men's bball recruiting update (12/30/04)

[Guest BasketBull.]

We've probably got 6 or 7 scholarships available. We've signed 3, leaving 4 left.

Here are the prospects:

Center

Theo Davis, New York, 6-10/215 (4 stars), but there's something wrong with his health. Doing medical tests. NO OFFER Texas, Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisville, Seton Hall, South Florida, St. John's, Syracuse

Hashim Bailey, New Jersey, 6-10/250 (3 stars) OFFER South Florida, Connecticut, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. Bonaventure, St. John's

Jared Carter, KY, 7-1/210 (3 stars) NO OFFER Boston College, Illinois, South Florida, Vanderbilt, Western Kentucky

James Craft, VA, 6-10.5/190 (2 stars) NO OFFER Fordham, Rider, South Florida, Wright State

Power Forward

Juwann James, Jacksonville, 6-5/210, (3 stars) NO OFFER Central Florida Gnats, South FLorida

Tyson Johnson, NY, 6-5/220 (2 stars) NO OFFER George Mason, Providence, James Madison, Miami (Fl), South Florida, Delaware, Hofstra, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rider

B.J. Walker, JOCO, 6-9/235 (2 stars)NO OFFER Cincinnati, Purdue, South Florida

Shooting Guard

Saiquon Stone, NY, 6-5/195 (2 stars) NO OFFER Fairfield, Fordham, Hofstra, Miami (Fl), Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Florida, St. John's, UNLV  

Trevor Ferguson, Oldsmar, 6-5/180 (2 stars) NO OFFER Boston College, Nebraska, North Carolina State, South Florida, UNLV

Point Guard

Ed Berrios, CA, 5-11/175 (2 stars) NO OFFER Miami (Fl), Mississippi, Rutgers, South Florida

Javon Parris, NY, 6-2/170 (2 stars) OFFER Arizona State, Bethune Cookman, Canisius, College of Charleston, Florida International, Hartford, Liberty, Marquette, Massachusetts, Rider, South Florida, Stephen F. Austin, UNC-Wilmington, UNLV

Kevin White, NY, 5-11/160 (2 stars) NO OFFER Canisius, James Madison, Rider, South Florida, St. John's

[Velcro]

Bailey shows to be favoring us at this point... 3 star 6'10 center.

Don't know our odds of getting him but its nice to be high on his list.

[Papa_Bull]

Bailey shows to be favoring us at this point... 3 star 6'10 center.

Don't know our odds of getting him but its nice to be high on his list.

NJ Newspaper reports right before early signing period ended said that Bailey would likey "verbal" to us then but his Dad wanted to do some furtther checking before doing so. McCullum "wanted" only a verbal even though he realized Bailey might not qualify at time of signing day. Considering USF is doing relatively well, and McCullum is proving himself, I think we'll get Bailey eventually, but that's my opinion.  

[Bullpride08]

NJ Newspaper reports right before early signing period ended said that Bailey would likey "verbal" to us then but his Dad wanted to do some furtther checking before doing so. McCullum "wanted" only a verbal even though he realized Bailey might not qualify at time of signing day. Considering USF is doing relatively well, and McCullum is proving himself, I think we'll get Bailey eventually, but that's my opinion.  

His other problem is I thought he was an academic issue and was bound for Prep School for a year.

[Papa_Bull]

His other problem is I thought he was an academic issue and was bound for Prep School for a year.

Right, but there was a "chance" he could still qualify and then skip Prep School.

[Omniscientbull]

Depending on Baily's outlook on eligibility, look for either 1 or 2 transfers from big north east schools to fill out the recruiting class.

[Papa_Bull]

Buckley is trying to convince his former Purdue teammate,  Ije Nwankwo, who also left Purdue to come to USF:

Jumping ship

Perhaps the struggles wouldn’t have been this profound if Ije Nwankwo and Melvin Buckley were still on the roster.

Both sophomores left the program because they weren’t satisfied with their roles – Buckley quit after last season, and Nwankwo left the team in November. Buckley started one game last season and averaged 17.8 minutes, and Nwankwo started three games last season and averaged only 8 minutes. Nwankwo played in two games and averaged 14 minutes this season.

Buckley wasn’t shy about sharing reasons for his departure. He knew he was ready to go after the game against Oklahoma on Dec. 11 last season when he played only 12 minutes, but he decided to finish the year.

Buckley transferred to South Florida, which will join the Big East next season. He said Bulls head coach Robert McCullum expects him to become a captain and an impact player, especially because Buckley is familiar with big-time conference basketball.

“Chicago players hadn’t been recruited that much to Purdue, and I should have recognized that off the get-go,†Buckley said. “I don’t think my talent was what the program was used to, a 6-7 player who was capable of versatility, play outside, play the guard position and be explosive. Maybe there was too much flash there for that traditionally based program, and I’m not even that flashy.â€Â

That lack of solid recruiting ability isn’t the only reason Buckley thinks the Boilermakers are struggling. He thinks the program has been hurt because it doesn’t use an up-tempo offense.

