p diddy Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 word on the street was that jarod leonard of desmet was at slu this week. from what i've read, he's really starting to come into his own as a top player. reportedly, his dad still loves slu and would love nothing better than to see his son put on a billiken uniform like he did. i heard his mom went to slu as well. this would be another good one to get. our guys seem to be doing a great job of targeting their area recruiting and making it happen. dwayne, tommie, kevin, luke and now we're on leonard. who else from the stl should we be recruiting for the future. i'm a little excited about this. bad boyz for life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 If we get Jarod, we will be some fast breaking sons of guns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 it is my understanding that jarod's mom is in fact a former billiken cheerleader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachstyles Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 We need to try to get on Tyus's good side. I think if we got him and leonard for 06 that would be one of the best combinations in a long time at Slu.We still need to find a 4 or 5, but were on the right track. Does anyone know any pf or c in the 06 class we should be aware of? Tyus and Leonrd will be compeeting at the Nike all American camp with Lisch and Hansbrough im sure the staff will be on hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 As long as Leonard fills out physically with the upper body, he will be a big time player. He already has great fundamentals, and is working on the defense. He should be able to step out from 3 this season, and get more aggressive on the boards. He should be a big time resruit his senior year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 everything i have heard about tyus is that he is determined to go away to school and will get bigtime (i.e. arizona, duke north carolina like) offers. my guess is that we wont be pursuing him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Well, Jerry Meyer with Rivals likes Leonard a lot. Meyer ranked him 6th out of the campers at the Nike Hoop Jamboree. Tyus was ranked 8th. And Roy's right, Tyus's list doesn't even include a Missouri school --recruiting him would make even less sense than recruiting Kalen Grimes did. Adam Knollmeyer, the 6'7 210 lb PF from Jeff City Helias, is a better bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Great news, props to the staff for identifying jarod early before he got national attention and staying with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlumniFan Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 A little excited? I am very, very excited!! Brad and Co. seem to be laser focusing on local talent and building a very athletic team which, in turn, attracts more of the best athletes. Things are certainly looking good for Billiken Basketball. "This is just the beginning." Earl Austin, Jr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLURadioBoy Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 That is very good, although not surprising, news. What are Jarod's strengths? From what I've read, it sounds like he's a bit of a slasher with a good midrange game, but needs to work on his three-point shot. Is that accurate? Will he be a 2 or a 3 (in your best estimation)? "Praises we sing, to you our alma mater, Praise to the white and blue. Our hymn shall ring, in tribute strong to you, We hail Saint Louis U." Official Billikens.com sponsor of Andrew Latimer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 I have seen him play several times. None this summer however...so he should be improved even now. He played the three at DeSmet, but I look for him to be a two guard in college. He is lean, cut but lean, but can and should bulk up a little bit. Playing at DeSmet he is polished fundamentally. DeSmet is fundamental high, and team basketball. Very athletic, great attitude. Finesse player, but that should change because he is only a junior to be. Long wing span on 6'4 frame. Needs to work on outside shooting, is capable but not consistent. But has a lot of time to do that. He doesn't have a problem slashing or taking it to the rack and shooting mid range jumpers. No reason why he shouldn't be a superior rebounder with his vertical and athleticism. Willing to work on defense. Gained great experience in high profile high school games as a Soph, and in AAU ball. As long as he puts in the hard work, which I see no reason he wouldn't, he will be a very elite player when it is time for college. He should bea star at DeSnet next season as junior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 I haven't seen Jarod Leonard play, so I won't comment on him. However, it boggles my mind when everyone talks about how smart DeSmet plays. I just don't see it. They've consistently attracted good talent, but I can't say their guards always play smart and they've made poor decisions in the open court in the past. Am I missing something here? The only local team that I see play a high quality brand of fundamentals and team play is Vashon. Quite frankly, I'm not too impressed with the level of coaching after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 Desmet's point guard play has been mediocre for at least five years now. Other than that, they're pretty fundamentally sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 anyway. Therefore, I'll defer to you on DeSmet's fundamentals elsewhere. I just wanted some educated, unbiased opinions regarding DeSmet, such as yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 i have never considered vashon high on "fundamentals". i have considered them high on athletic talent and depth though compared to other area teams. if you want to see high fundamental teams, i will take porter's lafeyette teams, or dennis reuter's gibault teams as good examples of doing things right. i always thought the holland guy at st charles west had his teams very well prepared the few times i saw them play even without ryan robertson. talent makes coaches look good. i remember lincoln's bennie lewis used to get invited to coaching clinics all the time to discuss aspects of basketball. what a joke that was. "well to break the press, i get to phifer to drive through the middle, and if he gets caught without a dribble, i have him throw it up high to lafonso ellis who then typically takes a couple of dribbles and dunks. that is the best way to break a press." same could be said for mckormick giving seminars during and right after his larry hughes teams. he would talk about how effective it was to have larry hughes on the front of the defense. duhhhh. 