slufanskip Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 I also like the path we now seem to be taking. We need to take the next step by making the tourney and then a couple of wins and maybe consistent top 25 status. To do this we need to upgrade our talent by getting solid top 100 type players ... but we can't get players who won't buy into Coach's system. I think we will win with a combination of good players and players that work hard and play great defense. Of course if we get a chance to land that superstar ... Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 the biggest reason is i dont think brad will even try to chase the top billing star players. unlike romar, brad seems focused on finding the best talent more on a 4 year projection. hansborough might be just good enough by next year to be a one and done type player. again, from what i have read, missouri is currently not the leader for his services. i believe out of loyalty to his dad, missouri is still in the running, but i am betting on florida, duke, unc or arizona being the finalists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 actually, romar remained in the picture for lee, miles, sampson, diener and hayes until the very end. all very highly ranked players. slu could get those players if they tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 while i think kevin can hold his own with top players, (his game last week vs livingston proved that) i think that honestly there are a lot of kevin lisch's out there. i would fight anyone that says he isnt as good as the top 100 player, but i would stay quiet if someone said he isnt a top 25 player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted January 5, 2004 Share Posted January 5, 2004 I think Brad Soderberg would be crazy not to take a Top 25 caliber player if he can. He must still recruit smart, hardworking players with above-average athleticism as he has been doing, but if he can get a player who will play one year and then go to the NBA, then -- as long as he fits comfortably into his system -- he should take him. With the currently forthcoming nucleus, such a player could get SLU a championship. After that, the caliber of player willing to come to SLU goes up at least a notch. Hey, even with Larry's leaving after a year, SLU still got a Justin Love, a Maurice Jeffers, and a Marque Perry. If not for the dropoff after that, SLU would continue to be a Top 25 team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schasz Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 I like your thinking here and agree that we should never say never in trying to recruit the top athletes. Let's face it, in order for Coach Soderberg to reach his ultimate goals of at least a Final Four...it won't be attainable with a roster full of role players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 thicks, i dont think that i said that brad wont take a top 25 player. i said i dont think he is pursuing top 25 players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 I agree that we shouldn't not try to get the superstar especially if he is local or from the surrounding area. But I don't think that is how we build our program from where we are now. I think we go aver above average atheletes who understand the game and will fit into Brad's system. Who has any thoughts on where Lisch might be ranked ... would it be higher if he played AAU ball and if so where. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 if price is 75, kevin is top 50. price has never come close to outplaying kevin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Latsch Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 When I spoke to Brad Soderberg at the Shootout about the incoming recruiting class he told me that for St. Louis University to get where he wants to go with the program they need to recruit more kids with the athleticism of Tommie Liddell and Dwayne Polk to compete with the top programs nationally. Tyler Hansbrough isn't going to look at St. Louis University. The Billikens are going to have a hard time beating out the Dukes, Floridas and North Carolinas of the college basketball world for the top talent in the nation -- like David Lee. Locally, SLU has to compete with Missouri and Illinois for the top prospects in the area -- like Kalen Grimes. I think you guys are putting too much emphasis on guys with lofty rankings. SLU doesn't need those players to win. Sure, it would help. But it's not going to happen. I was critical of Soderberg for not recruiting some kids in the last few years that I thought could help the Bills -- Dan Oppland, Sky Frazier and Blake Ahearn come to mind -- but I think he is doing a good job. The signings of Polk, Liddell and Luke Meyer will help for several reasons. They are good basketball players. They are local kids and have a connection with other local recruits who could follow in the future. They are kids who may have been overlooked by better programs, which could push them to succeed because other schools didn't think they were good enough. - Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 after watching them both play I would agree with that ... not only that you are comparing a Jr. to a Sr. I am sure Kevin will improve between now and next year. Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 isnt oppland the kid that had the twin brother? if so, it was my understanding that romar did indeed recruit him. but oppland wanted a package deal with his brother and romar said no to that. we have discussed ahearn adnauseum. sky fraizer is now playing where? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Latsch Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Yes, Dan Oppland has a twin brother, Mike. I believe Dan is starting at Valparaiso as a sophomore, while Mike, a redshirt freshman, isn't seeing much time. I thought Dan Oppland could be a poor man's David Lee in college. Dan would have been a good addition to SLU, but I know the former coaching staff didn't like the package deal. Sky Frazier is redshirting at Southwest Missouri State this year. We could debate how good he is for a long time, but he's a big 6-foot-9 guy who can shoot and pass. Frazier could have redshirted this season and contributed off the bench next season. - Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 nate, who has more upside and potential to be a bigger splash? sky or 7'2" bryce husak? i think brad got one look at that wing span and it was over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Watts is pretty old for a spohomore, I think he is nearly 18. He does have skills but I don't think he is getting any bigger. Jennings has another kid who is very good but the name escapes me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Lisch is usally ranked in the high 100s or low 200s now and that is much too low. I don't know about him being a top 50 player. Borderline top 100 maybe. Still that is very good. rankings are based on size and athleticism more than basketball skills sometimes. Lisch is a top shooter but he is small. He has good handles but is a he a pg or a small 2 like RB? He plays awesome defense but does he have top quickness and agility? Can he get up in the air, dunk or block shots? Compared to other kids in the top 50 Lisch would have average athletic abilities at best and below average size. That hinders him in rankings. Having seen him though I am convinced he is a top player. He has intangibles, very very tough kid. I doubt if he will be an all-american but he can at least be as good as Kent Williams with his shooting ability, and he has a much better all around game than Kent. These type of guys get overlooked cuz they aren't 6'7 and they don't jump out of the gym but a guy like Lisch still will be an impact player at the D-1 level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 >Watts is pretty old for a spohomore, I think he is nearly >18. He does have skills but I don't think he is getting any >bigger. Jennings has another kid who is very good but the >name escapes me. I mentioned him earlier in this thread: Matthew Akins. See message No. 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 if so then Brad never compared Husak to Bryce. Signing Bryce only came about because the juco route dried up on us and Bryce backed out of his LOI at Elon. Whether Brad would rather have Bryce or Sky I have absolutely no idea but we shouldn't believe that one over the other was a conscious decision because it wasn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 >thicks, i dont think that i said that brad wont take a top >25 player. i said i dont think he is pursuing top 25 >players. True. But my point is that you can't get a Top 25 player if you don't try -- at least not ususally, if you're not Duke, Kansas, etc. I'm not saying that Brad should be chasing after the bluechippers and ignoring the players he's been going after and getting, but at least send a letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Akins is a much better prospect than Watts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachstyles Posted January 6, 2004 Author Share Posted January 6, 2004 have the bills contacted these players. I know they have been in contact with Lisch. But what about Tyus, Leonard, Miguire, and Whatts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jalensdad2002 Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 >if price is 75, kevin is top 50. price has never come close >to outplaying kevin. Agreed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 i dont think the billikens are allowed to contact them as they are not old enough. they can contact the billikens, and/or the billikens in certain calendar periods are allowed to go watch them, but they cannot initiate any type of contact.......unless you are in springfield, illinois and claim to not know the rules....or even if you get caught, claim you didnt know it wasnt allowed, suspend yourself from recruiting when you go on a caribean vacation and promise not to make any cell phone calls between 3 am and 6 am and i am sure the ncaa will look the other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachstyles Posted January 6, 2004 Author Share Posted January 6, 2004 at what age are they allowed? Their jr or sr years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetorch Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 junior year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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