Recruiting - 2021

[almaman]

30 minutes ago, SShoe said:

Anybody know if Williams can handle the ball when Yuri's out?  If he can, then there's really no need for another PG.

I think we should give a scholarship to Russell & just use him. if our Yurimania progresses he will be approaching JG level minutes so Russell can do that.

[ACE]

1 hour ago, SShoe said:

Anybody know if Williams can handle the ball when Yuri's out?  If he can, then there's really no need for another PG.

Considering he only averaged .9 assists per game, I think it's fair to say he's not looking to dish the ball to his teammates very often.

[CBFan]

1 hour ago, 3star_recruit said:

If you want a good passing team, then you want multiple good passers on the floor as often as possible.  That's why I've been repeating the mantra of combo guard for weeks now.  That guy can play with Yuri, not just back him up.  In that scenario, you could have Yuri, combo TBD and Nesbitt playing together.

By this post is it safe for me to assume you do not think Williams is a combo guard?

I trust your knowledge on players does the other guard that Ford is taking to have that ability.

I appreciate your posts 3 star.

[3star_recruit]

9 minutes ago, CBFan said:

By this post is it safe for me to assume you do not think Williams is a combo guard?

I trust your knowledge on players does the other guard that Ford is taking to have that ability.

I appreciate your posts 3 star.

A combo guard is really just a modern name for an all-around guard: a player that can handle, pass and shoot.  We've got three years of data that tell us Williams rarely passes the ball.  

[almaman]

8 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

A combo guard is really just a modern name for an all-around guard: a player that can handle, pass and shoot.  We've got three years of data that tell us Williams rarely passes the ball.  

seems to be any guard that is not point

[WVBilliken]

1 hour ago, almaman said:

I think we should give a scholarship to Russell & just use him. if our Yurimania progresses he will be approaching JG level minutes so Russell can do that.

Do not see the fascination among some fans who want Ford to put Russell on scholarship.  He did nothing on the floor last year to convince me that he is anything but an emergency plugin for Collins.  The kid looked out of his league to me when he played.  I hope if he wants playing time Ford helps to link him up with a program that he might succeed in.  Better yet, he gets the needed financial aid to enable him to stay at SLU, get a degree, and enables him to continue his walk on status.  As to the last two scholarships ...... a PG, or a combo guard that can effectively play PG, and an athletic big.

[3star_recruit]

1 minute ago, almaman said:

seems to be any guard that is not point

There's lots of shooting guards that rarely pass the ball.

[WVBilliken]

34 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

A combo guard is really just a modern name for an all-around guard: a player that can handle, pass and shoot.  We've got three years of data that tell us Williams rarely passes the ball.  

Passing may not of been the coach's instructions to him.  He was on weak teams that needed scoring.  If you are the team's first option for offense, you shoot the ball.  And one assist per game also may not be an indication of his play making skills.  After all, after passing, the receiving player still has to put the ball in the basket.  

[ACE]

2 minutes ago, WVBilliken said:

Passing may not of been the coach's instructions to him.  He was on weak teams that needed a scoring.  

He did have a teammate that averaged 8 apg.

[3star_recruit]

26 minutes ago, ACE said:

He did have a teammate that averaged 8 apg.

And who also averaged 18 ppg.  Oakland averaged 75ppg.  Scoring wasn't the problem.

[CBFan]

1 hour ago, WVBilliken said:

Do not see the fascination among some fans who want Ford to put Russell on scholarship.  He did nothing on the floor last year to convince me that he is anything but an emergency plugin for Collins.  The kid looked out of his league to me when he played.  I hope if he wants playing time Ford helps to link him up with a program that he might succeed in.  Better yet, he gets the needed financial aid to enable him to stay at SLU, get a degree, and enables him to continue his walk on status.  As to the last two scholarships ...... a PG, or a combo guard that can effectively play PG, and an athletic big.

I think posters mistake why other posters would want to give Russell a scholarship.

I am not fascinated with Russell and I was not fascinated with Aaron Hines either but Hines got a 1 year scholarship and I am glad he did.

I have a soft spot for St.Louis area kids and because there is an extra scholarship available this year and all 14 scholarship players will not play next season I thought for an emergency fill in like the previous season a 1 year scholarship made sense.

