Bawinkle vs. Crews

[dkr354]

I know this thread will get a lot of disagreement but here is what I think about the rest of the 2006 class. Getting Macklin was the best thing that could have happened to the program and the fact that he is already in a class with Summers and a PG in Rivers (who after a few years in the system, should be a viable point guard especially with his size) makes it all the better. We saw how good of a coach JTIII was last year and now we are seeing how good of a recruiter he can be. I trust the man but don't understand how the 2 guys in the running for the last scholarship of the class (if they don't save it for 2007) are so different. In my opinion it would be a waste to use it on Devan Bawinkle. Georgetown is obviously high on the lists of some of the high profile players in high school. Macklin will be an All American and Summers has the ability to be one as well. Duke Crews is one of the fastest rising prospects in the country as far as rankings and hype are concerned and we already have a PG for the class. Why do we want a guard who is not ranked in any recruiting site's top 100 or 150 players? I know everyone will say rankings mean nothing, but somebody has to know what they are talking about right? He has not been described in anything I have read as a good shooter, a good athlete, or an incredible passer. All writers ever say is that he has a 4.0 GPA. That's fine but he wont be doing math problems on the court, he will need to hit winning shots and get us to the Final Four. Duke Crews is a better fit. We will have athletic forwards to shuffle in and out and get back to the press. Use the guards we have in 2005 and Rivers and try to get a top notch guard in 2007 and beyond. This kid is a waste of our time.

[theEDGEfactor]

Yeah, I agree with you partially. I would take Duke over Devan anyday. But, give some credit to Devan. Does JEFF GREEN ring a bell? He was a 3 star recruit coming out and not ranked. Now look where he is. Same with Bawinkel. Hes a 3 star recruit. Certain people just arent recruited as much and they dont get the hype that they should have around them. Also, Devan isnt a pg really, hes a 2 and 3. But I think Duke would help us in the short run and in the long run. I would be glad if we added one of these, especially glad if Duke was wearing a GTOWN jersey. But, give credit to Devan, he can shoot the ball and is one of the top recruits in Illinois. Yes, hes a low recruit, but like i sed, look at Wallace and Green last year that were coming from the same place Devan was with 3 stars and NO hype around. His game is great for the Princeton offense, so thats why JT3 wants him., He wants Duke just because hes soo engertic and can turn a whole game around with one play/dunk. Also, I think JT3 wants to start running a lil more since JGREEN and BB at the 5 and 4 are as fast as a sg and sf-and when they get Vernon, Dajaun, and Pat Ewing Jr., he will really wana run since the big boys can run at a fast and effective pase. So really, he cant go wrong with either 1 of these. Just make sure we get one!

[RBHoya]

Not to sound like an ass, but have you seen Bawinkel play? I'm assuming not, and if not, how can you make such judgments? How are you gonna criticize the staff and say that they're wasting their time when they are professionals who are trained to scout players for their system... and you're just a regular guy who has never seen a game?

I don't know about you, but I trust JTIII. If he likes a particular player, so do I. He has yet to do wrong.

Bawinkel has been in and out of the Rivals top 150. So has Jeremiah Rivers, and we're happy to have him, right? Jeff Green never cracked the top 150, and he turned out to be a heck of a player, no? Neither did Marc Egerson. Devan has offers from a number of high majors including WVU, Depaul, and Michigan State (and Izzo is one of the top identifiers of talent in the NCAA). If you haven't read that he is a good shooter, you haven't been reading many of the articles... pretty much all of the articles I read say he is a good shooter. He's not lightsout from 3 but is a great midrange shooter. He is also exactly the type of player III likes, so I'd definitly disagree with your contention of Crews as a better fit. JTIII loves big, combo type guards who can do a bit of everything, especially shoot. That's why he's recruited Rivers, Sapp, and Thornton. Crews on the other hand is not a Princeton type forward. Princeton forwards are longer with a face up game and good passing skills-- think Dajuan Summers. Crews is a great rebounder and low post player, but the Princeton puts bigs in the high post facing the basket, which is not Crews forte. That's not to say he can't succeed, but it'll be an adjustment for him.

Now, all that said... I still would prefer to land Crews based on talent and I'm fairly certain he is the staffs number one priority nowadays. But to say Bawinkel is a waste of our time, I believe, is ridiculous. The staff knows a heck of a lot more about him than any of us, and they're obviously still pursuing him. So is Tom Izzo. You're basing all of your assumptions off of a bunch of writers who have made many egregious mistakes in the past. I don't think that's prudent, do you?

[HoyaChris]

"This kid is a waste of our time" Whose time? Since I strongly suspect that you have not been spending weekends scouting Bawinkle, the only amount of your time that has been spent on Bawinkle is in writing your vitriolic first post. Bawinkle clearly is not the first choice - there is a reason that his visit will come late. Maybe we should hold the scholarship for next year if we can't get Crews. At the risk, however, of stating the patently obvious, what, exactly, have you seen in our staff that indicates that they don't know what they are doing?

[sweetness]

I agree with the sentiments of the responses. Whether he is ranked in the top 150 or not, there is enough info out there on Bawinkel to know he's got game (I saw him briefly at ABCD and would echo it). Add that to the fact that he is being recruited by other heavyweights, and the fact that I have a ton of confidence in the scouting abilities of our staff, and I would be happy to add him. The other factor is that I do think he would be a nice complement to what we have -- a 6'5 shooting guard with a good intermediate game. Having said all that, I also agree that Crews would be my clear #1. The timing of everything will be very interesting -- with Bawinkel coming to our Midnight Madness, and Crews at UNC that night -- will it be first one to committ?

