Cody Ellis signing update

[Guest BillikenReport]

I don't think the paperwork will get finalized for Cody Ellis signing his letter of intent today, though it's nothing to worry about.

More here: http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=437&f=1334&t=4223544

[Kbrew]

I don't think the paperwork will get finalized for Cody Ellis signing his letter of intent today, though it's nothing to worry about.

More here: http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=437&f=1334&t=4223544

Thanks for the update, Nate. I was starting to wonder.

[GOSLU68]

Thanks for the update, Nate. I was starting to wonder.

Thanks for update

Don't want to be accused of being a ditto head but I think when he comes

To SLU we will be better at the 4 and 5 and CS and others will strengthen us

at the 1 so the real question for me is what coach will find to work with at the

2 and 3 hopefully, we will have better height, KL type desire, TL type talent

[SLUDrew]

Thanks for update

Don't want to be accused of being a ditto head but I think when he comes

To SLU we will be better at the 4 and 5 and CS and others will strengthen us

at the 1 so the real question for me is what coach will find to work with at the

2 and 3 hopefully, we will have better height, KL type desire, TL type talent

I think we will have plenty to work with at the 2. Cassity, Jeff Reid (recently named Mr Kansas basketball), Femi John, and Salecich will all see minutes at the 2. In fact, we may have so much depth there, Coach could redshirt a player if he wanted to.

In my mind we need to sign another PG. He doesn't need to possess KM's skill set, just be strong with the ball and a good on-the-ball defender. I realize it has been noted that CS can play the point if needed but he is much more comfortable at the 2 I believe

[Cowboy]

-we have about 90 minutes a game to be filled, or 45% of the total time, some will come from players already here adding to their totals but a chunk will also go to incoming frosh and it will be neat i think to watch it evolve

-so there is plenty of opportunity for whoever wants to seize it

-i long for the days when we are not matching our opponent but we are forcing them to try to match us, i hope those days come.......and soon

[Guest BillikenReport]

Thanks for update

Don't want to be accused of being a ditto head but I think when he comes

To SLU we will be better at the 4 and 5 and CS and others will strengthen us

at the 1 so the real question for me is what coach will find to work with at the

2 and 3 hopefully, we will have better height, KL type desire, TL type talent

Ellis will probably be best at the 4. Salecich is a 2 that can play some at the 1.

I expect Cassity, John, Salecich, Reid and Eckerle to see time at the 2, with the first four there also playing some 3 in the mold of Liddell because I don't see a definite answer at the 3 right away. (Maybe Smith is the guy down the line, though).

[ACE]

I think we will have plenty to work with at the 2. Cassity, Jeff Reid (recently named Mr Kansas basketball), Femi John, and Salecich will all see minutes at the 2. In fact, we may have so much depth there, Coach could redshirt a player if he wanted to.

In my mind we need to sign another PG. He doesn't need to possess KM's skill set, just be strong with the ball and a good on-the-ball defender. I realize it has been noted that CS can play the point if needed but he is much more comfortable at the 2 I believe

I like the idea of developing Cassity at the point, unless he can improve his scoring and in particular 3-point shooting. He seems to be a good passer who makes good decisions. I worry about the team's ability to shoot the 3 with the departure of Cotto and the graduation of Cotto. Hopefully Salecich and Reid can provide that. It was encouraging to see Mitchell improve his shot. While not a great natural shooter, he became pretty effective and somebody that defenses would have to account for.

[GOSLU68]

Ellis will probably be best at the 4. Salecich is a 2 that can play some at the 1.

I expect Cassity, John, Salecich, Reid and Eckerle to see time at the 2, with the first four there also playing some 3 in the mold of Liddell because I don't see a definite answer at the 3 right away. (Maybe Smith is the guy down the line, though).

OK is today, tomorrow, or the 17th the day we expect recruits to sign? Can and will they (including any Australians) be on campus for summer school or use of the red center or practise courts for unspervised pick up games?

[Quality Is Job 1]

I like the idea of developing Cassity at the point, unless he can improve his scoring and in particular 3-point shooting. He seems to be a good passer who makes good decisions. I worry about the team's ability to shoot the 3 with the departure of Cotto and the graduation of Cotto. Hopefully Salecich and Reid can provide that. It was encouraging to see Mitchell improve his shot. While not a great natural shooter, he became pretty effective and somebody that defenses would have to account for.

Don't you mean Lisch?

