Recruiting - 2023

[Coach314]

5 hours ago, 3star_recruit said:

If Westminster's Kobi Williams played most of the time like he did in his team's upset of CBC last night, he would have a D-1 offer by now.  But you never know what player you're going to get.  This summer will be huge for him.  He's got the size (6-3), quickness and creativity to be a mid-major shooting guard but the shooting consistency isn't there yet.

What are your thoughts on Nicholson down at Vashon?  I watched him against Chicago St Rita on Saturday and I was impressed.  

[3star_recruit]

Nicholson is strong, plays defense, is a good but not great shooter who also attacks the basket.  Can pass a little bit.  He fits the Bully Ball model of player that has done well here.

[Cowboy II]

2 hours ago, 3star_recruit said:

Nicholson is strong, plays defense, is a good but not great shooter who also attacks the basket.  Can pass a little bit.  He fits the Bully Ball model of player that has done well here.

-have we offered? if so, would be able to say how hot we are on his trail?

[3star_recruit]

13 hours ago, Cowboy II said:

-have we offered? if so, would be able to say how hot we are on his trail?

We've been tracking Nicholson for a couple of years but we haven't offered yet.  He came into high school with a physically mature body and a top 25 ranking.  It turns out that he's an early bloomer -- he physically matured early and his skills are only marginal better than they were a couple of years ago.

A strong end to the season could alter my assessment, but he's a Valley-level recruit right now.  He would definitely fit in here, culture-wise, though.

[Cowboy II]

1 hour ago, 3star_recruit said:

We've been tracking Nicholson for a couple of years but we haven't offered yet.  He came into high school with a physically mature body and a top 25 ranking.  It turns out that he's an early bloomer -- he physically matured early and his skills are only marginal better than they were a couple of years ago.

A strong end to the season could alter my assessment, but he's a Valley-level recruit right now.  He would definitely fit in here, culture-wise, though.

-thanks

[Taj79]

Nicholson is a 6'4" shooting guard with offers from SIUE, Missouri State and SEMO.  Current SG's on the roster include Thatch, Nesbitt and Jimerson along with newcomers Parker, Kramer and Thames.  That's a lot of freaking shooting guards, no?

[seanwest]

Kennard Davis Jr. at Vashon is a top 100 talent nationally... no doubt in my mind. He's raised his skill level (handle and shot making off the bounce) to a point where he can play the 2 and 3 at the next level at 6'6. His motor and defensive ability on the wing are the best in St. Louis right now in my eyes. I feel confident at this point in the season now saying the 2023 rankings in the state go

1) Kennard Davis Jr.

2) Desmond White

3) Zaide Lowery

BJ Ward at Chaminade has also been on a tear recently. I think he fits best in the Missouri Valley or Ohio Valley play-style wise however. Same goes for Justin Duff at DeSmet. I think he'd be a good pickup in the Ohio Valley. Jayden Nicholson has starting playing some PG for Vashon and it's been a great transition. Things are pointing up in Missouri. The 2023 class has really grown into its own recently.

[Coach314]

1 hour ago, seanwest said:

Kennard Davis Jr. at Vashon is a top 100 talent nationally... no doubt in my mind. He's raised his skill level (handle and shot making off the bounce) to a point where he can play the 2 and 3 at the next level at 6'6. His motor and defensive ability on the wing are the best in St. Louis right now in my eyes. I feel confident at this point in the season now saying the 2023 rankings in the state go

1) Kennard Davis Jr.

2) Desmond White

3) Zaide Lowery

BJ Ward at Chaminade has also been on a tear recently. I think he fits best in the Missouri Valley or Ohio Valley play-style wise however. Same goes for Justin Duff at DeSmet. I think he'd be a good pickup in the Ohio Valley. Jayden Nicholson has starting playing some PG for Vashon and it's been a great transition. Things are pointing up in Missouri. The 2023 class has really grown into its own recently.

Where's Kennard playing ball this Summer?  I see his offers going up this summer.

[brianstl]

2 hours ago, Coach314 said:

Where's Kennard playing ball this Summer?  I see his offers going up this summer.

Coach or @seanwest, you both will probably know the answer to this.   Is the rule regarding not playing for your high school coach in AAU still in place and so no Vashon or CBC players on the BBE U17 team this season? 

[seanwest]

6 hours ago, brianstl said:

Coach or @seanwest, you both will probably know the answer to this.   Is the rule regarding not playing for your high school coach in AAU still in place and so no Vashon or CBC players on the BBE U17 team this season? 

Correct. Davis is a Mokan kid. 

[NH]

New Rivals 150:

#70 Kordelius Jefferson
#104 Finley Bizjack
#137 Nazar Mahmoud
#149 Reece Potter

[CBFan]

54 minutes ago, NH said:

New Rivals 150:

#70 Kordelius Jefferson
#104 Finley Bizjack
#137 Nazar Mahmoud
#149 Reece Potter

I want Bizjack and Potter.

