Recruiting - 2020 Class (Optimal Vision Class)

[RiseAndGrind]

4 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

No problem.  I heard that's why he was there and that's why he stayed after.  Mending fences...some of the Vashon coaches feel Ford and staff should be around more considering they have offers to kids and they are right down the street.  They see Chris Lowery from K State more than anyone from SLU.

*eye roll*

This is my shocked face.

[Coach314]

4 hours ago, Pistol said:

Any insight as to who he was watching? We have offers out to Clark and Fletcher, but what about Russell or anyone else?

They have a new addition this year...a 6'8 center.  But I think he needs some work.  So I would say Cam, Kobe, Nick Kerns...maybe Phillip.  Phillip's stock is rising...but he is a small guard.

[Coach314]

1 minute ago, RiseAndGrind said:

*eye roll*

This is my shocked face.

Just telling you what I know.  They have six players with D1 offers on the roster and SLU doesn't come around much.  I'm not attacking  Ford or the program.  I have no idea what his recruiting style is or what players he prioritizes in each class.  Just passing on information.  

 

[billikenfan05]

What do they want Ford to just hang around in his free time? If there’s a player Ford wants he’ll be there. Is there a point to just hang around if he’s not targeting a player? Are these coaches expecting Ford to pander to them so they recommend SLU to their players? 

[Pistol]

9 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

They have a new addition this year...a 6'8 center.  But I think he needs some work.  So I would say Cam, Kobe, Nick Kerns...maybe Phillip.  Phillip's stock is rising...but he is a small guard.

Ah, Kern. Forgot about the young fella.

Yeah, Russell wasn't really on my radar as a D-I kid until he started getting those offers. Three of them over the summer, one a month (Valpo, SEMO, UMKC).

I'd like to see Clark some more. He and Fletcher got offers from SLU at the same time, but since then, Fletcher has absolutely taken off as a truly special player and Clark's progress has been slower. Not that they were starting from exactly the same place, but still. I'm wondering what Clark's ceiling is.

Pretty amazing to have at least six future D-I guys on one HS team.

[RiseAndGrind]

15 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

Just telling you what I know.  They have six players with D1 offers on the roster and SLU doesn't come around much.  I'm not attacking  Ford or the program.  I have no idea what his recruiting style is or what players he prioritizes in each class.  Just passing on information.  

 

It's more a commentary on the constant Vashon coaches playing the "our guys aren't getting any respect" card. Meanwhile, other area coaches are saying Ford (and Martin) are recruiting the area for SLU & Mizzou like never before. 

[billiken_roy]

23 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

Just telling you what I know.  They have six players with D1 offers on the roster and SLU doesn't come around much.  I'm not attacking  Ford or the program.  I have no idea what his recruiting style is or what players he prioritizes in each class.  Just passing on information.  

 

you do know that the ncaa only lets coaches in person visit players a limited number of times right?   a staff has to keep a diary of where they go to watch players and who was there.  

[ACE]

2 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said:

What do they want Ford to just hang around in his free time? If there’s a player Ford wants he’ll be there. Is there a point to just hang around if he’s not targeting a player? Are these coaches expecting Ford to pander to them so they recommend SLU to their players? 

It doesn't matter who is coaching SLU, the one thing you can always count on is that it is ALWAYS SLU's fault and they're not doing enough when one of their kids goes elsewhere.

You raise a good question, even if Ford is camped out there stroking those coaches, what will be the reward? Likely those same coaches telling their top players that they can do better than SLU. They want SLU to be there to take their second tier players, while they will inevitably encourage their best players to go the P5 route if those offers come rolling in.

[Pistol]

I'm not sure we need to be so defensive about the staff's recruitment at Vashon. It's true that our coaches haven't paid much attention to the program since the days of Dwayne Polk. Romar did an excellent job there, and Soderberg backed off after Polk, while Majerus and Crews ignored the place. And yes, I'm not accounting for the fact that they might not have had D-I level guys during that entire stretch. My point is that there just wasn't much of a relationship at all with one of the area's premier programs for ~15 years.

