Taj79

@HoosierPal: My bigs are van Bussel and Zhang. Following in the footsteps of DJ Foreman, Rashed Anthony, Jimmy Bell Jr., Madani Diarra, Andre Lorentsson, Lassina Traore, and Mouhamadou Cisse. Who are these unnamed bigs you mention? Big #1 looks like Ezewiro. Not hard to improve when your played in a limited role with that kind of talent at LSU and Georgetown. Big #2 appears to be Okoro. A guy who was never really a part of Oregon's guard-laden offense. Two aberrations in a historical string that stretches over 5+ years with multiple candidates for failure. The last big that might have progressed positively here was Ian Vouyoukous. Maybe Rob Loe as well. Brian Conklin was NOT a big.

@TRN: I acknowledge/recognize that caveat. So to me, before you portal, you'd better have had a conversation with the remaining staff about your intentions and plans in order to keep the return door open OR you roll with your punch and accept whatever consequences come with your portal entry. With every decision there are consequences. Problem today seems to be the reluctance to accept the consequences of your decision. Maybe both van Bussel and Zhang end up at a place where they become the next Lasina Traore. It is painfully obvious that you don't come to Saint Louis University to pad your big man career, just like you don't go to Penn State to be a quarterback. A linebacker yes. A quarterback, no.

Fox, AEG to launch new postseason basketball tournament - ESPN As if the NCAA, NIT, CBI and CIT weren't enough, here comes Fox with another entry. The "College Basketball Crown" will add 16 more teams to post-season play. All games will be in Vegas. Two autobids will go to the Big Ten, Big Twelve and Big East ----- as the rich get richer. In case you missed it, Seattle won this year's CBI with Norfolk State winning the CIT.

Every kid, on every team, in every year should use the portal. It's a mercenary's best friend. Frankly, I'm surprised Thames and Hughes haven't at least peeked through the open door. I will say at least Thames and Hughes appear to have the athlketicism the 5-Out offense desires.

Another feather in the "Travis Ford Big Man Development" chapter.

Sounds like 'coachspeak' to me.

I heard Enfield hit the road due to LeBron's meddling with Bronny on the roster.

NEW ADDS IN BOLD: As of 04/19/2024 (1756): Davidson: Angelo Brizzi, Grant Huffman, Jarvis Moss, Rikus Schulte, David Skogman, Achile Spadone, Dayton: Zimi Nwokeji (Jacksonville), Petras Padegimas, Koby Brea, Koby Elvis (went thru Senior Night, Daron Holmes (expected PRO). Duquesne: Dae Dae Grant, Jimmie Clark, Fousseyni Drame, Hassan Drame, Dushon Mahorcic, Andrei Savrasov, Tre Williams. Fordham: Wayne Franklin, Elijah Gray, Romad Dean, Angel Montas, Kyle Rose, Antrell Charleton. George Mason: Berke Arslan, Devin Dinkins, Keyshawn Hall (Central Florida), Malik Henry (UNCG), Kam Johnson, Ronald Politte III (UNCG), Tre Wood, Amari Kelly. George Washington: Maximus Edwards, James Bishop IV, Babatunde Akinbola. La Salle: Khalil Brantley, Jhamir Brickus, Tommy Gardler, Anwar Gill, Daeshon Shepard, Efe Tahmaz, and Rokas Jocius. Loyola: Ben Schweiger, Braden Norris, Greg Dolan, Patrick Mwamba, Tom Welch, Dame Adelekun. Umass: Josh Cohen, Robert Davis, Jr., Sawyer Mayhugh, Gianni Thompson, Matt Cross, Tyler Mason. Richmond: Dji Bailey, Trevor Smith, Jordan King, Isaiah Bigelow, Tyler Harris. Rhode Island: Walter Allen III, Tyson Brown, Connor Dubsky, Jerry Foumena, Zek Montgomery (Bradley), Rory Stewart, Brandon Weston, Sebastion Thomas. Saint Louis: Gibson Jimerson (Saint Louis), Cian Medley (Kent State), Sincere Parker, Steph van Bussel, Bruce Zhang, Abou Magassa, Brad Ezewiro, Dorde Curcic (College of Charleston) Lamont Evans IV, Alex Nokes, Mike Meadows, TJ Hargrove. St. Bonaventure: Assa Essamvous, Barry Evans, Kyrell Luc, Chad Venning, Melian Martinez, Mika Adams-Wood, Charles Pride. St. Joseph's: Lynn Greer III, Kacper Klaczek, Christian Winborne, Christ Essandoko (Providence), Cam Brown, Charles Coleman .VCU: Toibu Lawal, Max Shulga, Jason Nelson, Sean Bairstow, Kuany Kuany. TRANSFER IN: Fordham: Matt Zona (Notre Dame). Richmond: Jonathan Beagle (Albany). Dayton: Zed Key (Ohio State). Davidson: Zach Laput (Bentley). Loyola: Jalen DeLoach (Georgia), Francis Nwaokorie (UC San Diego). George Mason: Brayden O'Connor (UMass - Lowell), K.D. Johnson (Auburn) George Washington: Sean Hansen (Cornell), Rafael Castro (Providence). Rhode Island: Jamarques Lawrence (Nebraska).

