Recruiting - 2014

[Pistol]

Agreed, Brian. Go for the best players you can get. The best talent that wants to come play for you. We don't have enough of a glaring hole in the roster moving forward to get too hung up on any single position.

Being in what appears to be the final four for Mayimba and final three for Martin - I'd really, really like to get one of those guys. I'd be fine with both, as long as they're not threatened by each other's presence (i.e. potential minutes).

[moytoy12]

My basic line of thought is get the three best players you can at this point as long as that don't overlap skill set wise completely. Just don't think we have a good chance of landing a big that would bring more to the table than those 3. The minutes won't end up being there for all the guards we would be bringing in, but that would work itself with the guy/guys seeing themselves on the short end transferring out after the first year. Then you get a little more balance in your classes, too.

Have another NCAA tournament season and you put yourself in better position to land a high quality big and a top flight PG in the next class.

Good points and don't disagree. I guess if the staff thinks there is an impact PG out there, I'd prefer that along with 2 of the 3 you mention.

[jimbofive]

WVBilliken is obsessed with power forwards bottoms and big men in general.

FXDTIT4U...

[Billikenboy]

You are right that you need more guards in this college game but my thinking is that you need to develop bigger ones. Bigs being developed outside the box that have guard skills, can handle the rock, break presses, contest the passing lanes, create turnovers, rebound, shoot from the arc to short range, breakdown their defender, post up skilled, handle double teams, and finish at the rim with either hand are the recruiters dream. We need more of those players. Size isn't everything but skillset is.

VCU is only successful if they can turn you over especially your guards. If that does not work they are primed for a beatdown. For now guards will dominate conference play and you are right that in the tournament the further you go the more you need dominant bigs. Our guards will have to be exceptional as they were last season to continue to throttle teams like them going forward.

[Taj79]

@RiseandGrind: two questions ....

1) which Patterson are you referring to, and

2) why or what gives you this feeling?

[RiseAndGrind]

@RiseandGrind: two questions ....

1) which Patterson are you referring to, and

2) why or what gives you this feeling?

1) Jalyn Patterson.

2) Info I've gathered and heard. (And wishful thinking)

[RUBillsFan]

Interesting to note that this weekend (when Kelan Martin is visiting) is also homecoming weekend for SLU. I'm assuming this is a positive because there will be a lot of this going on in terms of homecoming festivities. Pistol lists his visit as 9/27, so I'm not sure if he will be around the whole weekend or not. If so, I wonder if they will take him to the soccer game on Saturday.

[drkelsey55]

Cards-Cubs game.

[Pistol]

Interesting to note that this weekend (when Kelan Martin is visiting) is also homecoming weekend for SLU. I'm assuming this is a positive because there will be a lot of this going on in terms of homecoming festivities. Pistol lists his visit as 9/27, so I'm not sure if he will be around the whole weekend or not. If so, I wonder if they will take him to the soccer game on Saturday.

Normally when I list a date, it's just the first date of his visit. Some kids do a single-day visit, some two or three depending on how their schedule works out. I imagine he'll be around at least a couple days.

[Taj79]

@Pistol -- someone named Leah Patterson posted on Jalyn Patterson's VC items confirming Jalyn to vist Mason this weekend. However, she also said Mayimba is going to Mason Madness .... which is scheduled for 10/15 ... the date you have Therence visiting us. I don't like it that one other A10 school is in on two of our recruits. Package deal anyone?

[Pistol]

@Pistol -- someone named Leah Patterson posted on Jalyn Patterson's VC items confirming Jalyn to vist Mason this weekend. However, she also said Mayimba is going to Mason Madness .... which is scheduled for 10/15 ... the date you have Therence visiting us. I don't like it that one other A10 school is in on two of our recruits. Package deal anyone?

Jalyn Patterson is visiting George Mason this weekend. I'll remove the Mayimba date until I figure out for sure where he'll be that weekend. He's definitely visiting both George Mason and SLU, and says UAB and GW, too.

[Pistol]

Kelan Martin is #97 on the new ESPN Top 100: http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/playerrankings/_/order/true

Man, it'd be sweet to get a SLU logo on there. By the way, there are a ton of Big East logos on the list. Anyone saying the A10 is just as good might have an argument based on the past season or so, but it won't last. Other names of note:

Jordan Barnett: 83

Thomas Welsh: 90

Riley LaChance (SLU showed interest before he moved on): 99

[RiseAndGrind]

Kelan Martin had an in home with Tubby Smith last night.

