2013 recruiting chatter

• karen lotz

  

  Loving played a lot better tonight and was engaged on both ends of the court the whole game it seemed. Maybe it was going against Hayes that brought out a little fire. Hayes picked up 3 fouls in the first quarter so he was pretty quiet offensively until the 4th quarter started. He took over after that but missed a shot with about 8 seconds left that would have put them ahead. I think Loving broke SJJ's career scoring mark tonight too. Pretty good game.
• vball10set

  karen lotz;1372403 wrote:Loving played a lot better tonight and was engaged on both ends of the court the whole game it seemed. Maybe it was going against Hayes that brought out a little fire. Hayes picked up 3 fouls in the first quarter so he was pretty quiet offensively until the 4th quarter started. He took over after that but missed a shot with about 8 seconds left that would have put them ahead. I think Loving broke SJJ's career scoring mark tonight too. Pretty good game.

  Yes he did, and it sounds like I missed a good one. I was hoping BCSN would have it live, but I'll have to settle for the DVR'd tape delayed feed. It sure is nice having that option, though.
  
  http://www.toledoblade.com/HighSchool/2013/01/23/Loving-s-19-secures-1-471-point-milestone-as-he-leads-St-John-s-to-win-over-Whitmer.html
• Laley23

  

  vball10set;1372539 wrote:Yes he did, and it sounds like I missed a good one. I was hoping BCSN would have it live, but I'll have to settle for the DVR'd tape delayed feed. It sure is nice having that option, though.
  
  http://www.toledoblade.com/HighSchool/2013/01/23/Loving-s-19-secures-1-471-point-milestone-as-he-leads-St-John-s-to-win-over-Whitmer.html

  Cannot do LIVE events at SJJ or Whitmer (and CCHS is threatening it also at the moment) unless they sell out 24 HRs before the game. Problem is, we have to announce it over 48 hours before the game (72 if its a weekend game) for Cable Programing purposes. Most of these places dont sell out until the day of.
  
  Essentially they think a LIVE event will keep people from attending. I get there point, but I think its ridiculous. Kids want something to do, they dont give a fuck if its live on TV. People still want to go to HS games, imo.
  
  Also, the TRAC is not liking BCSN being at their games live. But thats a whole different issue. City League, TAAC and MOST of the NLL love what we are doing and are pretty accommodating. Even moving Freshman games to make timing work out better for Varsity etc. They have completely re-worked how they do their bowling and wrestling structures for the sake of TV, which is fantastic.
• Laley23

  

  Also, watched Vito Brown last night at Southview. Kid is a freaking baller. He has slimmed down so much over the years and is tremendously athletic. I think he ended up with 32 pts, 12 rebs and 9 blks. I didnt keep track of assists, but he had multiple assists as well. Shoots the mid-range and 3 ball well and can handle it better than some 2G. Has to make more FTs though.
• sportswizuhrd

  Laley23;1372794 wrote:Also, the TRAC is not liking BCSN being at their games live. But thats a whole different issue. City League, TAAC and MOST of the NLLlove what we are doing and are pretty accommodating. Even moving Freshman games to make timing work out better for Varsity etc. They have completely re-worked how they do their bowling and wrestling structures for the sake of TV, which is fantastic.

  Did not know this. Glad they are making jobs easier! Haha.
• sportswizuhrd

  Laley23;1372798 wrote:Also, watched Vito Brown last night at Southview. Kid is a freaking baller. He has slimmed down so much over the years and is tremendously athletic. I think he ended up with 32 pts, 12 rebs and 9 blks. I didnt keep track of assists, but he had multiple assists as well. Shoots the mid-range and 3 ball well and can handle it better than some 2G. Has to make more FTs though.

  Yeah, not the same kid I saw last season. I was surprised. Props to him.
  
  I didn't see the game or read about it in a story but did saw the box score of the AW/Napoleon game and I was surprised to see that Donnal only had 8 points. I am assuming he went up against Lauf. I know we aren't supposed to take anything away from 1 game and don't know if he was sick, had foul trouble or Napoleon's D made it a purpose to let everyone else beat them. IIRC, AWayne still won the game.
• Laley23

  

  sportswizuhrd;1375167 wrote:Yeah, not the same kid I saw last season. I was surprised. Props to him.
  
  I didn't see the game or read about it in a story but did saw the box score of the AW/Napoleon game and I was surprised to see that Donnal only had 8 points. I am assuming he went up against Lauf. I know we aren't supposed to take anything away from 1 game and don't know if he was sick, had foul trouble or Napoleon's D made it a purpose to let everyone else beat them. IIRC, AWayne still won the game.

  Talked to the AW coach last night. Said they were fronting and playing behind Mark. In other words, double teaming before he got the ball. When they would pass it to him, a 3rd defender came over. Coach said he wished Mark was a little more aggressive anyway, but in the end AW has some players. They would be a tough out in the NLL even without Donnal. So when you double/triple Donnal, AW will just kill you other places.
• wildcats20

  

  Wiggins is on STO right now if anyone wants to see this stud.
• wildcats20

  

  lol at myself. The game is basically over. He had 23.
• reclegend22

  

  I am assuming that chart that STO just showed listing Syracuse, Ohio State and Kansas as "finalists" for Wiggins is a PowerPoint from 2010 lol. No way all those schools are in the running at this point.
  
  Wiggins has already definitively reduced his list to three (UNC, UK and FSU), correct?
• wildcats20

  

  reclegend22;1375725 wrote:I am assuming that chart that STO just showed listing Syracuse, Ohio State and Kansas as "finalists" for Wiggins is a PowerPoint from 2010 lol. No way all those schools are in the running at this point.
  
