Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (February 2019)

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#451      
I still think Patterson is the best of all the wings in 2020 we are looking at. From what ive heard its almost a sure thing he is going to reclassify though. I don't think this was posted here but here are some of the highlights of a Corey Evans article on Rivals.

Attention towards Patterson has been in short supply, though Illinois and Oregon are the two programs that have remained steady in their pursuit, as USC has begun to pick things up of late, too.

Illinois: “They are cool. They are showing a lot of love so I appreciate that. They are just telling me that I would fit in and that they need a wing scorer and they like to run in transition and score a lot so I would fit in.”

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals...rson-impressed-by-two-potential-to-reclassify

I wouldn't be too optimistic about that. For one, we have not fared well against Oregon in any recruitment recently. And from the sound of it, he's waiting on more offers, which will definitely happen
 
#452      

ILL in IA

Iowa City
I still can't get over how many of our players have State HS championship rings. Ayo, Griffin, Feliz, Frazier, ADLR, and Kipper. Did I miss someone??
This is something Porter Moser brought up a lot during Loyola's run last year. A lot of the roster had played for and or won state championships at the previous level. Felt it was important for guys to be contributors to good teams and not just the best player on a team, as well as understanding pressure and being on the big stage.
 
#453      
yes I don't think we will ever see him in an game for Illinois.


A couple of weeks ago, Loren Tate, on SMSL said that he doubted that Higgs and Kane would be back. Higgs goes under a medical scholarship and he doubted if Kane "would make the grade" and he wasn't talking about academics.
 
#455      
Doubt he is behind higgs next year...
Why? Higgs is likely a better rebounder , banger, and offensive threat. He also is likely a better threat on offense and a better FT shooter. Samba can block shots better than anyone on our squad. I'll give him that.
 
#456      
Kind of a tossup as to what thread this belongs in, so please move or delete if need be Dan. Does anyone else feel the game tonight is important for future recruiting? I don't know how many Illinois prospects we have lost to them over the past several years, but I know it's been at least a few. Certainly Liddell was one we could have really used. If we can demonstrate that the program is pointing up with a big road win, combined with a style of play that kids seem to like (once they get it), we stand a better chance of getting those kids to stay home.
I know we lost Bates Diop from BN
 
#457      
A couple of weeks ago, Loren Tate, on SMSL said that he doubted that Higgs and Kane would be back. Higgs goes under a medical scholarship and he doubted if Kane "would make the grade" and he wasn't talking about academics.
I dont wish Samba any ill will. I just feel for us to get where we need to be then a lot has to change physically and skill wise on both ends of the court. I loved GB from the jump. He can move, has great feet, dribbles, passes, and moves his feet and has an awesome personality.. Many thought Samba or Ebo were the key to our success. I did not for similar reasons. We have to have better players getting major minutes and have I think we will get another surprise next year in our incoming class. BU managed our roster last year in recruiting and will again . He has Kofi, January and we will continue to improve either through high school players, JuCo, or transfers. Wait and see
 
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#458      
I dont wish Samba any ill will. I just feel for us to get where we need to be then a lot has to change physically and skill wise on both ends of the court. I loved GB from the jump. He can move, has great feet, dribbles, passes, and moves his feet and has an awesome personality.. Many thought Samba or Ebo were the key to our success. I did not for similar reasons. We have to have better players getting major minutes and have I think we will get another surprise next year in our incoming class. BU managed our roster last year in recruiting and will again . He has Kofi, January and we will continue to improve either through high school players, JuCo, or transfers. Wait and see
I see Samba as a very different but possibly very valuable piece if he can shoot from ten to fifteen ft. His value will not be as a post player but from movement. We have not seen enough of him to judge his improvement but perhaps some one who has seen practices knows. I do think that Antwan has tremendous physical tools but don't know his skill level. If he has skills Samba will probably see limited minutes.
 
