ACE

Elvis has left the building... to Oklahoma

Just throwing out a couple of names - because I know Schertz needs my help with recruiting. What about Brickus or Brantley from LaSalle? Each very productive A-10 players on a team with a poor supporting class and no bigs - they've never played with a big like Avila. Both are very similar - good assist totals and can score. Brickus is smaller, but was more efficient, 3rd team A-10 pick. Brantley is bigger and has nice rebounding totals for a guard. Not sure how each plays defense. I think one of these guys could thrive here.

So if Dotzler and Casey sign as predicted, that still leaves 4 more spots available. I still hope we find a starting PG and starting 4 in the portal, and then two more HS kids would make sense with the last two spots. So the starting lineup would look something like this... 5 - Avila 4 - Not yet signed 3- Gibby 2 - Swope 1 - Not yet signed BENCH 1 - Casey (first big off the bench) 2 - Dotzler (first guard off the bench) 3- Thames (wing) 4 - Hughes * Then the last four spots with HS kids - hopefully one or two of them is good enough to crack the rotation and be a contributor. It's always good to have real competition for PT. It's fun watching the roster take shape.

Conversely, Turnbull could have been the one who initiated it. He wouldn't have shown up to the meeting if he didn't have some interest in SLU. Maybe the current staff didn't know much about him and wanted to get to know him? There could have been many reasons that either side decided it wasn't a good fit. Maybe SLU wanted him to wait a bit as they were exploring other bigs. We don't know that he turned us down and we also don't know that he moved on from us. It doesn't hurt to meet and get to know kids in the era of free agency. Maybe he goes to a place like Evansville, has a productive season and then decides to go to SLU for his final season.

Sincere Parker to McNeese - strange

Yes, and Gibby can't. That's the difference. I'm glad Gibby is back and he should be very effective in this system - but the fact that one of the 3 guards doesn't really handle the ball or create much off the bounce, puts a put more emphasis on the need to have more of a ballhandler/distributor - similar to what JLarry did for ISU.

Schertz said two visits on campus today, one tomorrow and two more this weekend. "Hopes to have more good news this week." Went to Salt n Smoke with a recruit last night. Excited about the 7 on the roster. He figures Gibby, Thames and Hughes are good fits to his system. Schertz on with Frank - he's like most coaches, he's very optimistic about his recruits - says Pikaar could be A-10 player of the year; says McCottry could play in the NBA if he improves his defense and motor.

To this point - I think it will be more important with SLU's roster than it was at ISU to have a ballhandler - because Conwell could create off the dribble his own shot and distribute a lot better than Gibby. We're trading Gibby for Conwell in the offense. As much as I like Gibby, he can't do some of the things Conwell does.

So we have three starters: Gibby, Cream and Swope Then: Hughes, Thames, Pikaar, and McCottry. Am I missing anyone? So, 6 scholarships left. Looks like we need a 4 (replacing Kent) and a PG (Julian Larry). We need the 4 to be a big time rebounder and a rim protector would be a nice bonus. When I watched them, Kent seemed very valuable tracking down missed 3s and then kicking it back out for more 3 attempts. Hopefully we're landing some other quality transfers soon now that the roster is taking shape with the additions of Avilla and Swope. One thing Schertz should be able to sell recruits is his ability to develop players. Look at the improvement from Larry and Kent this last season over the prior year.

Nice! He can fill it up - during one of the NIT broadcasts, they mentioned he was going to get some work done on his knee in the offseason. Hopefully it is minor and he has a quick, full recovery.

Committed to Arizona State.

Haha! Looks like someone is still stinging after his BS Ahearn rumor got slapped down by TheOne.

This grassroots movement is sure to be as ineffective as the other.

Nah - another naive take.

Yep, that's where the tool belongs.