Recruiting - 2021

[Pistol]

On 6/3/2020 at 11:04 AM, SLURadioBoy said:

Nesbitt is now up to #59 in the latest Rivals 150 rankings.

Other offers:

15. J.D. Davison (Calhoun HS, Letohatchee, AL)
26. Franck Kepnang (Westtown School, PA)
42. Rahsool Diggins (Archbishop Wood, Philadelphia)
46. Deebo Coleman (West Nassau County HS, FL)
59. Jordan Nesbitt (STL Christian Academy)
64. John Butler, Jr. (Christ Church Academy, Greenville, SC)
76. Brandon Weston (Morgan Park, Chicago)
82. Shane Dezonie (Huntington Prep, WV)
85. Tamar Bates (Transferred to IMG Academy in FL, but from the Kansas side of the KC metro.)
88. Wesley Cardet (Northeast HS, Fort Lauderdale)
102. Ty Ty Washington, Jr. (Compass Prep, Phoenix)
108. Nisine Poplar (Mathematics, Civics, & Sciences, Philadelphia)
110. Josh Beadle (Cardinal Newman, Columbia, SC)
113. Isaiah Barnes (Simeon, Chicago)
126. A.J. Neal (West Oaks Academy, Orlando)
147. Yaya Keita (DeSmet)

Other names of note:

7. A.J. Griffin (Duke commit. Had a SLU offer, and we recruited his older brother Alan out of HS and called again when he transferred from Illinois.)
12. Kendall Brown (SLU offer, didn't make his finalists.)
13. Aminu Mohammed (Top recruit in Missouri, goes to Greenwood Lab School in Springfield.)
28. Trey Patterson (SLU offer, didn't make his finalists. Announcing in two weeks.)
55. Zion Harmon (SLU offer, Western Kentucky commit.)
90. Jaden Jones (SLU offer, Rutgers commit. Plays with Nesbitt at SLCA.)

[TheChosenOne]

2 hours ago, Pistol said:

Other names of note:
13. Aminu Mohammed (Top recruit in Missouri, goes to Greenwood Lab School in Springfield.)

Did SLU ever offer Aminu? I am just curious and if not I am not being critical of the coaching staff as I am sure they would have checked in on a top 15 recruit playing in the state to see whether there was any interest.

[BilliesBy40]

33 minutes ago, TheChosenOne said:

Did SLU ever offer Aminu? I am just curious and if not I am not being critical of the coaching staff as I am sure they would have checked in on a top 15 recruit playing in the state to see whether there was any interest.

If not, we should. His family situation could keep him close to the area (he moved to Springfield because his brother was playing at Missouri State).

[Pistol]

44 minutes ago, TheChosenOne said:

Did SLU ever offer Aminu? I am just curious and if not I am not being critical of the coaching staff as I am sure they would have checked in on a top 15 recruit playing in the state to see whether there was any interest.

As far as I can tell, SLU has not recruited him.

[Pistol]

Did a full refresh in the Recruiting Lists thread. Some 2021 notes:

-Isaiah Barnes has transferred from Oak Park River Forest to Simeon, where he'll pair with DePaul commit and former SLU offer Ahamad Bynum. He's completely blown up since we offered a couple months ago.

-Tamar Bates transferred from Piper HS in KC, KS to IMG Academy. I'm not sure that this will change his profile a ton, as he's already being recruited by Kansas, Creighton, and a bunch of other power programs.

-We're listed as being involved with Joshua Beadle in recent articles/interviews. He's a PG out of South Carolina, #110 on the new Rivals rankings.

-We're basically the strongest offer for Malcolm Chimizie out of Stepinac in NYC. He was quoted heavily in an article about the lack of a travel season this spring/summer, lamenting how it is hard to raise his profile at all.

-We should be up to date on the local kids, but just a reiteration that we're listed among the favorites for Nesbitt in quite a few places. It's a rapidly developing situation but great to see.

