Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread (March 2018)

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#2,251      

PlayAZ

P
PlayAZ
I would love to have this class when all is said and done as of now and available players:

Ayo 5 * fits every bill for us
Griffin * guards multiple spots supposedly, shoots lights out?
Kane * Overall will start imo by conference timeframe.
Giorgi B * Huge need for us on perimeter and inside.

Antun Maricevic (5th year grad available) Experienced Big available, bridge the gap.
Marlon Taylor (backup to Jones if he doesn't pick us) ULTRA athletic and shoots lights out!
Andres Feliz (Ramey will not be an ILLINI imo) experienced internationally, great mentor and addition to groom youngsters!

End of day mostly unproven, but ALL a different skill set that we as fans are used to seeing in a class.
 
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#2,252      

Tevo

Tevo
Wilmette, IL
Tevo
Obelix said:
A lot of aspirational statemements, more than reality. Maverick was higher ranked (~top-150), and averaged 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks as a senior, shooting 61.7 percent from the field. Named Ohio Division I Player of the Year and was first-team All-Ohio.

I hope Giorgi does indeed grow into becoming much better than Maverick, but there is not much to suggest that he is much better than Maverick at the same stage, other than hope, mainly because we really need immediate inside help.
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Those are facts about Mav, but it should also be noted that Giorgi is playing on a team full of other Div I players, including another big man as taller or taller than he is. So it's not surprising that his points and rebounds would be significantly lower than Mav's -- doesn't necessarily mean Mav was that far ahead of where Giorgi is.
 
#2,253      

Davo79

D
Davo79
Berg88 said:
Signing any recruit at this point is good news, going to need bodies if we're down to 5 returning. Part of me can't help but think nearly all of this 2018 class is going to just be desperation signees though. Only one signed in early signing and we are going to end up with at least 4 freshmen, very likely more as we've got plenty of scholarships to offer. I suppose there's not a lot of other options at this point anyway.
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You obviously need to pay more attention. Blake Hinson is a 4 star guy and so is Tevian Jones. Feliz is the top Juco PG and I'll go out on a limb and say we get two of those three and maybe all three of them. It's a realistic possibility. Then we also have the possibility of Caroline or Cunningham as transfers too. So think what ya want but we will be vastly improved next year. Not saying all of them will work out most likely one doesn't but we will be bigger, more athletic, have better shooters and we will have guys who know how to win and that's the kicker right there. All part of that culture change.
 
#2,254      

IlliniFan25

I
IlliniFan25
Giorgi next Augie?

PlayAZ said:
Fair enough, but if any of us has learned anything about recruiting it should be that all the *** and accolades may not really mean much.

This kid may not have the resume, but he seems to move just as well as Maverick seemed to at the same age, I would say he is more athletic overall, he definitely plays or wants to play above the rim more, and he seems to have a very good understanding of the game already per coaches.

Again, no resume, so fair enough, but I still say he will be our next Augie and Maverick could not have been that no matter how much we wanted him to be better than he was.:chief:
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I agree. I thought that Giorgi reminded me of Augie from the very first time I seen him play. I really do like his handles and footwork. I think the sky is the limit, once he gets in our system and under Fletch's tutelage.
 
#2,255      

Obelix

Obelix
Obelix
Tevo said:
Those are facts about Mav, but it should also be noted that Giorgi is playing on a team full of other Div I players, including another big man as taller or taller than he is. So it's not surprising that his points and rebounds would be significantly lower than Mav's -- doesn't necessarily mean Mav was that far ahead of where Giorgi is.
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Your stats may be affected but not necessarily the ranking. The other big man (I assume you mean Valdir Manuel) is higher ranked. Tilmon, for example, played as a junior at LaLu with many high ranked prospects and his stats werr not great. Yet, he was very highly ranked, higher ranked than when he actually transferred at E. St.L were he was the primary focus.

I like the pickup of Giorgi, we do need major help inside, we were already very weak and both Black and Finke left the team. And I hope he does indeed become a great player. But statements that Giorgi is the next Augie (Augie was a pretty high ranked recruit) or that he is much better than Maverick at the same stage are totally premature and aspirational at this point.
 
#2,256      

Umit9

Umit9
Umit9
Welcome to the Illini Giorgi Bezhanishvili! Looking forward to your Illini career? Anyone know if he will be able to start on campus in June?

Go Illini
 
#2,257      

Tevo

Tevo
Wilmette, IL
Tevo
Obelix said:
Your stats may be affected but not necessarily the ranking. The other big man (I assume you mean Valdir Manuel) is higher ranked. Tilmon, for example, played as a junior at LaLu with many high ranked prospects and his stats werr not great. Yet, he was very highly ranked, higher ranked than when he actually transferred at E. St.L were he was the primary focus.

