prep school an option?

[NH]

Could Willie go to prep school for a yar to make up this credits develop his game and get stronger. That would spread out this class a little. Seems like a good solutin to me.

P.S>]. I looked at jucojunctions top 200 ratings and It showed the bills with interest in only one guy. 6'5 sf Billy Rush. I am hoping this summer brings more recruiting progress.

[Dungeon Yankee]

Could Willie go to prep school for a yar to make up this credits develop his game and get stronger. That would spread out this class a little. Seems like a good solutin to me.

P.S>]. I looked at jucojunctions top 200 ratings and It showed the bills with interest in only one guy. 6'5 sf Billy Rush. I am hoping this summer brings more recruiting progress.

Wouldn't his recruitment be opened up again just like in the TL situation? There is no guarantee we get him the second time around.

[slu72]

Wouldn't his recruitment be opened up again just like in the TL situation? There is no guarantee we get him the second time around.

I'm not expert on these things, but am pretty sure it would. It's not like the JH case where he opted out but had qualified. I think if a kid doesn't qualify it nullifies the LOI. Which is what happened to TL and opened the door for UNLV to jump all over him. I'm hoping both RC and WR somehow find a way to make it this fall. If RC has to go prep, who knows where he ends up. He seems to love SLU, so am not too concerned but supposedly JH was in love with us too, and how'd that work out for us? For some reason, it's like SLU is cursed when it comes to recruiting.

[cheeseman]

I'm not expert on these things, but am pretty sure it would. It's not like the JH case where he opted out but had qualified. I think if a kid doesn't qualify it nullifies the LOI. Which is what happened to TL and opened the door for UNLV to jump all over him. I'm hoping both RC and WR somehow find a way to make it this fall. If RC has to go prep, who knows where he ends up. He seems to love SLU, so am not too concerned but supposedly JH was in love with us too, and how'd that work out for us? For some reason, it's like SLU is cursed when it comes to recruiting.

It would reopen his recruitment. I still think that he can make up the missing classes - what is more of concern is we don't know yet if he has the appropriate ACT score.

[3star_recruit]

P.S>]. I looked at jucojunctions top 200 ratings and It showed the bills with interest in only one guy. 6'5 sf Billy Rush. I am hoping this summer brings more recruiting progress.

Decent big men are the most hard to find players in all of college basketball. If we haven't landed a starting five after two signing periods, I really hope we just concentrate on to the 2009 class. We've still got 4 schollies to fill even if Cotto and Reed qualify and our primary targets are getting gobbled up like Pac-Man pellets.

[Clock_Tower]

Decent big men are the most hard to find players in all of college basketball. If we haven't landed a starting five after two signing periods, I really hope we just concentrate on to the 2009 class. We've still got 4 schollies to fill even if Cotto and Reed qualify and our primary targets are getting gobbled up like Pac-Man pellets.

3star. You cannot count last spring as the first of 2 signing periods. Also, what do you consider BT: a 4, a non-starting 5 or not "decent"? As discussed on this Board, I recall BT having been suggested as being the starter and WR as being the "longshot", "project" or "redshirt" due to his need to add weight and muscle to his frame.

[jjray]

3star. You cannot count last spring as the first of 2 signing periods. Also, what do you consider BT: a 4, a non-starting 5 or not "decent"? As discussed on this Board, I recall BT having been suggested as being the starter and WR as being the "longshot", "project" or "redshirt" due to his need to add weight and muscle to his frame.

Do you think Brett's body is ready to log 25-30 minutes a game in the A10? In the perfect scenario, we would have had a JUCO or other big who could give us 20-25 solid minutes a night at the 5 to allow Brett to easy into D1 b-ball. But we don't currently have that luxury so, unless Rick materializes a serviceable center out of thin air, Brett starts and logs big minutes by default. I think 3Stat is staying that it is pretty much pointless to spin our wheels looking for a center this late in the 2008 recruiting cycle. All the good ones are long gone. And we have 4 open scholarships to fill for 2009 so we better get on the hump with the 2009 class as the sands are slipping through the hourglass.

[Clock_Tower]

Do you think Brett's body is ready to log 25-30 minutes a game in the A10? In the perfect scenario, we would have had a JUCO or other big who could give us 20-25 solid minutes a night at the 5 to allow Brett to easy into D1 b-ball. But we don't currently have that luxury so, unless Rick materializes a serviceable center out of thin air, Brett starts and logs big minutes by default. I think 3Stat is staying that it is pretty much pointless to spin our wheels looking for a center this late in the 2008 recruiting cycle. All the good ones are long gone. And we have 4 open scholarships to fill for 2009 so we better get on the hump with the 2009 class as the sands are slipping through the hourglass.

