Whats the plan now?

[harwoodhoya]

Where do we go from here as far as schollies? What do we need? I say save for 2012.

[alleninxis]

I'm not even sure there is another kid in 2011 we've been linked to as of yet. (except for the Carmelo kid, which I'd assume we're passing on)

so, yeah..save it.

Gota figure the main targets still are: Andeson, Ochefu, Robinson, Jefferson, Parker and Pollard. Also heavily involved now it appears with Tymond Howard.

[HoyaSinceBirth]

Ideal 2012 class:
Would be bolden, Anderson, Ochefu, Robinson, and Jefferson for me.

We obviously don't have that many scholarships. Assuming no one leaves early we only have room for 2 more in addition to bolden so any 2 of Anderson, Ochefu, robinson, and Jefferson would be great. and any 3 if another scholarship becomes available. you couldn't go wrong with any of those 4. And there are several other talented kids we're also looking at, but those 4 would be my priorities in that order.

[HoyasAreHungry]

put all effort on the 2012 class....we don't need bodies at this point....time to stock up on the studs in 12!

[SFHoya99]

For '11, we're set with bigs (5 - Sims, Lubick, Ayegba, Hopkins, Adams).

However, for guards (4) and wings (3), we've got a good amount if no one leaves. With attrition and/or lack of development, we could be a bit thin.

I could see a guard in some situations.

[hoyaboya]

Ideal 2012 scenario at this point would be K. Anderson and J. Robinson. Ochefu would be awesome but simply not as much of a need at this stage as Anderson/Robinson are.

Really nice to be having this kind of conversation at this stage of the game, truly remarkable progress by the staff in the last month.

[bronxhoya87]

If Ochefu is that good and is big he is a need. Talented big kids do not grow on trees.

[sleepy]

Ochefu, Anderson, And Robinson all would be good gets or any 2 of 3. Id really like them to find a Gene Smith clone.

[SFHoya99]

I guess it all depends by what you meant as SRD? If you meant a completely unknown guy like Wattad, Nikita or Benimon, then you get no credit.

If you meant SRD as someone that came almost out of nowhere and it didn't necessarily seem publicly like we were hugely involved, and that was almost unknown when you posted it, yeah, then take 2 for 4.

----------------------------------------------------------

I think with this recent recruiting we've got a lot of what people have been calling as missing over the last couple of years:

• We have big man depth
  
• Many of these guys have a reputation for toughness/banging: Lubick, Adams, Ayegba, Trawick (although we still have a couple of non-bangers).
  
• We seem to be getting more athletic, though it's tough to tell until they are on campus
  
• There's a perception we have stronger defenders, but I'm not sold
  
• Guys who will largely stay in school 3-4 years
  

.
As you say Ranch, what's missing is star power. Now maybe a Trawick or someone else explodes. Or perhaps we have one of those balanced teams. But we don't have a McD's AA here, and last year's team had three.

Should we expect Markel to be as good as Chris? Trawick to be as good as Austin? Any of the bigs to approach Greg? Heck, most of our bigs aren't much higher rated than Julian or Henry.

There's a definite plus to numbers. We can have several of these guys take longer to develop and not suffer. But even if Markel can come close to replicating Chris, is anyone betting on another Austin? Certainly not offensively, right?

As for Greg, I think no one will approach him -- if it weren't for the fact that we'll likely see Tyler and Nate and Moses' junior and even senior seasons.

Slo-Mo can be a star with us. Ochefu as well. I think we need to add some star power -- and a shot blocker and creator/scorer seem like the right combination (shooter as well).

[chep3]

Really good points SF. We are going to need some stars. I hope that Markel and Hollis can become, in time, as good as Chris and Austin. But numbers aren't just good because it allows us to weather some nondevelopment, it also gives us a greater likelihood of hitting it big with a player. Top 75 players frequently become stars, and if you're playing 10 of them, there's a greater likelihood that someone will step up. Hopefully that happens.

[daytonahoya31]

I think Markel is the star power

[blueandgray]

Great post sf.

Hope markel has the upside we all think he has. Can't wait to watch him play. Agree with chep in that if you fast forward to his junior/ senior season...Hollis could be an absolute force on the wing. Finally, I think the most likely guy to make that leap from good to great is bolden. From what I've read .... The kid has the raw talent to take his game to the next level.

This all being said, would love to add a pure scorer to the parts already assembled.

[hoyarooter]

I don't usually agree with bronxhoya, but I do here. Ochefu should be a major priority.

Also agree with ranch - anderson/ochefu = 1/1a.

I would also like to add "Ouch" (on behalf of Ole Miss State - although they did pull Hood, so they should be feeling fine).

[RBHoya]

I think III and staff will continue to recruit a few guys in 2011. Mostly point guards, and mostly to protect ourselves in the event we lose someone to transfer. I don't think III would be comfortable going into next year with only 1 true pg plus Clark, so I think he is going to keep his eyes open and only make an offer if need be. No doubt in my mind that's what Betancourt was/is and I think you may see a couple other guys pop up on the radar over the course of the year. When it happens Hoyatalkers will inevitably say "Don't see the need, pass" or "Save it for 2012!".... but really, it's the smart play. Just hedging, and if we don't lose anyone, we don't bring anyone else on.

