2015 Recruiting

wrv wrote: And, of course, there is DD's friend who endorses Ray as a player, which may be a stronger indication of ability than Ray's stats. Maybe Ray can play and benefit the Pilots.

Any news there?

Apparently the now fired Tennessee head coach, Donnie Tyndall, was in New Mexico to see Barreno on the day he was fired for numerous NCAA violations and running a "rogue" programs at Morehead St. and Southern Mississippi prior to coming to Tennessee.

Unknown whether "new" Tennessee coach Rick Barnes (recently hired from the other UT, Texas) has interest in Barreno.

DoubleDipper wrote:

Apparently the now fired Tennessee head coach, Donnie Tyndall, was in New Mexico to see Barreno on the day he was fired for numerous NCAA violations and running a "rogue" programs at Morehead St. and Southern Mississippi prior to coming to Tennessee.

Well, yeah, but what was his winning percentage?

NoPoNeighbor wrote:I wonder if UP has been looking at 6'10" Isaiah Robinson... He's just down the street at Jefferson High. And he's the son of Cliff Robinson. Per VerbalCommits, he just picked up his first scholarship offer, from CSU-Bakersfield.

It is being reported that Robinson committed to Houston Baptist a couple of days ago.

This just in....highlights of Jarrel Marshall's sophomore season:

Surprised more midsize schools were not in on him. Maybe I do not watch enough highlight videos but Marshall looks like D1 starter material from here.

DoubleDipper wrote:But an even more intriguing 6-8 freshman at NMMI could be Andre Berry, voted as a Top-10 prep player in Rhode Island last year at St. Andrews School.  From his picture, it would appear he can take up a lot of space:  

As the late Dean Murdoch once said, "As always, I'm just throwing spit balls at the ceiling to see what might stick," or words to that affect.

Besides the less-than-glowing report about Berry that I recently received from my Alamogordo friend, I've heard that Berry has made visits to UT-San Antonio and Prairie View A&M.

Still throwing spit balls, I've also heard an unconfirmed report that a very skilled 6-11/245 high school senior in England that a member of the staff may have seen last year has backed out of his verbal commitment (not NLI) to a D1 school on the east coast after a wholesale change of the coaching staff there.  This might be a good one to keep an eye on!

Does Reveno’s comment imply that the Pilots will offer two more scholarships:

"Every weekend on The Bluff is fun but this one is turning out great for our 2 recruits visiting.”

Certainly suggests the Pilots are closing in on some recruits for next year.

Anyone know who might be visiting this weekend?

Barreno? Fitts?

There are so many young students on campus this weekend that it would be very difficult to say which are the recruits Rev commented on.

This was Rock the Bluff weekend and many of the newest UP students, the Class of 2019, were on campus for a weekend of entertainment and orientation.  

If there were any 2015 recruits on campus, I'm sure they were impressed by the buzz of excitement all the students brought.

Portland group, Young The Giant, provided the headline entertainment in the Chiles Center into the late hours......

The Oregonian released its Prep Basketball Class 6A All-State selections today, and it's interesting how many have not garnered attention from D1 or D2 universities.  It's an old story, UP would like to have more Oregon student-athletes on the team, but there are not that many D1 athletes to choose from.

Only two 2015 grads on the first team:
Eli Lininger, Yale
Kadeem Strickland, no known college offers

Five class of 2015 members on the second team:
Anthony Mathis, New Mexico
Jazz Johnson, Portland
Drew Eubanks, OSU
Jake Spurgeon, Seattle U
Tristen Holmes, no known offers

Five Class of 2015 seniors on Honorable Mention team:
Isaiah Robinson, Houston Baptist, is the only one with a D1 offer

wrv wrote:Does Reveno’s comment imply that the Pilots will offer two more scholarships:

"Every weekend on The Bluff is fun but this one is turning out great for our 2 recruits visiting.”

Certainly suggests the Pilots are closing in on some recruits for next year.

Anyone know who might be visiting this weekend?

Barreno? Fitts?

I am guessing Rev's comment was about the already committed recruits, as the event was for all incoming students next Fall.

Today three New Mexico JC players, two guards and a forward, reportedly committed to D1 schools, but no word on Ray Barreno's plans.

Some have written that Barreno, like NMMI's Berry are getting interest from Texas-San Antonio.  UT-SA would certainly be much closer to Barreno's home in Mexico and his second home in El Paso.

"I am guessing Rev's comment was about the already committed recruits, as the event was for all incoming students next Fall."[/quote]

Who among the already committed would not have officially visited?

We know that Jarrell Marshall took his official, so he is out.

Perhaps Johnson never had an official, just a number of unofficial visits. But I think it probable, though not certain, that the players who signed LOIs did their official visits before signing, particularly two of the four.

And, this is the weekend before signing day with Reveno looking to gain more commitments. It makes more sense to bring in uncommitted players just before signing day.

Hard to say who else was on campus, but this weekend was for incoming freshman, the Class of 2019.

As Chiir, Colin, and Jazz are all incoming freshman, having signed NLIs, any of them could have been part of the festivities without a need to be on an "official visit."

There is no restriction on the number of "official visits" a school can host, only on the number an individual student-athlete can take.

There may well have been others taking their visits this weekend, but I for one, am skeptical any did.

