Rakeem Christmas '11

[casualhoya]

Georgetown has made Rakeem's list of final 8:
www.casualhoya.com/2009/8/10/984451/rakeem-christmas-cuts-list-to-eight

Rakeem is the #1 rated center in the country.

Casually.

[hoyaboya]

Love it. Didn't somebody who used to post here say he was a Kentucky lock or at least that he would follow Gilchrist wherever he went?

[turbohoya]

also, last time we were talking about this guy in the '11 Prospects thread some had mentioned he was a WorldWide Wes guy - any of those schools strike a chord?

[Elvado]

Nova making a big push per today's Philadelphia Inquirer. Georgetown mentioned in the article. I believe he's transferring to North Catholic for this season.

[Hilltopper]

Transferring from North Catholic to Academy of the New Church- part of a huge front line next season

[71hoya]

Here is the link to the Inquirer article. www.philly.com/philly/sports/colleges/20090811__Nova_in_running_for_top_recruit.html

[cdnhoya]

I like the list from the Hoyas perspective. Lots of the top programs are not on the list and there are a couple (Baylor, Indiana) that haven't pulled in top recruits for some time.

[turbohoya]

cdn - I respectfully disagree - though UNC, Duke and Kentucky aren't there I find the list pretty daunting - in the '09 calss top 25 as per ESPN - 3)Nova, 4) Texas, 6) Oklahoma 12) Indiana 20) Florida 21) Baylor and in '10 1) Ohio State 5) Texas 10) Nova and Baylor listed as "on the cusp"... we are competing against 7 of the top 20 recruiters in the country right now.

[2ndRyan]

Is this guy related to Dionte Christmas who just finished at Temple?

[cdnhoya]

i hear ya, turbohoya. it just seems to me that baylor and indiana haven't landed too many of the top kids in recent years. i know baylor has a top player in 2010 and they had cousins before cal and www swooped in and stole him away. also, osu and texas are definitely top recruiters, but they already have landed top post players in 2010. who knows how long those guys will stay in school, but that may affect christmas' decision. in any event, go get him JT3!

[HoyaSinceBirth]

no christmas is not related to the one who just finished at temple.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-college-football/76368577.html

[SirSaxa]

Florida, Georgetown, Texas, Oklahoma and Florida International -- Christmas list.

[hoyaboya]

Surprising that Villanova and Kentucky are not on that list...very good news for us (assuming he stays true to the list). I don't like to root against players, but it would be best for the Hoyas' recruitment of Christmas if Vernon Macklin does not have a great season for Florida (averaging 9 and 6 so far).

[SirSaxa]

I don't think Macklin makes a big difference. Greg needs to have a big season. I think he will. Christmas can talk to Jeff, Roy, DaJuan, Pat, Pat SR, Zo, Deke.... plenty of evidence.

[daytonahoya31]

regarding bigs, hoyaboya, we have more proof than anyone in the country. anyone...vernon's season will have no impact on his decision...we have three hall of fame bigs and bigs that are currently starters in the league

[MCIGuy]

Nov 28, 2009 20:08:58 GMT -5 SirSaxa said:

I don't think Macklin makes a big difference. Greg needs to have a big season.

^^This.

No team should be taken for granted in this battle but Rick Barnes' recent history of being able to use the facilities of Texas to get kids he and his program should never have gotten is the competition that worries me most.

Still I too was happy to see the exclusion of Villanova. I expected Kentucky not to be there just based upon recent comments and news of the past month.

[SDHoya]

Why is FIU on his list? Do these kids really think playing for Isaiah is going to make up for playing in the Sun Belt? Do they really think that Isaiah is a good coach?

[gtowndynasty]

Nov 28, 2009 20:51:27 GMT -5 daytonahoya31 said:

regarding bigs, hoyaboya, we have more proof than anyone in the country. anyone...vernon's season will have no impact on his decision...we have three hall of fame bigs and bigs that are currently starters in the league

Actually im not sure that the success of Deke/Mourning/Ewing make that much of a difference simply because what they did was with a different coach, in a different system, in a different era. I wish it werent like that, but that is the truth of the matter. If it werent, we would be able to sale recruits on the fact we had AI, but it isnt.

With that said, I hope we land Rakeem. The future would be very bright in his first year, Nate/Markel's second, Hollis/Vee's third, Jason/Henry's fourth. And if we can get Roscoe too..

Anyway, just thinking out loud.

[hoyasexy]

Nov 28, 2009 21:22:21 GMT -5 SDHoya said:

Why is FIU on his list? Do these kids really think playing for Isaiah is going to make up for playing in the Sun Belt? Do they really think that Isaiah is a good coach?

If kids are going to believe that FIU is going to be a national power in a weak conference, then their recruiting will not be hurt at all. Memphis has done pretty well, I'd say, despite playing in the C-USA, and so has Gonzaga. A player there is virtually guaranteed an annual showcasing in the NCAA tournament, something that most BCS schools (including us,a s last year demonstrates) can't promise. So yes, playing for a good school/good coach can overcome playing in a weak conference.

That said, if a recruit actually thinks that Isaiah Thomas is that kind of coach that can bring a school to that level, then I'd make him pee in a cup before I offer him a scholarship.