ibruce1 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Jeff Johnson OrangeandBlueNews.com Staff Talk about it in The Orange Crush' Em board 6-foot-7 St. Louis Vashon power forward Leon Powell is averaging 20 points, ten rebounds for his 20-6 team. Vashon is in the middle of their playoff run but the 2007 prospect took some time off to talk about his senior season and recruitment in this update. Leon Powell "The last time I talked to you, we had lost three in a row I think. Now we have won seven in a row and are in the sectionals against Parkway South on Wednesday." Powell scored 17 points, grabbed fifteen rebounds to lead Vashon to a 55-47 district title over Beaumont last week. "Our team is playing together much better now. Vashon has a great basketball tradition and we want to win that state championship this year." Powell pointed out that all six Vashon losses were to non-Missouri prep teams. As far as recruiting? "Bradley and Saint Louis are right there for me. I plan to visit them and Missouri State. My grades are much better now so I have a chance at qualifying. Bradley, Missouri State and Saint Louis all have told they will have a scholarship for me if I qualify." If Powell falls short he has a backup plan. "Right now I would go to a prep school if possible next year. I was talking to some coaches about junior college but you have to stay a couple of years there and lose college eligibility. If I go to a prep school, I can be out in a year and still have four years of eligibility. But we will see what happens with that." And Powell's interest in Illinois? "Illinois and Missouri are two I really like. If I would go to a prep school, those two schools would be at the top of my list when I was ready to pick a college. Coach Weber is a great coach, I like to play defense and rebound, those are two things I do real well and at Illinois, I could play early because of that." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Interesting article- nice post. I didn't know that Mizzou and Illinois would be in the running if he did a prep school year. How realistic is that scenario? How many more chances does he have to qualify? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SShoe Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Seems to back up almost everything we said in earlier threads about Powell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 This is actually a little different from what I heard: that LP was definitely going JC this year. I hope that he does still have a realistic chance of qualifying next year because we need him. He is a perfect fit for Brad, a kid who already plays great defense and rebounds well but needs some work on his offensive skills. Powell needs to look at what our staff did with Tommy's offense and wear billiken blue next year, assuming he can get qualified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 He didn't seem to give SLU any edge over Bradley or Mo. State. Obviously, Mizzery and Ill don't think he's up to their standards at this point, as it sounds like if either offered at this point that's where he'd be headed. I'm sorry but had UB delivered any excitement in the last two years, this may have swung some recruits our way. If Anderson really gets Mizzery back on track, we face a tough road to hoe in picking off the area's best players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTIME Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 There is no definitely. These are high school kids we are talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STLfan Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Interesting is right. A year of prep would put him in the O8 class. SLU wil have what four or five scholarships that year? MU will have seven scholarships that year. Not sure what UI will have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 4 schollies and possibly one carry over from this spring for SLU. If Powell decides to come to SLU then great but Brad needs to have several things in the hopper this spring and fall recruiting wise. He seemed to allude to that at the Tip Off Club Mtg but only time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Grades and test scores. Pure and simple. That ought to show Vee why this has languished about as it has. What will happen here is quite simple ... IF Leon is as good as Vee and others have proclaimed (which I have no reason to doubt) and IF he goes to prep school and gets eligible or whatever without losing any four-year eligiblity (which is the path I would chose over the JUCO route), the when he does get over his first year there, Saint Louis University is OUT of the running. He is only going to improve his academic lot so as to improve his baseketball lot and to anyone with any recognition, that means Mizzou and the Illini over us, Bradley or MOState. And IF he does that he will have a better perceived chance at fulfilling his destiny as the next Jordan (not that he ever said that but what basketball player at his age doesn't believe that?). This is akin to holidng out for a better deal. The only chance SLU will have at that point is to have started winning and adding some early names to the roster from the 08 signing period. To me the onus has been on Leon ... he had the offer, he had to qualify. It is nice to see that he understands that but in that understanding, I think SLU goes out the window. Just my take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTIME Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 speaking of Anderson http://mutigers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/s.../022707aaa.html Head Coach Mike Anderson was named the No. 1 Immediate Impact Coach in America by Sports Illustrated’s Seth Davis. Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl named Anderson one of his six most innovative coaches in America. Anderson was also listed as the leading candidate for National Coach of the Year by Mike DeCourcy and the Sporting News. ESPN’s Jay Bilas paid equal props to Anderson, saying he was in fine shape to win Coach of the Year honors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTIME Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Powell says that he has an offer waiting on Leon if he qualifies. That sounds like he wont be offered until he qualifies. Meaning he doesnt have an offer. Does it sound like that to anyone else? Brad has several scholarships open, he should get a commitment from Powell whether he qualifies or not and if he doesnt and goes to prep school, hope he recommits like Liddell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Vee - why do you continue to go down this road. Powell says if he qualifies he has schollie offers in hand to choose from 3 schools with us being one of them. That does not mean that he has to qualify first before he can get the schollie offer from SLU. Last night at the mtg Brad said that he is still recruiting hard two players from the 6 that they targeted this fall - the only two left are Alexander and Powell that have not signed in the fall. Therefore, I would assume that is who is refering to since he can not speak specifically until the sign this spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StLouBlue Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 There is an article at rivals, where the leadin says Alexander has an offer from Okla St as well as other offers from B12 schools. His rivals page lists some schools with no mention of SLU. I doubt we are on the radar for Alexander anymore. I think our chance was to get his LOI in the Fall, but he waited for the big boys and it sounds like he is getting what he wanted now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I have no interest in this kid. He is going to struggle academically, he is a tweener, he is from a program with a questionable history of producing D1 stars, and he believes he is suited for better things than SLU. Let's move on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUDrew Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 I agree. I said in an earlier post I would rather sign guy who may have a little less talent but is passionate about being a Billiken, than wait on some kid who has made it clear that SLU is not his first choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 > Last night at the mtg Brad said >that he is still recruiting hard two players from the 6 that >they targeted this fall - the only two left are Alexander >and Powell that have not signed in the fall. Therefore, I >would assume that is who is refering to since he can not >speak specifically until the sign this spring. Depends on whether Brad is referring to early fall, when Alexander made his visit, or late fall when Alexander apparently lost interest and Griskenas entered the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clock_Tower Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Just a thought, with no inside information: Powell has certainly shown more interest than most in SLU (playing with team over the summer...),Brad has shown considerable interest in him as well but it does not appear the kid can make grades for any Division 1 school. Maybe, Powell has not and will not gush over SLU if he doesn't think he can get in. Sounds alot like Nick Kern but hope Brad, unlike Romar, has a plan B. VTIME, Vashon's average season is over. Leon sure didn't lead Vashon very far. Can't wait for the explanation of how it's not Leon's fault. Please, give us a few more stats from his AAU games with Gameface. For nearly 2 years, you have posted that Brad has ignored Leon and has failed to offer him. Even to this day, you claim SLU has not offered the kid. Coming from a poster who has advocated that we offer half the area prep scene, your posts just aren't credible. Please explain how Brad's offer to Leon is not a real offer. If you were SLU's coach and have made all the offers you wanted Brad to make, which of these offers would be real offers. My point, if you make 12 offers for 4 scholarships, have you not conditioned your offers upon the first to accept? How is this different than conditioned upon him making grades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 For the life of me I fail to understand the hostility and hatred that has been directed towards Leon Powell and Vashon on this board from you along with many of the regulars. I am not V-Time and I've seen Powell play 8-10 times and I think he is a nice player who would be a good addition at SLU. He scored 25 pts. tonight, so I don't think he can be blamed for the fact that the rest of his teamates scored only 33 pts. combined is not his fault.He's a lot