[Taj79]

To steal a hockey phrase, the biggest question is who puts the biscuit in the basket? Cassity showed a reluctance to shoot last year. Reid looks great right now, but wasn't Dwayne Polk some sort of all-something in high school? Wasn't Donnie Adkins Mr. West Virginia basketball when we got him? Wasn't Jamal Walker Wichita's big name when he signed with us? All I'm saying is give it time. Don't make assumptions. With the dearth of scoring options on this team, if Femi John is a scorer, where was he last year? He could've been yanked off the redshirt year at any time as I recall.

As for Cassity at the point, I don't know. I too liked what I saw with the kid's court savvy and awareness. He appears to be a great gym rat and very scholarly in terms of court and game awareness. But even Kevin Lisch, who was more of a point than I perceived Cassity to be, got his pocket picked at least a half dozen times as I watched last year. Kevin's ability to dribble was less than that of Mitchell's, but more than that of Liddell's by about 5 or 10 percent and about 75% better than what I saw Kyle present. A point guard has to be able to get the ball into the half court pretty quickly and I'm not saying Kyle can't or won't develop that, I just didn't see that part of his game as available last year. of court, Ryan Leuchtefeld played a great point forward so there is hope for such a hybrid role. And Andrew Latimore was also an Aussie.

Reed averaged what 7 ppg. Conklin 6 ppg. Mitchell was somewhere around 12 or 13 ppg? That's about 25 or 26 points per game returning. The rest will come from Freshmen or some epiphany from Thompson and Cassity. That's one heck of a leap of faith to take. I believe answers will be forthcoming as practice labors on and talents are "discovered." But this is really the main reason Majerus talks about year three with his recruits in place. Last year was a nice foundation but it isn't the end all. More pieces need to be added this year with development of the returning pieces ongoing. Folks that want a gourmet steak are only seeing a sprout rising up from the ground --- never mind it still hasn't turned into corn with which to feed the calf to turn it into a cow and then get steak.

That's why I fully expect the ridiculous Rick bashing to continue for some more time.

[Guest BillikenReport]

OK is today, tomorrow, or the 17th the day we expect recruits to sign? Can and will they (including any Australians) be on campus for summer school or use of the red center or practise courts for unspervised pick up games?

The Ellis signing will likely be announced by the school tomorrow (Thursday), after all the paperwork goes through.

Salecich and Ellis probably won't arrive in St. Louis until the start of the fall semester because of their involvement with the AUS junior national team this summer.

[davidnark]

With the dearth of scoring options on this team, if Femi John is a scorer, where was he last year? He could've been yanked off the redshirt year at any time as I recall.

Sometime in late December or early January, Majerus said that he would love to pull Femi off redshirt and that he could definitely help the team then. However, Majerus went on to explain that, while the decision would help the team in the short-term, it was not the best long-term decision for Femi or the program. I respect Majerus for taking the long-term approach and not panicking.

[STL Hoops Insider]

To steal a hockey phrase, the biggest question is who puts the biscuit in the basket? Cassity showed a reluctance to shoot last year. Reid looks great right now, but wasn't Dwayne Polk some sort of all-something in high school? Wasn't Donnie Adkins Mr. West Virginia basketball when we got him? Wasn't Jamal Walker Wichita's big name when he signed with us? All I'm saying is give it time. Don't make assumptions. With the dearth of scoring options on this team, if Femi John is a scorer, where was he last year? He could've been yanked off the redshirt year at any time as I recall.

As for Cassity at the point, I don't know. I too liked what I saw with the kid's court savvy and awareness. He appears to be a great gym rat and very scholarly in terms of court and game awareness. But even Kevin Lisch, who was more of a point than I perceived Cassity to be, got his pocket picked at least a half dozen times as I watched last year. Kevin's ability to dribble was less than that of Mitchell's, but more than that of Liddell's by about 5 or 10 percent and about 75% better than what I saw Kyle present. A point guard has to be able to get the ball into the half court pretty quickly and I'm not saying Kyle can't or won't develop that, I just didn't see that part of his game as available last year. of court, Ryan Leuchtefeld played a great point forward so there is hope for such a hybrid role. And Andrew Latimore was also an Aussie.

Reed averaged what 7 ppg. Conklin 6 ppg. Mitchell was somewhere around 12 or 13 ppg? That's about 25 or 26 points per game returning. The rest will come from Freshmen or some epiphany from Thompson and Cassity. That's one heck of a leap of faith to take. I believe answers will be forthcoming as practice labors on and talents are "discovered." But this is really the main reason Majerus talks about year three with his recruits in place. Last year was a nice foundation but it isn't the end all. More pieces need to be added this year with development of the returning pieces ongoing. Folks that want a gourmet steak are only seeing a sprout rising up from the ground --- never mind it still hasn't turned into corn with which to feed the calf to turn it into a cow and then get steak.

