Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (March 2018)

[Dan]

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Regular Signing Period begins April 11th


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2018 Illini Basketball Commits
Giorgi Bezhanishvili (2018 PF) committed on Mar. 26th
Samba Kane (2018 C) committed on Mar. 9th
Alan Griffin (2018 G) committed on Mar. 2nd
Ayo Dosunmu (2018 PG) committed on Oct. 19th, signed on Nov. 8th


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rbachhuber's Scholarship Grid
Updated 03/27/2018

 

[ForWhomTheBellTolls]

Assuming, simply for the sake of argument, that we only have two spots to fill this year, and three needs (big, outside shooter, athletic slasher/wing), what would your preference be? Alternatively order the needs by preference.

I'm thinking big and athletic slasher/defender -- not because we don't need a shooter, but because I'm thinking we will be able to score enough points to win, but can't stop many folks due to our lack of rim protection and defensive stoppers for opponent's "star" wings/forwards. So for me, Trice and Tevian Jones would work.

By preference;
1) Big
2) Athletic slasher/defender
3) Shooter

 

[Ubermensch]

Anybody catch in the post game press conference that Trent said "We have a couple new guys coming in next year and we'll need to work them in."

From the old thread.

Yes, I caught that as well and I also wondered if it meant anything or if it was just a player after a rough game and rough season saying the typical things without really thinking about it.

 

[GortTheRobot]

https://www.thechampaignroom.com/20...-trent-frazier-btn-big-ten-tournament?ref=yfp
The posted article is optimistic, but not unrealistic. If we can add a few pieces, we may be in contention for the dance next year. However, even if we don't make it, I will only be disappointed...not in despair. I am looking at year three, both in terms of recruiting and success on court.

If BU can land some big targets, and get us in the tourney, I think he will have orchestrated a massive turnaround in three years.

 

[Deleted member 631370]

The posted article is optimistic, but not unrealistic. If we can add a few pieces, we may be in contention for the dance next year. However, even if we don't make it, I will only be disappointed...not in despair. I am looking at year three, both in terms of recruiting and success on court.

If BU can land some big targets, and get us in the tourney, I think he will have orchestrated a massive turnaround in three years.

The 2018 and 2019 classes are as important as any two recruiting classes in recent memory. Why? Because our ability to stop the bleeding and reverse the long skid into Tennessee football-like irrelevance hinges on those classes.

Absolutely must get help in the frontcourt. Trice would be a nice start, but we need some length -- can he adequately protect the rim? Or is he another undersized warrior in the Leron Black mold? I'm all for adding such a warrior -- especially one with a nose for the basketball. But we have to find some height and athleticism in the paint.

And man, we really need another scoring option. Somebody that can shoot a basketball reliably from outside. Tevian Jones is the ideal candidate. Alan Griffin is intriguing. The Jordan Branger kid is intriguing. But we need somebody along those lines to give us the ability to shoot.

Absent those two things, we're going to have to hope that our current players improve A LOT.

 

[ChiefIllini]

It isn't a secret we need length. Getting a Sam Mclarun would help this team a lot. I know everybody wants the next Shaq here, but really just getting an influencer inside can change a teams whole identity.

Egwu was probably the most important player on Groce's teams. He hid more defensive issues than anyone I can remember. Such an underrated player just cause he wasnt a double double machine.

I guess they played moderately different roles on their teams, but they both are good examples of players who altered the game in a way we desperately need.

 

[drewillini89]

We need an interior lock-down defender (can defend without fouling) and either a strong wing or another elite guard.

I don't think Trice is big enough to be the interior lock-down defender (same body as Leron), so it has to be someone bigger. This will be the "out-of-nowhere" addition to the team.

I still think we have a good chance with Ramey. That will cement our depth at guard for years to come and be a program-changing recruit (especially considering we have Ayo already).

Then the wing situation is still up in the air but we'll get one: maybe we get Tevian Jones. Maybe it's Luis Rodriguez. Maybe it's Alan Griffin. Maybe it's someone not on the radar yet.

The big down low gives incredible depth behind Finke, Black, and Eboigbodin. Those three are either not athletic enough (Finke) or just not tall enough (LB, GE) to guard a 7' big that the Big Ten is loaded with.