Starts his trip to slu today. Lets hope he has an awesome time.

[wgstl]

Kelan Martin Twitter is @kelan30

[Aquinas]

Martin is listed on some services as a power forward. Looking at Martin's highlight video, it looks like he has the range and ball handling skills to play small forward, if he is quick enough to defend at that position. It doesn't take much imagination to envision him developing into a player like Evans with more hops and greater range. With time in the weight room and our coaching staff developing his inside game and defensive skills, he could be a beast.

[Scoop]

He doesn't have Evans hops. DE gets off the floor quick.

[Aquinas]

Evans has great footwork and he is quick. But u don't see him dunk with ease. Like Conk before him he is a great student of the game and is getting the absolute most out of his athletic skills.

[RiseAndGrind]

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/recruiting/2013/09/28/ballards-kelan-martin-taking-official-visits-to-saint-louis-butler-texas-tech/

[Littlebill]

Evans has great footwork and he is quick. But u don't see him dunk with ease. Like Conk before him he is a great student of the game and is getting the absolute most out of his athletic skills.

Have you seen him dunk...? Watch the warmups. Just because he chooses not to, doesn't mean he can't.

[William Iken]

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/recruiting/2013/09/28/ballards-kelan-martin-taking-official-visits-to-saint-louis-butler-texas-tech/

Coach doesn't seem too clued in...

[TheA_Bomb]

I've been to a game at Texas Tech very nice facility about the same age as Chaifetz imagine Chaifetz if all the concourses were just open and you could see the game as you walked to buy food. Auburn's facility is the same. Not much going on in Lubbock it's a 5 hr. drive from DFW but they do have one of the best dive bars I've been to Bash Riprocks plus Buddy Holly's from there so that's something.

So City-wise St. Louis is the best of those and our facilities are equal or better than the others. Conference is a little weaker and he'd probably rank Crews behind Tubby(not me). So hopefully the guys on our team can connect with K -Mart and bring him to SLU.

[RiseAndGrind]

I've been to a game at Texas Tech very nice facility about the same age as Chaifetz imagine Chaifetz if all the concourses were just open and you could see the game as you walked to buy food. Auburn's facility is the same. Not much going on in Lubbock it's a 5 hr. drive from DFW but they do have one of the best dive bars I've been to Bash Riprocks plus Buddy Holly's from there so that's something.

So City-wise St. Louis is the best of those and our facilities are equal or better than the others. Conference is a little weaker and he'd probably rank Crews behind Tubby(not me). So hopefully the guys on our team can connect with K -Mart and bring him to SLU.

I'm still most worried about Butler.

[Box and Won]

It’s in a great city (in Indianapolis)

Proximity to home is one thing, but if we're just comparing cities, St. Louis is a helluva lot cooler than Indianapolis.

[almaman]

Proximity to home is one thing, but if we're just comparing cities, St. Louis is a helluva lot cooler than Indianapolis.

If it has anything to do with loyalty to that great state's b ball props having coach and assistant with storied past at IU can't hurt. Agree we got lot cooler town than Indy but they got some pretty cool stuff for weekend visit. just as quick to get toss KC too.

[Pistol]

A few notes on Martin:

-As pointed out on the previous page, he is still listed as a PF by a lot of services. We've been using his and Mayimba's names somewhat interchangably in terms of a 6-6 or so wing, but I think they each bring something different to the table in terms of skill set. Martin looks a lot thicker in photos and videos and is a bit more aggressive as a scorer. Mayimba is longer and leaner, may still be growing, but has been less of a PF and more of a SF with a raw offensive game and a high-level defensive game, with the ability to lock down multiple positions. I would be thrilled with one but would not be afraid to get both of these guys.

-Butler has been the only frontrunner discussed by most from the beginning on Martin (or at least the beginning of us getting more in-depth with recruiting here). My feeling is that if they were truly so strong, he would have committed by now. Many, many Butler people expected one a few months ago, if Twitter is any indication. I think all three schools may be on relatively equal footing, and I'd put Texas Tech - the attractive newcomer to his recruiting picture - right up there with Butler as an equal competitor for us on Martin.