stlsfinest

http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=715987898 -- It is a short video clip of an Eagles game back in March. It's not much, but it is something.

>I am not trying to stir up a racial debate, but are there >any white kids enrolled at Ritter? (I assume this is the >program you are referencing.) Yes it was a reference to Ritter, but that is not my point. I just don't see why DeSmet would be such a better choice over any other Catholic high school, especially if we are talking about winning programs.

>I don't know but I was just thinking, Brad making good >money, and being Catholic, why didn't he send Kramer to >Desmet to play basketball? That is the best Catholic High >School basketball team in STL. Just kind of odd to me. The >public schools are good in MO too, I am a product of a MO >public High School and I'm pretty damn smart. I'm not trying to start a huge debate, but I was a little surprised at the DeSmet comment. They haven't exactly dominated their conference the last 4 years, and there is a little Catholic school just seconds away from SLU that has won 2 state titles since 2003 and has produced some quality college players.

I was able to watch a webcast of two of his AAU games this past weekend. He does not get major minutes, but he tries to make the most of them. In the two games I saw, he shot 4-7 from the field. They were all 3-pt shots and each was in the 24-28 ft range (two were buzzer beaters). He did not handle the ball much at all, but he looked poised and passed well under pressure. I emailed a scout from Illinois and he assured that Roth's dribbling and passing are solid. He even felt that some Big Ten programs will take a chance on him. The play by play announcer mentioned that SLU and Bradley were going after Roth the hardest.

You do have a point. Eckerle is definitely athletic and a pretty good scorer. Most importantly, he is a very hard worker. I do not expect him to ever start for SLU. However, I think he'll see some decent minutes and become a contributor before his career if over. He will need to work on becoming more of a true PG in order for that to happen. Please do not mistake his lack of offers for a lack of ability. Mitchell was not exactly a highly sought after prospect either, but many now see him as a steal. 5'11 point guard Travis Rosenkranz from Macon Meridian in Illinois was thought by many scouts to be worthy of some D1 scholarships, but they never materialized. However, he was offered a spot at Illinois as a perferred walk-on. When Jeff Jordan took that spot, Rosenkranz verballed to a D3. It certainly won't hurt us having him on our team.

All those other guys are point guards. He doesnt handle the ball as well as any of those guys, but he is more athletic than all of them and can shoot reasonably well. He's probably the only one in that group who is at least 6'0. He plays good D. Of the group Hanlen is the best ballhandler by far and probably the fastest. They all can shoot.

He never said he was a star, just a starter and that he played in the NBA.

There were some early question marks about his academics during his freshman year. I haven't heard anything about that since. He is a late bloomer, so he hasn't been in the media much. Most of the discussion is about Berkeley's Antonio Campbell with his rumored age and academic standing. Most juniors take the ACT in April and June of this year so a lot of prospects have not officially qualified yet. I would not feel comfortable asking Tillman about this, but I'll keep an ear open for any information.

Why do you all of a sudden want talent from outside the metro area. In 2003, you had one area talent on team I think in Chris Sloan. The program got better through the additions of area players, 4 of them started for SLU last year on the 20 win team. Now the area talent is about to hit its zenith and you want to go outside! Lock up the local guys first, then go outside. Brandenburg, Thompson, Perry, Suggs, Roth, and Mitchell is fine by me with the 6 scholarships. If you can get those 6, why go outside. Those local guys get you to the Sweet 16 at worst.

He's not the worst, but Romar did leave the Bills to the tourney. He also must've been doing something right to get a Pac 10 job.

Same guy. He transfered from Hickman Mills in Missouri to Bishop Miege HS in Kansas. Travis Releford did the same thing from Central HS in Missouri. Some of the scouting websites have not updated their databases.

Tillman has the potential to be something special. He just fell victime to lack of exposure. He has pretty good footwork down low and is putting on weight. The Eagles will help him work on his offense. Defensively, he is the best in the area since Randall Faulker. It probably isn't fair to compare him with Brandenburg because Brandenburg is a true center. Brandenburg is such a popular prospect because of his size and ability to run the floor. However, he not been able to use his athleticism to make a true impact offensively. He scores most of his points off offensive rebounds and tip-ins. On the other hand, Tillman gets his elbows above the rim and tries to dunk everytime in the paint. Both are long term prospects, but Tillman is starting to realize his potential and coaches are taking notice. Don't be surprised to see him on campus in June.

Mitchell is an extremely hard worker. He has really improved over the Spring. He worked hard for this opportunity and does not want to disappoint. I'm sure Majerus loves Mitchell's versatility and potential at the PG spot. He is definitely a hidden gem.

