Nate Latsch

>we know what the rules are. i just posted in the other >thread. they both cant call. they both have limited times >they can even go watch them play, neither can have him over >for an official visit. why didnt you ask the question nate? If a kid commits to a school, I am supposed to scrutinize how that player was recruited? Again, this comes down to Chris Lowery vs. Brad Soderberg. Lowery developed a relationship with the player and made him feel wanted. Soderberg did not. - Nate

>Making things up? Not sure where I did that (if you're >referring to my Adam/DM comment, then please tell me who the >6 are). But when somebody says my team only has 6 d-1 >players on it, it's gonna piss me off. I don't care if it's >johnny reporter from the post dispatch or the guy in the >office next to me. > > In the other thread, you wrote: "Again, all this talk about Torres wanting to come here is bull. Maybe he was feeding Nate what he was looking for. Maybe it was made up." - Nate

>i didnt say that. you are putting words out there now nate. > i questioned what siu did that slu didnt do based on the >recruiting limitations rules. which imo you should have >found before me and asked the same questions that i did. > >when a crazy commit comes out of nowhere like this one did, >and we know from rivals that slu also offered the kid, and >the kid said that slu was really his first choice but claims >that slu didnt "recruit" him as much, even though most of >what recruiting means cant happen until after june 1, why >werent you asking specifically what that meant? > >i posted the sections of the ncaa rules that pertained to >contacts and what schools can or cannot do and the >limitations they are under. > >so one has to wonder, "what did siu do that slu didnt?" > >that isnt an accusation, that is a legit question. in fact >i posted that siu has always been a clean program. you made >the leap that you now post and in fact it p!sses me off that >you did. you had no right to make that accusation about me. > why dont you do your job and ask the right questions. the >nate that used to post here wouldnt have been that lazy. Roy, The difference in this equation was Chris Lowery vs. Brad Soderberg. One coach made the recruit feel like he wanted to play for him. The other did not. You and I both know there are ways around the rules for contacting these recruits, like asking a high school coach to have a player call the college coach. How many times did SLU contact Kevin Lisch when he was a sophomore and a junior? Almost all of these schools are using the same types of tactics to recruit, with the exception of Kelvin Sampson and a couple other guys. This particular case came down to Lowery doing a better job than Soderberg. - Nate

>6 D-1 players, eh? Guess you're not much of a Billiken fan >these days. > >So, I can assume you don't consider Adam or Dustin D-1 >players. I'm sure that wasn't your story last year when you >were probably buddy/buddy with these guys looking for a >scoop. I'm not sure what I did to you for you to accuse me of making things up, but if it makes you feel better go ahead and say whatever you want. - Nate

You can't be serious in the other thread about Southern Illinois doing something wrong in its recruitment of Roundtree, can you? It has been noted on this board hundreds of times about SLU offering various players scholarships when those players were sophomores or juniors (on in Griffey's case, a freshman). SLU has several offers out right now to juniors. But because a junior chose another school and said SLU didn't recruit him much, that other school has done something wrong and is breaking rules regarding recruiting? If you look at the NCAA website long enough, maybe you can find a way to make up for all the recruiting mistakes of the current coach's regime and be able to find more than six Division I players to put on the roster. - Nate

>nate, what are the rules of contact of a junior in high >school in february and before by a college coach? I would have to call the NCAA and read through their rulebook to get you that answer. - Nate

>Nate, thanks for the info. Any talk on the street of any >commitments for SLU in the upcoming 2 classes? If Roundtree >committed to SIU, is there a chance John will commit to SLU >soon? I realize that its too early for Suggs and >Brandenberg, how about Thompson? Is he close? How about >Powell or anyone else for the spring? Why hasn't Kramer >committed, is it just assumed? > >Really appreciate your thoughts! I haven't heard anything in regards to SLU's recruiting for the next two classes, and it hasn't been for lack of asking. I've asked several people in the know and nobody seems to have any answers. I'm sure that's not the answer you were hoping for, but that's all I've got right now. I've always assumed Kramer is committed to the Billikens. He's already a part of that program, with his attending games and filling in during practices whenever he can. If Brad is still there, that will probably be where Kramer goes. - Nate