[Coach314]

 

[3star_recruit]

On 2/10/2022 at 12:52 PM, CBFan said:

I want Bizjack and Potter.

It will be interesting to see what Bizjack's recruitment looks like this spring.  He's not getting the offers a top 100ish recruit normally gets. 

There may be some concern in the high major ranks that his scoring at the rim will not translate.  He's got good quickness but limited vertical.  Hopefully we are the beneficiaries of high majors dragging their feet.

On the local front, I like the way Jayden Nicholson has been playing the past couple of weeks.  I believe all the ballhandling he's asked to do for the V will serve him well going forward.  He's the closest thing they have to a go-to-guy.

[Ibruce]

Post from the Illini Board with Coach Ford mentioned:

 

Got an up close look at East St. Louis junior Macaleb Rich last night. He's got a Kansas State offer and Mizzou and Illinois have talked to him. Travis Ford and Cuonzo Martin were there. Rich is very physically gifted. He got up above the square for a couple of blocks. He hit a couple of threes and ended up with 26 points. He looks like a high D1 player physically, but it was tough to tell too much about his game because he was just so physically dominant considering who was guarding him. He's got a motor when he wants to turn it on. He's definitely one to keep an eye on for 2023 IMO though.

ESL has a senior, Christian Jones, committed to Mizzou. Not sure if Mizzou offered him to get to Rich, but he didn't jump out to me as a high level D1 guy.

[AnkielBreakers]

On 2/22/2022 at 8:15 PM, Coach314 said:

 

What position does Rich play, and what does he project to? I watched a video on him, and it is hard to tell his actual height. I would guess 6’4”. He is also built like a PF. He seems like the most talented player in 2023 in the STL area, but at the same time, it really depends on how he develops.

[3star_recruit]

6 minutes ago, AnkielBreakers said:

What position does Rich play, and what does he project to? I watched a video on him, and it is hard to tell his actual height. I would guess 6’4”. He is also built like a PF. He seems like the most talented player in 2023 in the STL area, but at the same time, it really depends on how he develops.

Rich is a thick-bodied, skywalking 6'5 power forward.  Ferocious dunker.  Attacks the offensive boards.  Ball handling needs work.  Decent spot up shooter.  He's right out of Bully Ball central casting.  

[Coach314]

26 minutes ago, AnkielBreakers said:

What position does Rich play, and what does he project to? I watched a video on him, and it is hard to tell his actual height. I would guess 6’4”. He is also built like a PF. He seems like the most talented player in 2023 in the STL area, but at the same time, it really depends on how he develops.

Yeah.  @3star_recruitpretty much summed him up.  I saw Rich in 8th grade.  I thought he was a sophomore/junior because of his build.  He was the biggest player on his team and played Center.  They let him bring the ball up but he didn't have true guard skills.  I haven't seen him play since his Freshman year.  Not sure how much he has improved as a wing player.  I will defer to others who have seen him more recently.

[Taj79]

D-Day for next year's recruiting class is whne we get a decision on Javonte Perkins.  All else pales.

[NH]

53 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

Rich is a thick-bodied, skywalking 6'5 power forward.  Ferocious dunker.  Attacks the offensive boards.  Ball handling needs work.  Decent spot up shooter.  He's right out of Bully Ball central casting.  

Some parts of his game remind me of Fred Thatch in high school. Rich is bigger, so you could argue a little more upside maybe.

[Coach314]

6 hours ago, Taj79 said:

D-Day for next year's recruiting class is whne we get a decision on Javonte Perkins.  All else pales.

Fingers crossed huh?

[thetorch]

Lots of people compare Rich to Hargrove but there are big differences.  Similar athletes but Rich is a basketball player, Hargrove is a track star who plays basketball.  Lots more upside because of this.  Rich is a less polished but more explosive Dwayne Evans.  Evans got real good because of his BBall IQ and his motor.  Remains to be seen whether Rich has those attributes.

[seanwest]

 

6'11 Center at Link Year via Austin, TX is playing with MPJ Elite. Word out of Link Year is that he's a mid-to-high major caliber prospect. 

 

[BLIKNS]

Saw Stu tweeted we have offered Brock Vice .. I am interested and intrigued by him..

Have no idea how good he is or will be,but he belongs in the cool name category,  same level with Roman Gabriel, Jack Del Rio and Joe Montana

[AnkielBreakers]

On 2/24/2022 at 9:38 PM, seanwest said:

 

6'11 Center at Link Year via Austin, TX is playing with MPJ Elite. Word out of Link Year is that he's a mid-to-high major caliber prospect. 

 

Who is the 7 foot red-head we had years ago? This would be his heir at SLU.