I have never seen BT play. Nonetheless, I'd suggest that he is more ready to log 25-30 than BH was last year.

I always second guessed Brad and RM as to why did not have an oxygen tank on the sidelines for BH. Two trips up and down the floor, BH needed to come out. Without a stoppage of play, I feared for BH's safety - and that was after BH bulked up that redshirt year and then was groomed for 3 years under IV.

[cheeseman]

Decent big men are the most hard to find players in all of college basketball. If we haven't landed a starting five after two signing periods, I really hope we just concentrate on to the 2009 class. We've still got 4 schollies to fill even if Cotto and Reed qualify and our primary targets are getting gobbled up like Pac-Man pellets.

Assuming that all who sign qualify then I think we only have 2 schollies left this year. Now if you are counting TL and KL then you could get 4 that way but you are also forgetting about BE.

[Cowboy]

Do you think Brett's body is ready to log 25-30 minutes a game in the A10? In the perfect scenario, we would have had a JUCO or other big who could give us 20-25 solid minutes a night at the 5 to allow Brett to easy into D1 b-ball. But we don't currently have that luxury so, unless Rick materializes a serviceable center out of thin air, Brett starts and logs big minutes by default. I think 3Stat is staying that it is pretty much pointless to spin our wheels looking for a center this late in the 2008 recruiting cycle. All the good ones are long gone. And we have 4 open scholarships to fill for 2009 so we better get on the hump with the 2009 class as the sands are slipping through the hourglass.

i was impressed with his size upper body wise at the all star game, i was anticipating someone much leaner

i do not recall how he got up and the down the floor, but that could (could) mean i was not an issue

BT has 3 solid months of summer school and working out in our new facilities to help him get minutes

[GOSLU68]

i was impressed with his size upper body wise at the all star game, i was anticipating someone much leaner

i do not recall how he got up and the down the floor, but that could (could) mean i was not an issue

BT has 3 solid months of summer school and working out in our new facilities to help him get minutes

he got up and down the floor with ease; he rebounded and he looked competent. Bigs do not get the ball forced into them by the gunners in these

all star games; RC for instance was shooting from 7-10 feet behind the 3 point line. That won't happen too often with RM coaching unless he shoots 40%

from back there. BT did not look like a "specimen" but he did hold his own against a very quick fut skinny John Brandenberg in my opinion.

[mtripp]

I have never seen BT play. Nonetheless, I'd suggest that he is more ready to log 25-30 than BH was last year.

I always second guessed Brad and RM as to why did not have an oxygen tank on the sidelines for BH. Two trips up and down the floor, BH needed to come out. Without a stoppage of play, I feared for BH's safety - and that was after BH bulked up that redshirt year and then was groomed for 3 years under IV.

You my friend are in for a huge shock when you see how overrated BT really is!

[jimbofive]

You my friend are in for a huge shock when you see how overrated BT really is!

He said he just saw him. Shut up with the broccoli.

[saluki762]

He said he just saw him. Shut up with the broccoli.

I am not going to get into the BT debate but Clock_Tower's exact quote was "I have never seen BT play." therefore I would read into that as saying that he has never seen him, not that he just saw him.

OK, now I am going to get into the BT debate. I have seen him play twice. I think he will eventually be good for SLU. That said, anyone who thinks he is going to come in and contribute anything consistently during his Fr. season is probably setting themselves up for disappointment. As SIU saw this year with Carlton Fay (who was the Illinois Class A player of the year last year, something BT cannot claim), the jump from small town class A ball in Illinois to big time division 1 basketball is quite a transition.

BT will be fine, as will KC, just don't expect a whole lot next year.

[kmbilliken]

From what I saw in the allstar game he will be an immediate upgrade over BH. He will not step in and be a force, but he will be better than what we had. By big man standards he looked coordinated, could handle the ball well enough and showed a nice looking hook that didn't go in but had good form as I recall. If RM is a true developer of big men, he should be able to develope this guy into a good 5.

[brianstl]

I am not going to get into the BT debate but Clock_Tower's exact quote was "I have never seen BT play." therefore I would read into that as saying that he has never seen him, not that he just saw him.

OK, now I am going to get into the BT debate. I have seen him play twice. I think he will eventually be good for SLU. That said, anyone who thinks he is going to come in and contribute anything consistently during his Fr. season is probably setting themselves up for disappointment. As SIU saw this year with Carlton Fay (who was the Illinois Class A player of the year last year, something BT cannot claim), the jump from small town class A ball in Illinois to big time division 1 basketball is quite a transition.