College basketball business wise I would be a failure I like the kids too much and would have too many nice area kids on the roster so consider the source.

I read this site because I learn what is real and what really make sense but I still have my opinion and I do not mind posting that.

Be well

[Old guy]

Russell is gone, time to move on. What I would really like to see next season is more playing time for Hargrove.

[dennis_w]

I think it will be difficult to keep Hargrove off the floor. I hope the Swede grows into the 4 that stretches the floor,

[Gremio14]

6 hours ago, NH said:

There are a couple of specific things French does that I think are underrated and will be missed. For example, the big trend in college basketball the last couple of years has been to ice/down side ball screens. One of the best ways to beat this type of coverage is to have a big man who can catch the ball on the short roll and then make plays off the dribble. Yuri was very good at finding Has in these situations and Has, for all his flaws, was a very adept ballhandler and passer for a big. There are several other little things like this that Has did well which I think will be hard to replace. Another example is that Has allowed us to switch 1-5 on defense, which is a lot harder to do with Linssen or Bell. That changes the way you can gameplan when you know you have the option to switch everything if you want to. I'm guessing the coaching staff will miss him more than many on this board will.  

Valid point on the 1-5 switch.  When Daly lit us up for 30+ a couple of years ago, Has was the ONLY Bill who enjoyed any success slowing him down.   He scorched every other guy we had on the court...

[RiseOfTheBillikens]

2 hours ago, CBFan said:

I think posters mistake why other posters would want to give Russell a scholarship.

I am not fascinated with Russell and I was not fascinated with Aaron Hines either but Hines got a 1 year scholarship and I am glad he did.

I have a soft spot for St.Louis area kids and because there is an extra scholarship available this year and all 14 scholarship players will not play next season I thought for an emergency fill in like the previous season a 1 year scholarship made sense.

College basketball business wise I would be a failure I like the kids too much and would have too many nice area kids on the roster so consider the source.

I read this site because I learn what is real and what really make sense but I still have my opinion and I do not mind posting that.

Be well

Exactly. I'm interested to see who gets the last scholarship. I realize it may of been Russells decision as well.

[Clock_Tower]

I recall Isabel changing alot, for the better, under Coach Ford. Believe Williams will as well. 
Agree w 3 Star, a combo guard, 2 guard, or guard who can dribble and shoot playing alongside Yuri will be good for Yuri and our team. 
We haven’t had that in awhile. Perkins, Thatch, Hargrove, Jimerson and Strickland could all get minutes if they spent the summer working on their dribbling. 
Have no clue where Nesbit will play. Sounds like a 3 along with others. 

[VeniceMenace]

7 hours ago, Clock_Tower said:

I recall Isabel changing alot, for the better, under Coach Ford. Believe Williams will as well. 
Agree w 3 Star, a combo guard, 2 guard, or guard who can dribble and shoot playing alongside Yuri will be good for Yuri and our team. 
We haven’t had that in awhile. Perkins, Thatch, Hargrove, Jimerson and Strickland could all get minutes if they spent the summer working on their dribbling. 
Have no clue where Nesbit will play. Sounds like a 3 along with others. 

Nesbitt can play and has played positions 1-4 so he can slide over when Yuri sits. Ford will use every opportunity to keep him on the floor like he did with JGood. I don't think Russell transferring is coincidental.

[Old guy]

Agree the Nesbitt commitment may have been what did it for Russell.

[ACE]

9 hours ago, Clock_Tower said:

I recall Isabel changing alot, for the better, under Coach Ford. Believe Williams will as well. 
Agree w 3 Star, a combo guard, 2 guard, or guard who can dribble and shoot playing alongside Yuri will be good for Yuri and our team. 
We haven’t had that in awhile. Perkins, Thatch, Hargrove, Jimerson and Strickland could all get minutes if they spent the summer working on their dribbling. 
Have no clue where Nesbit will play. Sounds like a 3 along with others. 

The difference between Isabell and Williams is that Isabell came here with a bit of a playmaking track record. He averaged 3.4 assists/game at Drexel. Williams hasn't displayed that ability at all. BTW, Isabell wound up leading SLU in assists his one season here, it was not Goodwin. Isabell averaged 3.6 apg.

