Perkins Officially Returning

[Dr. Holly Hills]

This is great news!  And yes, it moved a little...

[WVBilliken]

57 minutes ago, wgstl said:

Awesome. 
 

linssen          okoro

   jimerson Perkins 

             yuri 

Love your 5 but it's a bit short in the ball-handling department.  

But with Perkins, Okoro and a point guard like Collins ..... my guess is Coach Ford entices a stud transfer or two (pretty much all transfers are immediately eligible, right?) to join a team that likely will be projected top of the A10.  Pretty appealing to join that threesome.  With a transfer or two with a talent level like a Cam’Ron Fletcher, the team, likely ranked in the top 25 to 30 in the nation.  Love Jimerson and Linnson but expect Coach Ford to recruit guys to compete with them and several others as starters.  Let practice competition sort out playing time.

[johnbj14]

Javonte coming back is absolutely massive. SLU should have a pretty decent OOC next year, and Javonte will have a good chance to improve his resume. This is a massive bet on himself. 

[slu72 fan]

How does impact Hargrove and Strickland?

[HoosierPal]

In his last three games, Perkins has 21 boards, 7, 7 and 7.  For the season he is averaging just under 4 boards.  Rebounding improvement is one area where he will be needed next season.

[Taj79]

This is great news but before we start setting the bar too high,  lets remember this year's conference champ returns everyone to Olean.  So too does the second place finisher down at VCU.  Umass might return everyone if Pierre stays.  Rhodey has everyone back except Fatts and Sheppard meaning they need guards for that massive front line.  Dayton has two four stars, two three stars the projected Rookie of the Year and Dwayne Cohill coming back.  La Salle gets everyone back.  And the Joeys only lose Daly (if that happens).  

I guess what I'm saying is the A10 will retain its cannibalistic personality and be a dog fight all the same.

[BilliesBy40]

26 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

This is great news but before we start setting the bar too high,  lets remember this year's conference champ returns everyone to Olean.  So too does the second place finisher down at VCU.  Umass might return everyone if Pierre stays.  Rhodey has everyone back except Fatts and Sheppard meaning they need guards for that massive front line.  Dayton has two four stars, two three stars the projected Rookie of the Year and Dwayne Cohill coming back.  La Salle gets everyone back.  And the Joeys only lose Daly (if that happens).  

I guess what I'm saying is the A10 will retain its cannibalistic personality and be a dog fight all the same.

Good post. Bones Hyland won’t be back though.

[RUBillsFan]

23 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

This is great news but before we start setting the bar too high,  lets remember this year's conference champ returns everyone to Olean.  So too does the second place finisher down at VCU.  Umass might return everyone if Pierre stays.  Rhodey has everyone back except Fatts and Sheppard meaning they need guards for that massive front line.  Dayton has two four stars, two three stars the projected Rookie of the Year and Dwayne Cohill coming back.  La Salle gets everyone back.  And the Joeys only lose Daly (if that happens).  

I guess what I'm saying is the A10 will retain its cannibalistic personality and be a dog fight all the same.

We add Okoro and won’t have a month+ COVID layoff to deal with.  We haven’t had any issues w this Bona roster and should be able to beat VCU with decent refs especially at home.  I expect UMass to lose Mitchell & not be any trouble.  Haven’t had issues vs Rhody w Fatts.  Dayton without Crutcher won’t be the same.  I assume you are joking about LaSalle and St Joe’s.  
 

I don’t expect us to necessarily win the A10, but we should compete for the top spot & anything below a top 4 finish would be disappointing barring unforeseen circumstances.

[A10Ref]

29 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

This is great news but before we start setting the bar too high,  lets remember this year's conference champ returns everyone to Olean.  So too does the second place finisher down at VCU.  Umass might return everyone if Pierre stays.  Rhodey has everyone back except Fatts and Sheppard meaning they need guards for that massive front line.  Dayton has two four stars, two three stars the projected Rookie of the Year and Dwayne Cohill coming back.  La Salle gets everyone back.  And the Joeys only lose Daly (if that happens).  

I guess what I'm saying is the A10 will retain its cannibalistic personality and be a dog fight all the same.

Can we just celebrate perkins before we start the doom and gloom? I am sure other threads need that. So excited to see this guy thrive in front of his friends and family next season, and I can't wait for him to score at will this week.

[juniorbill76]

With that decision behind him and knowing he has another year to improve and show his stuff, let’s see a comfortable Perkins have some monster games this week - and into April.

