Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (April 2018)
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BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
I know you were trying to be positive, but now I'm just depressed.
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
At first glance, I thought this would be a vulture post, but no....unless it is a goat vulture!
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Winwood had that " low spark " who played with the " cream " musicians of the era, John Barleycorn be damned......
He also knew " when the eagle flies "....(one of their best works, IMHO )
You're right. I should be better about this. To be completely honest I only went for it in that case to get that Steve Winwood gag in there which I quite enjoyed.
We've all got our own perspectives and none of us is clairvoyant, especially not me. And I am as guilty as anyone here of fitting my reactions to things into a hobby horse of How We Ought To Do Things.
But I think my basic outline of the Loyalty Hivemind is correct, and I think it has been unrelentingly proven wrong at absolutely every juncture in the past 12 or so years of Illinois Basketball history. The theory doesn't fit the evidence anymore. Ten years ago I was a replacement-level vituperative Weber-basher. We've been through a hell of a lot since then, and I have taken that in and really changed the way I think about things. It's hard for my to process that others haven't, given how much the Weber Wars and everything after sucked.
For whatever it's worth, I don't blather my nonsense on here to try and slam dunk and flex on idiots, I do it because I think you're all really well informed and I welcome having my ideas challenged so we can all get sharper and smarter.
And just for the record, I kind of object to the doom and gloom accusation, as someone who has been a relentless Lovie optimist throughout. Illinois Basketball has been destroyed, burned to the ground over the past 12 or so years. I didn't predict that, I just observed it as it happened, and I would be genuinely hurt and offended if anyone thinks I've taken a moment's joy in it. (save maybe Weber's last year post-Purdue press conference. It was time.)
We all want the same thing. Go get better.
haasi
- New York
Believe it or not S&C, at least I did not have you in mind. Enjoy your posts and your views- I think you take reasonable, thoughtful positions and don’t force your views on anyone or really demand that what you are saying is 100% truth to the exclusion of other viewpoints. Carry on.
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Tevo
- Wilmette, IL
haasi
- New York
Somewhere between decent bench depth and actually a good big piece.
Yes done with Ramey.
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Feliz, IMO, is kind of player now that most were expecting Lucas to be as an upperclassman.
TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Agree. The board needs a good S&C.
As fans, it's easy to get starry-eyed and give in to our bias. This is especially true in recruiting, where my temptation is always to think our recruits are underrated. Every 3* we sign is a sleeper. Every 4* would be a 5* if they had signed with Kentucky.
I think the last decade has proved that to be false.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Thank you to both posters for responding......
I am happy that BU has added pieces to the roster that actually address our needs, especially Griffin and Jones.
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
I thought since Underwood came, that this was a positionless view board. Now I am getting really confused....
wILL-INI
- Charlotte, NC
Im going to put him at a ceiling of skinner Ray Rice. Basement Tracy Abrams post injury.
Personally, I think the floor for Feliz is sadly, lower than what tejon would've given us. Hopefully he can be more of a scoring threat, though tejon became moderately lethal around the rim last year. Tejon probably gets a plus in the D category but the assist numbers Feliz put up are impressive. I think a conservative overall effect on losing tejon and gaining Feliz would be to say it's a wash. Still not sure who takes Black and Finke's production, but between losing MS, TJL, and MA and gaining Feliz, Jones, Griffin, and Ayo, our 1-3 spot is going to be much improved. I'm still not sold this class is as amazing as others are trying to say, but we got pieces and sometimes thats better than just getting good players.
How about Spencer Davis Group. "Gimme, Gimme some lovin'," C'mon,!
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
I don't know, I think Starks was brought in to be a scorer. Feliz is a known assist guy, that can also score.
Deleted member 29907
D
Guest
And we really did not like two of our three coaches... so there's that too.
Deleted member 29907
D
Guest
Agree - will miss him - and what he has picked up re: the BU schemes. As we've seen, it takes some time to adjust, run his offense.
Sadly, Te'Jon was auditioning for his next team once he came back from suspension.
Tevo
- Wilmette, IL
My concern with transferring assist numbers from one team and league to another is that assists rely on teamwork and chemistry. It's very hard to project that a guy will be in synch with his teammates, or that he'll "get" the new system he's coming into. The physical ability to pass the ball is critical, as is the innate sense of "anticipation", but to actually have passes turn into baskets (and thus, assists) relies on the other guys around you to (a) be where you expect them, (b) be in a position to receive a pass, and (c) be able to catch the pass and score. We, as a team, haven't shown a lot of any of those skills. Adding another good passer will certainly help, but Tejon showed many of those skills, too.
That underscores my main concern with our class -- it's not the stars, or if guys are athletic, or late bloomers, or fill roles -- it's whether or not they will be able to work as a team. Usually, when you have massive turnover, with lots of new faces, chemistry is slow to develop. I hope Underwood and the staff are better able to teach the team concepts with this group than they were with the last group.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
I'd love to see another post player sign but, IMHO, without another sign, next year we will be better at: passing, cutting, shooting, and intensity. Our rebounding I think will be even or a little better. Watch for Damonte here, as well as a big improvement from Ebo on the glass. If Kane gets some minor tick tock like Ebo did last year, who knows?
Our post scoring will be worse. I just don't see, aside from miracle jumps, how we replace Black on the inside-ish.
Our post scoring will be worse. I just don't see, aside from miracle jumps, how we replace Black on the inside-ish.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
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