Nate Latsch

>Was Heinrich really "heavily" recruited in the East? I seem >to remember him being kind of an unkown. As I recall he >went to a very small high school. Heinrich went to a high school close to where I grew up, probably about half an hour away. We are roughly the same age and I knew most of the area's top players — though he wasn't from the immediate Allentown area. I never heard of Heinrich until I moved to St. Louis. - Nate

Ian, Brian Cusworth and Blake Ahearn all earned invitations. Would have been nice to see them playing on the same college team. - Nate

Here's a quote from a story on Scott Suggs: "It is pretty much the same schools that have been recruiting me, but a few of them have kind of picked things up since the start of the year," Suggs said. "Probably Mizzou, Illinois, Wisconsin and Florida are (recruiting the hardest)." http://mosports.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=661935 - Nate

It was mentioned in the Vegas thread that Mizzou coach Mike Anderson could be a candidate for the Arkansas job. Anderson would be a great fit there. That's the style of basketball those fans have been wanting to see since Nolan Richardson's glory days. Give him a couple years and Anderson could do good things there. This would also be very good news for SLU fans considering several of the top juniors in the area could end up playing for Anderson at Missouri if he stays there. - Nate

Nark, Interesting stuff. One of the reasons I started thinking about the subject was because I experienced a similar situation at Penn State in the mid-1990s. I went to some orientation the year after the Nittany Lions football team went undefeated, and an administrator there talked about the increased number of applicants due to the football team's success. Going back to my original thread on the subject, I've been thinking about changing the original theory. I think if you look at it with less money involved — say, $1,000,000 a year for a coach — you could still attract plenty of candidates that could turn the program around. If you threw a ton of money at a bigger-name coach, you would gain instant credibility and excitement for the program. But if you kept the salary lower, you could lessen the economic risk involved but still bring in a high-caliber coach who could build a program. - Nate

When was the last time St. Louis produced three Top 100 prospects in the same year? - Nate

I've been thinking about this for a couple days and wanted to get some opinions on here. Would it be a wise investment to lure a big-name basketball coach to a school that otherwise doesn't have much name recognition on a national level? I'm not talking about St. Louis U. or any other school in particular. Just kind of a hypothetical for discussion purposes. Minnesota went out and threw a ton of money at Tubby Smith, nearly as much as he was making per season at Kentucky. There are rumors that Kentucky will make Billy Donovan the highest paid coach in college hoops. What if a school with little name recognition went after someone like Billy D? Obviously it would cost several million dollars a year, but wouldn't it also generate money? You could make money with filling the basketball arena, selling merchandise, a shoe contract, more student admissions, boosters making more contributions, TV deals, etc. Anybody have any thoughts on this? - Nate

Despite a rough junior season, which could have been because of a few injuries, Brandenburg's potential is still way up there. He's still a strong young 6-foot-11 kid who can run and jump. If I remember correctly, he also scored a 30 on the ACT. I do think SLU would be a good choice for him, because he could be a focal point on the team from day one with no other big guys competing for that spot. I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to leave the St. Louis area to go to school. - Nate

There are several schools recruiting him, including Wisconsin. I don't know what schools have entered the picture recently. I wouldn't be surprised if he went to Missouri. I also wouldn't be surprised if Brandenburg and Scott Suggs ended up at the same school. - Nate

>SLU would be fortunate to get Brandenburg. All indications are that Brandenburg won't be going to SLU. You can kill the messenger if you want, but that's what I've been hearing for months. - Nate

Nark, The blog looks great. Nice job. - Nate

All 12 spots in the league have been filled. The draft will begin at 10 a.m. The draft order is determined 30 minutes before the start of the draft — which is very soon. - Nate

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One opening left for the Billikens.com fantasy baseball league. - Nate

