Center Rivas-Sanchez commits to Bulls

[BullsDude08]

I wish I could share some of your guys optimism.  For the record I am a huge supporter of Heath and his McMillan and even Teague recruits.  I just feel this is sort of a reach, IMO.  Like I said hopefully I am wrong, I just see this guy not being the answer to our huge hole at big man in the BIG EAST.  I just think the scholarship should have been saved for someone who can make noise, not an adequate big man who will grab a rebound or two.

If you don't have anyone grabbing rebounds, that spells trouble.  I don't see teague being a gransberry type rebounder.    We still have 1 scholarship left... it looks like it will be a sg... but who knows.

All roads are pointing to SG Gaby Belardo committing this weekend when he visits.

[Held_AccountaBull]

essenghir #2

[BullsDude08]

There has been somewhat of a turn in this developing story....

Brett McMurphy reports:

Rivas-Sanchez commits; will he sign?

Posted May 01, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated May 01, 2008 at 03:39 PM

The University of South Florida men’s basketball team picked up a commitment from Pratt (Kan.) Community College sophomore C Alex Rivas-Sanchez. So he’ll become a Bull any day now, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

“I’m verbally committed to USF, but I’m thinking about if I’m going to sign,†Rivas-Sanchez said Thursday. “I’m not going to say yes, I’m not going to say no.â€Â

Why would the 6-foot-10, 230-pound Rivas-Sanchez commit if he wasn’t definitely going to sign with USF? “I like what they are offering me, I think it’s a good idea,†he said. “But I want to talk to my parents and see if it’s the right thing to do.â€Â

Rivas-Sanchez said his only other scholarship offers were from Florida Atlantic (before Rex Walters left), Tennessee Tech and Texas-San Antonio.

Rivas-Sanchez said his hesitation with signing at USF is he hasn’t visited the school. He wants to visit, but said USF won’t bring him in for an official visit. He said Coach Stan Heath wants him to come for an unofficial visit - meaning he must pay for the trip.

Rivas-Sanchez wasn’t sure why he wasn’t asked to make an official visit, but I’m guessing it’s because schools are limited to the number of official visits and with Notre Dame Prep PG Gaby Belardo making an official visit this weekend, that must account for USF’s final official visit.

Rivas-Sanchez, who averaged eight points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots as a sophomore at Pratt, also said he may take an official visit to James Madison, which has not offered him a scholarship. He said he will make a decision on his college choice after his classes at Pratt end May 9.

“It’s a high percentage I’ll sign with USF, but not 100 percent,†Rivas-Sanchez said. “I don’t know the school. I want to talk with my parents [who live in the Dominican Republic]. They’re going to tell me what they think.â€Â

[Held_AccountaBull]

dont waste a scholie on this guy. save the scholarship, hope your backcourt produces and get a better big man next year.the only thing this guy has going for him is that he is tall. thats it

[Triple B]

There has been somewhat of a turn in this developing story....

Brett McMurphy reports:

Rivas-Sanchez commits; will he sign?

Posted May 01, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated May 01, 2008 at 03:39 PM

The University of South Florida men’s basketball team picked up a commitment from Pratt (Kan.) Community College sophomore C Alex Rivas-Sanchez. So he’ll become a Bull any day now, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

“I’m verbally committed to USF, but I’m thinking about if I’m going to sign,†Rivas-Sanchez said Thursday. “I’m not going to say yes, I’m not going to say no.â€Â

Why would the 6-foot-10, 230-pound Rivas-Sanchez commit if he wasn’t definitely going to sign with USF? “I like what they are offering me, I think it’s a good idea,†he said. “But I want to talk to my parents and see if it’s the right thing to do.â€Â

Rivas-Sanchez said his only other scholarship offers were from Florida Atlantic (before Rex Walters left), Tennessee Tech and Texas-San Antonio.

Rivas-Sanchez said his hesitation with signing at USF is he hasn’t visited the school. He wants to visit, but said USF won’t bring him in for an official visit. He said Coach Stan Heath wants him to come for an unofficial visit - meaning he must pay for the trip.

Rivas-Sanchez wasn’t sure why he wasn’t asked to make an official visit, but I’m guessing it’s because schools are limited to the number of official visits and with Notre Dame Prep PG Gaby Belardo making an official visit this weekend, that must account for USF’s final official visit.