[BigMouthBilliken]

Best news of 2021 so far 

[brianstl]

When NIL goes into effect get him in a Imo’s commercial with Tatum.

[Dr. Holly Hills]

1 hour ago, juniorbill76 said:

With that decision behind him and knowing he has another year to improve and show his stuff, let’s see a comfortable Perkins have some monster games this week - and into April.

Agree.  Like cards spring training “swinging free and easy”

[Reinert310]

4 hours ago, Reinert310 said:

OMG! OMG! OMG! I don’t know if a towel big enough exists!

I saw I got a troll reaction for this, then I saw who gave it to me. It made me smile. Good ol’ @lquarles.

[NH]

Interesting quote from JGood in Stu's article on Perkins: Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French previously said they didn’t plan to use the extra year. Asked if he was sticking to that Sunday, Goodwin said, “I can’t say that right now because I don’t know. It’s more about focusing on what we have to do right now.”

 

[Littlebill]

1 hour ago, NH said:

Interesting quote from JGood in Stu's article on Perkins: Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French previously said they didn’t plan to use the extra year. Asked if he was sticking to that Sunday, Goodwin said, “I can’t say that right now because I don’t know. It’s more about focusing on what we have to do right now.”

 

WHAT

[RUBillsFan]

1 hour ago, NH said:

Interesting quote from JGood in Stu's article on Perkins: Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French previously said they didn’t plan to use the extra year. Asked if he was sticking to that Sunday, Goodwin said, “I can’t say that right now because I don’t know. It’s more about focusing on what we have to do right now.”

 

Goodwin seems like the type of guy who’d be pretty pissed about not making the NCAAs his senior year and perhaps decide to come back to if that was the case.  I think if the end of the season turns out the way we hope, he for sure rides off into the sunset.  If he ends in a disappointing fashion, more likely he considers coming back.  Either way I don’t think it is likely.

[Coach314]

Congratulations to Javonte and SLU.  Great news.

[dlarry]

[slu72]

Great news. Good move by Javonte. I think he saw the need for more games at the D1 level being necessary to improve his game. My picks for a starting 5 with what we currently have is:

Yurimania

Thatch

Perkins

Linssen

Okoro

I like us going a little bigger. If we want to go smaller and faster the options are there. Without naming names, I'm hopeful the rest of the roster stays intact. 

[billiken_roy]

im still very bullish on jimmy bell jr.   but he will be a sophomore eligibilitywise and could walk into linssen's spot as a junior and still have a very good billiken career.   i thought Friday night he played with some passion we havent seen this year.   and you gotta love his size and potential to mold that body.   dont get down jimmy, your day is coming.   be the best backup you can be next year.   

[Scoop]

I like Bell a lot too and like playing big next year. 
 

Yuri, Jacobs, Perkins, Linnsen, Okoro

 

Rotate Bell inside and let Thatch, Hargrove, Strickland come in and run ‘em out of the gym. 
 

Of course, I’d take Goodwin and French back if they change their minds.

 

[slufan13]

21 minutes ago, Scoop said:

I like Bell a lot too and like playing big next year. 
 

Yuri, Jacobs, Perkins, Linnsen, Okoro

 

Rotate Bell inside and let Thatch, Hargrove, Strickland come in and run ‘em out of the gym. 
 

Of course, I’d take Goodwin and French back if they change their minds.

 

And Jimerson and hopefully some immediately available transfers

[Taj79]

@RU --- correct interpretation on all fronts.

@A10Ref --- no doom and gloom, just reality.  Given how the East Coast bus league loves us so, they will pick and shower love on the two returning teams over and above anything we get.  Just reality.

[CBFan]

1 minute ago, Taj79 said:

@RU --- correct interpretation on all fronts.

@A10Ref --- no doom and gloom, just reality.  Given how the East Coast bus league loves us so, they will pick and shower love on the two returning teams over and above anything we get.  Just reality.

I agree with your last post the state of the A10 will be better but that is exactly what we want to see a 4 bid league with SLU in the running for a league title and at large bid.  SLU should be ready to handle the tough teams in the NCAA tournament.

We still do not know how coach Ford plans to fill the 3 scholarships he has to fill.  The seniors that stay do not count against the scholarships next season only.

SLU retains their high scoring potential POY with players having another year of experience plus 3 remaining scholarships.

I hope you can make a trip out to watch them at Chaifetz next season.