RUBillsFan

Sombor, Serbia has an elevation of 295 feet.  Nikola Jokic has somehow managed to overcome is birth and childhood at sea level to become a 3 time MVP in Denver (elevation over 5,000 feet). 
"Never underestimate the lungs of a champion."
 - Rudy Tomjanovich's Pulmonologist (probably)

It is pretty clearly a staged photo.  I highly doubt Irons is walking around every day with his fingers full of massive ass rings like Prince John from the Disney Robin Hood cartoon.

Here is more info: https://www.usab.com/news/2024/05/thirty-athletes-expected-to-participate-in-usa-basketball-mens-u18-national-team-training-camp
None of the players listed are currently on @Pistol's recruiting lists.  Although I'm sure SLU would be thrilled to land any of them, they may be unrealistic targets.  Several are already committed.  My quick research shows all but 1 of the uncommitted are top 60 guys on the 247 rankings. The 1 that isn't is 115 ranked Jack McCaffrey who (just a wild guess here) is probably a lock to go to Iowa.
I don't necessarily see any direct recruiting impact in terms of landing a guy Schertz coaches at the USA camp.  However, the ancillary recruiting benefits of Schertz being able to say he's a USA coach and maybe leaving a good impression on a kid who shares it with an AAU or HS teammate who SLU is recruiting.
All coaches:
USA U18 HC: Tommy Lloyd (Arizona)
USA U18 AC: Grant McCasland (Texas Tech)
USA U18 AC: Micah Shrewsberry (Notre Dame)
Assistants for this camp:
Justin Gray (Coastal Carolina)
Ben McCollum (Drake)
Josh Schertz (SLU)
Jon Scheyer (Duke)

Takeaways: Anything you are in the same grouping as Duke's HC, that's a good thing.  Ben McCollum / Drake really seem to be using the same playbook as Schertz.  We've already seen some recruiting crossover and it is interesting to see them both on this list.  It'll be interesting to see where that goes.  Obviously McCollum & Schertz have similar backgrounds as guys who had a lot of D2 success.

Without knowing how much guys will improve, I'd say that last year's ISU team was slightly better.  However, this Billiken team has much more depth.  The starting 5 for ISU last year was crazy good and I don't think this year's SLU team quite matches it.  However, ISU really only went 7 or 8 deep.  Bledson was the only guy outside of the starting 5 to play more than 23.3% of the team's minutes.  They were really fortunate to not have any injuries so the lack of depth didn't hurt them.  High ceiling / low floor team based on injuries and they were pretty close to the ceiling.  This year's SLU team has a much higher floor because of depth.  It wouldn't surprise me if SLU ends up in a similar spot on the bubble at year end, but either wins the A10 tournament or makes it as an at-large because A10 is a stronger conference than MVC.

The top 3 in minutes are more than likely going to be Avila, Jimerson and Swope.  None of those 3 guys are known as defensive stalwarts.  Thames and LHJ seem to have good defensive tools, but both are coming off a season where they were rotation players for one of the worst defensive teams in the nation.  Casey didn't play a ton & Miami was 112 defensively.  Brown was 183 and Anya was one of their better defensive players based on stats.  WV was 178 and Johnson played a lot for them without great defensive stats.  He seems to have good tools with with the big wingspan.
I'm not sure that adds up to the defense being better than ISU was last season.
On defense, Schertz teams:
Rarely give up 2nd chance points (his ISU teams were 13th, 9th, and 6th in the nation in defensive rebounding) Rarely foul a lot / give teams FTs (his ISU teams were 73rd, 162nd, and 27th in FT attempt per FG attempt) Largely force teams to win playing one on one / don't give up a lot of assisted buckets (112th, 7th, and 4ht in assists per field goal allowed) Given the make up of this SLU team I'd expect these 3 to continue.
On the down side, Schertz teams won't force a lot of TOs (310th, 235th, and 283rd in TO%) or block a lot of shots (350th, 344th, and 359th in block %).
All that adds up to a solid, but unspectacular defense.  If the D can limit good looks / hold FG% down, it will be good, if not it'll just be ok.  Since our offense should be really really good, that'll be the difference between a really good team and a great team.