Likely additions: Trice, a guard like Ramey or JUCO transfer (Jordan Brangers). A wing. A big.

I still think the staff has something big up their sleeve as well.

Edit: I don't think anyone currently on the team is forced to transfer out, but I also think it's possible one or two will choose to transfer out.

 

[GortTheRobot]

Edit: I don't think anyone currently on the team is forced to transfer out, but I also think it's possible one or two will choose to transfer out.

I would agree. There's is room, it's just that one or two may determine that their minutes will be cut significantly. I hope no one goes; I would rather see this group get some help and be part of a program building turnaround.

 

[LBZ]

5 star Class of '19 Ashton Hagans has decommitted from Georgia.

https://247sports.com/Article/Ashton-Hagans-decommits-from-Georgia-Bulldogs-115582205

 

[Deleted member 631370]

5 star Class of '19 Ashton Hagans has decommitted from Georgia.

https://247sports.com/Article/Ashton-Hagans-decommits-from-Georgia-Bulldogs-115582205

Mark Fox is a dead man walking.

 

[Deleted member 29907]

I'd give my beach house for a couple of rim bending, rim protecting bigs... can we get that done?

 

[Calvin]

Assuming, simply for the sake of argument, that we only have two spots to fill this year, and three needs (big, outside shooter, athletic slasher/wing), what would your preference be? Alternatively order the needs by preference.

I'm thinking big and athletic slasher/defender -- not because we don't need a shooter, but because I'm thinking we will be able to score enough points to win, but can't stop many folks due to our lack of rim protection and defensive stoppers for opponent's "star" wings/forwards. So for me, Trice and Tevian Jones would work.

By preference;
1) Big
2) Athletic slasher/defender
3) Shooter

IMHO, we need a big very badly. Leron is not a true big, and neither is Finke, so that leaves us only Spicy. Thought he did all that was asked of him this year, but we're no where near where we need to be.

As much as we had offensive woes, I would love if we could get someone who had NNanna's instincts and size. Fantastic defender, but also someone I think would have done much better offensively in a system like Underwood's. Our +/- at the center position has more to do with defense than offense. If we can get a skilled player, all the better.

After that, I'd take either another big or best available. We're guard heavy right now, so they'd have to be that much better with their skillset.

 

[Tevo]

I'd give my beach house for a couple of rim bending, rim protecting bigs... can we get that done?

Well now, which is it, whippersnapper? If they's bendin' the rims, they ain't very well protected, and if'n they's protecting the rims, they can't very well be bent!

 

[coryfor3]

Mark Fox is a dead man walking.

Unfairly so if true. He's the best coach in Georgia history. He's won 20 or more games in the 9 years he has been there and in the last 4 years, and 3 of those 20 win seasons has been in the last 5 years. I know Georgia doesn't have a sterling rep for basketball and that Tubby Smith put together the 2 best years in Georgia history but they can't keep success like that around at Georgia. Fox doesn't deserve the boot.

 

[Deleted member 631370]

Unfairly so if true. He's the best coach in Georgia history. He's won 20 or more games in the 9 years he has been there and in the last 4 years, and 3 of those 20 win seasons has been in the last 5 years. I know Georgia doesn't have a sterling rep for basketball and that Tubby Smith put together the 2 best years in Georgia history but they can't keep success like that around at Georgia. Fox doesn't deserve the boot.

I agree that Fox isn't a bad coach. But best coach in UGA history? Hugh Durham, Jim Harrick, and Tubby Smith would disagree.

Ultimately, 1 NCAA tournament in 7 years will be his undoing.

I agree with you that basketball isn't a priority at UGA, and at least Fox has had his teams competitive. But he has an overall losing record in SEC play, and while he wins 20+ games often, he has never won more than 21.

The 20-win mark isn't what it used to be. It used to be a mark of a good team, but with 31-game regular seasons (not to mention conference tourneys and the NIT), there are plenty of weak teams that can win 20. Fox's problem is that he's losing 14-15 games pretty much every year.

 

[mhuml32]

I agree that Fox isn't a bad coach. But best coach in UGA history? Hugh Durham, Jim Harrick, and Tubby Smith would disagree.

Ultimately, 1 NCAA tournament in 7 years will be his undoing.