  Wiggins has already definitively reduced his list to three (UNC, UK and FSU), correct?

  Technically they all are still in the running, as they have offered him lol.
• Laley23

  

  Its STO. Of course the NE Ohio station will include OSU in a game featuring the #1 player.
• reclegend22

  

  wildcats20;1375726 wrote:Technically they all are still in the running, as they have offered him lol.

  The schools not named UNC, UK and FSU are dreamers. They haven't been in the "running" for months.
• Azubuike24

  

  The only other school with even a prayer is Kansas.
  
  I do find the comments earlier in the week by his coach interesting though. I'm actually interested to see the impact he has on the college game. I can't say that if I was in his position, I wouldn't be focused strictly on the NBA. This doesn't necessarily translate into being a dominant college player.
  
  Wiggins is one of those guys who really loses any way you slice it by the one and done rule. He would be the #1 pick this summer, which technically should be his pre-Senior year. He would've been a top 5 pick last summer, as a 16-year old.
  
  One of those guys that lacks the attributes that only come with maturity. Strength and defense. In-terms of skills, athleticism, versatility and pure talent, he's NBA ready.
• Azubuike24

  

  Interestingly enough, it sounds as if Florida State is the likely destination because of his parents. My thoughts on FSU are...why? Sure, he would be the star of the town. However, he'd largely be surrounding an inexperienced team where all the focus would be on him.
  
  If he picks Kentucky, he'd be the "star" of a loaded class and likely national title favorites. He'd be in the best position to continue success heading to the NBA and getting tons of exposure, but he'd also be under a microscope every minute of the day, and he doesn't seem like that type of guy who craves the attention. On the other side of it, he'd be playing with 4 or 5 other top 15 players and possibly 2 or 3 returning 5-star players. He wouldn't be alone with the pressure.
  
  For so long, it was UK or FSU. For literally a year, these were the only 2. It intensified with he officially re-classified. However, there are clear flaws with both situations. This is why I don't think he's ever named a leader or made a commitment. IMO, North Carolina offers a nice mix of both. He'll have more talent around him at UNC, but because UK will be the favorite and there will be a few other teams right there (Indiana, Duke, Florida, Michigan, etc...), UNC won't necessarily have the all-out pressure to dominate.
• reclegend22

  

  From everything I've read, I think that's a good breakdown of Wiggins and where his head is currently at. I was also very intrigued by the recent comments his head coach (or whomever it was) made about Wiggins not enjoying the spotlight nor the recruiting aspect of it all. On the surface, that would not seem to lend well to playing under the Big Top that is Rupp Arena and UK basketball. Unfortunately, it is sounding more and more like Carolina and FSU might be viable options. UNC I get; FSU, like you, Az, is baffling. Even with Wiggins, FSU's ceiling next season will be no greater than USC's the one year that O.J. Mayo played there, maybe even less.
• Laley23

  

  FSU has smoking hot women. Not that all schools dont...but I mean, yeah. If he is a 1 an done, which he is, being the man and all that might be more important than winning a title.
• reclegend22

  

  Laley23;1375783 wrote:FSU has smoking hot women. Not that all schools dont...but I mean, yeah. If he is a 1 an done, which he is, being the man and all that might be more important than winning a title.

  I'm not so sure that elite basketball players of his ilk are more concerned about the club scene than winning. I could definitely be wrong about that. Why O.J. Mayo chose USC still confuses me. It could just be that he wanted to go where he would be the man and where there were plenty of beautiful women, but it might also be because he was given a convertible. Who knows.
  
  The thing that is interesting about Wiggins, though, is that he doesn't appear to actually enjoy being "the man" and the spotlight that goes with it, which, ironically, is why choosing to go to FSU would actually be good for him. He might be popular with the ladies, but he will only be as popular as the place kicker with the fans. FSU does not and will never care about basketball.
• Azubuike24

  

  I don't know the kid, but I don't think this is Wiggins at all (referring to Laley's post). He seems to be all business and actually is going to be one of the ones going to college, literally, because he's being forced to. He hasn't really taken his visits. He hasn't exploited the process for attention. There are other guys who go on all their visits, always talk to the media, live it up while they can, make a huge deal of their commitment announcement, etc. Wiggins has done none of this, and quite frankly, his recruitment is about as quiet as I can remember for a #1 player. Most of the stuff that comes out about his "leader" seems to almost be fabricated just to have a story, because there's nothing there.
• Laley23

  

  I was just kidding really, although if Indiana didnt offer me and I was a top player...Id be at Arizona St., UCLA, Ole Miss, Florida St., USC or something.
• Azubuike24

  

  Why would Andrew Wiggins go to FSU?
• reclegend22

  

  No state income tax?
• Azubuike24

  

  Go to Miami...or Florida.
• reclegend22

  

  I'm with you. Other than "family connections," I have no idea what appeal FSU has for a top five basketball recruit. And honestly, that would be a ridiculous reason for Wiggins to choose FSU. His father played there because his father wasn't good enough to play at Kentucky or North Carolina.
  
  On the other hand, perhaps Wiggins wants to make a name for himself on his own, and choose a program that is not already "established." Who knows.
• Azubuike24

  

  That's why he's hard to figure out. He says he doesn't like "attention."
  
  If it's FSU, why not just commit to FSU NOW? I mean if FSU it is, there's absolutely nothing the program can do to sell itself.