Rivas-Sanchez, who averaged eight points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots as a sophomore at Pratt, also said he may take an official visit to James Madison, which has not offered him a scholarship. He said he will make a decision on his college choice after his classes at Pratt end May 9.

“It’s a high percentage I’ll sign with USF, but not 100 percent,†Rivas-Sanchez said. “I don’t know the school. I want to talk with my parents [who live in the Dominican Republic]. They’re going to tell me what they think.â€Â

Good grief ... I hope some people eyes are finally opening to this stuff. CSH, with a great track record as a recruiter, is having a problem locking up a kid whose only other offers were FAU, Tenn Tech and Texas-San Antonio .... Toughest college hoops head coaching job in America.

[chazmeister]

No problem. We'll run 4 guard sets all day...

DoJo, Mercer, Howard, Verdejo, ????

[Velcro]

Espinosa would probably be the 5th (or Ajayi) in that rotation.

[beastiebull]

There has been somewhat of a turn in this developing story....

Brett McMurphy reports:

Rivas-Sanchez commits; will he sign?

Posted May 01, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated May 01, 2008 at 03:39 PM

The University of South Florida men’s basketball team picked up a commitment from Pratt (Kan.) Community College sophomore C Alex Rivas-Sanchez. So he’ll become a Bull any day now, right?

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

“I’m verbally committed to USF, but I’m thinking about if I’m going to sign,†Rivas-Sanchez said Thursday. “I’m not going to say yes, I’m not going to say no.â€Â

Why would the 6-foot-10, 230-pound Rivas-Sanchez commit if he wasn’t definitely going to sign with USF? “I like what they are offering me, I think it’s a good idea,†he said. “But I want to talk to my parents and see if it’s the right thing to do.â€Â

Rivas-Sanchez said his only other scholarship offers were from Florida Atlantic (before Rex Walters left), Tennessee Tech and Texas-San Antonio.

Rivas-Sanchez said his hesitation with signing at USF is he hasn’t visited the school. He wants to visit, but said USF won’t bring him in for an official visit. He said Coach Stan Heath wants him to come for an unofficial visit - meaning he must pay for the trip.

Rivas-Sanchez wasn’t sure why he wasn’t asked to make an official visit, but I’m guessing it’s because schools are limited to the number of official visits and with Notre Dame Prep PG Gaby Belardo making an official visit this weekend, that must account for USF’s final official visit.

Rivas-Sanchez, who averaged eight points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots as a sophomore at Pratt, also said he may take an official visit to James Madison, which has not offered him a scholarship. He said he will make a decision on his college choice after his classes at Pratt end May 9.

“It’s a high percentage I’ll sign with USF, but not 100 percent,†Rivas-Sanchez said. “I don’t know the school. I want to talk with my parents [who live in the Dominican Republic]. They’re going to tell me what they think.â€Â

Good grief ... I hope some people eyes are finally opening to this stuff. CSH, with a great track record as a recruiter, is having a problem locking up a kid whose only other offers were FAU, Tenn Tech and Texas-San Antonio .... Toughest college hoops head coaching job in America.

I believe the factr that we are making him pay for his own visit is what is making him hesitate.  Not that I care.  I could take or leave this guy. 

[Mama_Bull]

Velcro, we got a walk-on forward for added depth, according to Greg in his blog:

May 01, 2008

Cocoa Beach guard to walk on with Bulls

Mitch Emory, a 6-foot-7 forward who was an all-state honorable mention at Cocoa Beach as a senior, said Thursday he has accepted an offer to join USF's basketball roster as a walk-on this fall.

"I just wanted to play at a big school in a good conference," said Emory, who averaged 17 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. "You can't beat the Big East, and USF was such a good fit overall, it was almost perfect."

Emory, 17, was Florida Today's area Player of the Year after leading Cocoa Beach to a 22-5 record, but did not receive any Division I scholarship offers. He has a 3.5 grade-point average and plans to study engineering.

"He carried us on his back this season," said Cocoa Beach coach Mike Gaudy. "He's a low-maintenance, hard-working kid. He really improved a lot from last year to this year, and he's just starting to maximize his potential."

Read more about Emory from Florida Today's Player of the Year story. The newspaper's site also has a cool two-minute video with an interview with Emory and footage of him from practice.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/usf/

[Velcro]

That is good... since it doesn't use a scholarship.  At the very worst case scenario, he'll be a solid practice squad player.