bills16 Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 Quote: One of the many players that caught your eye on Saturday at Troy Johnson's Illinois Wolves tournament in Bolingbrook was St Louis Vashon sophomore forward Leon Powell. The 6-foot-7 wing man helped lead Vashon to the state championship game last season and has plenty of schools interested in him. Powell played for the St Louis Gameface 16-and-under team at the tournament. Powell averaged 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals per game last season for Vashon and was named second team All-Metro by the St Louis Post-Dispatch. His team was undefeated, top-ranked by the USA Today till they lost the class 5A state championship game to North Carolina recruit Tyler Hansbrough's Poplar Bluff team. The scouting report on Powell? A smooth slasher who can drive to the hole and score or hit the outside jumper. He has a nice handle, plays hard and is still growing. Impressive player who dominates at the 16-and-under level. "The whole recruiting thing is kind of new to me. I don't know that I have a favorite or anything like that," said Powell after one of his games. "People tell me I have some offers but I am not really worried about any of that right now. Just trying to get better, stronger as a player." "Missouri, St Louis University, Pitt, Southeast Missouri, Illinois, Southern Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Minnesota, really every school seems to be sending me stuff about their team. A bunch of schools were in to talk to my high school coach last month but I am not sure which ones." Powell's teammate at Vashon, 6-foot-5 junior forward Bobby Hill is another prospect that likes the Illini along with several other schools. "I am playing AAU ball this summer, then I will go to the Nike Camp in Indianapolis in June. I am looking forward to that." What does Powell think about the Illini? "I have known Coach Lowery (Chris Lowery former Illini assistant, current Southern Illinois head coach) for a long time. He recruits St Louis for Southern but before that he recruited for Illinois. He is a good guy but when he first talked to me, it was about Illinois." "I like the style Illinois plays, Coach Weber is really liked in St Louis, he did a great job at Southern Illinois, now is doing a great job at Illinois. I fit their style of play. I like how they passed the ball last year, they weren't selfish, it was a fun team to watch. Illinois is definitely a school I am looking at but I am open, make sure everyone knows I am looking at everyone."(laughing) "Someone said today Dee Brown was leaving Illinois to go to the NBA? I like watching him play there but he has to do what he thinks is right." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 it is encouraging that powell still lists us with some big players that are sending him notes. it seems to me, at this point, powell is the big fish in the class of 2007 from the st louis area. he and lucas o'rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 O'rear is a great name. We'd need to bring Donnie Dobbs back to teach him the patented "booty bump." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 Powell is only a sophomore - he does not really have any idea where he will end up. Next year as a junior will be when he starts to sort it all out. He will be influenced by Polk and if the Bill's have decent season next year. We don't have to win 25 games but make a good showing in the A10 and a decent record will cause him to take Brad serious. With the loses Weber has incurred, IL will not have any easy time in the Big 10 next year. MO is nothing to worry about since Quinn will be on pins and needles all year about his job. The local players will not have much to do with him given his situation even though he might still get a player from across the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 i would never sell pretty q short. think about this. he stole one of the top inside players in chicago without leaving campus! that is a lot of walmart gift certificates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidlee Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 I would be surprised if Floyd would let another player go to Mizzou. I don't think he is very happy the ways things have turned out for McKinney. Just my thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 I know he was a top player in Chicago, but it was surprising to see him come to Mizzou. There has to be something there. Why weren't other big schools willing to offer him? Does he have any baggage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 He's a 6'7 280 lb power forward with limited hops and foot speed. I'm not sure who he's going to guard in college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 his baggage is he is huge as in arthur johnson out of high school huge. that said, his final list came down to the likes of illinois, florida state and georgetown i believe. in fact, i didnt even know mi$$ouri was in the running. it came out of no where. he was on the illinois all-state team i believe. if he gets in shape, he will compete with grimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 I am just interested..... how can Leon Powell say I may have some offers? how can LP say some schools were in to talk to my hs coach but I don't know which ones? I am Vashon supporter, and have posted such before. Does anyone know what sort of access Floyd gives to schools recruiting his kids? Perhaps b/c LP is going into his jr year things are being run they way they are to protect the kid (and if so Floyd knows his kids better than any of us and has been thru this so has a good idea what someone should be exposed to at what time..perhaps a model others should adopt) I am just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 If you think HS kids have the same interest or even close to the same in college bball as the posters here on the board or a average fan you are mistaken. Floyd probably does protect his players pretty well from the recruiting hordes but still Leon as a 16 year old probably has little interest in some 60 year old college bball coach and what he has to say, much less have any knowledge beyond rudimentary what schools even have good programs much less who is recruiting him. There are much more "important" things on Mr Powells mind. At this point he is probably just out there playing ball. College although it will hopefully occur for him in a couple years is light years away in his thinking. Frankly although this may perplex some I think this is a healthy attitude for a kid to take. No sense in swimming with all those sharks before you have to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtside Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 ...just an fyi...I remember back when you asked about Weber's brother's High School team and their shot at State...they won it, much of it due to superstar Jon Scheyer. Well this week Scheyer narrowed his choices to Illinois and Duke....if you missed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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