-Duncan Powell says he wants to take an unofficial visit to SLU. I don't know the timetable or format (I don't think he means virtual), but he's also mentioning an unofficial visit to Texas Southern and officials to NC A&T and UT-San Antonio. He had a new call with Arkansas this week even though he decommitted several weeks ago.

-Jordan Shorter says SLU is among the schools who have been the most consistent with him all along, a group that also includes Florida, South Florida, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State. Of SLU, he added: "They also let their guards play. I didn’t know they had such a big fan base but their fans hit me on social media a lot." (The last part surprised me.)

-Jai Smith appears to have reclassified to 2022. We're one of five offers; UMass is the latest.

-We're mentioned frequently as a contender for Drissa Traore, but he says he's wide open, looks at his 11 offers equally, and is in no rush.

-Langston Wilson has picked up more offers than any other 2021 recruit since I last updated, but SLU remains the strongest one. He's a JUCO player who would be a junior when he arrives.

[wgstl]

16 minutes ago, Pistol said:

As far as I can tell, SLU has not recruited him.

I was under the impression he wanted to return to the east coast to play.

[SLURadioBoy]

2 hours ago, Pistol said:

-We should be up to date on the local kids, but just a reiteration that we're listed among the favorites for Nesbitt in quite a few places. It's a rapidly developing situation but great to see.

@Pistol, just wondering where you’ve seen we are a favorite for Nesbitt? I know Frank talks about it, but I feel like I never read that anywhere aside that one article from Eric Bossi of Rivals guessing that.

[3star_recruit]

2 hours ago, SLURadioBoy said:

@Pistol, just wondering where you’ve seen we are a favorite for Nesbitt? I know Frank talks about it, but I feel like I never read that anywhere aside that one article from Eric Bossi of Rivals guessing that.

Stockrisers also mentions us with Nesbitt.  Pistol is reading between the lines.  We're the only mid-major Nesbitt mentions by name, even though we're not his only mid-major offer.

https://stockrisers.com/2020/05/03/four-star-junior-jordan-nesbitt-talks-recruitment/

“Saint Louis, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Illinois and Alabama, Seton Hall are heavily involved,” Nesbitt told Stockrisers.com.

 

[SLURadioBoy]

29 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

Stockrisers also mentions us with Nesbitt.  Pistol is reading between the lines.  We're the only mid-major Nesbitt mentions by name, even though we're not his only mid-major offer.

https://stockrisers.com/2020/05/03/four-star-junior-jordan-nesbitt-talks-recruitment/

“Saint Louis, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Illinois and Alabama, Seton Hall are heavily involved,” Nesbitt told Stockrisers.com.

 

That makes sense. I’ve just been searching for stories where he mentions his favorites or where he plans to visit, but never found any. I was wondering if I missed something.

[Quality Is Job 1]

I'm sorry; I know Seton Hall is in the Big East, but I have trouble perceiving of them as being cut-and-dry a level above SLU (with respect to "power" status).

[Pistol]

9 hours ago, Quality Is Job 1 said:

I'm sorry; I know Seton Hall is in the Big East, but I have trouble perceiving of them as being cut-and-dry a level above SLU (with respect to "power" status).

I would say basically all of his top schools right now are. They're power conference programs. It's a big difference that we're always going to have to overcome.

What's interesting is they're mostly bottom-half teams in their respective conferences. Doesn't apply to all of them this past season, but Nebraska and Ole Miss in particular. Illinois is finally bouncing back. Alabama has been up and down. Seton Hall has been mostly solid - this would've been their fifth straight Tournament season after a 10-year gap.

What this spring/summer AAU season would've almost certainly done for Nesbitt is give him a bunch of top-half power conference programs in heavy pursuit. Some of those are calling and showing some interest but not nearly to the level of his current leaders and not nearly as many as he would otherwise have.