I agree with you that basketball isn't a priority at UGA, and at least Fox has had his teams competitive. But he has an overall losing record in SEC play, and while he wins 20+ games often, he has never won more than 21.

The 20-win mark isn't what it used to be. It used to be a mark of a good team, but with 31-game regular seasons (not to mention conference tourneys and the NIT), there are plenty of weak teams that can win 20. Fox's problem is that he's losing 14-15 games pretty much every year.

 

[Elgin7680]

If Ramey commits, that clearly means that one of the present guards are leaving, they are not going to short change themselves with having no room for a Big, by guess at least 2 players will be leaving, and they recruit 2 Bigs and 2 other players.

 

[Greensboro]

If Ramey commits, that clearly means that one of the present guards are leaving, they are not going to short change themselves with having no room for a Big, by guess at least 2 players will be leaving, and they recruit 2 Bigs and 2 other players.

or it means they think highly enough of Ramey they take him anyway. I know there’s a good chance someone leaves by the law of odds... but we still have 2 open schollies to fill. 3 of our guards are freshman, one sophomore, & AJ, I just don’t see any leaving.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TownieMatt]

Speaking of Ramey, I just finished listing to a podcast by a couple of Mizzou homers who seem to think that they are in the lead for Ramey.

That discussion starts around the 23:05 mark.

They also discuss the rumor of Tyler (Iowa) to Mizzou rumor. That's at the 32:20 mark.

And finally, they seem to think that Mark Smith is unhappy at IL and doesn't like Underwood and will transfer. That's at the 35:00 mark.

https://soundcloud.com/sam-snelling...cuts-episode-22-with-sam-snelling-matt-harris

Why on earth would you listen to that? I can't even listen to dumb homer Illinois podcasts (if those even still exist).

 

[rockillini]

Why on earth would you listen to that? I can't even listen to dumb homer Illinois podcasts (if those even still exist).

I only listened to it because I was looking into the Tyler rumor (I though he might go to the NBA after next season and had a hard time understanding why he would transfer).

Anyway, I probably shouldn't have listened to those homers, but I was intrigued after watching Tyler play against us yesterday and watching him today, and couldn't resist listening further to find out what they thought about Mark.

 

[t7nich]

Speaking of Ramey, I just finished listing to a podcast by a couple of Mizzou homers who seem to think that they are in the lead for Ramey.

That discussion starts around the 23:05 mark.

They also discuss the rumor of Tyler (Iowa) to Mizzou rumor. That's at the 32:20 mark.

And finally, they seem to think that Mark Smith is unhappy at IL and doesn't like Underwood and will transfer. That's at the 35:00 mark.

https://soundcloud.com/sam-snelling...cuts-episode-22-with-sam-snelling-matt-harris

Good grief

 

[TheGMan]

Speaking of Ramey, I just finished listing to a podcast by a couple of Mizzou homers who seem to think that they are in the lead for Ramey.

That discussion starts around the 23:05 mark.

They also discuss the rumor of Tyler (Iowa) to Mizzou rumor. That's at the 32:20 mark.

And finally, they seem to think that Mark Smith is unhappy at IL and doesn't like Underwood and will transfer. That's at the 35:00 mark.

https://soundcloud.com/sam-snelling...cuts-episode-22-with-sam-snelling-matt-harris

I'm the furthest thing from a mizzou supporter. In fact, I consider this season a success only for the fact that we beat mizzou. However, while I don't know anything about Tyler, but are any of those points really all that outlandish? I mean, this board has said at various points that Ramey is a likely mizzou lean and that Mark Smith might transfer out.

 

[Elgin7680]

Mark Smith is not going to transfer out. He came for a reason and I don't see that in his DNA. He was also one of the players who was trying to recruit other players for next year. I expect him to work his tail off this off season and big a strong contributor next BB season.

 

[TheGMan]

Mark Smith is not going to transfer out. He came for a reason and I don't see that in his DNA. He was also one of the players who was trying to recruit other players for next year. I expect him to work his tail off this off season and big a strong contributor next BB season.

I also don't expect him to transfer either. But I wouldn't say I'd necessarily be that shocked if he did.

 

[mattcoldagelli]

Does a recruit exist that Mizzou fans do not think they’ll get?