Dante Holmes - 6'3" SG

[Vega]

Here's a somewhat older video on him. Take form this his style of play. FW to 3:05 mark to see video highlights

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[NormalBull]

Vega:  Most of the time it seems like you are right about our prospects, so I wasn't questioning that.  I am glad Coach Heath has a Plan B.  That seemed to be Coach McCollom's problem...we went from Plan A to Plan Z almost immediately.  I was not talking about the comparison with Poland...I am assuming that Poland is not an option.  I just hate it when people jump on these boards and begin to tear down a kid without more than just one article about him.  I want to see multiple sources and some film.  Even at that, I trust Stan and the assistants' evaluations of players over anyone on these message boards.

We all know how difficult it is to recruit to USF, but that does not mean that when we go to a Plan B player that the guy is automatically a stiff.  Every recruiting period since CSH has been here, we miss out on some great talent and then move on to the next level of recruits, yet somehow Stan has cobbled together a team that won 20 games last year.  That says something to me.  Let's see how things turn out before blasting (labeling) a kid that we don't really even know if CSH has offered.

Normal

[Vega]

Vega:  Most of the time it seems like you are right about our prospects, so I wasn't questioning that.  I am glad Coach Heath has a Plan B.  That seemed to be Coach McCollom's problem...we went from Plan A to Plan Z almost immediately.  I was not talking about the comparison with Poland...I am assuming that Poland is not an option.  I just hate it when people jump on these boards and begin to tear down a kid without more than just one article about him.  I want to see multiple sources and some film.  Even at that, I trust Stan and the assistants' evaluations of players over anyone on these message boards.

We all know how difficult it is to recruit to USF, but that does not mean that when we go to a Plan B player that the guy is automatically a stiff.  Every recruiting period since CSH has been here, we miss out on some great talent and then move on to the next level of recruits, yet somehow Stan has cobbled together a team that won 20 games last year.  That says something to me.  Let's see how things turn out before blasting (labeling) a kid that we don't really even know if CSH has offered.

Normal

Normal you hit on a good point about Heath's ability to win with less. I talk about on my job all the time with fellow Bulls' fans about Stan' impressive development on the players he has to use in a very tough league. I actually think that should be a selling point of Heath to these recruits, "that hey look what I was able to do this guy who doesn't have your talent. Just think what I can do for you a player with better tools." Another reason why I was hoping for Poland and Gardner to presumably finish off this class. I really like Haynes and Robertson after doing more research on them.

[Bullpride08]

It's great to have rosy colored glasses and all but hoops recruiting is not like football.  Hoops players like Dante have been thoroughly polked, prodded, and scene for the past 4-5 years.  Very little is discovered that hasn't already been reported, and finding diamonds is far tougher in hoops then football.

Stan certainly has won with less, but this is BE hoops, and the margin of error to do that is nil.  This isn't BE football, in BE hoops it's common to night in and night out face teams with 3-4 NBA players on the court.  You just don't win a ton with sub-par talent in BE hoops.  I love Stan, and feel for the guy all in one.  The best bet for USF's success is hoping to reconvince Polland of his mistake, and grabbing a gigantic like Garner. 

Hell think of it this way.  Burwell was rated higher than Dante coming out, and with similar styles, and bodies.  He's a long-term project like Burwell.  That's fine but we're a team that needs a bit more immediate production.

[Paisa el Toro]

Toralyn Fitzpatrick was a "plan B" type of player that fell into Heath's lap after Georgia Southern's coach got let go, and Toralyn has turned out ok so far.

[Bullpride08]

Toralyn Fitzpatrick was a "plan B" type of player that fell into Heath's lap after Georgia Southern's coach got let go, and Toralyn has turned out ok so far.

He has but two distinct differences.  One, Toralyn signed with Georgia Southern early and then he blew up his senior year (as a 19 year old senior who was allowed to play one more year in HS)....he grew bigger then his GSU signing....had he remained uncommitted throughout I expect he would have signed at a slightly more prestigious school, probably not Big East, and we would have never had a shot (mostly because we weren't looking hard enough)-- this is unlike Holmes who's a guard and is uncommitted...and to date his best true offer appears Delaware State, and St. Bonnie...at this rate if he had any real high level talent more teams would be beating on this door. 

Two, Toralyn played inside, and he had a big body for some solid athleticism...but make no mistake Toralyn is very raw, he was never counted on for points, or true rebounds just some solid defense and minutes to rest other interior players.  He took it and ran, and sometimes big guys like him can take off by filling a nice little niche as a defensive post-up specialist, and good rebounder.  However, Dante Holmes is a guard, and with guards there is no hidding.  You expect them to be great scorers, shooters, and dribblers.  It's much harder for a guard to just fill a niche like some big men can do...they must be more supremely skilled in the art of basketball and there's little in the way of hidding their faults.  Whereas a Toralyn, because of his big body and good athleticism, could find the court quickly helping in certain situations most guards really can't see the court when they're that raw because their all-around game must be ready for the elite level.  Can you imagine a cherry sub-par guard holding the ball and staring at Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, Rosario, or Austin Freeman--- mismatch!