I read something about a post player from the Denver area coming on a visit. This is probably either 6'7 Trevor Noonan or 6'9 Trey Eckloff. Trey's scouting report: "Face-up post player with very nice touch to stripe. Average athlete with decent body. Possible mid major prospect." - Scouthoops.com Trevor's scouting report: "Noonan is a bit narrow through the shoulders, but he gets up easy and moves well. He’s got very deep range on his shot and he also had several nice passes. Another guy who figures to be in the mid to high major range." - Scouthoops.com I would assume that Majerus is bringing in Noonan. Noonan is a much more known prospect, and he has the 3-pt range that Majerus loves in a PF. Hopefully, someone can keep a lookout for these young men on campus this week.

I was hoping that the kid would turn out to be Matt Roth. That young man is the best perimeter shooter in Illinois regardless of class. He just lights it up from anywhere. He is not the best ball handler, but uses the pump fake and pull-up off the dribble very well. Many scouts say that he has potentially unlimited range, and the shooting potential of Kyle Korver. http://www.midstatehoops.com/videos/roth.html http://www.midstatehoops.com/players/profi.../matt_roth.html

I'm certainly not a Gateway insider, but I think McCluer North has their prom this weekend. He may not be attending the AMC.

>And Thompson is being recruited at the 3 by the bigger >players, and the 4 by the less talented teams. He needs to >keep working on his abilities at the 3 inside and outside. >As I said, SLU would be fortunate to land either one or >both. I think SLU has a very strong chance to get Thompson. He was interested in SLU when Brad was the coach. With Majerus at the helm, SLU is in his top 5. He has probably heard of RM's ability to develop PFs of his style. I also think SLU has an excellent chance to get Jesse Perry.

I agree. Thompson is the type of player that Majerus loves. Brad was able to keep his attention for a while, but Majerus and Moser have the ability to bring him here. They will do all that they can to get him on campus. Don't be surprised if this kid picks SLU in the end.

Well I'm not sure what scouting report you read, but you obviously have your mind made up. Whoever lands this kid is going to have a solid player for four years.

>Just compare Harrellson and IV, did you? What a joke. It >is not even close. IV was raw and needed a ton of work, but >had far superior skills than anything Harrelson has ever >displayed. V that is just a joke of a comparison. Is it really that bad of a comparison? I think Harrellson could really contribute for SLU. At least a two-year starter, especially with Majerus's tutelage.

I haven't seen Carter since he moved to Texas. He played for Belleville West HS, but he moved to Texas his senior year. He was not much of a factor at West, but he had a strong senior year in Texas. I remember he played for the St. Louis Falcons travel team. He is a space eater and a good defender. He won't generate many points. Yes, he will probably be a back up center.

I don't remember scout or rivals changing star rating when anyone else signed. However, I agree that you can't put too much stock into their rankings and ratings. College coaches don't use the services of scout.com or rivals.com. They were created for the public. However, those publications can be very informative.

Actually, Marcus started several games as a freshman and averaged about 6 pts. He left when Coach Collier took a job at Butler. I visited a friend at UNL and I attended a basketball game this past season. I actually was able to talk to some of the players. They told me that Walker left UNL for a couple of reasons. The main was he didn't take well to the new coach. He wanted to get out and run, and the coach supposedly liked to slow it down. However, Coach Sadler actually ran a more exciting brand of basketball than Collier. Walker would've probably thrived in the new system. My point is that Walker was more than capable of having an impact at the high major level. I read a few articles that talked about how he had raised his game to another level. I'm not quite sure why he chose Colorado State, but I wish him the best.

I've seen Harrellson play many times. He is perfect for the mid-major level. He is big and fairly athletic. However, it is was never his athleticism that impressed me. It was his ability to step out and shoot the 3-pt shot. He plays facing the basket. He hasn't developed much of a low post game yet. He does fit the style of play that Majerus likes to run. Personally, I like Harrellson better than Knollmeyer. Harrellson's athleticism shows on the defensive end, as he is a pretty decent shot blocker. He is not a powerful dunker or anything like that, but he is a good offensive rebounder. I supported V-Time about SLU recruiting big Josh. As far as the attitude issues, I cannot comment. Josh never got any real exposure until last year when he played for Team Excalibur. However, they only went to a few D1 certified tournaments. He was a steal for Western Illinois. A year at the right JUCO, and he will a big time mid-major prospect. Two years of JUCO, and the kid is a high major for sure. I truly believe that!

I didn't see this coming. I thought he was a pretty good fit in the MVC. Maybe his shooting was not progressing at the rate they desired. I guess I should have expected it when they signed Kyle Weems. He is a 6-6 kid who can shoot the three well, defend, and play above the rim. Missouri State likes to shoot the three ball and Kirk is more of a strong slasher. He'll bounce back to D1 quickly, maybe even at a higher level.