“Maybe Matt Painter is going to be able to provide that for them, but they really need to step up and I’d say come up to speed with the times,†Buckley said. “Big Ten programs, they’re starting to recruit more versatile guys who get out and run. Northwestern is even starting to recruit players like that. Purdue still sticks with a half-court offense. A lot of teams really fast break – Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin. Purdue really is the only team stuck in the ’60s, ’70s, posting up and staying in a halfcourt offense.

“For the Gene Pool, too, if I was a fan, I would be kind of disappointed because I want to see alley-oop dunks and showtime. But we’re slowing it up. It’s 43-43. There’s no excitement.â€Â

Painter did employ more of an up-tempo style while at Southern Illinois and plans to do the same after he takes over head coaching reigns from Keady. Among Painter’s first recruiting class are four swing players, including two (Marcus Green, Nate Minnoy) from the Chicago area.

Painter also added a much-needed big man – and another player from Chicago – to his first class on Thursday when Marcus White announced he was transferring from Connecticut to Purdue. White, a 6-foot-8, 228-pounder, averaged 3.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in five games for UConn this season. White, a sophomore, will be eligible to play in 2005-06.

As of late December, Nwankwo was undecided on where he’d be transferring, although Buckley said he’s trying to recruit Nwankwo to play at South Florida.

Nwankwo said he felt “that things weren’t going on as I planned for them to go†and thought he brought good energy when he was on the floor and that should have translated into more minutes. He admitted he felt misled during the recruiting process – a claim Buckley reiterated.

“I just think a lot of times when kids are recruited, coaches tell you a little too much of what they want you to hear instead of the reality of the situation,†said Nwankwo, who was quick to say he’s still a Purdue fan. “Players who are in the system and are integrated, they always have the advantage over you because they’ve been there longer. A lot of times it’s hard to really feel you’re utilized correctly.â€Â

Soon after Nwankwo’s departure, though, forwards Kiefer and Matt Carroll were out with injuries, meaning Nwankwo likely would have been a member of the starting lineup. Even with those developments, Nwankwo insists he has never regretted his decision to leave.

Nwankwo’s real decision to leave could have been based on Keady’s impending retirement and Painter’s arrival. When asked whether he liked Painter, Nwankwo paused and then said, “Uh, … I mean, yeah, he’s an all-right guy.†Yet he said he didn’t leave because Painter would be the next coach.

Keady insists he holds nothing against either player for leaving – “I like those two guys and have nothing bad to say about them,†he said – but he did admit there’s a lack of loyalty among players and some coaches more now than ever.

“The attitude of players now is that everybody thinks they should start or play a lot or contribute in some fashion and if they’re not, that’s disappointing,†Keady said. “It comes from a lot of different factors. It’s just a different society now. … All I know is I’m loyal, and I was loyal when I was a player, and I expect my players to be the same way.â€Â

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/10589374.htm

Ije Nwankwo just visited Marshall, perhaps we'll get a visit from him as well:

Friday, Jan. 7, 2005  

Herd slide continues

Bowling Green hands Marshall its eighth loss in last nine games

By RICK McCANN - The Herald-Dispatch

...

Ije Nwankwo, who quit the Purdue team in November, was in town on a recruiting visit and watched from the seats behind the Marshall bench. Nwankwo is a 6-foot-7, 273-pound post player.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/2005/January/07/MUspot.htm

[Omniscientbull]

That's a big body.  Could he play DT for us as well

[Papa_Bull]

That's a big body.  Could he play DT for us as well

Ya nevah know!  ;D

I was thinking that maybe one reason Ryan Perrilloux is considering USF is because he might also want to play BB, just like Ingram. I read the other day that he just played in a Basketball game.

Posted on Sun, Dec. 26, 2004

 

• Reserve quarterback Perrilloux named Louisiana Mr. Football - Over the course of four years at East St. John High School in Reserve, Ryan Perrilloux became known as Mr. Versatility.

A four-year starter at quarterback, who also starred on the basketball and baseball teams, Perrilloux did so much more than throw a football. He ran and he threw with equal proficiency. He also returned punts. And this year, once the Wildcats entered the Class 5A playoffs, his coaches tried his hand at playing defense. Starting at safety, he promptly intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown. After a record-setting senior season, capping a record-setting high school career, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Perrilloux has been selected Louisiana's Farm Bureau/Mr. Football by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

In a single season, Perrilloux amassed 5,006 yards, the highest single season total by a high school player in Louisiana football history. In his four-year career, Perrilloux totaled 12,705 yards, second only to former Evangel quarterback Brock Berlin, who gained 13,659 yards.

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/sports/10499795.htm