#459      
I see Samba as a very different but possibly very valuable piece if he can shoot from ten to fifteen ft. His value will not be as a post player but from movement. We have not seen enough of him to judge his improvement but perhaps some one who has seen practices knows. I do think that Antwan has tremendous physical tools but don't know his skill level. If he has skills Samba will probably see limited minutes.
Samba looks like someone who could develop into a real player with time. Maybe the staff isn’t convinced he’s capable. In the old days, you would see a raw player be a big part of your team as an upperclassman. Now, not so much.
 
#460      
I see Samba as a very different but possibly very valuable piece if he can shoot from ten to fifteen ft. His value will not be as a post player but from movement. We have not seen enough of him to judge his improvement but perhaps some one who has seen practices knows. I do think that Antwan has tremendous physical tools but don't know his skill level. If he has skills Samba will probably see limited minutes.
I think Samba could contribute as well. The thing I don’t know is how he is progressing in practices since we haven’t seen him on the court much lately. I always consider that the norm is for bigs to take awhile to develop and their production often is not significant until they are upper classmen. If it’s the case that Samba “doesn’t make the grade” I hope that it’s because of superior players we recruit as opposed to a lack his of development. The nice thing is that one of our bigs is already doing well as a freshman and it seems likely that one or two more will be major contributors. This is a much better situation than we have been in for awhile wrt bigs.
 
#461      
I see Samba as a very different but possibly very valuable piece if he can shoot from ten to fifteen ft. His value will not be as a post player but from movement. We have not seen enough of him to judge his improvement but perhaps some one who has seen practices knows. I do think that Antwan has tremendous physical tools but don't know his skill level. If he has skills Samba will probably see limited minutes.

I agree. In his brief glimpses of PT, Samba has shown well. He runs the floor, defends, blocks shots. I’d like to see more.
 
#463      
I agree. In his brief glimpses of PT, Samba has shown well. He runs the floor, defends, blocks shots. I’d like to see more.

With Giorgi and Kofi our primary with January and Samba as backup barring any additional bigs (more the merrier), and if Kipper is back who knows, I still think with our offense sets, we would be just fine next year.

If Giorgi keeps advancing no reason he won't, and Kofi starts getting in serious shape, they will eat up the mass minutes inside with January probably spelling both and Samba getting a few as well. Kane stays, Higgs is redshirt, medical and probably a transfer, Nichols I think stays to avoid another move if nothing else and takes over for the intangibles like AJ this year. With our guards, we are good.

Ayo, Frazier, Feliz,
Williams, Jones, Griffin, ??? (player to be named soon)
Nichols, Giorgi, Kofi, Kane, January inside/out types.
 
#464      
Why? Higgs is likely a better rebounder , banger, and offensive threat. He also is likely a better threat on offense and a better FT shooter. Samba can block shots better than anyone on our squad. I'll give him that.
Cause he won’t be here next year
 
#467      
I think Samba could contribute as well. The thing I don’t know is how he is progressing in practices since we haven’t seen him on the court much lately. I always consider that the norm is for bigs to take awhile to develop and their production often is not significant until they are upper classmen. If it’s the case that Samba “doesn’t make the grade” I hope that it’s because of superior players we recruit as opposed to a lack his of development. The nice thing is that one of our bigs is already doing well as a freshman and it seems likely that one or two more will be major contributors. This is a much better situation than we have been in for awhile wrt bigs.
He's obviously has helped GB!
 
#468      

foby

Bonnaroo Land
Samba has a great set of tools, and despite what a lot of posters seem to think, he isn't that far off physically. The only thing that will get in the way of his playing time will be his ability to learn and play like the staff wants him to play. If he has enough juice in his coconut to do that, then look out next season.
 
#469      
And when they do he will absolutely go there. It's so unfortunate too because Ayo is proving that playing for you home team can be fun and get to you the NBA.
I don’t believe that at all, we have had a strong relationship with Miller for some time now and his former teammate Ayo is having a phenomenal freshman campaign. I don’t fear Kentucky, a player like Miller and Edwards ( Georgia) can make it to the NBA without going to Kentucky with strong coaching and we definitely have that.
 
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