Castleton is a good player and is someone the staff likes. I would be very happy to get him.
Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (July-August 2017)
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Castleton is a good player and is someone the staff likes. I would be very happy to get him.
There's no way Pearson and Ayo are connected in terms of commitments. Does Pearson have offers from Xavier or Kansas? Nope. In the end, self-interest guides these decisions.
Cliffmass/Snider was the clear apex of that mountain of crazy.
I'd be surprised if the same type of nonsense follows this staff. They seem much more grounded, professional and calm. In hindsight, I think of much of that frenzy as a symptom of the last staff's incompetence--lack of a plan, all the eggs in one basket, etc. But we'll see!
The goal from early on has always been Ayo and Finke in this class. I think they're still likely to both come here.
Other players get offers and we get excited about the idea of them coming here and drinking our orange kool-aid. Other players have risen a lot to get a ton of attention, but we've had our chips in with our two from Illinois from just about day one. I think there's still a good chance we land a surprise recruit as well (Iggy, THT, Castleton). By surprise I mean, a recruit that's really risen in the rankings and is developing well, who wasn't on anyone's radar two years ago.
Other players get offers and we get excited about the idea of them coming here and drinking our orange kool-aid. Other players have risen a lot to get a ton of attention, but we've had our chips in with our two from Illinois from just about day one. I think there's still a good chance we land a surprise recruit as well (Iggy, THT, Castleton). By surprise I mean, a recruit that's really risen in the rankings and is developing well, who wasn't on anyone's radar two years ago.
Cliff yes, but not Snider. He was not even close to that level.
Simply put, the current level of recruits is nowhere top-3 or top-5 level in the country (as Cliff was). The same level of crazy will be reached the next time the Illini are a serious contender for a top-3 recruit in the country.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Cliffmass/Snider was the clear apex of that mountain of crazy.
I'd be surprised if the same type of nonsense follows this staff. They seem much more grounded, professional and calm. In hindsight, I think of much of that frenzy as a symptom of the last staff's incompetence--lack of a plan, all the eggs in one basket, etc. But we'll see!
Eric Gordon recruitment>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Any other recruitment
That's because of the hoopla that followed after his verbal commitment. As far as original recruitment to the point of commitment, Cliff was higher than Gordon. But the whole charade that followed after EJ's original commitment will never be replicated.
Grain of FWIW-flavored salt as always, but a couple flips of 247's CBs last night for THT. Now all to MSU. Flood I believe had us prior.
Aaron Henry 100% MSU as well. MSU is only taking 1 of the 2, so one of the predictions is 100% wrong.
We need less worrying, BAM will pull through for us faithful fans!
We need less worrying, JFG will pull through for us faithful fans!
We need less worrying, BU will pull through for us faithful fans!
Third times a charm?
One thing I'm willing to bet on is that the September recruiting thread will be a doozy.
The big difference is a change in strategy...Previous regimes rolled the dice without adequate fall back options.
We need a big or two, are working DeSousa, Cassleton, Sow, Conditt.
We need a wing or two, are working THT, Henry, Nolley, Archie, Finke
We want Ayo.
We want Iggy.
Lots of options to get to three rides, unlike predecessors. Many options to get to 4 as well, if its the right 4.
Exactly! The fact that one of those guys hasn't already committed to MSU also says a lot. If it's your dream school, why wait? Something is going on below the radar. I definitely think we have a realistic shot at one of those guys.
Do't forget about Ngumezi or Jaxson Hayes.
Maybe none. MSU would have to oversign for either and generally MSU doesn't do that for 100+ ranked recruits.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Different perspective than you. When he made the final switch it was already signing day. I still remember the constant churn every day that summer about whether he would jump ship, his dad posting on one of the boards, the constant live chat updates, then him and DRose playing together for one AAU tournaments, etc.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
Calvin Avery approves this message.
I don't think we are still in on Ngumezi, but I could be wrong.
People,
Most of us, including myself sometimes, continue to have this feeling of impending recruiting doom. After years of failure of prior staffs, bad luck, bad press, you name it, we just know something bad is about to happen.
Rise up orange sea!!
Let's walk arm in arm with BU and our Illini into a new and better future
Most of us, including myself sometimes, continue to have this feeling of impending recruiting doom. After years of failure of prior staffs, bad luck, bad press, you name it, we just know something bad is about to happen.
Rise up orange sea!!
Let's walk arm in arm with BU and our Illini into a new and better future
I tried to find some info on him yesterday but couldn't find any updates. We offered him less than a month ago and he got a ton of offers during the last 3-4 weeks, many regional. He's probably a long shot. Other than us, the only other BIG school is Rutgers, and they offered him almost a year ago so they've had a lot of time to build a relationship.
I don't really think multiple options were the problem with Groce era, we had lots of names in the Groce regime, we were shooting for Brunson & Evans, but we had Whitt and others on the sidelines. We were shooting for Ciff, Elijah, Doral Moore, & and Paul 2.2. It is hard to try to date too many girls at one time and keep them all on board, suspect that may have been what happened to Griffin, maybe Pearson as well. Sure maybe they weren't a priority, but if so they figured it out and moved on. We went like 0- 100 at pg & Center. Maybe we were naive in evaluating our chances, but if we hit on just one of Brunson, Evans, or Snider and Groce might still be here.
I don't expect things to resolve in September. I'm thinking this will go down to the wire, certainly through October. Is there a firm* commit date for any of our top targets?
*keeping in mind there's no such thing in recruiting
I would except I'm feeling a bit blue today.
I'd bet they will take at least 1 since they still seem to be recruiting heavy. Looking at VC they are full, but that includes Bridges who I'm guessing is gone, a Former Walk On (which I wonder if his schollie is year to year) & they have Jackson coming in who is highly enough ranked that he could go after 1 yr. Also Langford/Winston were high enough with a big sophomore season one of them could go early as well; if you think Bridges is gone, then I think they take one in a heartbeat.
sacraig
- The desert
Smart move by the pickers, though. Pick both to MSU. One commits first and you get your points, then quickly swap the other over to your next guess like nothing ever happened.
This is why I don't look at the crystal balls anymore.
That's a real possibility, Izzo and Spartyland has many mezmorizzed. Should his team this year do as expected, he would be getting almost any he wants. Any notice, he recruits Michigan well? Home cooking does them well.
I agree with your "math" but if you listen to MSU message boards they think it might be Lugentz Dort the #3 ranked SG and not the 100+ ranked Henry or THT. They definitely will not take 6 for 2018.
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