[Littlebill]

11 minutes ago, ACE said:

The difference between Isabell and Williams is that Isabell came here with a bit of a playmaking track record. He averaged 3.4 assists/game at Drexel. Williams hasn't displayed that ability at all. BTW, Isabell wound up leading SLU in assists his one season here, it was not Goodwin. Isabell averaged 3.6 apg.

Isabell also (an rightly so imo) got handed the keys to the team that year. Williams won't get that

[Clock_Tower]

10 minutes ago, ACE said:

The difference between Isabell and Williams is that Isabell came here with a bit of a playmaking track record. He averaged 3.4 assists/game at Drexel. Williams hasn't displayed that ability at all. BTW, Isabell wound up leading SLU in assists his one season here, it was not Goodwin. Isabell averaged 3.6 apg.

Yes. Good and fair point. But in response, a player does what his coach wants him to do. And I believe most players have the skills to pass if required of them. And if he has better handles than most of the rest of our guards, then he has the potential to be a play maker under coach Ford and in a different environment with different expectations. And if you look at the rest of his team, not a single player other than their point guard even had 2 assists per game. Not my style of basketball. 
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/2473

[3star_recruit]

The only reason we're even talking about Rashad Williams serving as a combo guard is because we haven't signed a combo guard yet.  Coach Ford isn't talking to Mason Madsen for nothing.  If we don't get him, it'll be somebody else.  There are scores of combo guards in the transfer portal. 

And we're way ahead of schedule when it comes to spring recruiting. We've already got two commitments. Typically we don't get our first spring recruit until May.

[NH]

17 hours ago, WVBilliken said:

Do not see the fascination among some fans who want Ford to put Russell on scholarship.  He did nothing on the floor last year to convince me that he is anything but an emergency plugin for Collins.  The kid looked out of his league to me when he played.  I hope if he wants playing time Ford helps to link him up with a program that he might succeed in.  Better yet, he gets the needed financial aid to enable him to stay at SLU, get a degree, and enables him to continue his walk on status.  As to the last two scholarships ...... a PG, or a combo guard that can effectively play PG, and an athletic big.

There is almost a 0% chance we fill all of our scholarships with players who expect to make real contributions. That is unrealistic in the modern NCAA. We're not going to have a 14-15 man rotation of scholarship players. When you can find a player like Russell who is a high-level practice player, good teammate and capable of filling in in emergencies, I consider that to be a useful piece for filling out the end of the bench.

[ACE]

It's very strange that we have not heard any SLU connections this spring to high school seniors. I know it is common this year throughout college basketball, but it certainly makes for unusual times.

Will class of '21 freshmen have four years, the same as a player who just completed their freshmen season of college? 

I can see why college teams are more interested in experienced transfers rather than bothering to develop high school players, but there could be some hidden gems still out there from the high school ranks.

I'm surprised that I haven't heard a lot about high school players decommitting after seeing the wave of transfers. For example, a high school guard commits in the fall to a team thinking there will be some available playing time with players scheduled to  graduate... only to later learn that one of the guards set to graduate is sticking around and the school he has committed to also adding an immediately eligible transfer or two who plays his same position. Under that circumstance, I would expect a high school commit to seek other options.

[almaman]

19 minutes ago, ACE said:

It's very strange that we have not heard any SLU connections this spring to high school seniors. I know it is common this year throughout college basketball, but it certainly makes for unusual times.

Will class of '21 freshmen have four years, the same as a player who just completed their freshmen season of college? 

I can see why college teams are more interested in experienced transfers rather than bothering to develop high school players, but there could be some hidden gems still out there from the high school ranks.

I'm surprised that I haven't heard a lot about high school players decommitting after seeing the wave of transfers. For example, a high school guard commits in the fall to a team thinking there will be some available playing time with players scheduled to  graduate... only to later learn that one of the guards set to graduate is sticking around and the school he has committed to also adding an immediately eligible transfer or two who plays his same position. Under that circumstance, I would expect a high school commit to seek other options.

Also may get a stud that transfers after first year with the new transfer rules.