I posted this before, and on the long thread below, but I thought some people might like to read this. This is what I wrote on the Nike Hoop Jamboree a couple years ago when Kevin Lisch and Tyler Hansbrough (and Greg Oden) were there. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Kyle Kirk felt a little woozy on the first night of the Nike Hoop Jamboree. The invitation-only basketball camp, held this past week at St. Louis University’s Simon Recreation Center, matched the Fort Zumwalt West sophomore against the best competition from around the country in his age group. But Kirk wasn’t worried about that; he was in a state of disbelief from seeing the world’s most famous basketball player, Michael Jordan, up close and personal. “I thought I was going to pass out,†Kirk said Friday. “I swear to God.†Jordan, a six-time NBA champion and five-time NBA Most Valuable Player during his years with the Chicago Bulls, was in town because his oldest son, Jeffrey, was invited to the Jamboree. On Wednesday night, the 110 camp participants got to catch a glimpse of No. 23, who retired from the Washington Wizards after this past season. “I saw him and I was like, Oh my God,†Kirk said. “I’ve never seen him in real life before. I have every pair of shoes he’s ever had. I wanted to go up and give him a hug, but I was afraid someone would beat me up, like a bodyguard or something.†Tyler Hansbrough, a 6-foot-8 junior forward from Poplar Bluff, had a different idea come to mind when he first saw Jordan. “I wanted to tackle him,†Hansbrough said, without offering any further explanation. “Everybody was yelling, ‘Hey Mike, hey Mike.’†Kevin Lisch, a junior point guard at Althoff, said: “It’s different seeing somebody you’ve seen on TV and then seeing them in person. I was just surprised he was here.†After the shock of that initial encounter with Jordan sunk in with the camp participants – that was the lone Jordan sighting at the camp as of Friday afternoon -- the basketball players got down to work. Over the course of four days, the campers played eight games and received instruction in all areas of basketball – and life. On Friday afternoon, visitors of the Rec Center were greeted by a cacophony of referee’s whistles buzzing and sneakers squeaking as the campers went back and forth on the center’s six courts. There were reputations being made all over the gym and, since the best players at the Jamboree will be invited to the prestigious Nike All-America Camp in Indianapolis in a few weeks, the competition was fierce. Hansbrough and Lisch had already established themselves as two of the best players in the gym. Hansbrough, who led his high school team to the Missouri final four this season and is playing with the St. Louis Eagles Under-17 squad this summer, already has scholarship offers from Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Marquette. He said he plans to make his college decision late in his junior year. “I don’t think it’s a secret to anybody, but (Hansbrough) is one of the top players in the country in his class,†said Hazelwood Central coach Chris Pilz, who worked at the camp. “There’s no doubt about that. I think this week he has probably proven that.†A Post-Dispatch All-Metro first-team selection following a sensational sophomore season, Lisch is already one of St. Louis U. coach Brad Soderberg’s top targets. “From what I’ve seen out here, (Lisch) has demonstrated that he is able to play with the best guards in the country,†Pilz said. “He knows how to play the game. I guarantee he’s put in thousands and thousands of hours in the gym trying to figure out how to play and he’s awful good.†Pilz, who Hazelwood Central Hawks lost to Lisch’s Althoff team by one point two years ago, was not as familiar with Kirk. Arguably the top freshman in the area this past season, Kirk, a 6-4 swingman, had struggled a bit through the early stages of the Jamboree before settling in. “I feel like (Kirk) is holding his own and he’s really finding out how he stacks up against some of the other guys in the country at his position,†Pilz said. “But he’s big and strong. I think the biggest thing this week for him is he’s probably gonna figure out he can play with these guys.†One of the instructors at the camp, which was hosted by the St. Louis Eagles, was Kevin Eastman, who coached at various colleges for almost 25 years and now works camps and clinics throughout the country. “I love (Lisch),†said Eastman, who a week earlier was working out future pros LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. “Even though I don’t count, (Lisch) is one of my favorites. He plays smart. He listens. He’s a sponge. He plays hard as hell. He understands the game. His face emits passion for the game. He’s fun and he’s going to be good. “(Hansbrough) is good. Crafty. He’s fun to watch. He runs the floor. Springy. Creative. Good feel for the game. You notice him quickly.†After four days of playing basketball against some of the best competition in the country, getting noticed was almost as important as seeing Michael Jordan in person. Almost. - Nate