Hurley spent six years at URI after two years at Wagner. He went 113 - 82 overall for .579 and went 58 - 46 in conference for .558. He finished first in the conference in his last year there but went 51 - 18 in his last two years, making it to the Round of 32 in each. He then moved on to Uconn.

Way to be in the know, Tony! Breaking news, fer shur.

Traore was THEE poster boy for "CTF Can't Coach Bigs."

@willie: i would say yes. It appears you can transfer as many times as you want with no penalty. Joe Bamisile at VCU/Oklahoma/GW/Va Tech is the prime example. Plus the injunction that gave them all this year.

Stef van Bussel into the portal. Six left: Ezewiro, Thames, Hughes, Curcic, Zhang and Magassa.

Anybody see the Kendrick Perkins NILLY ads this past week? NILLY - Invest in the NIL Rights of Student Athletes There is a "target return" on your investment. It appears the minimum investment is $1,000 although they only list two athletes as being on the current roster ..... Chris Davis Jr a running back from Ole Miss and Jalen Lee, a basketball senior out of Orlando.

Kyrel Luc entered the portal on March 18. Barry Evans entered on March 17. Melian Martinez also on the 18. Chad Venning on March 20. These would leave the Bonnies with 8 scholarship players and Banks, Mika-Woods and Pride are all seniors. Schmidt goes into next year with 5 players.

New name popped for me today .... Ricardo Greer, assistant at Dayton.

St. Bonaventure AD Joe Manhertz resigns following questions over decision to not compete in NIT (msn.com)

Gibson, as well as any other college basketball player in today's stupid NIL era, owes it to themselves to "apply" for a new job anywhere else that pays better, offers better opportunities for advancement (March Madness) and so on. That is just the way it is, the new world order. Nothing says his current offer will be superceded but he should still explore all options available to him. I'd like to see him come back and finish his career dotted throughout the SLU record books.

I expect every player on our last roster to exit. Sure, they may come back but a man's gots ta do what a man's gots ta do.

Question: did Spoon have a system? We all know Majerus was a genius but I can't recall if Spoon had a system like that or not. Many people are talking about Schertz having a system of 5-out. We all know the last guy didn't have a system, just hero ball. I really don't recall if Spoon had something or just got somewhat lucky with Claggett, Highmark, Waldman, DSobbs and then Hughes.

As it stands now, I'd keep Thames, van Bussel, and Medley. And Jimerson if he comes back. Zhang can go. The epitome of his failings today were when he had the ball stripped and stolen second half above the key. Jesus man, you're seven feet tall, you hold the ball over your head and that's ten feet. Yer all year he's dropped it down to his hip where the gnats can get at it. Plus he can't hold onto a rebound much. Hughes is at best an 8th or 9th man. Legacy or not he's no PG. He's no shooting guard. And he gets beat constantly on defense. Ezewiro is lazy, fundamentally weak and still out of shape. Sure, he's all we got down low but a starving man will eat a can of dog food if he has to. Curcic can stay only if Hughes goes and vice a versa. Both are guards. Both are 8th or 9th men at best. I sincerely doubt Sincere is an option. Plus I don't think he can play a team concept and his defense is notoriously weak. That's three, maybe four guys. Plus the LOI signee. Eight more players needed to fill a roster of 13.

Zhang is a still, tall turnover. SVB has shown promise as at least a back up Power Four or five.

Again 19 offensive rebounds for VCU. That almost spells disaster ..... according to the Wiz.

VCU faded down the stretch. Flyers by five; VCU drops to the #5 seed behind Umass.

There is also a lot of competition for college basketball in the metropolitan DC area. Geedubya, Mason, Maryland, Georgetown, American, Howard, Catholic U., UMBC, Gallaudet. Throw in the Wizards. I doubt Geedubya is very high on the list of teams to go see and play. Plus their student body is not exactly a typical student body in my opinion.