Culture is a hard thing to change, and the same is true of changing minds. If the Vashon staff feels that SLU hasn't paid them enough attention, that's based on a long history even if it's not totally true today. If anything, @Coach314's posts signal a positive shift here. They think SLU has ignored them, which is nothing new. But now we see that Ford spent some serious time there and is working on rebuilding the long-broken relationship. That's a good thing.

Anyway, I just don't want to paint the Vashon coaches as being arrogant or whatever people are implying. Their opinions of SLU aren't unreasonable. They shouldn't be seeing K-State more than SLU. They have a lot of pride in their program, and justifiably so. They're going to have at least one future D-I player coming off the bench this season. I'm not sure any other local high schools can say that. We need to be involved there, and their minds will start changing.

[Brighton]

44 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

.  Mending fences...some of the Vashon coaches feel Ford and staff should be around more considering they have offers to kids and they are right down the street. 

Didn't they move to Cass about a decade ago ?

[Coach314]

3 minutes ago, Pistol said:

I'm not sure we need to be so defensive about the staff's recruitment at Vashon. It's true that our coaches haven't paid much attention to the program since the days of Dwayne Polk. Romar did an excellent job there, and Soderberg backed off after Polk, while Majerus and Crews ignored the place. And yes, I'm not accounting for the fact that they might not have had D-I level guys during that entire stretch. My point is that there just wasn't much of a relationship at all with one of the area's premier programs for ~15 years.

Culture is a hard thing to change, and the same is true of changing minds. If the Vashon staff feels that SLU hasn't paid them enough attention, that's based on a long history even if it's not totally true today. If anything, @Coach314's posts signal a positive shift here. They think SLU has ignored them, which is nothing new. But now we see that Ford spent some serious time there and is working on rebuilding the long-broken relationship. That's a good thing.

Anyway, I just don't want to paint the Vashon coaches as being arrogant or whatever people are implying. Their opinions of SLU aren't unreasonable. They shouldn't be seeing K-State more than SLU. They have a lot of pride in their program, and justifiably so. They're going to have at least one future D-I player coming off the bench this season. I'm not sure any other local high schools can say that. We need to be involved there, and their minds will start changing.

Well said.  

As for Kobe...I think we will see more of his development this year.  I believe seeing Cam blow up has reenergized him.  I believe he will have a bigger role this year.

[Coach314]

8 minutes ago, Brighton said:

Didn't they move to Cass about a decade ago ?

Yes.  My apologies.  I didn't mean literally down the street.  

[Brighton]

37 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

Yes.  My apologies.  I didn't mean literally down the street.  

No problem.

[ACE]

1 hour ago, Pistol said:

I'm not sure we need to be so defensive about the staff's recruitment at Vashon. It's true that our coaches haven't paid much attention to the program since the days of Dwayne Polk. Romar did an excellent job there, and Soderberg backed off after Polk, while Majerus and Crews ignored the place. And yes, I'm not accounting for the fact that they might not have had D-I level guys during that entire stretch. My point is that there just wasn't much of a relationship at all with one of the area's premier programs for ~15 years.

Culture is a hard thing to change, and the same is true of changing minds. If the Vashon staff feels that SLU hasn't paid them enough attention, that's based on a long history even if it's not totally true today. If anything, @Coach314's posts signal a positive shift here. They think SLU has ignored them, which is nothing new. But now we see that Ford spent some serious time there and is working on rebuilding the long-broken relationship. That's a good thing.

Anyway, I just don't want to paint the Vashon coaches as being arrogant or whatever people are implying. Their opinions of SLU aren't unreasonable. They shouldn't be seeing K-State more than SLU. They have a lot of pride in their program, and justifiably so. They're going to have at least one future D-I player coming off the bench this season. I'm not sure any other local high schools can say that. We need to be involved there, and their minds will start changing.

