2017 Recruiting

DoubleDipper wrote:Apparently Coach Cantu visited Vogt and his family in Mayfield this weekend, and if all went well the 7-1/220 center and his family will be in Portland this coming weekend on an official visit.

Six hours ago:

Chris Vogt
‏@ChrisvVogt
Just landed in Portland for my first official visit!  

From 17 months ago:

DoubleDipper wrote:

Oklahoma Wizards @OklahomaWizards  
2017 C Cameron Martin (@BigCamTheShooow | Yukon) has picked up an offer from Portland #TheWizardsWay #okpreps

Dean Murdoch wrote:A recruit from THE YUKON? Are you kidding me??

Oh...there's a Yukon in Oklahoma.

Apparently it doesn't matter which Yukon Cameron Martin is from, he still wants more sunshine.....today:

Matt Reynolds @ReynoldsHoops wrote:  BREAKING: 2017 Center Cameron Martin has committed to Jacksonville State.  

Thanks for all the updates, DD.

And not the Pilots, but...

@JoshGershon wrote:2017 Splash City PG Jadé Smith off the board to #Pepperdine. Size, athleticism and high level vision. Big commitment for Waves.

Pretty massive pickup for them. Three-star guy across the board, looked to have plenty of Pac-12 interest.

wrv wrote:Other than his two sons, however, I am uncertain the Pilots are currently recruiting any in state talent for next or future years. (?)

I wasn't sure if there was much coming out of Oregon the next little bit so I did a bit of looking on ESPN's site.

Zach Reichle (2017 SF from Wilsonville HS) appears to be a Pac-12 level talent and recently cut down to 11 schools including Boise State, Harvard, Oregon, Oregon State, Pepperdine, Princeton, Santa Clara, Stanford, St. Mary's, UC Irvine and Utah. It does seem odd that three WCC schools are on his list but not Portland.

Wilfried Likayi (2017 PF from Benson HS) had an offer from Montana State about a year ago. 3-star guy according to ESPN. Not a ton of info out there.

Isaac Bonton (2017 PG from Parkrose HS) we know about, but the Pilots have gone in a different direction with Walker.

Kamaka Hepa (2018 PF from Jefferson HS) has been discussed in the 2018 thread. Great prospect right in UP's backyard. Would be a massive get considering amount of high-major interest in him.

Immanuel Allen (2018 SG from Lakeridge HS) is a new name to me but is a four-star guy according to ESPN? No offers as far as I can see.

Good rundown, Deaner!

Remember, for 2017 UP is most likely recruiting a 5, a 4, or a combo 3/4, or even a combo 2/3 if the fit and athleticism are right.   

I just looked through one of the better fee based scouting reports in the nation that lists the top prospects by position and region.  Of the 12 centers and 12 power forwards listed for the western US, zero were from Oregon or Washington.

But there is the one small forward with 11 offers (not UP) shown from Oregon that Dean Murdoch listed, 6-4/185 Zach Reichle from Wilsonville HS:

He's got a 3.9 gpa, he's not a great athlete but has a big plus skill with his jumper. The lefty doesn't take a ton of shots on the bounce or inside the arc, but he's a specialist who is a threat to hit everything he takes from the perimeter. Reichle has a very high basketball IQ; he sees the court/passes the ball well and doesn't force shots he can't hit. He can get to the basket in transition, but his handle and athleticism don't make him too big of a threat to drive in the half court. He's a below average athlete and has some concerns defensively.

Based solely on scouting report's mention of him being a perimeter player who is not a threat to drive in the half court, it would seem he's not a fit for UP's current needs.

Dean Murdoch wrote:Isaac Bonton (2017 PG from Parkrose HS) we know about, but the Pilots have gone in a different direction with Walker.

I'm pretty sure it was Isaac who decided to go a different direction due to the coaching change....

https://twitter.com/ibonton_20/status/713142772543270912

Regardless, Bonton today gave his verbal commitment to Montana State University and former Pilots coach Eric Jackson, now an assistant at MSU.

Bonton reportedly had offers from PSU, Northern Arizona, and Idaho....