[MusicCityBilliken]

9 hours ago, Quality Is Job 1 said:

I'm sorry; I know Seton Hall is in the Big East, but I have trouble perceiving of them as being cut-and-dry a level above SLU (with respect to "power" status).

First they play in the Beast. (usually a top 3 conference)

Second, they had a national final, elite 8 and a few sweet 16s since the early 90s.

Third-last season they were tied for 1st in the NBE. Previous 4 years they had NCAA appearances.

[Box and Won]

19 hours ago, Pistol said:

Other offers:

15. J.D. Davison (Calhoun HS, Letohatchee, AL)
26. Franck Kepnang (Westtown School, PA)
42. Rahsool Diggins (Archbishop Wood, Philadelphia)
46. Deebo Coleman (West Nassau County HS, FL)
59. Jordan Nesbitt (STL Christian Academy)
64. John Butler, Jr. (Christ Church Academy, Greenville, SC)
76. Brandon Weston (Morgan Park, Chicago)
82. Shane Dezonie (Huntington Prep, WV)
85. Tamar Bates (Transferred to IMG Academy in FL, but from the Kansas side of the KC metro.)
88. Wesley Cardet (Northeast HS, Fort Lauderdale)
102. Ty Ty Washington, Jr. (Compass Prep, Phoenix)
108. Nisine Poplar (Mathematics, Civics, & Sciences, Philadelphia)
110. Josh Beadle (Cardinal Newman, Columbia, SC)
113. Isaiah Barnes (Simeon, Chicago)
126. A.J. Neal (West Oaks Academy, Orlando)
147. Yaya Keita (DeSmet)

I have highlighted my priority recruits.

Shane Dezonie gets an honorable mention.

Isaiah Barnes is also a solid - albeit nondescript - baller name.

[bauman]

3 hours ago, tarheelbilliken said:

First they play in the Beast. (usually a top 3 conference)

Second, they had a national final, elite 8 and a few sweet 16s since the early 90s.

Third-last season they were tied for 1st in the NBE. Previous 4 years they had NCAA appearances.

 Fourth, they split 2 games with us the last two years

Fifth, they have lost key players going into this year and we are positioned to excel with all key players returning

Sixth, we are losing 3 key players as Nesbitt would be starting his career as a Billiken so we would have spots open for him-can you say the new JG?

Seventh, his family and friends would be able to watch over half his games each year without having to drive or fly to New Jersey

Eighth,  he could become a household name in his home town as opposed to a "ya, I kinda remember him.  Didn't he go east and play for someone like Rutgers or St. John?"

 

[bauman]

3 hours ago, Box and Won said:

I have highlighted my priority recruits.

Shane Dezonie gets an honorable mention.

Isaiah Barnes is also a solid - albeit nondescript - baller name.

You don't have Nesbitt as a priority ???????????????????????????????????

You have to be kidding, right?

[Reinert310]

9 minutes ago, bauman said:

You don't have Nesbitt as a priority ???????????????????????????????????

You have to be kidding, right?

He IS kidding. He’s talking about players names. That’s his schtick. How have people not caught on to this yet?

[Box and Won]

13 minutes ago, bauman said:

You don't have Nesbitt as a priority ???????????????????????????????????

You have to be kidding, right?

Eh, Jordan Nesbitt doesn't really do it for me.

[Reinert310]

1 minute ago, Box and Won said:

Eh, Jordan Nesbitt doesn't really do it for me.

Lol

[MusicCityBilliken]

9 minutes ago, bauman said:

 Fourth, they split 2 games with us the last two years

Fifth, they have lost key players going into this year and we are positioned to excel with all key players returning

Sixth, we are losing 3 key players as Nesbitt would be starting his career as a Billiken so we would have spots open for him-can you say the new JG?

Seventh, his family and friends would be able to watch over half his games each year without having to drive or fly to New Jersey

Eighth,  he could become a household name in his home town as opposed to a "ya, I kinda remember him.  Didn't he go east and play for someone like Rutgers or St. John?"

