Roundtree and recruiting

[thetorch]

That other thread was too long.

I really want Brad to succeed but I refuse to defend him at every recruiting gaffe.

Roundtree's one problem was grades. He has turned them around this season in order to stay eligible and is on pace to graduate. He has yet to take the ACT of course but will do that probably this spring to give him ample oppurtunity if he doesn't make a good enough score his first time.

This kid is the second coming of Darren Brooks and we missed him. We have offered his teammate Femi John and if we are recruiting Booker it is not very hard as he didn't mention SLU when I talked to him. John is at best of equal talent to Roundtree but IMO Roundtree is better athletically and skills wise across the board. The only real advantage John has over Torres is size, John is really put together and can muscle up on anybody at the HS level whereas Roundtree is a little slight in build yet. Both of them are mid range shooters and slashers their long range game hasn't been developed yet.

Roundtree should have been offered w/John no if ands or buts about it. For those who say there are plenty of recruits to go around or that SLU is going after bigger fish well they are just wrong. Roundtree is the best wing/guard in the area besides Suggs. And depending now on a Suggs get is outrageous. The chances of us getting him are slim with big schools like Washington and Florida after him along with our neighbors Illinois and Missouri in the mix. Roundtree was next the best option and now he's gone. Sure we have Soderberg wrapped up, whoever is talking about Swopshire is off his rocker, he is gone to a bigtime program and if you saw the kid play here unless he has really improved himself he is not the player Roundtree is. Add Roundtree to the list. We all know this 08 recruiting class is do or die for Brad, 10 months till signing period and he already has one strike on him. I wish I could say the future looks better but it doesn't.

[p diddy]

Just to update you. roundtree recently achieved a qualifying score on the ACT.

bad boyz for life

[Westy03]

So what you said is they have about the same amount of talent and athletic ability with the same mid range game. I would take the guy who is more built and taller to finish in traffic. Plus to say this recruiting signing period is already failing when its 10 MONTHS away is just outrageous

[3star_recruit]

>Roundtree's one problem was grades. He has turned them

>around this season in order to stay eligible and is on pace

>to graduate.

Good for Torres! I love to hear about kids turning themselves around academically. Do you know if he has the GPA in the core courses to get through the Clearinghouse? I hear they went up on the credits requirement recently.

>This kid is the second coming of Darren Brooks and we missed

>him.

Is he? Darren Brooks improved by a bunch from his sophomore year to his junior year. Torres is pretty much the same player he was last year.

John is at best of equal talent

>to Roundtree but IMO Roundtree is better athletically and

>skills wise across the board.

Agreed. Plus John has taken a step back this year with his shooting.

> Both of them are mid range

>shooters and slashers their long range game hasn't been

>developed yet.

I agree that both players take a lot of jumpers from mid-range but they don't score much from there. Most of their scoring is from slashing to the goal and finishing in transition.

>

>Roundtree should have been offered w/John no if ands or buts

>about it.

Based on our spotty recruiting record I understand why you feel this way. I guess my question is why does a recruit who has been on the national radar since his freshman year only have serious recruiting interest from SIU, SLU and Indiana St. at the end of his junior season? There has to be more to this story.

> Roundtree is the best wing/guard in the

>area besides Suggs.

Agreed.

>And depending now on a Suggs get is

>outrageous. The chances of us getting him are slim with big

>schools like Washington and Florida after him along with our

>neighbors Illinois and Missouri in the mix.

Well we're expressing serious interest in KC shooting guard Marcus Denmon as well but I agree that Suggs is a longshot. Gateway Tech's Jesse Perry isn't as good as Roundtree but he's close and his upside is higher at 6'7.

[brianstl]

You think it is wise for this program to offer someone who hasn't cleared academically yet? This team has lost too many players already over the past decade that couldn't end up getting in school or staying in school.

I think the Brooks comparison maybe stretching it a bit. He may one day end up getting to that level or he may end up being the next Kern.

.

[kshoe]

>You think it is wise for this program to offer someone who

>hasn't cleared academically yet? This team has lost too

>many players already over the past decade that couldn't end

>up getting in school or staying in school.

>

>I think the Brooks comparison maybe stretching it a bit. He

>may one day end up getting to that level or he may end up

>being the next Kern.