The "Dead Period" begins at midnight, so no more visits until after NLI signings begin on Wednesday.

Maybe Telly Davenport from Idaho was one of the visitors.

@BonnevilleHoops wrote:Things heating up for @tellydav3 Telly Davenport.  3 official offers Portland, UVU, and Stetson(FL).@UtahProspects #Bigtimesteal" #idpreps

Terry Cahill wrote:Maybe Telly Davenport from Idaho was one of the visitors.

Ah yes, Telly Davenport, probably one of the best high school players in Idaho, and the one time teammate of Jared Stutzman, the UP recruit that got away to USF....and is now on his LDS mission.

I remember the mention of Telly as "gifted" last year when watching tape of Stutzman's play, but had heard nothing of him since.  I do remember he could flat-out score and rebound, but I have no idea what level of competition he saw this year.

With Xubi transferring, I don't think there's much doubt UP's priorities are a wing and a post.....

One might think Utah Valley would have the inside track for this 6-4 wing, but I don't see him heading to Stetson.

DoubleDipper wrote:Still throwing spit balls, I've also heard an unconfirmed report that a very skilled 6-11/245 high school senior in England that a member of the staff may have seen last year has backed out of his verbal commitment (not NLI) to a D1 school on the east coast after a wholesale change of the coaching staff there.  This might be a good one to keep an eye on!

Still no confirmation from any of the quasi-official recruiting services (Verbal Commits is still showing him verbally committed to another school), but the school's equivalent of PN (the most relied upon source of accurate information ) is reporting the big guy has either withdrawn his verbal commitment or the new staff is not welcoming him.

If he's available and UP knows him, I hope they go after him over a JC transfer.....but by doing so, next season's team will be really young with two freshmen and a sophomore in the post.

I'm reluctant to mention his name until I learn something substantive....but I will say he's no Domantas Sabonis, yet.

wrv wrote:Well at this point I would rather have Clark Clifford, who advised several presidents, join the Pilots, than our friend Connor Clifford

Connor has reportedly narrowed his list to WSU and USC (South Carolina).

From what I've heard of his game and personality, I'm surprised he's considering Pullman as a destination.  

Having once lived in South Carolina, from a destination standpoint I think it is a much better choice....I have no idea how the two basketball programs compare....

DoubleDipper wrote:Still throwing spit balls, I've also heard an unconfirmed report that a very skilled 6-11/245 high school senior in England that a member of the staff may have seen last year has backed out of his verbal commitment...

With less than 24 hours to go before NLI signings begin, I’ve finally corresponded with a member of 49ersNation.net, the University of North Carolina Charlotte fan site.

I was told the new coach at UNCC stated that Karolis Kundrotas, a verbal commit to UNCC a couple of months ago, would not fit into the team’s future plans.  Whether that is exactly accurate doesn’t matter, as Kundrotas has now reopened his recruiting and would like to play in the States.

In his highlight video I like his foot work, his ability to use the backboard, and his ability to stretch the defense with his outside shooting.  But face it, everyone shoots 100% in these highlight tapes.

Kundrotas is Lithuanian, but moved to England 9 years ago at the age of 10 and is now attending Barking Abbey Basketball Academy.

In the video (from the 2013-14 season) it’s hard to say if he’s a banger, but he’s got the size for it at 6-10 or 6-11/245. It’s also hard to say how he’d perform against WCC competition or whether he’d need too long to develop, but to me he looks worth UP’s investment….if he's still available and the staff is interested.

Nice video, nice player. Other than his size and agility, is there any reason to believe the Pilots are in fact recruiting him?

wrv wrote:Nice video, nice player. Other than his size and agility, is there any reason to believe the Pilots are in fact recruiting him?

Um, no not really, but I recall an online article (that I can no longer find) that mentioned a number of universities that had watched Kundrotas play....and UP was among the five or so that were mentioned.  I remember him because of his initials...KK.  The same initials as another player in England, Kramer Knutson...

Remember, UP had at least one staff member in Europe last summer.

Terry Cahill wrote:

@BonnevilleHoops wrote:Things heating up for @tellydav3 Telly Davenport.  3 official offers Portland, UVU, and Stetson(FL).@UtahProspects #Bigtimesteal" #idpreps

With just a few hours left until 2015 recruits can sign, Davenport has picked up an offer from UNC-Asheville.

So, is there like a fax machine and a fixed camera we can watch to see the NLIs come in?

4/15/15 Eastern time?  Pacific Time?  It is the 15th in Europe now...  could a Euro recruit sign now?  

NoPoNeighbor, you are probably the closest...  could you go hang out in the Chiles offices for a while?  Thanks.

Malik Fitts is reporting he received an offer from Lafayette within the last couple of hours.

Not sure what's allowed or not allowed during the "dead period," but obviously offers are okay.

If Jarrell Marshall’s LOI or NLI or what-ya-ma-call-it letter comes across the fax transom we will have had a good day. All else is gravy and secondary.

Last year’s surprise on signing day was Phillip Hartwich, an athletic true seven footer. We should be so lucky as to land a player of his caliber this time.

It occurs to me that it has been a very long time, like never before, since the Pilots have had a true seven footer, no 6’11” impostors please, play meaningful minutes. Phillip may well be the first . . .

Pilot historians please confirm.