I like the pickup of Giorgi, we do need major help inside, we were already very weak and both Black and Finke left the team. And I hope he does indeed become a great player. But statements that Giorgi is the next Augie (Augie was a pretty high ranked recruit) or that he is much better than Maverick at the same stage are totally premature and aspirational at this point.
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True enough about the rankings, and I completely agree about Augie. James was (in my opinion) much more nimble than Giorgi looks, and had great hands. I always though Augie played like a 6'10" small forward in terms of speed and agility. As some other posters have said, I think Giorgi reminds me more of Damir (who was no slouch, either) in both body type and style.
 
#2,258      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Deleted member 29907
Umit9 said:
Welcome to the Illini Giorgi Bezhanishvili! Looking forward to your Illini career? Anyone know if he will be able to start on campus in June?

Go Illini
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More importantly what will we call him? Spicy G is already taken... Spicy B? GBez? The Bezinator?
 
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#2,259      

SescIllini

SescIllini
SescIllini
Obelix said:
A lot of aspirational statemements, more than reality. Maverick was higher ranked (~top-150), and averaged 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks as a senior, shooting 61.7 percent from the field. Named Ohio Division I Player of the Year and was first-team All-Ohio.

I hope Giorgi does indeed grow into becoming much better than Maverick, but there is not much to suggest that he is much better than Maverick at the same stage, other than hope, mainly because we really need immediate inside help.
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Don't get caught up in rankings, when I see Giorgi I see a much more skilled player than Mav. Mav also had to overcome significant confidence issues, similar to what Matic had this year (I'm sure you remember). Giorgi is used to playing against Div 1 players and I don't think will be phased as much.


Agree he will not be a major impact but 2-3 years down will be a solid contributor. Don't see the Augie comparison, both physically and style of play. Augie developed a mid range shot but was never really a 3 point shooter. Augie was an undersized mobile traditional post player. Augie is very under-rated. When you look at his success against the MCAA type players in college we might not want to throw around the comparison so easily.
 
#2,261      

haasi

haasi
New York
haasi
StateFarmCenter said:
We are recruiting at an incredibly low level right now. Lowest I can ever remember. I really really hope we can turn it around for next year. Or this year even but seems like a long shot.
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Ayo’s good. Hinson or Jones both 4 Star and they might yet join. The issue is with the other guys. We can only hope that BU is finding guys who will work for him and he has a good eye for what he needs. If he can’t, I agree, underwhelming right now- but Hinson and/or Jones would help the class.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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#2,262      

Illiniguy13

Illiniguy13
Illiniguy13
StateFarmCenter said:
We are recruiting at an incredibly low level right now. Lowest I can ever remember. I really really hope we can turn it around for next year. Or this year even but seems like a long shot.
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Recruiting is not about who you miss, it’s all about who you end up with. Let’s see how this shakes out...on another note, if the previous regimes were recruiting at a much higher level, we’d have something to show for it. Talent has been down the past decade.
 
#2,263      

IllFanInMi

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Guest
IllFanInMi
We can only hope that BU is funding guys who will work for him and he has a good eye for what he needs.

You didn’t just say that did you Mr. Sean Miller :eek::hand::)
 
#2,265      

illinipioneer

illinipioneer
Richmond, VA
illinipioneer
Anyone have a link for Giorgi highlights anywhere, all I'm finding on youtube is training vids
 
#2,266      

DB11Headband

D
Chicago Burbs
DB11Headband
Really like this get. Skill-wise, Giorgi reminds me of Kerem Kanter (Xavier). Would be thrilled if he is able to turn into that type of player as an upperclassmen!
 
#2,268      

Second and Chalmers

S
Second and Chalmers
StateFarmCenter said:
Those two and Ramey would probably give us a top 10ish class funnily enough. Obvious disclaimer of that being the longest of shots.
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Ramey seems extraordinarily unlikely, and even after losing Smith and Lucas, we STILL really don't have room for him. None of he, Ayo or Frazier are off ball players, and this is not a system for three smaller guards.

Jones and Hinson fill needs, are solid talents, and we're right in there on both of them.
 
#2,270      

Ramrod2010

R
Ramrod2010
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#2,272      

blackdog

blackdog
Champaign
blackdog
Second and Chalmers said:
Ramey seems extraordinarily unlikely, and even after losing Smith and Lucas, we STILL really don't have room for him. None of he, Ayo or Frazier are off ball players, and this is not a system for three smaller guards.

Jones and Hinson fill needs, are solid talents, and we're right in there on both of them.
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Ayo is 6-4 so thats not exactly smaller and we had some success running both Frazier/Lucas this season so it can be done.
 
#2,274      

foby

foby
Bonnaroo Land
foby
GB was looking a little more polished towards the end of the season.

[YOUTUBE]p3h3Ay45Uf0[/YOUTUBE]
 
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