>If this part is true "I just got off the phone with someone >who said SLU was Roundtree's first choice, but the Billikens >weren't that interested in him." I think I'm gonna puke. How >many times does this need to happen to this coaching staff >before they learn their lesson? If history has shown us >anything, its that the coaches at SIU have a much better eye >for talent then ours and simply by the fact they want him >this early tells me we f'd up. I just got off the phone with Torres. He told me SLU was his first choice, but Soderberg didn't recruit him hard enough. He said he always wanted to go to SLU. - Nate

Good news for all the SLU sports and video game fans. St. Louis U. is included in the new MVP 07 NCAA Baseball game. - Nate

I don't think Suggs has narrowed down his list of schools yet. Or, if he has, not many people know about it. There's still a chance he could get an offer from North Carolina. Washington and Florida have to be somewhere in the picture, because of the family's relationship with Romar and because not only did Billy Donovan just win a national title but he helped turn not-so-heralded Top 100 type players like Joakim Noah and Al Horford into potential lottery picks. The Suggs family has done a great job of looking at every school that has been interested in Scott. They are going through this process very thoroughly and taking their time. I said more than a year ago I thought Scott could stay close to home because his family is so tight and he'll be around to watch his younger brothers grow up. But where the Suggs family lives in St. Charles isn't that far from Missouri or St. Louis U. - Nate ps: Orange Julius would probably love to see Suggs in a Billikens uniform.

I also have heard Roundtree got a qualifying score on the ACT. He should have a nice career at Southern Illinois. Don't be surprised if a couple other area players follow him to Carbondale. I disagree with the earlier assessments of Roundtree and Femi John. From what I've seen, John likes to sit on the perimeter and launch jumpers, while Roundtree doesn't like to take jump shots and does his best work driving to the basket. Roundtree is one of the better players I've seen in recent years with his ability to get to the rim. His jumper looks good in pre-game warmups, but I haven't seen him shoot much. He's a physical player with decent size (6-3/6-4) who is getting better. I didn't read the other thread on this subject yet, but this is a big miss for SLU. You're not just missing out on one player here. There's a chance a couple other talented kids will follow him to SIU. So you're missing out on Torres and then whoever else wants to play with him. I just got off the phone with someone who said SLU was Roundtree's first choice, but the Billikens weren't that interested in him. I've said this before on here, but I don't see SLU getting much out of this junior class. The Billikens are going after the big fish (Suggs and Brandenburg), but when they don't get those kids they are going to be behind on the rest of the group. There are more than a dozen Division I players in the junior class. They'll get one (Kramer), but I really don't know who else. - Nate

Also in the Class of 2009, Zumwalt West's Gavin Wiss should be worthy of an offer in the near future, if he's not already there. Wiss is 6-foot-9, already taller than St. Charles center Josh Harrellson, and looks like he's still growing. Wiss has come a long way in the last two years. He has a lot of potential. - Nate

There were two Billikens assistants, Angres Thorpe and Jamall Walker, watching the Washington-St. Charles game last night. Missouri coach Mike Anderson was also there with his wife. Alex Tyus's mother and father were there as well, presumably to see Scott Suggs. Tyus's dad was wearing a Florida cap. Also in attendance was Gene Bartow, the former St. Charles High, Illinois, UCLA and UAB coach who is now a special assistant to the president of the Memphis Grizzlies. Bartow was there as St. Charles honored its 1957 state championship team. I talked to someone who spoke with Bartow after the game and the former coach apparently really liked Scott Suggs. Not bad praise coming from a former college coach who now works for an NBA team. - Nate

>Skyler Suggs as well Good point. I forgot that VTime suggested many months ago that SLU should offer Skyler to try to get Scott. He should be added to the list. You could also probably add Scott and Skyler's younger brothers. - Nate

Some other names that MIGHT make the VTime list soon: Zumwalt West 6-9 sophomore Gavin Wiss Shaquille Boga (eighth grade brother of Lonnie) Dwayne Polk's little brother (another eighth grader) - Nate

