slu loses recruit to drake

[bills16]

Colleges: Drake men's basketball lands recruit

By ANDREW LOGUE REGISTER STAFF WRITER

September 17, 2008 01:00 AM

The Drake men's basketball team has received a verbal commitment from Aaron Hawley, a small forward for Rogers High School in Arkansas. "After I took a visit," Hawley said, "I loved the relationship with the players and coaches."

The 6-foot-7, 195-pound Hawley averaged 16 points and five rebounds as a prep junior. He received scholarship offers from Saint Louis and Belmont. He also considered Yale and Air Force.

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[bauman]

Colleges: Drake men's basketball lands recruit

By ANDREW LOGUE REGISTER STAFF WRITER

September 17, 2008 01:00 AM

The Drake men's basketball team has received a verbal commitment from Aaron Hawley, a small forward for Rogers High School in Arkansas. "After I took a visit," Hawley said, "I loved the relationship with the players and coaches."

The 6-foot-7, 195-pound Hawley averaged 16 points and five rebounds as a prep junior. He received scholarship offers from Saint Louis and Belmont. He also considered Yale and Air Force.

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This guy seems like a clone of J. Smith who verballed to us Monday. I would bet that we withdrew the offer to him once JS verballed.

[Billikan]

I find it interesting that the coaches have to deal with a lot of these situations. We get Smith after X gets a commitment from a similar player and then this fellow moves on after we get the commitment from Smith.

[Clock_Tower]

I find it interesting that the coaches have to deal with a lot of these situations. We get Smith after X gets a commitment from a similar player and then this fellow moves on after we get the commitment from Smith.

You're right. Even more reason why I'm glad that RM knows when to stop pursuing a kid and hates to come in second place because by then, the next or back-up kid(s) are gone as well. Second place means you need to find a replacement in the Spring, you have lost all leverage and you are now competing with the BCS schools who need one last guy -- see Stemler, Harrelson, etc.

[billiken_roy]

You're right. Even more reason why I'm glad that RM knows when to stop pursuing a kid and hates to come in second place because by then, the next or back-up kid(s) are gone as well. Second place means you need to find a replacement in the Spring, you have lost all leverage and you are now competing with the BCS schools who need one last guy -- see Stemler, Harrelson, etc.

for the most part i agree. rickma has indeed shown great judgement on when to move forward. rickma obviously did the right thing with the likes of suggs and brandenberg and got out early. however he played the harrelson card to the end. again it makes one wonder what information he was getting on that one.

[ACE]

for the most part i agree. rickma has indeed shown great judgement on when to move forward. rickma obviously did the right thing with the likes of suggs and brandenberg and got out early. however he played the harrelson card to the end. again it makes one wonder what information he was getting on that one.

Is this a criticism of Majerus? If so, it doesn't seem to make any sense. How can you blame RM for going after Harrelson 'til the end? SLU was in his final two. The kid seemed torn and he had recently visited SLU prior to making his final decision. I think RM had good reason to believe he had a legit shot with Harrellson.

[billiken_roy]

Is this a criticism of Majerus? If so, it doesn't seem to make any sense. How can you blame RM for going after Harrelson 'til the end? SLU was in his final two. The kid seemed torn and he had recently visited SLU prior to making his final decision. I think RM had good reason to believe he had a legit shot with Harrellson.

no it is not a criticism of rickma. i am of the belief that rickma was likely led to believe harrelson was a done deal. otherwise a lot of his actions like cutting more players than he had to make little sense.

i think based on other rickma actions on top recruits, rickma truly believed it wasnt going to come down to a choice ever. i think if he did, he would have cut his ties just like he did with suggs and brandenberg.

[Clock_Tower]

Also, nothing was lost by going to the end with Harrelson. Harrelson signed with Kentucky the end of the Spring signing period and I believe an additonal scholarship was available.

[slu72]

Also, nothing was lost by going to the end with Harrelson. Harrelson signed with Kentucky the end of the Spring signing period and I believe an additonal scholarship was available.