better player and a lot better person than Kern, who for many of you, seems to define Vashon basketball. Maybe you, Nark, and others who are so negative on Powell/Vashon can tell us who you think we should be recruiting in the 2007 nand 2008 class. Sorry guys, but MICDS, SLUH, and Whitfield aren't turning out too many D1 players these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTIME Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 >Just a thought, with no inside information: Powell has >certainly shown more interest than most in SLU (playing with >team over the summer...),Brad has shown considerable >interest in him as well but it does not appear the kid can >make grades for any Division 1 school. Maybe, Powell has >not and will not gush over SLU if he doesn't think he can >get in. > >Sounds alot like Nick Kern but hope Brad, unlike Romar, has >a plan B. > >VTIME, Vashon's average season is over. Leon sure didn't >lead Vashon very far. Can't wait for the explanation of how >it's not Leon's fault. Please, give us a few more stats >from his AAU games with Gameface. For nearly 2 years, you >have posted that Brad has ignored Leon and has failed to >offer him. Even to this day, you claim SLU has not offered >the kid. Coming from a poster who has advocated that we >offer half the area prep scene, your posts just aren't >credible. Please explain how Brad's offer to Leon is not a >real offer. If you were SLU's coach and have made all the >offers you wanted Brad to make, which of these offers would >be real offers. My point, if you make 12 offers for 4 >scholarships, have you not conditioned your offers upon the >first to accept? How is this different than conditioned upon >him making grades. I didnt see the game so I cant comment. As far as leading them very far, he's been the leading scorer the last 3 years and led them to 2 state title games and a championship. Including tonights game he only lost 10 games in 4 seasons and was a key player on all 4 teams. He had 24 tonight, and no one else scored in double figures. Thats not his fault. Vashon always runs a balance offense that does not run through Leon. He was 8/12 for 24 pts and 10rebs. What was he supposed to do. I never said Brad's offer wasnt legit. I just asked how it sounded to someone else. He had an outstanding individual season, but his season ended prematurely. Too bad, but now he can focus on the future and hopefully make a wise decision. I also heard tonight Irons might be getting another job coaching some former players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clock_Tower Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 AJ. You are correct. Did not intend my post to be negative toward a 17 year old kid, in this case Leon Powell, who did not ask to be in the middle of intense recruiting wars. My post, and this one also, instead is directed at those who claim inside information, who post multiple times each day about a talented kid who goes to school only a mile from campus, who gives us not only this kid's personal stats from the date he turned 12 but also the year, height, position and scouting report of his current teammates, together with comparisons to recent graduates from the same high school while making statements that, for some unexplained reason, that Brad is not recruiting him. The inference, of course, is that Brad cannot judge talent, whether at all or not quickly enough for the Stemler crowd. Naturally, many on this Board presume that a poster has this information that he also has reliable recruiting information. Then, as our current team underperforms and we sign no Fall recruits, many buy into this notion that Brad does not know what he is doing, that he can't judge talent or recruit (not even as well as those of us on this Board) and call for Brad ouster. While I cannot speak for others, no one appears to be suggesting that we, instead, recruit MICDS, SLUH etc in lieu of Vashon. Instead, we just get tired of endless attacks on our program and coach from guys who mislead, quite possibly unintentionally, with personal agendas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 ClockTower: Thanks for the clarification. I share your concern that there has been too much unfair criticism of Brad and our staff during past months over recruiting. I am disappointed that we have only one recruit for next year but I am willing to give Brad the benefit of the doubt and see who he signs next month. As disappointing as this season has been, if we could sign one or two kids like Powell or JUCOS who could give us some inside play we could be in graet shape for next year with 4 returning starters. I get upset when people rip Brad for poor recruiting but then rip him because he goes after players like Powell who have the speed, athleticism, and potential to be the next R. Faulkner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FromGreeceWithLove Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Wasn't the scholarship originally intended for Kern going to go to Taj Gray if Kern did not qualify? That does not sound like a bad Plan B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted March 1, 2007 Share Posted March 1, 2007 Gray didn't qualify out of high school either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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