That's why I fully expect the ridiculous Rick bashing to continue for some more time.

I believe Femi may have been banged up too. I think he's currently dealing with an injury right now.

[jjray]

I believe Femi may have been banged up too. I think he's currently dealing with an injury right now.

Femi had knee surgery in 2009. Best wishes to Femi for recovering. He brings a toughness and athleticism that could be used at 3 (assuming he makes a full recovery). Cassity better be shooting a couple hundred threes a day. He has to be able to knock down the open jumper to play guard on this team, period.

[Clock_Tower]

Thanks for update

Don't want to be accused of being a ditto head but I think when he comes

To SLU we will be better at the 4 and 5 and CS and others will strengthen us

at the 1 so the real question for me is what coach will find to work with at the

2 and 3 hopefully, we will have better height, KL type desire, TL type talent

Yes. W/o diminishing the contributions of TL and KL this past year (I know about KL's clutch shooting, TL's rebounds, etc.) neither one put up offensive numbers/points which cannot be reached by a committee of younger players. Towards the end of the year, TL seemed to average 6 ppg and KL would not have reached double figures in many games were it not for his being fouled and hitting 7 or 8 FTs at the end of the games. Both TL and KL, I believe, averaged more than 35 minutes per game and yet did not regularly put up 20 ppg.

If we can get 10 to 12 ppg from both the 2 and the 3 positions, then with improvement at the 1, 4 and 5, we should have a really good and fun year.

[Guest BillikenReport]

Sometime in late December or early January, Majerus said that he would love to pull Femi off redshirt and that he could definitely help the team then. However, Majerus went on to explain that, while the decision would help the team in the short-term, it was not the best long-term decision for Femi or the program. I respect Majerus for taking the long-term approach and not panicking.

This is how it happened.

Majerus made the best decision for the kid, not for himself or even for the team (because they could have used him).

[cheeseman]

This is how it happened.

Majerus made the best decision for the kid, not for himself or even for the team (because they could have used him).

No wait that can not be - we all know that RM is a mean and crude person who only cares about himself - at least that is what some would lead us to believe.

[Cowboy]

No wait that can not be - we all know that RM is a mean and crude person who only cares about himself - at least that is what some would lead us to believe.

-and i bet he made femi eat with team at his house....the horror!!!!

[Guest BillikenReport]

No wait that can not be - we all know that RM is a mean and crude person who only cares about himself - at least that is what some would lead us to believe.

For all the opinions here about the coach, this is one tangible example of when the coach had a decision to make — do what is best for the kid or do what is best for the coach and the team in the short term — and he chose to do what was best for the kid.

[Guest BillikenReport]

The paperwork is done. Ellis is signed.

http://saintlouis.scout.com/2/857064.html

[Quality Is Job 1]

The paperwork is done. Ellis is signed.

http://saintlouis.scout.com/2/857064.html

And so: http://slubillikens.cstv.com/sports/m-bask.../041609aaa.html

"Cody is certainly a welcome addition to the team, first and foremost because of his character," Majerus said. "He is a committed student and someone who appreciates the opportunity that the Australian Institute of Sport has provided him. Cody gives us a dimension we currently do not have - an outside shooting big man who can knock down the 3-pointer, yet can post up with authority and rebound. Cody will be perfect in our NBA set pick and pop plays and will fit well into our motion offense. We expect him to become a go-to-guy, both on the block and outside for the three."

Ellis is ranked as the No. 1 power forward and the No. 3 player overall in the 2009 class in Australia, and recruiting service Scouts, Inc., rates him the No. 76 power forward nationally. He averaged 14 ppg and eight rpg while hitting 42 percent from 3-point range for the Australian Institute of Sport, the elite academy in Canberra, Australia.

Coach Majerus didn't sign anyone shorter than 6-4 in the 2009 class.

[moytoy12]

Thanks Nate, nice to have this confirmed. I guess it's wait-and-see on any other addition to the team.

[Archy McNally]

Coach Majerus didn't sign anyone shorter than 6-4 in the 2009 class.

Until they shrink by an inch or two before the season.

[GOSLU68]

The paperwork is done. Ellis is signed.

http://saintlouis.scout.com/2/857064.html

two guards: 6 ft 4 and 5,one is a combo guard and the other shooting guard; a small forward 6 ft 7 and a power forward 6 ft 8 in this class?

So our only targets should be what another point guard or another big so you don't have foul trouble? I am assuming RM is recruiting players not practice players happy to sit on the bench during games.

[Quality Is Job 1]

Until they shrink by an inch or two before the season.

True, that.