Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (January-February 2018)

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#201      
Deleted member 631370
TCTORNADO said:
Haha, weren't you the top 100 list guy?? Oh well 192 is close enough.:D
Cousinard has already graduated HS in East Gary where he averaged 29 ppg. He's a fifth year prep guy sort of like what Pickett is doing.
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I was the "top-100 guy", but I also don't believe that talent suddenly disappears beginning with #101.

The odds of being a good college player are higher the higher a kid is ranked. But it's hardly a fool-proof system. Scouting the right player is just as important as going after a kid because of their ranking.

I don't know much about this kid. But if he's a good outside shooter, if he's athletic, and if he defends......well, that's what BU is looking for.
 
#202      
Obelix
CAHALL15 said:
Flo probably isn’t going to happen. As reported by Derek Piper and a few others, the staff has cooled on him. Additionally, he might be physically strong enough to play in the Big Ten, but that doesn’t not mean he has the skills or experience to be effective year one.
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The problem with that reporting, other then the obvious preemptive "we did not want him anyway," is that we obviously need major help in the post right now, and it is a hard case to make that some of the existing players at C on our roster are better than Flo. Also a doubtful case, that we will find a better C/post type player in the Spring or 5th year market who we will have a better chance to sign.

Being in the top 5 for Okoro does not make us long shots.
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I may have honestly missed it, but I do not believe Okoro has announced a top 5. We are "expected" to be in his top 5, at a later point in this recruitment.
 
#203      
Love the Illini
Odds of getting a big freshman next year that can contribute immediately is not very good as bigs usually take longer to develop than perimeter players due to often needing to gain weight and strength to compete at the college level. Our best bet to get immediate inside help for next year is through the 5th year transfer route or one of our current players continuing to develop.
 
#204      
coryfor3
Davo79 said:
I could see Lucas transferring out after this year with Ayo coming in. That would open up a spot for a shooter and Couisnard looks the part.
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I would be very surprised if Lucas went anywhere. Ayo being here doesn't mean there isn't plenty of room for them on the same court and plenty of run for both. Underwood has been very complimentary of Lucas and his ability to run the team and has encourage him to take on more leadership. That doesn't seem like the kind of guy headed to a transfer.
 
#205      
Obelix
CAHALL15 said:
IsnÂ’t it possible that as the staff has spent time developing Matic and Greg that they did not want another project or are you assuming that this particular 3 star who started playing basketball about 5 years ago is going to see meaningful playing time as a freshman? For comparison sake, Meyers was a top 30 player by most services and played less than 10 minutes per game as a freshmen as did Egwu and Mav Morgan
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Anything is possible, but I will try to answer the different aspects.

On Matic, I am probably one of the very few who watched all his games at the European championships last summer, and IMO he is not a post player. He is more of a Finke type of player, and I thought he was very raw and unlikely to help early on (was criticized at he time, but based on minutes this season people can reach their own conclusion now). Now, many people also argued with me that Finke was a post player, we recruited a PF and a C appeared on campus, the center of the future, etc. etc. but that is another point. :D

Now, on Meyers, you are correct, but the same comparison could be made for Okoro as well (pretty much same ranking). Yet everyone thinks he will log major minutes, so you are pointing to a comparison that points in a different direction. But timing is also an issue. By the time Okoro steps on campus, Black and Finke are also gone. So you do not only have to address the immediate current need, but you will have even a bigger gap, and you will need additional help (the same argument against freshmen applies). The 5th year will not help you there, and the development of Flo can also pay dividends not only next year, but also longer term when Black and Finke graduate.

I have seen Flo. Not an immediate difference maker, but IMO a player who could help in the post next year and a potential post player with definite impact in later years. Just bear in mind that the gap in the post gets bigger when Black graduates. So I do not really buy that "we do not want Flo" talk, especially with the scarcity of big post players with size, and the current gaps in our roster. JMO.
 
#207      
PlayAZ
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#208      
Illini Beer 4 All
#209      
TownieMatt
Manuel seems like a backup plan. Especially with the recent development Ebo is showing, I would prefer a fifth year big to another project big in '18. If we didn't have two top-50 caliber bigs in our backyard in '19, I would be more enthusiastic about another project big in '18.

Assuming no transfers (which probably isn't realistic), my preference would be to close out this '18 class with an athletic or sharpshooting wing (Jones, Cuisnard, even Cherry), then add a grad-transfer big. That sets us up well to go hard after bigs and wings in '19 (Liddell, Okoro, Hall, Whitney, etc.), then lead guards again in '20 (Miller, Steward).
 
#211      
illini62707
Just read Missouri frosh point guard Harris (guy who went to mo when Porter did) is transferring, along with a guy named Roberts who is going to Texas Tech. Short stay.
 
#213      
Illini Parent14
IllFanInMi said:
+ Infinity!

It’s so painfully obvious how we need the 6’9 - 6’10” strong and athletic, or post savvy guys that are littered throughout the B10. Man would LeRon be even better with just one of them to play off from. Finke could focus his minutes where he’s better suited. Imo, Finkes 3 shooting would be much better if not asked to expend energy where he’s not cut out for.