>.

Have you already forgotten that the best player in the program since Larry Hughes (Tommie) is here largely because SLU took a risk on him when he looked like an academic question mark. Sure Roundtree may not be a 4.0 student but if he is talented enough he's probably worth the risk of wasting one of the 9 scholarships we need to fill in the next 2 years.

P-diddy says above that Torres has received a qualifying score so he's probably not even that huge of a risk.

This is just one more example of the Valley coming into our own back-yard and stealing quality players while we chase after superstars with a low probability of signing.

We have 9 scholarships available. This can't be said enough.

[brianstl]

Roundtree has had trouble staying academically eligible. That leads me to question if he will have the necessary credits to be eligible.

I don't mean to question Pdiddy (who always seems to be on top of these things), but isn't the ACT score needed directly related to your GPA? So do we really know if that score will get him cleared with his GPA?

It doesn't help us at all if we are holding one of those 9 scholarships for someone that will never play for us. SIU has much more depth than we have and can take this kind of chance. SLU could not take the chance of guaranteeing a spot now.

[cheeseman]

Brad has said that he wants to sign at least 4 players this spring and as many as 5 the next fall or spring I guess depending on what happens. If Brad had not offered Roundtree yet he probably was not in his top list - not saying he maybe should not have been. I think it is a very early oral committment by the kid and is still a little confusing unless he just had his heart on SIU which is possible.

[thetorch]

I didn't think ACTs were until mid Feb. Did he just take it very recently? There were some rumblings that it might take him 2 or 3 times to achieve the score but if he passed now that is great. No wonder SIU offered him right now. Brad really missed on this one.

[SLUSER]

"brad really missed on this one" and that one, and the other one, and the other one too. this is getting kind of old....

[thetorch]

Torres has improved from last year. He is finishing much better and his defense is much improved. Two years ago Femi was a much better basketball player than Roundtree, since then he has lapped Femi in development.

I don't know how highly regarded Roundtree has been since freshman year. He got some ink cuz he is related to Carrawell but he has been overshadowed by Suggs and Swopshire and even John earlier in his career. Lets face it North is not exactly a basketball hotbed. We've produced maybe 2 D-1 players since the 80s. Reed has upped the profile of the program but he is an Irons lite, if people didn't have to come to him they wouldn't.

Agreeing that Roundtree is the 2nd best area wing it is ridiculous that we never offered him. He may still have gone to SIU but not to give him an offer is ridiculous.

I know Brad is really after Perry but to take a chance on a kid from a city school and not from the Suburban North is dumb. Even with academic difficulties Roundtree is better prepared for college than any kid in the city going to North. The academic questions become moot when youa re after kids from the city.

[3star_recruit]

"I don't know how highly regarded Roundtree has been since freshman year. He got some ink cuz he is related to Carrawell but he has been overshadowed by Suggs and Swopshire and even John earlier in his career."

I'm sorry, you're just wrong on this one. Torres scored 30 points and pulled down 15 rebounds in a varsity game as a freshman. John never approached anything like that. Torres got invited to the prestigious Nike Hoop Jamboree after his freshmen season. John has never received an invitation.

"Even with academic difficulties Roundtree is better prepared for college than any kid in the city going to North."

In general, sure, but it depends on the student. Polk went to school in the city and he's a good student. Randal Falker is a very good student and he went to Gateway Tech, same school as Perry.

[Nate Latsch]

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

[thetorch]

>I'm sorry, you're just wrong on this one. Torres scored 30

>points and pulled down 15 rebounds in a varsity game as a

>freshman. John never approached anything like that. Torres

>got invited to the prestigious Nike Hoop Jamboree after his

>freshmen season. John has never received an invitation.

John has been a consistent starter his whole career. Roundtree even when he was eligible did not get much time early on. 30 points 15 rebounds is nice but that is one game. Roundtree wasn't eligible some games and for various reasons Reed didn't play him when he was. Now AAU and camps are different but if you were just watching HS games you would have seen alot more of John than Roundtree. John had a helluva game in loss against Vashon in the playoffs his freshman year. Roundtree wasn't around.