The top 3 in minutes are more than likely going to be Avila, Jimerson and Swope.  None of those 3 guys are known as defensive stalwarts.  Thames and LHJ seem to have good defensive tools, but both are coming off a season where they were rotation players for one of the worst defensive teams in the nation.  Casey didn't play a ton & Miami was 112 defensively.  Brown was 183 and Anya was one of their better defensive players based on stats.  WV was 178 and Johnson played a lot for them without great defensive stats.  He seems to have good tools with with the big wingspan.
I'm not sure that adds up to the defense being better than ISU was last season.
On defense, Schertz teams:
Rarely give up 2nd chance points (his ISU teams were 13th, 9th, and 6th in the nation in defensive rebounding) Rarely foul a lot / give teams FTs (his ISU teams were 73rd, 162nd, and 27th in FT attempt per FG attempt) Largely force teams to win playing one on one / don't give up a lot of assisted buckets (112th, 7th, and 4ht in assists per field goal allowed) Given the make up of this SLU team I'd expect these 3 to continue.
On the down side, Schertz teams won't force a lot of TOs (310th, 235th, and 283rd in TO%) or block a lot of shots (350th, 344th, and 359th in block %).
All that adds up to a solid, but unspectacular defense.  If the D can limit good looks / hold FG% down, it will be good, if not it'll just be ok.  Since our offense should be really really good, that'll be the difference between a really good team and a great team.

The top 3 in minutes are more than likely going to be Avila, Jimerson and Swope.  None of those 3 guys are known as defensive stalwarts.  Thames and LHJ seem to have good defensive tools, but both are coming off a season where they were rotation players for one of the worst defensive teams in the nation.  Casey didn't play a ton & Miami was 112 defensively.  Brown was 183 and Anya was one of their better defensive players based on stats.  WV was 178 and Johnson played a lot for them without great defensive stats.  He seems to have good tools with with the big wingspan.
I'm not sure that adds up to the defense being better than ISU was last season.
On defense, Schertz teams:
Rarely give up 2nd chance points (his ISU teams were 13th, 9th, and 6th in the nation in defensive rebounding) Rarely foul a lot / give teams FTs (his ISU teams were 73rd, 162nd, and 27th in FT attempt per FG attempt) Largely force teams to win playing one on one / don't give up a lot of assisted buckets (112th, 7th, and 4ht in assists per field goal allowed) Given the make up of this SLU team I'd expect these 3 to continue.
On the down side, Schertz teams won't force a lot of TOs (310th, 235th, and 283rd in TO%) or block a lot of shots (350th, 344th, and 359th in block %).
All that adds up to a solid, but unspectacular defense.  If the D can limit good looks / hold FG% down, it will be good, if not it'll just be ok.  Since our offense should be really really good, that'll be the difference between a really good team and a great team.

The top 3 in minutes are more than likely going to be Avila, Jimerson and Swope.  None of those 3 guys are known as defensive stalwarts.  Thames and LHJ seem to have good defensive tools, but both are coming off a season where they were rotation players for one of the worst defensive teams in the nation.  Casey didn't play a ton & Miami was 112 defensively.  Brown was 183 and Anya was one of their better defensive players based on stats.  WV was 178 and Johnson played a lot for them without great defensive stats.  He seems to have good tools with with the big wingspan.
I'm not sure that adds up to the defense being better than ISU was last season.
On defense, Schertz teams:
Rarely give up 2nd chance points (his ISU teams were 13th, 9th, and 6th in the nation in defensive rebounding) Rarely foul a lot / give teams FTs (his ISU teams were 73rd, 162nd, and 27th in FT attempt per FG attempt) Largely force teams to win playing one on one / don't give up a lot of assisted buckets (112th, 7th, and 4ht in assists per field goal allowed) Given the make up of this SLU team I'd expect these 3 to continue.
On the down side, Schertz teams won't force a lot of TOs (310th, 235th, and 283rd in TO%) or block a lot of shots (350th, 344th, and 359th in block %).
All that adds up to a solid, but unspectacular defense.  If the D can limit good looks / hold FG% down, it will be good, if not it'll just be ok.  Since our offense should be really really good, that'll be the difference between a really good team and a great team.