Chris Vogt wrote: I had a great official visit this weekend at Nku! #NorseUp  

That's Northern Kentucky University....about 325 miles from Vogt's home.

Interesting weekend on the recruiting trail....

Best I can determine Coach Johnson is in New Zealand and Australia, Coach Cantu was in New Mexico, and Coach Porter was in Florida.  

Only news I've heard through social media is that Coach Cantu offered two former D1 players who will be spending this coming season at New Mexico JC....

One offer, to SG Shawn Olden, does not make a lot of sense to me simply because the Pilots are very deep at shooting guard.  

Many PN readers may remember Olden from his freshman year in 2014-15 at Pepperdine when he was on the All-WCC freshman team.  Last year as a sophomore he played 9 games and broke his ankle and was out for the rest of the season.....so I'm assuming he's met the criteria to count last year as a injury redshirt year, and will have two years of eligibility remaining after his JUCO year in Hobbs.

The other JUCO player from New Mexico JC that UP reportedly offered is Utah transfer and former high school 3-star, 6-9/215 PF Makol Mawien.  That offer makes perfect sense to me as the Pilots will be in need of a PF to round out the roster for 2017-18.

Makol, who was born in Egypt, but has been in Utah since the 3rd grade, redshirted his one year at Utah and will have 3 years of eligibility remaining if he plays one year in New Mexico.

DoubleDipper wrote:One offer, to SG Shawn Olden, does not make a lot of sense to me simply because the Pilots are very deep at shooting guard.

Don't have to worry about that now. Olden committed to Stephen F Austin today.

Dean Murdoch wrote:

DoubleDipper wrote:One offer, to SG Shawn Olden, does not make a lot of sense to me simply because the Pilots are very deep at shooting guard.

Don't have to worry about that now. Olden committed to Stephen F Austin today.

...and has now decommited from SFA.

Taki Fahrensohn and his parents must have enjoyed their visit to Portland 10 days ago, because it's been reported the 6-6 2/3 combo from Auckland has committed to UP and will sign in a LOI next week....part of the Coach Ben Johnson connection!!

Nice! Thanks for the info.

Pilot Nation: What do we have behind door #2? According to Coach Cantu ‏@coachbobcantu "Great news today for Portland Pilots basketball program. Future is bright! Two great ones coming!!! We will announce soon! #pilots"
The future has never looked brighter for Pilot Basketball. I feel the coaches have tremendous credibility when recruiting. We have a long way to go, but the talent level is on the upswing. No doubt about it.

Pretty sure Taki Fahrensohn is the young man behind door #2.....you might recall that JoJo Walker was the first recruit to commit.

Coach Cantu and UP cannot announce anything until the NLI is received or some "source" tweets Taki's commitment for the coaches to retweet....Pilot Nation merely made the announcement before UP is able to.

So without any unforeseen changes, there is one more scholarship available for 2017....and IMO it has to go to a big man, a center. The one big guy that came for a visit, 7 footer Chris Vogt, would apparently like to stick closer to his Kentucky home as was speculated some time ago on Pilot Nation.

So who does that leave that's still available?  There are some prospects out there, especially at the JUCO level, but none that I see that would make the big splash that is needed to really kick start the program into the future.  My guess is the Pilots will sign Fahrensohn and Walker next week, but it won't be until next spring before the next signing.

UP will probably go for a JUCO or an overseas player or a transfer.  I suppose there could be some 7 footers in high school who could come to UP, but unless they are "under the radar" or going to need a "few years to develop," there are a heck of lot of other D1 schools looking for the same elite big guys.

I'll be quite disappointed if Taki doesn't have the entire Pilots squad performing the Haka by the beginning of the 2017-18 season....an entertaining (and intimidating) way to announce the starting lineup.

There are a multitude of Haka videos out there that are better than this one, including one or two from Taki's school, Auckland Grammar, but I chose this video to share because it includes a cameo of UP great, Pooh Jeter.

Just trolling through some New Zealand basketball sites here. Looks like Taki Fahrensohn has never represented the Tall Blacks (love that name) at the international level but will likely be on New Zealand's roster for the U18 Oceania Championships next month.

