2018 Recruiting

SouthCarolinaPilot wrote:Well, DePaul did beat us head-to-head in 1959. Just sayin'.

After which they went to the sweet 16.
And they have been to the tournament 19 times since then, including a final, and to the NIT a bunch more.

But probably the fact that a few recent players went to the pros early from DePaul might have had something to do with the decision.

Key fact about Tyger Campbell going to DePaul:

"Campbell’s commitment comes on the heels of his high school coach, Shane Heirman, being hired as an assistant on Leitao’s staff. The thinly veiled move could also result in DePaul landing Brian Bowen, an uncommitted top-20 player in the class of 2017 who played alongside Campbell and under Heirman at La Lumiere Prep School in LaPorte, Ind. It may also give the Blue Demons an unexpected in with former Illinois commit Jeremiah Tilmon, a five-star center who spent his junior season of 2015-16 at La Lumiere."

http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2017/5/10/15610902/tyger-campbell-depaul-basketball-recruiting-new-arena-perfect-time

Not wanting to stop while they're on a roll, the UP staff today offered 6-3/180 SG Bryce Hamilton from Pasadena, CA.  

A 3-star recruit, Hamilton has so far been offered by at least 7 schools, including UCLA.

DoubleDipper wrote:A 3-star recruit, Hamilton has so far been offered by at least 7 schools, including UCLA.

All of a sudden it doesn't seem all that unlikely that the Pilots could be on the radar for a guy like this!

wrv wrote:Uhh, yes it does, at least to me. And, without better attendance at the Chiles center, this too will not likely continue.

Buzz Killington, ladies and gentlemen.

I love your optimism, Dean, but I have to agree with wrv that we still having something to prove. It's nothing a little bit of winning couldn't fix.

I really hope that the 2017 incoming class is the beginning of a much-needed new culture in the program, since we have been mired down for so long. I also agree that it will only take a few wins to start changing perception of the program... but it is clear to me that there is new and different energy in the coaching staff , and the conference is rising, so why shouldn't we start being realistic options for this type of player?!

wrv wrote:I do not readily take to new age, new vibe, new culture or new energy. But what I do know and agree is the sentiment that we be there to root for this Pilots squad once the season opens. I am excited at the possibilities. . .

I agree in finding a lot of that stuff corny... however, it is apparent to me that the program has changed (and for the better in my opinion). Will this result in success on the court? We shall see... but the indicators so far are positive. A necessary early accomplishment to start turning things around was for the new coaching staff to land better recruiting classes. I think that has been done for the 2017 class.

wrv wrote:And, without better attendance at the Chiles center, this too will not likely continue.

Last season's attendance was pretty much flat from the previous year, though I think there was an uptick earlier in the season before Wintering got hurt and the wheels fell off.

I am always hopeful that more alumni and general fans will come to games, but for me the biggest difference-maker is an engaged and loud student section. A few hundred loud and rowdy students can make any game - no matter the number of people on the other side of the arena - feel more "big time." The Villa Drum Squad has proved this to be true for many years.

Really hoping this new venture with the athletic department and ASUP will bear fruit!

Wins. Getting some momentum behind the program with wins over schools people have heard of will cure a lot of the apathy. I have to think that a combination of a local legend head coach plus an enjoyable product on the court will go a long way towards increasing interest...

It takes more than wins. In 2009, when UP reached 25th in the nation ( briefly) the attendance was 300 a game lower than last year.

So you're saying it worked to increase attendance in future years? And people kept watching as the wins went down?

The 2010-2011 season had really good attendance as I recall. That was year three of that fun time with Reveno. Coach Knutson can remember those times. Students got behind the team and a lot more folks in the community were showing up. As has been said, winning solves all those problems.

Well, ok, if you call 2800 and change a good season. That was a 20 win season. I'll bet that attendance was driven as much by the previous season and season ticket sales.

The next year the Pilots won 11 games and only drew 400 fewer fans. That's not a huge swing.

Until there is an expectation that winning seasons will follow, nobody is going to be fighting over season tickets, which is what really drives attendance.


The alumni here is a pretty small group. The U is going to have to figure out a way to at least match the soccer teams.

Maybe I'm wrong? I was going off recall. Both sets of upper bleachers were open and had some fans in them unlike recently. The following season had the NBA lockout, but I have no clue if that caused a higher than expected attendance.

What were the averages for 2012-13 and 2012-14?

1012-2013 was 2157 ( 11-21 )

2013-2014 was 1770 ( 15-16)

Which might show that what happens the year before is what drives attendance.

http://www.portlandpilots.com/sports/2008/8/7/MBB_0807080948.aspx?path=mbball

But when you have a 20 win season and don't break 3k, filling the student section isn't what's driving it.

They gotta market better.

Jordan Brown, a 5-star 6-11/210 PF from California has been offered by the Pilots.  Brown is currently considered the overall #3 player in the Class of 2018.

He has offers from, among others, UCLA, Cal, Arizona, St. John's, and Kansas.

It's pretty obvious from UP's recent recruiting they will continue to set the bar higher than in the past and will follow the "we want guys who can start at Gonzaga" philosophy.  UP's last two offers, Brown and Marial, are one-and-done guys, but the selling point is to come to UP, help build a program, get some super high stats, be coached and prepared by an NBA legend, and go early in the draft!

...or it could be the staff wants to update the Elgin Baylor narrative.

Geezaldinho wrote:1012-2013 was 2157 ( 11-21 )But when you have a 20 win season and don't break 3k, filling the student section isn't what's driving it. They gotta market better.

The fact that students don't pay for their tickets certainly doesn't help the bottom line, but students can impact the overall attendance more than you might think.

That said, I didn't mean to say that I think increasing student turnout is the key to increasing attendance. What I meant was that having a loud and engaged student section is the easiest way to improve the overall atmosphere in Chiles and make it *feel* more like an environment that recruits might like to play in - no matter what the overall attendance is.

And I also believe that an engaged and loud student section can help increase the odds that paying fans might come back for another game... it's a lot more fun to watch a game when students are making noise than it is when students are sitting there checking their phones the whole time.

UP has offered 6-11 power forward George Conditt from Chicago.  Conditt was an unknown just six months ago (perhaps that's why he's rated a 2-star), but now he's received at least 12 offers from D1 mid-majors, and by next year could be rated as the #1 player in Illinois.

A hard worker who has greatly improved his speed, agility and strength while growing about 6 inches in the last year, Conditt would appear a long-shot for the Pilots after expressing interest in a couple of Big-10 schools, but one has to admire the UP staff's desire to mix it up with the P-5 conferences for the top recruits.

Conditt is #24 in this video that includes some good old high school trash-talking during a recent AAU game in Milwaukee.

Heard a distinct Kiwi accent on campus this morning, and instead of speculating on who the tall man might be, I asked!!

It was 6-9 forward/wing James Moors from Auckland on campus for an official visit and heading to the Beauchamp Center for a workout with the guys.

Lots of video of Moors online....here's an example:

No, I didn't follow Moors around campus, but I was in the book store when he came in and bought a UP sweatshirt....that's a positive sign, right?

As a student, but also a supporter of Pilots Athletics, I don't know if I'm allowed to talk to him or help recruit him by simply pointing out the many positives of attending UP compared to some other universities.  Hopefully I'll find someone at school who can set me straight.

I was told Moors has a number of offers from mid-majors, and all want him to come for a visit, but he's one of those guys who, when he matures and gets more exposure in the US through tournaments, will have many more offers.