 

I have no clue where Nesbitt is going. Hope he picks SLU.

Thicks was commenting on SLU 'cut above' in status. I don't think so. We haven't exactly had a history of advancing in the NCAAs like Seton Hall, at least now we are getting in. This past year we would had to run the table again in Brooklyn to get in.

Also, go to some away OOC games, especially when play power 5 team. Been to plenty. I wear my SLU blue and I get tired hearing what is a Billiken or where is SLU. No one has a clue about SLU. We still have a ways to go.

I hope we get to level of a Gonzaga or Xavier.  Will see.  

[bauman]

29 minutes ago, Reinert310 said:

He IS kidding. He’s talking about players names. That’s his schtick. How have people not caught on to this yet?

Got it.

[bauman]

27 minutes ago, tarheelbilliken said:

I have no clue where Nesbitt is going. Hope he picks SLU.

Thicks was commenting on SLU 'cut above' in status. I don't think so. We haven't exactly had a history of advancing in the NCAAs like Seton Hall, at least now we are getting in. This past year we would had to run the table again in Brooklyn to get in.

Also, go to some away OOC games, especially when play power 5 team. Been to plenty. I wear my SLU blue and I get tired hearing what is a Billiken or where is SLU. No one has a clue about SLU. We still have a ways to go.

I hope we get to level of a Gonzaga or Xavier.  Will see.  

Of all the non-P5 conference schools, I'd be very happy if we could fit into the discussion for 3rd best, at least in the immediate future.  I'll cede the #1 and #2 spots to the Zags and Nova.  I would love to see us at the level of X,  Creighton and Marquette as consistent NCAA tournament teams going to the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight, 3 or 4 times every 10 years.

If TF and staff continue on the track they are on now with regard to bringing in talent, we can get there sooner rather than later, in fact, maybe starting this year.

Just think how good we would be if Travis could actually coach! 

[BilliesBy40]

35 minutes ago, bauman said:

Of all the non-P5 conference schools, I'd be very happy if we could fit into the discussion for 3rd best, at least in the immediate future.  I'll cede the #1 and #2 spots to the Zags and Nova.  I would love to see us at the level of X,  Creighton and Marquette as consistent NCAA tournament teams going to the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight, 3 or 4 times every 10 years.

If TF and staff continue on the track they are on now with regard to bringing in talent, we can get there sooner rather than later, in fact, maybe starting this year.

Just think how good we would be if Travis could actually coach! 

A few NCAA tournament trips in a row will not bring us to #3 on that list in the immediate future. As you alluded to in your post, those other schools have been stacking success for decades.

[Reinert310]

Just now, BilliesBy40 said:

A few NCAA tournament trips in a row will not bring us to #3 on that list in the immediate future. As you alluded to in your post, those other schools have been stacking success for decades.

I think it’s a matter of perspective. There was a time, under Greg Marshall, where Wichita St. was probably a top-5 non-Power-5 team. A number of years. You wouldn’t have been able to that before or since, but for that 5 or so years, it was true. If you’re talking about program tradition...yes, it will take more than a few decent tournament runs to get us there. But if you’re talking about just being a top-3 non-Power-5 team team on a season to season basis, I think with some good luck, that is attainable in the not to distant future.

[bauman]

Last years' final NET numbers has us at 49 with 18 of the 48 teams ahead of us in non-P5 conferences, including 2 in the A10 - Dayton &  Richmond.  An interesting fact is that 3 of the top 4 were from outside the P5 conferences.  Clearly the P5 teams need to make major (but subtle) changes to the formula so that can never happen again.

[goonaha]

Power 5 is a football distinction and needs to stop being used for basketball. The Big East is a better basketball conference than the SEC and regularly better than the Big 12 and Pac 12. The Big East is a major basketball conference. The WCC and A-10 are not.