The top 3 in minutes are more than likely going to be Avila, Jimerson and Swope.  None of those 3 guys are known as defensive stalwarts.  Thames and LHJ seem to have good defensive tools, but both are coming off a season where they were rotation players for one of the worst defensive teams in the nation.  Casey didn't play a ton & Miami was 112 defensively.  Brown was 183 and Anya was one of their better defensive players based on stats.  WV was 178 and Johnson played a lot for them without great defensive stats.  He seems to have good tools with with the big wingspan.
I'm not sure that adds up to the defense being better than ISU was last season.
On defense, Schertz teams:
Rarely give up 2nd chance points (his ISU teams were 13th, 9th, and 6th in the nation in defensive rebounding) Rarely foul a lot / give teams FTs (his ISU teams were 73rd, 162nd, and 27th in FT attempt per FG attempt) Largely force teams to win playing one on one / don't give up a lot of assisted buckets (112th, 7th, and 4ht in assists per field goal allowed) Given the make up of this SLU team I'd expect these 3 to continue.
On the down side, Schertz teams won't force a lot of TOs (310th, 235th, and 283rd in TO%) or block a lot of shots (350th, 344th, and 359th in block %).
All that adds up to a solid, but unspectacular defense.  If the D can limit good looks / hold FG% down, it will be good, if not it'll just be ok.  Since our offense should be really really good, that'll be the difference between a really good team and a great team.

Without knowing how much guys will improve, I'd say that last year's ISU team was slightly better.  However, this Billiken team has much more depth.  The starting 5 for ISU last year was crazy good and I don't think this year's SLU team quite matches it.  However, ISU really only went 7 or 8 deep.  Bledson was the only guy outside of the starting 5 to play more than 23.3% of the team's minutes.  They were really fortunate to not have any injuries so the lack of depth didn't hurt them.  High ceiling / low floor team based on injuries and they were pretty close to the ceiling.  This year's SLU team has a much higher floor because of depth.  It wouldn't surprise me if SLU ends up in a similar spot on the bubble at year end, but either wins the A10 tournament or makes it as an at-large because A10 is a stronger conference than MVC.

Without knowing how much guys will improve, I'd say that last year's ISU team was slightly better.  However, this Billiken team has much more depth.  The starting 5 for ISU last year was crazy good and I don't think this year's SLU team quite matches it.  However, ISU really only went 7 or 8 deep.  Bledson was the only guy outside of the starting 5 to play more than 23.3% of the team's minutes.  They were really fortunate to not have any injuries so the lack of depth didn't hurt them.  High ceiling / low floor team based on injuries and they were pretty close to the ceiling.  This year's SLU team has a much higher floor because of depth.  It wouldn't surprise me if SLU ends up in a similar spot on the bubble at year end, but either wins the A10 tournament or makes it as an at-large because A10 is a stronger conference than MVC.

Not to be "that guy" posting a really old tweet on here, but I hadn't seen this yet:
Patton is presumably a walk-on given the lack of hoopla.  Julia Martinez went to Loyola Academy.

Not to be "that guy" posting a really old tweet on here, but I hadn't seen this yet:
Patton is presumably a walk-on given the lack of hoopla.  Julia Martinez went to Loyola Academy.

This.  Plus Angelo's, Nick & Elena's and OG Faraci's in Ferguson.  North County St Louis style is distinct and way better than Imo's St Louis style.

This.  Plus Angelo's, Nick & Elena's and OG Faraci's in Ferguson.  North County St Louis style is distinct and way better than Imo's St Louis style.

Too many people don't give the Pirrones, Serra's, Halls Ferry Inns of the area, the respect they deserve. 
 

SLU could assemble an entire lineup of local guys that we really wanted at one point, but at this point probably don't want.  Lol.

SLU could assemble an entire lineup of local guys that we really wanted at one point, but at this point probably don't want.  Lol.

He's admitted several times on the pod that he is illiterate and you let him write the episode summaries.  🤣

He's admitted several times on the pod that he is illiterate and you let him write the episode summaries.  🤣

He's admitted several times on the pod that he is illiterate and you let him write the episode summaries.  🤣

Love entered his name in the NBA draft.  I don't think he entered into the transfer portal & his tweet about the draft said he is maintaining his eligibility, but it seems like most expect him to go pro.
I've changed my view on Love.  He is super streaky and takes too many bad shots, but he would very likely wreak havoc in the A10 regardless.  I'd take him in a heartbeat.  He was a major contributor to a #2 seed who made the elite eight.  He gets a bad rap for UNC failing to meet expectations the year after his hot streak helped carry them on a miracle run to the finals.  I don't think he's a chemistry killer.

Why are you limiting the sample size on 3 point shooting to only last season?  Here are the career shooting numbers:
Jimerson: 39.5%
Swope: 38.4%
Avila: 37.2%
Hughes: 36.5%
Thames (small sample): 35.1%