6'5" and lightning fast is a lot different than the average team with their 5'10" average american front guy. i will give irons credit for getting the kids to play hard and using the god given talents they have to their fullest. but as far as playing the game, i am not a big believer in his players doing things "fundamentally" right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeSmetBilliken Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 While talented players do come to DeSmet, I wouldn't say that has incredible talent. If you look at most successful DeSmet teams over the years in any sport, the common link you will usually find is hard work, team play, and determination. I would say that Jared Leonard is probably the most physically talented player to play for DeSmet since Matt Baniak graduated in 1997. While Matt was a disappointment at SLU, he was a beast in college from what I understand. That's also no knock on players like Joe Ries, Bob Keppel, Eric Blancett, and Blake Ahearn, I just think that Jared is better. It will be interesting to see DeSmet play over the next two years with Jared as the star of the team, since most DeSmet teams are made up of hard working, interchangeable parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 By the way, I have a couple of private messages for you on www.cusa-talk.com. I don't know if you even travel to that site anymore. I do respect your opinion, though. The reasons why I think Vashon's teams are fundamentally sound are that they play very strong man-to-man defense where they use superior positioning and don't reach in as much as other teams, such as DeSmet. Defensively, their full-court defense is highly organized and well-drilled. I just don't see them reaching in like other teams. They use their quickness with great effectiveness. Over the last five years, I've found that their point guards have been able to run an offense without committing many turnovers. I thought they've been effective in feeding the post, ran a fairly structured offense, and helped each other out. Maybe I'm missing something, but I recalled Joel Shelton getting many open looks despite not being blessed with much athletic ability or size. I have to think they were effective in setting picks, but maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. This may be a minor point, but I've always marveled at their pregame warmups. Extremely organized, grounded in the fundamentals and lacking the flash I've seen in DeSmet squads. I'm not really much of an observer of inside play, but I don't recall their bigs being out of position much or not blocking out. Maybe 3Star could clarify that for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 Other Public League teams like Beaumont and Gateway Tech are just as athletic as Vashon. What sets Vashon apart is their fundamentals, particularly passing and rebounding, and merciless ball pressure. Like you, I thought this was common knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 I take it you meant "bust" in college, not "beast" when describing Mr. Baniak's SLU tenure. The fact that you used a five letter word over a four makes this seem like more than a typo. I know you're DeSmet bloodlines run deep, but you certainly did not mean "beast" in the best sense of the word, did you? If so, I vehmently beg to differ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basketbill Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 a beast in HIGH SCHOOL....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 aj said, "The reasons why I think Vashon's teams are fundamentally sound are that they play very strong man-to-man defense where they use superior positioning and don't reach in as much as other teams, such as DeSmet." another example of superior athleticism. the reaching you speak of is the first thing anyone will do when he/she is beat. an unconscience reaction to knowing the offensive player has an edge. and while you mentioned joel shelton didnt have a lot of athletic ability, my question is compared to who? sure he isnt a division one player, but he is far more athletic than the typical guards he faced in high school. think about shelton vs ahearn. imo there is no doubt that if the matched up in the decathlon, shelton would win. yet imo there is no doubt that blake ahearn is the better basketball player. and that is because he is a far better fundamentally sound basketball player than what shelto is/was. i havent been to cusatalk for quite awhile. it was my understanding the site was to be shut down since memphis, cincy and charlotte all went to new sites. i will go check it in a few moments though. again, i dont want to slam irons. like i said, i think he is able to get his kids to always play hard and he knows how to use the outstanding tools he typically has to win games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 i just went to cusatalk and i have no messages. i can only assume that possibly that aspect of the board maybe doesnt work anymore. use the pm on this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 here. Don't ask me why. Thanks for pointing it out to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 include using good footwork, displaying good passing, shooting and rebounding mechanics, and effectively running a structured offensive and defensive schemes. I've seen plenty of teams with high athleticism, but have been poor in the fundamentals. In fact, all you have to do is go to the annual high school shootout. I thought I could decipher whether teams had good fundamentals, regardless of athleticism. I've also talked to other knowledgeable basketball experts, who have agreed with me on how well coached Vashon is. But now I'm interested in other opinions on this issue. As for Shelton vs Ahearn, I'd take Ahearn in a heartbeat. He definitely has more hops and while not possessing Div I quickness, I'd take him in a footrace over Shelton. In high school, I never saw Shelton blow by ANYONE. He just possessed an outstanding jumpshot and nothing more. Now I realize that Vashon players have been inadequately prepared academically to make it to the next level, but I've never even seen them standout in junior college or lower college levels. I remember seeing a Vashon alum come off the bench at UMSL. I really think people overestimate their athleticism. As for DeSmet, I think their athleticism is underrated. They've regularly sent more Div I players than Vashon. Joe Ries had a decent career at Wyoming. Ahearn is an exciting prospect at SW. Then let's not forget Bob Keppel, who I believe may still be toiling in the Mets organization as a pitcher. It seems to me that they've had some pretty good athletes at that school. I just question the coaching there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted July 5, 2004 Share Posted July 5, 2004 Okay...where to begin...in no particular order. 1) Vashon is well coahced, but they also get better players than the other city schools most years. They also hand check more than any team in the state the past twenty years plus. 2) DeSmet, couldn't disagree more on typical DeSmet player. Nowhere near as athletic on the whole. Blake Ahearn would be a negative exception on defense and team ball, out of the countless others on the positive side. I would agree that in the past few years, DeSmet hasn't had good guards, a staple of theirs since the 70's. But my memory runs longer than one season or two. Joe Ries? If you think he is highly athletic, we can end the conversation here. A good kid, hard worker, great fundamentals, and is having a nice division 1 career. Baniak isn't a particularly athletic kid, and wasn't successful in college, but had a great high school career, further illustrating the point. Bob Keppel is "arguably" the best athlete DeSmet has ever had. Stipo was obviously great, but if he wasn't seven feet, nobody would know who he is. Keppel by the way, turned down ND hoops and baseball offer...would have been 6th man freshamn year...to take seven figures from the Mets, has worked his way up to AAA and should join the big club as late season call up if healthy. 3) DeSmet is extremely successful year in and year out because of their coaching, from Grawer, to Burgman, to Steiner. Bobby McCormick, and all of those other guys were regulars working the DeSmet camps for a long time. Guys like Keppel and Leonard are the exception at DeSmet. They get good basketball players, get well coached, and most years, lose in quarterfinals to a Vashon, or I remember Craig Upchurch's Beaumont team in the 80's, For most of the 80's and 90's Desmet could beat most teams most years except one of thos esuperior athletic teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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