I don't really think it is "defensive" to want any discussions of SLU and local recruiting to be balanced.

Hearing SLU is not showing enough interest - has been a common complaint in the past, but it seems to really ring hollow with the current staff. Ford & co. have high standards. Putting in the work to land TOP local recruits - first Goodwin, then Gordon - when some skeptics thought it couldn't be done   Then to follow it up and get Hargrove and Collins. 

Clearly Ford is prioritizing top local talent. To use this same old tired argument now just seems silly.

[RiseAndGrind]

beagles well represented 

 

[Pistol]

Just now, RiseAndGrind said:

beagles well represented 

 

There we go.

I've been expecting them to eventually offer Daughtery. This is also confirmation that Bradford is back in STL after a tumultuous year (I'd seen enough smoke on Twitter to think he was going to Mehlville, but couldn't confirm), and I expected an offer for him if it was the case. But I didn't know Dylan Branson would get one. I'd seen and heard good things when he was at Chaminade, so it's nice to see him panning out as a prospect.

[RiseAndGrind]

8 minutes ago, Pistol said:

There we go.

I've been expecting them to eventually offer Daughtery. This is also confirmation that Bradford is back in STL after a tumultuous year (I'd seen enough smoke on Twitter to think he was going to Mehlville, but couldn't confirm), and I expected an offer for him if it was the case. But I didn't know Dylan Branson would get one. I'd seen and heard good things when he was at Chaminade, so it's nice to see him panning out as a prospect.

I have no idea how sustainable it actually is - but if SLU can land 1-2 players from the Beagles every season SLU will be good for the foreseeable future.

[wgstl]

12 minutes ago, Pistol said:

There we go.

I've been expecting them to eventually offer Daughtery. This is also confirmation that Bradford is back in STL after a tumultuous year (I'd seen enough smoke on Twitter to think he was going to Mehlville, but couldn't confirm), and I expected an offer for him if it was the case. But I didn't know Dylan Branson would get one. I'd seen and heard good things when he was at Chaminade, so it's nice to see him panning out as a prospect.

MEHLVILLE?!?!

[Cowboy]

Just now, wgstl said:

MEHLVILLE?!?!

-I am trying to recall if we have ever had a player from that school and am drawing a blank

[drkelsey55]

9 minutes ago, Cowboy said:

-I am trying to recall if we have ever had a player from that school and am drawing a blank

Austin GILLMANN,  was from Mehlville

 

[Littlebill]

4 minutes ago, drkelsey55 said:

Austin GILLMANN,  was from Mehlville

 

Oakville*

[Pistol]

Mehlville has not historically been good at basketball. But now they've got a core of Bradford, Branson, Daughtery, and King Waller (who Branson's family adopted when they were in 7th grade), and they're going to be one of the area's best teams this year. Branson started mid-season last year after transferring from Chaminade. He ran the point and Waller was his backcourt mate, and they had a solid season. Bradford and Daughtery take them to another level. Bios:

 

Davion Bradford - C, 6-11, 240 - St. Louis, MO (Mehlville) - Twitter: @iamdbradford

Offers: SLU, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, K-State, Arizona State, Wichita State, Tulsa, Nevada, Wyoming, Prairie View A&M.

Interest: Georgetown, Creighton, UNC, Louisville, Miami, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Baylor, Mizzou, Georgia, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Houston, SMU, Tulsa, SIUC, Indiana State, Illinois State, Louisiana Tech, Milwaukee, Detroit, Denver, SIUE.