[theEDGEfactor]

Guys lighten up. I dont think he really meant all that stuff, hes just giving his opinion.

[hbone13]

That's what I'm talkin buout!

[hoyainspirit]

By the way dkr354, welcome to the board! Pls continue to post. The more, the merrier.

[theEDGEfactor]

Lol, yaa dont be scared off by what they all sed, this is a place where you place ur opinions, even tho some arent showing it right now. Also, hoyainspirit, how are you doing with the situation down there? Glad to see you on.

[hoyainspirit]

Evacuated before the storm. Currently living in The Woodlands, TX., with my brother. Brought 10 neighbors with me. Unfortunately, my property sustained heavy damage. At least I am safe. Doubt that I will be living in New Orleans for quite a while, if ever again. Thanx for asking!

[theEDGEfactor]

where did you live at in new orlenas like near the east side where it got hit real bad or the north side where its not that bad?

[dkr354]

I am not scared off by the commments of anyone on this thread I respect what you are all saying. Before I signed up to be able to make posts, I have read a ton of comments and could see all of your responses to my first "vitriolic post" from a mile away. The Jeff Green 3-star comment, the "have I seen him play?" question, and of course the trust in Tom Izzo. I am not a scout, I am not JTIII, and I don't know everything but like some of you said I am giving my opinion. I personally do not think that I will like every recruit that comes into this school, but I still consider myself one of the most passionate student fans this school has right now. To be frank, I'm sure Banwinkel is not a bad player. We can do better. We don't need a good midrange shooter: I'm a good midrange shooter. Everyone on this team is good midrange shooter (except Roy). I think that the version of the Princeton offense that is being used will change to meet the players JTIII has in the system. He wants his bigmen to be able to pass and shoot and his guards to be able to rebound and defend. Ok thats why you want big guards, I get it. But if the highest profile players in the country want to come here, why take chances on no-names who cant shoot the 3? We need someone to break the Syracuse zone with the 3 (hopefully J Thornton) not mid-range. Macklin is working on his midrange like all the other gtown bigmen, and did anyone who says hey Bawinkel is a 2, not a PG think that we already have Crawford, Sapp, Egerson, and Thornton already on the roster to play the 2? None of them are PGs so how about if we give up the scholarship we give it to a PG if you don't want Crews? Oh he is a 3 you say, well then what about Summers, Ewing (I think of him as a 3), Spann, and Egerson if he can move to the 3? We are loaded there. You can never have enough front-line help. My main point here is Bawinkel I'm sure is a fine high school player. He could be alright in college. Michigan St. is interested yea I know. I think there are better players out there and Duke Crews is it. My fear is Bawinkel will take the scholarship before Crews decides, if that is how it works. Get Chris Wright in 2007 not this guy. I want him to go to DePaul so we can play against him.

[theEDGEfactor]

Well Duke is really not a 3 - he doesnt have the perimeter skills to play the 3. Hes just a lil undersized 4, but i personally got no problem with that at all. Look at Gomes, Diogu, and Sweets-and Duke is 2 times faster than any of those players. Like I sed, i think JT3 is gonna start running more with the great athletes that we have who are starting to commit. Again I partially agree with u dkr, and that I would take Chris Wright over Devan. But as the saying goes- you can never have enuf shooters. And thats what Devan is- a shooter. And no1 sed he was horrific from the arc, they jus sed hes not as good. If he can extend his range here at Gtown (which ne1 prolly could here), then he will be very effective. Yes we need 3 point shooters, but sometime 3 point shooters, all they do is sit on the arc and do nuthing else. Just like wat we heard about Thornton this summer, how the only thing he really did was throw up 3's and not have a good shot selection. I would rather have a player with Devan's height who can do a lil bit of everything and have a spot up 15 footer certain every game over a shooter who jus lives on the arc shooting 3's.

[jerseyhoya34]

I don't think we should take Bawinkle, and I don't think it will be a matter of too much discussion because he's likely heading to DePaul.

[hoyainspirit]

theedgefactor said:

where did you live at in new orlenas like near the east side where it got hit real bad or the north side where its not that bad?

I live in the Uptown section of New Orleans, between two and three miles from Tulane. This is the western part of the City. Until the flood wall failed, my section of town was relatively dry. I understand from a friend trapped in the city that my neighborhood has about 5 feet of water in it. Unfortunately, I know many who lived in the eastern section that was totally devastated. My brother was shocked when I showed up at his house with 11 people. He has been wonderful, however. I doubt that I will return to live in New Orleans in the foreseeable future. I have begun the job search process here in the Houston area. My life has taken such a drastic change, basically overnight. I now call myself a New Orleans expatriate. I hate the term "refugee".

[theEDGEfactor]

LOL, yaa i see totally what you are saying-and I bet your bro was pretty surprised, but I bet he was even happier 2 see u alive. But, its great to see that you got outta there ok, and I guess its good news that your neighborhood didnt get hit too bad. Are you allowed togo back and look at your house like some other neighborhoods are allowing?

[EasyEd]

Spirit, God bless. I know you'll land on your feet. Sorry you have to go through this.

[Nevada Hoya]

Hoyainspirit, I am sorry for your losses. Good luck in starting over.

[jerseyhoya34]

Spirit, glad to hear that you are safe and with family. Best wishes for a new start in TX!

[theEDGEfactor]

LOL, maybe the only good thing about being in texas is the UTEP game this year, lol.