So the other day I was thinking about some of the recent local recruits that SLU has missed out on, for one reason or another, and wanted to see what they are doing at their schools. The following is a short list of kids that the Billikens probably could have had, but ended up at other schools for whatever reason. Five of these players are starting in college. One is a high school player. I was just looking for kids who are making a significant impact on their teams, not just all the local kids who have gone D-1. Here's what I came up with (the stats are a few days old): Blake Ahearn (DeSmet) – was all-Missouri Valley Conference as a junior at Missouri State. Averaging 16.3 points per game as a senior this winter. The best free throw shooter in NCAA history. Has made more than 50 percent of his 3-point attempts this year. Matt Shaw (Centralia, Ill.) – A 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward averaging 12.3 points per game this year for Southern Illinois. Randal Falker (Gateway Tech) – A 6-7, 230-pound junior forward averaging 12.3 points per game this year for Southern Illinois. Lance Stemler (Gibault H.S. and Southeastern Illinois Junior College) – A 6-8, 210-pound junior forward averaging 9 points per game as a starter at Indiana. He is averaging 4.7 rebounds per game (third on team) and has made 38 percent of his 3-point attempts. Matt Lawrence (Lafayette) – Chose to walk-on at Missouri before any other schools offered him a scholarship. Now a starter in his sophomore season, Lawrence is averaging 12.1 points per game (second on team) and has made 49.5 percent of his 3-point attempts. Josh Harrellson (St. Charles High) – A 6-9, 265-pound power forward/center who signed with Western Illinois, Harrellson is averaging 18.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game this winter. He was not offered a scholarship by the Billikens. - Nate

I have no doubts that the Billikens will sign a couple kids in the spring. I have doubts about whether or not those players will be able to contribute. When you're recruiting players late like SLU has had to do the last few years, more often than not you're going to end up with players like Horace Dixon and Obi Ikeakor — players who may have talent, but also have enough baggage that has left them unsigned at that point. For every Anthony Drejaj, how many Dixons and Ikeakors are there? The recruiting over the last few years has been terrible. It makes no sense to say otherwise, because if the recruiting wasn't terrible you wouldn't have a Division 3 caliber walk-on playing meaningful minutes in a must-win conference game. I said a few months ago I thought Soderberg did a good job of evaluating talent with this class, because the kids he went after (and missed on) were able to really improve their stock in the summer and ended up signing with good programs. From talking to JUCO coaches, the chances of getting a sought-after kid in the spring are very slim. At that point, bigger and better programs are trying to fill holes from early entry draft guys and transfers and pay a lot more attention to the JUCO guys. It's not like recruiting JUCOs is an easy thing anyway, with trying to get them in school in the first place. I want to see Brad Soderberg succeed at SLU. I do. I like Brad and I like the assistant coaches. I'd like to see all of the best local talent go to local schools and help those schools get to the NCAA tournament every year. I had high hopes for this SLU team. But when I look at the recruiting situation — the misses, the kids that weren't offered and the fact that the Billikens have lost two young players (Dixon and Ikeakor) but have yet to sign anyone for next year — I know that this program is headed in the wrong direction. - Nate

Soderberg has already wasted the first three years of Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell. He hasn't been able to bring in players to support those two guys so far, so there isn't much hope for next season. As it stands right now, next year's team will be Liddell, Lisch, Luke Meyer, Dwayne Polk, Adam Knollmeyer, Bryce Husak, Danny Brown and a couple of walk-ons. So you're looking at four guys who should be starters and then the fifth spot being up for grabs between Knollmeyer and Husak. If they lose one of those players — to injury, grades, transfer, NBA aspirations or whatever — they'll be in big trouble. Looking at the recent success of getting recruits in the spring, I doubt they'll be able to bring in anyone to contribute solid minutes. If the Billikens don't have a successful recruiting class this year, what are they going to be left with the next year after Meyer, Polk, Husak and Brown graduate? The recruiting mistakes are piling up and it doesn't appear to be getting any better. They probably hope to get a couple of the St. Louis area juniors who have multiple scholarship offers, but I haven't heard anyone say they are favoring SLU. I think it's going to take a coaching change. I don't like to say that, because I don't want to see good people lose their jobs. But I think this coaching staff has shown that it can't recruit — with the exception of Ian, Tommie and Kevin — enough to have a successful program. It has to be hard to recruit to SLU, but there is no excuse for missing out on local kids who wanted to play for the Billikens. Hopefully a new coach can come in and make an impact with recruits right away, enough to salvage this recruiting class and entice some of the juniors to consider SLU. Otherwise, the program is in big trouble. - Nate