Info on basketball in NZ is sparse...it'll be interesting to keep an eye on that tournament to see how Fahrensohn does against what'll likely be a strong Australian team...and some other, not-so-strong teams. (I'm not convinced New Caledonia will give them much of a run)

Dean Murdoch wrote:Info on basketball in NZ is sparse...it'll be interesting to keep an eye on that tournament to see how Fahrensohn does against what'll likely be a strong Australian team...

Christmas in New Zealand also means the beginning of summer and the end of the school year, so Taki will be graduating from Auckland Grammar next month and should have plenty of time for balling and getting himself ready for college.

It would be nice if he could enroll early at UP and start practicing with the team, but his scholarship will not kick-in until the first session of summer school in May....

Well, so much for the election, now let's get down to what's really important this time of year.....the early National Letter of Intent signing period:  Today thru next Wednesday.

Coach Porter has said he wants a point guard, a wing, and a center for next season.  PG JoJo Walker and Wing Taki Fahrensohn have verbally committed, and barring any change of heart, their names should be announced by UP as soon as each LOI is received....(no, Deaner, a fax of the LOI is no longer a requirement as there are a number of electronic means now available )

From what I'm seeing online or via the twittersphere, there will be no center signing with the Pilots until next April or May. (Chris Vogt, the young man from Kentucky who made an official visit to UP, signed today with Northern Kentucky University).  I still suspect the eventual signee will be a JUCO, a transfer, or an overseas player.....I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

There is a Twitter announcement from UP Men's Basketball welcoming JoJo and Taki to the UP Family.

DoubleDipper wrote:.....I still suspect the eventual signee will be a JUCO, a transfer, or an overseas player.....I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Here it is the middle of the early signing period and a young man from Mali, who now lives in Japan, not only suddenly pops-up on the Pilots radar, but just completed a last minute whirlwind official visit to UP.  

Present at the game Friday night, he looks like he's about 6-9/210 with a well developed upper body.  By all accounts he's terrific student in the classroom and a high leaper on the court who never considered the opportunity of playing ball in the US until contacted by UP.

If all goes well, there's a good chance we could hear of his signing a NLI with UP as early as this coming week....just under the wire for the early signing period.

If true, it will mean the three open scholarships for 2017 are taken by student-athletes from Puerto Rico, New Zealand, and Mali/Japan.....meaning the Pilots will have 5 international students on the team next fall.

JUCOadvocate wrote:  Congrats to Austin Stone @acstone32  on signing with The University of Portland!! Big time get for the Pilots!

As we await word on the young man from Mali/Japan joining the team, it's been reported that JUCO PF Austin Stone has signed and will join the team from University of South Carolina Salkehatchie as a junior in 2017.

At 6-9/230, I think we may be seeing the second coming of Rhino on the Bluff....I just hope he has the same attitude and personality!!

Now anticipating 4 early signees for next season, it would seem TP may have sell that Porsche of his to put both Malcolm and Franklin through school....well at least for a year or two.  

@coachbobcantu wrote:  Big news for UPbasketball!! We will be making an announcement on Wed on a few more additions to the Portland Pilot family! #differencemakers  

California. New Zealand. Japan by way of Africa. South Carolina.

Hail Coach Cantu!

Interior help can't come too soon! The bigs at SMC (Landale), BYU (Mika) and GU (everyone) have been absolutely dominant in the first few games of the season. The Pilots don't have anyone who can compete with those guys.

Projected 2017-18 Roster
SR: Taylor, Tyson, Hartwich
JR: Johnson, Jackson, Hallinan, Stone
SO: F. Porter, Maker, Ferguson, Smoyer
FR: M. Porter, Monson, Walker, Fahrensohn, _________

That's 16 players. Assuming that Hallinan and the Porters are the walk-ons, here's the scholarship distribution:

3 SR
3 JR
3 SO
4 FR

And the position distribution:

4 PGs: Johnson, Hallinan, Ferguson, Walker
7 Wings: Tyson, Jackson, F. Porter, Maker, M. Porter, Monson, Fahrensohn
5 F/Cs: Taylor, Hartwich, Stone, Smoyer, Mystery Man

Well done, coaches!