I don't think the Harrelson deal played any role in RM cutting the 4 guys released in the spring. Is Broy inferring that maybe AK would have been kept? I doubt it. There was every reason to go after JH hard. UK entered late into what looked like a lock for us. Don't be surprised if this is the last we'll hear about JH. According to my UK friend, UK has a lot better bigs than JH and his time on the floor will be extremely limited. Now whether RM would consider another go around with him is another matter.

[Majerus Magic]

no it is not a criticism of rickma. i am of the belief that rickma was likely led to believe harrelson was a done deal. otherwise a lot of his actions like cutting more players than he had to make little sense.

i think based on other rickma actions on top recruits, rickma truly believed it wasnt going to come down to a choice ever. i think if he did, he would have cut his ties just like he did with suggs and brandenberg.

JH was considering slu right up until the end.

[Clock_Tower]

I don't think the Harrelson deal played any role in RM cutting the 4 guys released in the spring. Is Broy inferring that maybe AK would have been kept? I doubt it. There was every reason to go after JH hard. UK entered late into what looked like a lock for us. Don't be surprised if this is the last we'll hear about JH. According to my UK friend, UK has a lot better bigs than JH and his time on the floor will be extremely limited. Now whether RM would consider another go around with him is another matter.

Not intending to speak for Roy, but, Yes, I believe several have suggested that RM looks a bit foolish having cut so many and yet not replacing them all. Personally, I believe that Harrelson had nothing to do the 4 guys released. In fact, I think all 4 were going to be released no matter how many guys we had on our team. To keep AK if Harrelson does not come would be to use AK. Frankly, I think RM uses players in that way. Is he harsh? Absolutely. Instead, I think he made the judgment that AK could not help him so he was released. Step 2 was then trying to replace the open spots.

[slufanskip]

Not intending to speak for Roy, but, Yes, I believe several have suggested that RM looks a bit foolish having cut so many and yet not replacing them all. Personally, I believe that Harrelson had nothing to do the 4 guys released. In fact, I think all 4 were going to be released no matter how many guys we had on our team. To keep AK if Harrelson does not come would be to use AK. Frankly, I think RM uses players in that way. Is he harsh? Absolutely. Instead, I think he made the judgment that AK could not help him so he was released. Step 2 was then trying to replace the open spots.

I agree with that 100%. To have kept him or anyone of them on the roster knowing they probably wouldn't play at all .... would have been a disservice to them by preventing them from moving on to situations that are better fits for them.

As to whether any of them are actually good enough that they should get playing time ... I would suspect that RM has a better idea of that than any of us.

[Cowboy]

Personally, I believe that Harrelson had nothing to do the 4 guys released. In fact, I think all 4 were going to be released no matter how many guys we had on our team.

Instead, I think he made the judgment that AK could not help him so he was released. Step 2 was then trying to replace the open spots.

I agree Clock

[Guest BillikenReport]

I agree Clock

SLU was also careful not to throw scholarship offers to just anybody to try to fill spots during that period. Well, besides the one given to a practice player.

[GOSLU68]

SLU was also careful not to throw scholarship offers to just anybody to try to fill spots during that period. Well, besides the one given to a practice player.

AK was the only player who played hard out of the 4; AM being excepted for being hurt too much of the season-I still liked his speed-but all 4 were bricklayers and you don't need back to the basket centers who

are 6-7 or 6-8 like AK and MR; I think AK's time was over when late in the season he ran from one side of the floor to the other to set a pick and made contact and the player fell over.

Cutting 4 players was a signal to all who follow-have the talent and play hard or find another school. These were all good kids and coach did the right thing by them to let them play elsewhere. We need 8 or 9 players who can recognize their team mates and contribute-not just take up minutes

[William Iken]

SLU was also careful not to throw scholarship offers to just anybody to try to fill spots during that period. Well, besides the one given to a practice player.

Nice lead in...I can't believe more of you guys aren't upset about the scholarship on a practice player (esp. when you're upset over free hot dogs!). I understand from a basketball perspective that the team had an open scholarship so why not use it, but from a university perspective it was a waste of $30,000-plus. With tuition costs beating inflation by several points a year, I personally find this a complete waste of university resources.

Rant officially over...