simmons has been tearing it up since Mid-January. "Antravious has been on fire of late," Powell told Hot100Hoops. "He has been averaging 25 points, 15 rebounds and 7 blocks over the past five games. He could be a top fifty prospect by this summer!" Remember you heard it hear first...his summer coach Kenny Gillion of Team Breakdown told us this past fall that Simmons was ready tio have a breakout year and he was right. "Antravious is a no nonsense power player who can catch it with his back to the basket and finish on the blocks. He's ready to have a big year...Keep an eye on him this winter!" That is excactly what we have done and since coming back from some early season injuries, this mobile and physical big man has started to catch the eye of college coaches. Look for him to beone of the main reason that Team Breakdown games will be popular with coaches this spring. Simmons is hearing from Alabama, Memphis, Kansas State, Florida, Missouri, South Florida, Clemson, Maryland, Miami (FL), Syracuse, Murray State, and VCU, but we expect that list to grow once schools see him in April! http://hot100hoops.c...icles&Itemid=96

It's a long ways from to the signing day for the class of 2013. That's a lot of time to hope a " spur-of-the-moment decision" to hold up. Most of the time they don't but hopefully for Skipper it does.

lol what? And fans who skipped Friday's Laney-Josey contest to see how the Augusta Eagles would fare against Georgia Elite Christian, a "club" team that features 7' junior center and future University of South Florida Bull John Egbunu, were certainly not disappointed. The Eagles, a team of guards, none of whom are taller than 6'2" used multiple strategies to slow down Egbunu, who finished with 10 points, and teammate Micah Smith, a 6'7" forward. While a group of Eagles continuously clogged the paint to neutralize Georgia Elite's inside duo, they had to constantly recover to outside shooters like Georgia Elite junior guard Drew Davis, who also has committed to join the South Florida basketball program upon graduation. The most impressive thing about the Eagles' 57-51 victory was probably that it came after Augusta's leading scorers, Matt Miller and Austin Crown, went much of the first half without recording a point. The Eagles, normally a consistently good shooting team, only scored 8 first quarter, and 23 first half, points. Davis led Georgia Elite with 14 points, including 4 three pointers, and Egbunu scored 10 points in the loss. http://augustaeagles...-christian.html