I know Lisch didn't play for the Eagles — though the Eagles certainly tried — but the Eagles did help get him some exposure with the Hoop Jamboree. I've posted this before, I think, but here's the story I wrote from when Lisch was at the Jamboree (funny quote from Tyler Hansbrough about Michael Jordan): Kyle Kirk felt a little woozy on the first night of the Nike Hoop Jamboree. The invitation-only basketball camp, held this past week at St. Louis University’s Simon Recreation Center, matched the Fort Zumwalt West sophomore against the best competition from around the country in his age group. But Kirk wasn’t worried about that; he was in a state of disbelief from seeing the world’s most famous basketball player, Michael Jordan, up close and personal. “I thought I was going to pass out,†Kirk said Friday. “I swear to God.†Jordan, a six-time NBA champion and five-time NBA Most Valuable Player during his years with the Chicago Bulls, was in town because his oldest son, Jeffrey, was invited to the Jamboree. On Wednesday night, the 110 camp participants got to catch a glimpse of No. 23, who retired from the Washington Wizards after this past season. “I saw him and I was like, Oh my God,†Kirk said. “I’ve never seen him in real life before. I have every pair of shoes he’s ever had. I wanted to go up and give him a hug, but I was afraid someone would beat me up, like a bodyguard or something.†Tyler Hansbrough, a 6-foot-8 junior forward from Poplar Bluff, had a different idea come to mind when he first saw Jordan. “I wanted to tackle him,†Hansbrough said, without offering any further explanation. “Everybody was yelling, ‘Hey Mike, hey Mike.’†Kevin Lisch, a junior point guard at Althoff, said: “It’s different seeing somebody you’ve seen on TV and then seeing them in person. I was just surprised he was here.†After the shock of that initial encounter with Jordan sunk in with the camp participants – that was the lone Jordan sighting at the camp as of Friday afternoon -- the basketball players got down to work. Over the course of four days, the campers played eight games and received instruction in all areas of basketball – and life. On Friday afternoon, visitors of the Rec Center were greeted by a cacophony of referee’s whistles buzzing and sneakers squeaking as the campers went back and forth on the center’s six courts. There were reputations being made all over the gym and, since the best players at the Jamboree will be invited to the prestigious Nike All-America Camp in Indianapolis in a few weeks, the competition was fierce. Hansbrough and Lisch had already established themselves as two of the best players in the gym. Hansbrough, who led his high school team to the Missouri final four this season and is playing with the St. Louis Eagles Under-17 squad this summer, already has scholarship offers from Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Marquette. He said he plans to make his college decision late in his junior year. “I don’t think it’s a secret to anybody, but (Hansbrough) is one of the top players in the country in his class,†said Hazelwood Central coach Chris Pilz, who worked at the camp. “There’s no doubt about that. I think this week he has probably proven that.†A Post-Dispatch All-Metro first-team selection following a sensational sophomore season, Lisch is already one of St. Louis U. coach Brad Soderberg’s top targets. “From what I’ve seen out here, (Lisch) has demonstrated that he is able to play with the best guards in the country,†Pilz said. “He knows how to play the game. I guarantee he’s put in thousands and thousands of hours in the gym trying to figure out how to play and he’s awful good.†Pilz, who Hazelwood Central Hawks lost to Lisch’s Althoff team by one point two years ago, was not as familiar with Kirk. Arguably the top freshman in the area this past season, Kirk, a 6-4 swingman, had struggled a bit through the early stages of the Jamboree before settling in. “I feel like (Kirk) is holding his own and he’s really finding out how he stacks up against some of the other guys in the country at his position,†Pilz said. “But he’s big and strong. I think the biggest thing this week for him is he’s probably gonna figure out he can play with these guys.†One of the instructors at the camp, which was hosted by the St. Louis Eagles, was Kevin Eastman, who coached at various colleges for almost 25 years and now works camps and clinics throughout the country. “I love (Lisch),†said Eastman, who a week earlier was working out future pros LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. “Even though I don’t count, (Lisch) is one of my favorites. He plays smart. He listens. He’s a sponge. He plays hard as hell. He understands the game. His face emits passion for the game. He’s fun and he’s going to be good. “(Hansbrough) is good. Crafty. He’s fun to watch. He runs the floor. Springy. Creative. Good feel for the game. You notice him quickly.†After four days of playing basketball against some of the best competition in the country, getting noticed was almost as important as seeing Michael Jordan in person. Almost. - Nate

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>Look at the local kids we have got. A lot of them were not involved in the local AAU ##### >because the didn't play AAU, they left town, or they were under Floyd's tightfisted control in >the Gameface program. A lot of our problems come when we go after kids in certain >AAU programs. I don't think it is a fluke. Tommie Liddell - St. Louis Eagles Kevin Lisch - ?????????? (some Eagles affiliation) Luke Meyer - Gateway Basketball Club Dwayne Polk - Gameface Looks to me like you've got all the major St. Louis area clubs there. I think you're wrong on this, Brian. The St. Louis Eagles wanted Kramer Soderberg to play for them. He chose not to. - Nate