http://prepsports.stltoday.com/ssi/prep/st...A4?OpenDocument - Nate

Vashon lost on Monday at East St. Louis. The Wolverines have lost three straight games, while East St. Louis has won 16 in a row. Grunk and Jamal Walker were both in attendance for the Vashon-East St. Louis game (Leon Powell) and the McCluer North-Gateway Tech game (Femi John, Torres Roundtree, Anthony Booker, Jesse Perry). East St. Louis is a fun team to watch. Two of the Flyers top players tonight were juniors who came off the bench, guard Darian Sain (Dwayne Polk clone with a nice jumper) and 6-foot-6 forward/center Brandon Harold (big, strong and aggressive). Powell had a nice game, scoring 28 and coming close to double-figures in rebounds and blocked shots. Cornelius Walker showed a nice shooting touch from the outside, with four 3-pointers. If it wasn't for Powell and Walker playing well in the second half, Vashon would have gotten blown out. Instead, East Side won 80-70. See tomorrow's P-D for more info. - Nate

SLU missed out on Josh Harrellson. He's got great size and good all-around skills for a big guy. With the recent losses at the power forward position, the Billikens will regret missing out on Harrellson. I'm not going to say Harrellson would have been the savior at SLU, or a star player, but at work he would have provided some quality minutes off the bench at the four spot. He's kind of like a bigger (height and weight) version of Adam Knollmeyer. (I'll add that I believe Knollmeyer is probably a couple inches shorter than his listed height, and from standing next to both of them at different times Harrellson is much closer to his listed height.) As for Kramer, one of the advantages he'll have when he gets to SLU — if Brad is still the coach — is that he's been practicing against the team for a couple years now. Most kids don't have that opportunity, other than in pick-up games or summer leagues. I'm still not sure what kind of player Kramer will be at that level. He's definitely a good shooter with range that extends several feet beyond the arc (good thing for a shorter guard) and will knock down his free throws when he gets to the line. I'm not worried about his playing shooting guard for St. Charles West because that is not of necessity for his team and not because his game is limited to that. - Nate

>Not national player of the year, but All-Metro Player of the >Year. ... If they win state again I think you have to give it to him and I know >you help select the teams Nate. See, there you go. You think you have to give an award to someone without even seeing how things play out. Does that make any sense? There are several kids having good years right now. I'd say Powell is in the mix, but doesn't have to get anything. >Also I thought the out of town teams in the Poplar Bluff X-Mas tournament are supposed >to be really good. Am I wrong Nate. If I am let me know. I talked to a college coach last night about the competition at Poplar Bluff. He said one of the teams Vashon beat up on was a small school squad that had all 6-foot and 6-foot-1 players. So Powell, who's somewhere in the 6-5, 6-6 or 6-7 range, should dominate against smaller opponents. >Lets see what Powell does tonight in the championship. If he they win he'll definitely get >tournament MVP and he only needs 20pts to average 30pts for the tournament. Vashon lost, but I haven't seen how Powell did yet. - Nate

I heard the other day that Brandenburg got a 30 on his ACTs. That should get him a scholarship offer from Stanford, which always waits to hear about kids' grades. - Nate

Of course he would have had more options if he played with the bigger name AAU programs, because he'd show what he could do against decent competition. The problem was his grades. The problem was his grades. The problem was his grades. You have to be able to qualify academically to play Division I basketball. He wasn't able to do that. I hope he gets the academics in order to play D-1 hoops somewhere. He seems like a good kid and he can play somewhere. But he has to do what it takes (off the court) to get to that level and he hasn't shown the ability to do that. - Nate

It's nice to see VTime is back to being Leon Powell's publicist again. It's also good to know that Powell will be the national player of the year after having two good games against teams no one knows anything about. There are a couple comments on here by VTime that are contrary to what I've been hearing about Powell's college options. I'll leave it at that. People here can believe whatever they want to believe. I will say SLU should be a much better option for Powell, if he can qualify, now that there is more of a need for a power forward. He's still an undersized power forward at the next level, but he's bigger and more athletic than the Billikens' current option at that spot. - Nate