Latest News: Bradford received a SLU offer along with Mehlville teammates Lamontay Daughtery and Dylan Branson. The trio will visit Iowa on 10/20, after Iowa came out to see them this month. Creighton, K-State, SIUC, Wichita State, Indiana State, Illinois State, Milwaukee, and Tulsa were also out to see them in open gym. (9/18/18)

Scouting Report: Bradford is a post player with great size, big hands, and a lot of physical strength. He's a solid low-post scorer with a good jump hook, and he finishes strong at the rim through contact, drawing a lot of fouls. He's an active rebounder and shot blocker. He runs the floor well and has soft touch around the basket. He's a very good passer from the post. Rankings: Rivals - 103, Prep Hoops - 29, 247sports Composite - 172, Future150 - 57.

-Bradford was originally at CBC, transferred out to Hillcrest in Arizona last season (where Demarius Jacobs was), and then moved back to the Tulsa area (where he has family) this summer. However, his mom died in a car accident in July and he decided to return to St. Louis. He was one of the top big man prospects in the nation as a freshman/rising sophomore but has been a little slower in his development than some other bigs, but he remains a legit prospect with a ton of high-level attention.

 

Dylan Branson - SG, 6-5, 200 - St. Louis, MO (Mehlville) - Twitter: @dbranson33

Offers: SLU.

Interest: Creighton, Iowa, K-State, Wichita State, Tulsa, Illinois State, SIUC, Indiana State, Milwaukee.

Latest News: Branson received a SLU offer along with Mehlville teammates Lamontay Daughtery and Davion Bradford. The trio will visit Iowa on 10/20, after Iowa came out to see them this month. Creighton, K-State, SIUC, Wichita State, Indiana State, Illinois State, Milwaukee, and Tulsa were also out to see them in open gym.(9/18/18)

Scouting Report: Branson is a big, tough combo guard with solid playmaking abilities. He ran point for Mehlville last season, using his size and strength to create matchup issues and his smarts to run the show. He has good court vision, passing ability, and communication skills. He has a solid jumper and can get to the basket with his big frame. He rebounds well for a guard and can play a few positions. He transferred from Chaminade to Mehlville after his freshman year and will now play alongside Lamontay Daughtery and Davion Bradford. Branson's family adopted another fellow teammate, King Waller, when they were in seventh grade.

-Branson is a really nice, versatile HS guard but might be a bit of a stretch at this point. He's always had a thick frame and a lot of strength but isn't as quick or athletic as he'd need to be in college. He's going to be interesting to track this season, playing on a loaded team.

 

Lamontay Daughtery - SF, 6-6, 190 - DuQuoin, IL (Mehlville, MO) - Twitter: @IAMONTAY2

Offers: SLU, SIUC.

Interest: Creighton, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Drake, Evansville, North Texas.

Latest News: Daughtery received a SLU offer along with Mehlville teammates Davion Bradford and Dylan Branson. The trio will visit Iowa on 10/20, after Iowa came out to see them this month. Creighton, K-State, SIUC, Wichita State, Indiana State, Illinois State, Milwaukee, and Tulsa were also out to see them in open gym.(9/18/18)

Scouting Report: Daughtery is a long, athletic wing forward with a broad skill set for his age. He runs the floor extremely well, can handle it a bit in the open floor, and finishes in transition. He can play a little post, he's good out of the pick and roll, especially in the high post, and he rebounds and blocks shots. His jumper is much improved and he has added to his lean frame. Rankings: Prep Hoops - 184, Future150 - 107.

-Daughtery hasn't been getting as much attention as he deserves, playing his first couple years in the wilderness of DuQuoin, Illinois. Now playing in St. Louis on a loaded team, he'll get a lot more eyes on him. Still a little raw, but very talented. He's got a really high ceiling.

[cheeseman]

23 minutes ago, Littlebill said:

Oakville*

Oakville is one of the high schools in Mehlville School District so I guess technically we did have one from Mehlville.

[wgstl]

1 minute ago, cheeseman said:

Oakville is one of the high schools in Mehlville School District so I guess technically we did have one from Mehlville.

oakville pumps out a handful of D1 talent( all sports), nottttt so much for Mehlville

[SShoe]

3 fairly high-level D-1 recruits on the same public high-school team is kinda ridiculous.