>... since soderberg has been here he rarely uses more than an 8 man rotation, is >that 13th scholarship all that necessary? especially if we are just giving it away to give it >away? i'd rather have it tied up for one year as a senior reward for a walkon than >used for one of nates 327th team recruits. > >our depth problem can directly be attributed to his missing >on the character of obi and the slow development of bryce, >maguire and knollmeyer. That's the problem. If SLU was able to have a full roster, you could allow for kids to develop. That's one of the things that has made Southern Illinois successful over the years. They do a good enough job recruiting that they can take chances on kids (like De Soto's Tony Boyle), redshirt them and work to get them better. SLU doesn't have that luxury. A kid like Dustin Maguire was recruited to be a main contributor in his third year, but because there is no depth he's needed to contribute right away. When he's not ready for that, the coach either doesn't play him or uses a walk-on instead. For the most part, SLU is recruiting players who aren't ready to play as freshmen. That eight-man rotation would be a lot stronger if there were players lower on the depth chart pushing them and working toward getting better. That way you also wouldn't have assistant coaches, walk-ons and the coach's high school sophomore/junior filling in when the team tries to go five-on-five in a scrimmage. The kids I mentioned earlier aren't difference-makers, but they could have helped the program establish some depth. Who knows what they would become if they had some coaching? Instead SLU is giving scholarships and minutes to walk-ons. How many successful college basketball programs are doing that? - Nate

>cowboy, i think both relephorde and mitchell seem to be nice >pickups. > >we have the list that blue posted that is significant action >of players still out there. Cowboy asks you about the positive news regarding SLU recruiting, and this is the best you can come up with? That must be my fault. Last I heard SLU was only after two or three recruits. So how does that list grow to 20-something? Maybe because it's not accurate. I said before I liked the Mitchell commitment. I also like the Relphorde commitment. If he's as good as people say, he should be able to step in right away and contribute. Based on what I've seen from Mitchell, I don't think he'll contribute much early. So where is all this other positive news I'm supposed to be posting about? You complain that I'm not posting positive things, and you yourself can't come up with anything when asked about it. If I had positive news to report, I would. I reported that Josh McCoy said SLU was recruiting him, but they haven't offered him a scholarship. I reported that Femi John, when I asked him about his recruitment, said he would wait a while to weigh all of his options. Sorry that's not what you want to hear. - Nate

>Kids are telling that to him. They are telling it to other >people. You are right about this. >There is an effort out there by some people in the >AAU scene to bring down Soderberg. It started after Ahearn >and it has only grown. These people are in the kids ear bad >mouthing the program and telling them that SLU doesn't want >them. You are wrong about this. The AAU people I know want to see SLU succeed. They TOLD Soderberg that Torres Roundtree wanted to go to SLU and would commit there is Soderberg offered him. Yes, the Ahearn thing was a mistake. So was not recruiting a lot of other players that were interested in going to SLU. >Nate is not a part of this and is only repeating what people tell him. I'm not hearing people encourage kids not to go to SLU. I'm hearing kids tell me they want to go to SLU but SLU didn't want them. - Nate

>what doesnt make sense to me is roundtree blindly accepting >a third party offer or if roundtree did initiate the contact >at siu which is perfectly legit, than why would he say he >would rather go to slu? why wouldnt he too wait until true >senior recruiting can begin and see where it takes him? >instead one of the best athletes in his class in the st >louis area takes the first offer that comes along 11 months >early? that makes no sense. Roy, A kid likes a coach and a school that is ranked in the top 15 and has been to the NCAA tournament for X consecutive years and he commits to play for that school. How is this so hard to understand? Chris Lowery has done a great job in Carbondale getting recruits excited about his program. He may even get a commitment from one of the top sophomores in the St. Louis area soon. - Nate

>roundtree, he says he wanted to come to slu, but then >commits earlier than 99.999999% of any other junior in the >country to a school that would have either been approached >by roundtree first or it was offered via a third party. if >roundtree wanted to come to slu then he should have waited >at least until early summer when contact can easily and >freely be initiated by slu to discuss. i.e. i aint buyin >it. You keep making this argument. If Soderberg wanted to offer Roundtree, he would have. Soderberg offered John a scholarship. By your argument, SLU must have been cheating to offer John a scholarship. Please keep insinuating other schools are cheating for doing the same thing SLU is doing. >anyone want to bet that roundtree and john arent best >friends? ironic the word is that slu wants john. What does Roundtree and John being friends have to do with the situation? - Nate

Still two spots left. - Nate

> i think it is especially interesting that he seems to think we should take >all the low major players from the area. Not ALL. SOME. That way the team has some depth in certain areas, and isn't counting on walk-ons to provide significant minutes in big games. - Nate