[SluSignGuy]

I don't know much about recruiting, but between the two threads if both Nate and diddy say that we should have offered....I raise an eyebrow

[thetorch]

I guess it is possible that Soderberg just didn't like Roundtree, but unless we get Suggs we won't get a guard better than him. Nate is right that other guys will go to Carbondale with him, maybe John and Booker, his teammates.

[kshoe]

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.

[Nate Latsch]

>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

[slu72]

whether Roundtree would help, I'm just thinking we'll all be scratching our heads when he plays against us in 2-3 years. Like someone said above, trust pdiddy and Nate's judgement, who are calling it a miss. Especially if SLU was his first choice. I don't think to win in the A-10 requires top 150 players. Also, a lot of non-BCS schools are finding success by keeping guys in school for 4 years. This is the type of team we need to build here. SIU has done it for six years now (they'll be dancing come March)and we most likely will not. There is a formula here but for some reason, we haven't found it. I'm hoping UB finds success w/ the '08 class, but right now it's a dream. One other thing, we offered Femi John, why hasn't he verballed?

[slu72]

I got some old air sick bags....you need one?

[Griffster]

Femi plays for Gateway. Gateway kids never get invited to a Nike event.

But even that is a moot point. There are no more Nike events or Adidas events for that matter.

[VTIME]

>

>>I'm sorry, you're just wrong on this one. Torres scored 30

>>points and pulled down 15 rebounds in a varsity game as a

>>freshman. John never approached anything like that. Torres

>>got invited to the prestigious Nike Hoop Jamboree after his

>>freshmen season. John has never received an invitation.

>

>John has been a consistent starter his whole career.

>Roundtree even when he was eligible did not get much time

>early on. 30 points 15 rebounds is nice but that is one

>game. Roundtree wasn't eligible some games and for various

>reasons Reed didn't play him when he was. Now AAU and camps

>are different but if you were just watching HS games you

>would have seen alot more of John than Roundtree. John had

>a helluva game in loss against Vashon in the playoffs his

>freshman year. Roundtree wasn't around.

You say he didnt get much time early on! He scored 19 pts the 1st game of his freshman season with 7 rebs, 6asts. John scored 2 pts. Game 2 he went scoreless with8rebs, 6asts, Femi didnt play. Game 3 of his freshman season, 30pts 10rebs, 10asts, a triple double. What are you talking about, and once again Femi didnt play. Game 4 he had a modest game, Femi didnt play. Game 5, bad game for Torres, Femi doesnt get in. Game 9, he leads the team to victory with 7 points. Neither of them played in game 8. Game 10, Torres 9, Femi didnt get in. Then I think Torres was inelible after the Christmas tourney. This post is not to knock Femi as he a heckuva player that I'm glad Brad offered, but you are wrong in your post. He only played in 4 games his freshman season, and he didnt play in the game against Vashon. Here is the boxscore. http://prepsports3.stltoday.com/basketball...chedule155.shtm

And here is a link to the stats and boxscores from their freshman season.

http://prepsports3.stltoday.com/basketball...overall155.shtm

They went about 10 or 11 deep that year. They played Vashon tough.

[VTIME]

>I guess it is possible that Soderberg just didn't like

>Roundtree, but unless we get Suggs we won't get a guard

>better than him. Nate is right that other guys will go to

>Carbondale with him, maybe John and Booker, his teammates.

Just what I was thinking. I figured it was pretty much understood that they would follow him as long as the school offered all 3. A lot of schools have offered 2 of the 3. Either Illinois State or Missouri State offered all 3. It was on mosports over the summer. I wish I could remember which one. Maybe I'll ask on that board later. I do find it odd that Brad would offer Femi and not Torres. Why not both. I doubt it would've scared off Scott Suggs who knows he'll play a lot regardless of who comes to SLU in his class. His commitment is currently on the frontpage of scouthoops.com http://scouthoops.scout.com/

[KC Billikens Fan]

Somebody provided a list last week of about 16 potential SLU recruits and listed a forward named Lucas O'Rear on the Nashville, Illinois team that is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state.

He chose Northern Iowa.

[VTIME]

That was me and I knew he chose them. I was just making a point that SLU didnt want him and a tourney team like Northern Iowa did. After listening to some Bills fan, I can see where they were coming from because SLU had 3 freshman pf's in AK, HD, and Obi. I dont think there is anyway Brad could've known that things would've turned out as they have.