I was all over this board earlier saying how we need more than Ayo to have a truly successful class that translates into being a tournament team, or better. We are primed to have tremendous guards next year (assuming most stay), but that’s not enough at this level. Man do we need to find at least one B10 ready Big for 2018.

Flo Thanba please?? We are in his final 4, he’s said to be announcing next week, and it’s been crickets on him here, shocking to me based on how this board roles. I get the Okoro, Liddel hype and hope, but they’re a long way off and probably longish shots; I’m not that patient, nor willing to be meh about the Illini for 3 more years on hope.

Bigs now please!
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Heartily agree. However, we need more than a stopgap grad transfer. We need more than just "more bigs". We need to recruit one large big man who can score. We need someone who has the ability to get the opposing Big Ten bigs in foul trouble. No matter what tempo Brad Underwood coaches, every significant, competitive Big Ten game devolves into a "bang-fest" where defensive rebounds are precious and occasional second-chance buckets are needed when the outside shots stop falling. In those settings, foul trouble usually dictates who wins. Currently, the Illini don't get ANYBODY in foul trouble (with the possible exception of Tilmon in the Missouri game).
 
#214      
I Bomb
Heck I'd be happy with one or two 6pt/4reb guys like Krupalija was... Doesn't have to set the world on fire, just needs to be able to play.
 
#216      
I Bomb
Illini Beer 4 All said:
Krupalija was a great player, he was just always hurt.

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I agree, I guess my point was really to have big guys who can reliably give minutes, and not necessarily to be a 5-star recruit. Same for Archibald. My memories of those guys are that they were great, but they only had about 6/4 for their careers.

Probably would have been much higher, though, without guys like Willams/Cook on the team.
 
#217      
Illini Beer 4 All
I Bomb said:
I agree, I guess my point was really to have big guys who can reliably give minutes, and not necessarily to be a 5-star recruit. Same for Archibald. My memories of those guys are that they were great, but they only had about 6/4 for their careers.

Probably would have been much higher, though, without guys like Willams/Cook on the team.
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Archie got 10.6 pts and 5.5 boards a game his sr year, damir got 7 and 5.

We'd kill for an Archibald right now. Liddell is damir but better.

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#218      
illinibballfan
Illini Beer 4 All said:
Archie got 10.6 pts and 5.5 boards a game his sr year, damir got 7 and 5.

We'd kill for an Archibald right now. Liddell is damir but better.

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Yeah, I'd kill for an Archibald level talent. He got to the league and hung around for a short while with the Grizzlies. If we had the Jr/Sr version of Archibald on this team, we would likely only have 2-3 losses at this point.

I think you're giving Liddell too little credit. I was a big Damir fan, but they're in different leagues.
 
#219      
Obelix
illinibballfan said:
I think you're giving Liddell too little credit. I was a big Damir fan, but they're in different leagues.
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More importantly, they are totally different type of players. Liddell's game is nothing like Damir's.
 
#220      
I Bomb
We're getting 10/5 from Finke right now.

Krupalija and Archibald had their best numbers as seniors - big surprise. However, they both contributed 14+mpg even as freshmen. My point was, we don't need a saving grace of a "big man" recruit; what we need is players who can contribute immediately, as those two did.
 
#221      
GolfingIllini
I Bomb said:
We're getting 10/5 from Finke right now.

Krupalija and Archibald had their best numbers as seniors - big surprise. However, they both contributed 14+mpg even as freshmen. My point was, we don't need a saving grace of a "big man" recruit; what we need is players who can contribute immediately, as those two did.
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Actually - Finke's stats in Big Ten play are:
4.75 points per game
2.75 rebounds per game
0-9 for 3-pt field goals

Not sure anybody is going to argue he plays great defense either.
 
#222      
PlayAZ
Obelix said:
More importantly, they are totally different type of players. Liddell's game is nothing like Damir's.
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Anyone that thinks Liddell and Krupalija games are similar or the players are, I guess will be ecstatic if Liddell comes here....not even close. Damir could play, but EJ is a PLAYER!:chief:
 
#223      
Illini Beer 4 All
PlayAZ said:
Anyone that thinks Liddell and Krupalija games are similar or the players are, I guess will be ecstatic if Liddell comes here....not even close. Damir could play, but EJ is a PLAYER!:chief:
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They're both inside outside guys, that's a fact. Liddell is just better.

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#224      
illinibballfan
GolfingIllini said:
Actually - Finke's stats in Big Ten play are:
4.75 points per game
2.75 rebounds per game
0-9 for 3-pt field goals

Not sure anybody is going to argue he plays great defense either.
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Yeah, defense and rebounding aren't even close to the same. That being said if Arch was here, Finke could go back to his natural position at the 4 and only have to play the 5 in minutes when Arch wasn't on the floor.
 
#225      
midastouch11
illinibballfan said:
Yeah, defense and rebounding aren't even close to the same. That being said if Arch was here, Finke could go back to his natural position at the 4 and only have to play the 5 in minutes when Arch wasn't on the floor.
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What would Finke add at 4 that he isn't already failing to do at the 5? Besides having to guard quicker players (he couldn't guard Mo Wagner off the dribble).
 
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