BT will be fine, as will KC, just don't expect a whole lot next year.

I got to agree here. I will be pleasantly surprised if BT has a huge impact on the team this coming season, especially early on. The D-1 game is going to be a huge adjustment for him. It could be ugly at first, but he has the skills to be a very good player as he adjusts to the game. He will get minutes out of necessity, but it he will look out of place at times.

[Clock_Tower]

I am not going to get into the BT debate but Clock_Tower's exact quote was "I have never seen BT play." therefore I would read into that as saying that he has never seen him, not that he just saw him.

OK, now I am going to get into the BT debate. I have seen him play twice. I think he will eventually be good for SLU. That said, anyone who thinks he is going to come in and contribute anything consistently during his Fr. season is probably setting themselves up for disappointment. As SIU saw this year with Carlton Fay (who was the Illinois Class A player of the year last year, something BT cannot claim), the jump from small town class A ball in Illinois to big time division 1 basketball is quite a transition.

BT will be fine, as will KC, just don't expect a whole lot next year.

I thought I was clear but let me be more clear. First, I have never watched BT play.

Second, in all the years I have watched college basketball, I have never seen a player have such little stamina as BH showed his entire career.

Third, Tripp, BT may, in fact, be horrible as you want him to be. I have never seen him and am not suggesting he will be the next Wilt Chamberlin (pick your player). I suspect BT has some talent to go along with his size, but like most bigs, needs to add strength and size, along with experience as he receives the best instruction from one of the best coaches with a track record of success with big men. I have been, and will continue to be patient for a youngster with some talent and some upside. Guys, though, who cannot run up and down the floor without an oxygen tank, though, I have no patience. BH was even quoted awhile back that he never really tried to get in shape before RM because he new he would only get a few minutes as IV's back up. I am tired of watching dead wood sit on the bench and act like they are trying. It will be sad to lose TL and KL to graduation but I did not shed any tears last year.

Tripp. If you have personally watched BT and believe he cannot run up and down the court 5 times without begging to come out of the game, please post a response. Othewise, enjoy your Salukis team and goodbye.

[billiken_roy]

tripp, who on this board has proclaimed thompson as some sort of immediate impact star as you seem intent on accusing?

i think most believe he will be an upgrade on bryce and leave it at that. most of us are smart enough not to highly tout a player as to what they will accomplish in college as we have lived through the likes of ricky cranford. but thanks for your weekly obsession of ripping brett on billikens.com.

one last question, did brett steal your prom date or something? you have to admit your consistency to rip on this yet to play youngster is quite scary.

[jjray]

Roy, putting Brett Thompson in context, it's really hard to project bigs. We all remember what Ian V. looked like when he arrived on campus for his freshman season and Sodie proclaimed he'd be one of the best big men ever to play at SLU. We all rolled our eyes. Sodie was right but it took several years for his talent to translate onto the D1 court. Brett Thompson has more physical tools than Ian V. But Ian became a very skilled big by his junior / senior seasons. Will Brett progress to that level? Only time will tell.

Rick has named Brett Thompson his starting center. It won't be pretty but hopefully Brett will hang tough and progress as the season wears on. I don't expect much from him is freshman season.

[billiken_roy]

Roy, putting Brett Thompson in context, it's really hard to project bigs. We all remember what Ian V. looked like when he arrived on campus for his freshman season and Sodie proclaimed he'd be one of the best big men ever to play at SLU. We all rolled our eyes. Sodie was right but it took several years for his talent to translate onto the D1 court. Brett Thompson has more physical tools than Ian V. But Ian became a very skilled big by his junior / senior seasons. Will Brett progress to that level? Only time will tell.

Rick has named Brett Thompson his starting center. It won't be pretty but hopefully Brett will hang tough and progress as the season wears on. I don't expect much from him is freshman season.

jjray, i totally agree with your take. my point was only to say that i dont think anyone is saying or expecting kevin durrant or kevin love as this tripp guy likes to insinuate weekly we are expecting that. i think the extent of our expectations is he will be better than bryce and beyond that we are all playing wait and see.

[3star_recruit]

Assuming that all who sign qualify then I think we only have 2 schollies left this year. Now if you are counting TL and KL then you could get 4 that way but you are also forgetting about BE.

You're right, if we don't sign a center and the other kids qualify, we'll have 5 to fill for 2009. Worst case, we'll have to fill 7. Even more reason to focus on 2009 while there are still good bigs on the board.