Other than that, we're in a pretty good place for 2012 because the needs aren't particularly glaring. At the moment the roster that that class would be joining seems to be:

PG: Starks (jr), Sanford (sr)
SG: Bowen (jr), Trawick (so)
SF: Thompson (sr)
PF: Lubick (jr), Hopkins (so), Bolden (fr), Benimon (sr)
C: Adams (so), Ayegba (jr)

I agree that they should stay on Ochefu, but something tells me it won't happen... just a gut feeling. Would be happy with an elite wing and a high level point or combo guard. If we get Ochefu, it's just an insane amount of frontcourt talent and the only problem is dividing the mintues up with so many guys... a good problem to have.

[jerseyhoya34]

RB - Great overview on the depth chart. As it stands now, there is a race to the middle of that chart - who in that PF grouping enhances his skill set so he can play wing? That's the question.

I think the ideal is that Hopkins makes the move, and he certainly has the frame to do so.

I also wonder whether Ochefu is truly interested in us to the point of even being a 60/40 proposition right now. WVU has been making a strong push. At this point, I'm more intrigued by Kyle Anderson as our top priority. We could use that kind of utility player.

[tonyparker]

Wouldn't sleep on Twymond Howard. While I agree that Ochefu and Anderson are likely the top two on the board, I'd personally take Howard in a heartbeat if it looks like Anderson is unwilling to commit. Don't want to adopt a defeatist attitude, but Anderson has UNC and UK on him pretty hard, and seems to be enjoying the process quite a bit. Howard, on the other hand, is already saying we are in his Top 3.

[jerseyhoya34]

Nov 1, 2010 22:36:29 GMT -5 tonyparker said:

Wouldn't sleep on Twymond Howard. While I agree that Ochefu and Anderson are likely the top two on the board, I'd personally take Howard in a heartbeat if it looks like Anderson is unwilling to commit. Don't want to adopt a defeatist attitude, but Anderson has UNC and UK on him pretty hard, and seems to be enjoying the process quite a bit. Howard, on the other hand, is already saying we are in his Top 3.

I could not agree more. We can't let perfection be the enemy of the good. Howard is clearly a prospect who we simply could not turn down if he wanted to come, presuming he can pass all other requirements for athletes at GU. I have no reason to believe he cannot.

In an ideal world, we take both Howard and Anderson. The PT can sort itself out from there.

[JohnJacquesLayup]

This '11 class has really turned out well, and I'm excited for the '12 class already. At this point my only hope is that the younger guards on our current roster remain patient and focussed. They're playing behind perhaps the nations best back court this season, but the future is theirs for the taking if they keep working.

[prhoya]

Quick lunch with HoyaTalk and a sandwich:
Nice overview, RB.
The staff should continue to monitor the progress of those 2011 athletes they have been in contact with (Carmelo et al.) and any new ones popping up later.
As for Bolden, stay on him and fend off intruders.
As for the rest of the 2012 class, here's a list of Top 25 players listing us according to ESPN.com:
#1 Andre Drummond (C)
#9 LJ Rose (PG)
#12 Daniel Ochefu (C) - no other school listed!
#16 Tony Parker (C)
#25 Kaleb T. (C)

Here are two examples of why you take recruiting services with a grain of salt:
(1.) #19 Kyle Anderson (SF) - we're not on his ESPN list.
(2.) Bolden is not in Top 100 and is listed as the #54 PF of 2012.

The (2.) can be excused, but how could ESPN get (1.) wrong when there are plenty of articles on the mutual interest between GU and Kyle & family?

I'm not sure when the list was updated, but Alex Murphy's verbal to Duke is not up.

Finally, just for fun, here's a teaser of 2013 Top 10 players listing GU:
#2 Kuran Iverson (SF) - no schools available
#3 Nerlens Noel (PF)
#6 Jabari Parker (SF)
#10 Austin Colbert (PF)
#5, #7 & #9 - no list available

[DanMcQ]

Nov 2, 2010 12:13:06 GMT -5 prhoya said:

I'm not sure when the list was updated, but Alex Murphy's verbal to Duke is not up.

Latest I could find is this yesterday:

insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog?name=finkelstein_adam&id=5751962&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmens-college-basketball%2fblog%3fname%3dfinkelstein_adam%26id%3d5751962

ESPNU Super 60 SF Alex Murphy (South Kingston, R.I./St. Mark's) trimmed his list to seven schools last week -- Arizona, BC, Duke, Florida, Kansas, North Carolina and West Virginia.

Butler, Syracuse, Texas, and Villanova are now gone from his preliminary list.

Murphy said he has no timetable as to when he will further cut his list or make his final decision.

Is there something I missed?