Saluki recruit asks for release

[KillerB]

SIU recruit Drew Barnham has asked for his release from his signed letter of intent.
He is a good 3 point shooter from Memphis TN.
Barnham apparently saw all the carnage at Memphis.. and now wonders if they might have interest in a hometown talent. Memphis did not recuit this kid.. but of course now there are openings.

At this point SIU has not released him.. they are apparently trying to find a Juco to take the scholarship before officially letting him go.

[tornado]

that's interesting...the kid would rather opt out and stay in limbo with no place solid to go and no other offers known than to stick with his SIU commitment?
(was it stuff he read about himself on the message boards??
there were plaenty of ST posters saying Barham should redshirt!)

I had heard wind of this yesterday along with seeing the blog by Hefferman that stated something else kinda nebulous...
"SIU finished 13-18 last season, but could return four starters"

"Could" return 4 starters?? Is he hinting that one of the returning starters also may be gone??

Then a comment reported from the press...
"It has been rumored that SIU basketball is not quite done recruiting" (reported on the board)
would also suggest Chris Lowery knows at least one of the players he'd been counting on isn't coming...
also some ominous comments on salukitalk...

"I think the program has some serious problems, this is way to common now.
Serious problems, not ready to go there yet but problems for sure."

it'll be interesting to see what comes out.......

But there was one Saluki poster who gave a "Book it" that Drew Barham would be a starter for the Salukis in 2009-2010!

http://salukitalk.net/st/viewtopic.php?t=23275&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=220

[Da Coach]

Here is more info on SIU recruit Drew Barham-

Rivals profile-

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=71066

Scout profile-

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=3719591

As can be seen, he was a 2-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout, and his other offers were from middle to lower midmajors like American, Arkansas State, Belmont, Bucknell, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, and Miami (OH).

This site ranked him as only the 17th best senior in the Memphis area-

http://www.901prepscoop.com/prepscoop2009.html

Tough luck for SIU if he does leave. They are lacking a pure shooter like Barham.

[basketballshadow]

is there an actually story out there someplace or is it still in the rumor internet chatter type story?

why would anyone want to go to memphis with the NCAA about to unleash hell on them.

I think the thing about four starters possibly returning is due more to the fact that Tony Freeman is most likely going to take a starting spot from either Bocot or Hare

[KillerB]

I don't know about the 4 starters.. but I have a high level of confidence in my source regarding Barham. He apparently wants to play for the hometown team.

[tornado]

The Southern reports that Crowder is coming to SIU to join Barham...though maybe Barham might not be coming?

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/06/04/breaking_news/doc4a282f17ec116182875632.txt

[Tone Bone]

People at Salukitalk who are in the know have told us that Barham will not be coming to SIU. As far as I'm concerned, it's a done deal. Nothing official yet, but the people who say he isn't coming are almost always right about things like this.

[tornado]

Jack Crowder said this after he committed to SIU..
"I just felt comfortable with the whole situation," Crowder said.
"The coaches told me there would be playing time available, if I wanted it."

so the kid can have some playing time "if he wants it"?

http://thesouthern.com/articles/2009/06/05/sports/29042768.txt

a couple thoughts on that...

-doesn't every recruit "want playing time"?
-but don't they have to work for it and earn, not just want it?
-I can't seriously believe CLo told the kid he could have playing time "if he wanted it"...

[jeffsu]

Jack Crowder said this after he committed to SIU..
"I just felt comfortable with the whole situation," Crowder said.
"The coaches told me there would be playing time available, if I wanted it."

so the kid can have some playing time "if he wants it"?

http://thesouthern.com/articles/2009/06/05/sports/29042768.txt

a couple thoughts on that...

-doesn't every recruit "want playing time"?
-but don't they have to work for it and earn, not just want it?
-I can't seriously believe CLo told the kid he could have playing time "if he wanted it"...

Probably in reference to... "we don't have a ton of minutes 'set' for a bunch of returning players... the minutes are there if you want it..." And then some comment about how he'll have to prove that he "wants it" bad enough.

[lefty]

Probably in reference to... "we don't have a ton of minutes 'set' for a bunch of returning players... the minutes are there if you want it..." And then some comment about how he'll have to prove that he "wants it" bad enough.

I agree...we only hear what the player said. Who knows what exactly the coaches said....

[tornado]

but lefty...you know some kids who played in college, so I am sure you have an opinion...
do some college coaches promise certain kids playing time...or more playing time than is promised to others?

[lefty]

but lefty...you know some kids who played in college, so I am sure you have an opinion...
do some college coaches promise certain kids playing time...or more playing time than is promised to others?

for sure some coaches promise playing time although it's usually based on something...if you work hard,if you shoot well,etc....

maybe the coaches don't think anyone currently is that much better than Crowder if he plays the way they think he can. And if he wants it bad enough he will work hard and do what it takes to play.

[tornado]

SIU recruit Drew Barnham has asked for his release from his signed letter of intent....

despite rumors to the contrary, the Southern this morning still says Drew Barham is coming in this fall as one of the Saluki's Class of 2009 recruits.
This article also notes yet another TWO new Salukis this fall, Caleb Long and Aaron Moise...
that's eight new players!

The article details the arrival of Jack Crowder and says...
"Crowder joined guards Drew Barham and Kendal Brown-Surles, forwards
Jordan Myers and Gene Teague and guard/forward John Freeman in the Class
of 2009. SIU also announced two walk-ons who will join the team this winter.
Aaron Moise, a 6-5 forward, and 6-1 Mount Zion guard Caleb Long will walk-
on with the Salukis. Long averaged 20.3 points per game and was 52-of-113
behind the 3-point line. Both will be true freshmen."

http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/06/11/sports/29063705.txt

[Tone Bone]

The Southern Illinoisan is well known for being behind the times regarding Saluki basketball. News nearly always breaks online well before anyone at the Southern has a chance to report it. Also, there has been nothing official, and as such, Barham is still "committed" to SIU. Online message boards are fine places for rumors, but the newspaper doesn't need to speculate on whether or not a recruit will show up. I doubt they will report anything other than Barham coming to SIU until he officially enrolls elsewhere or Lowery feels the need to make a statement regarding Barham.

[tornado]

News nearly always breaks online well before anyone at the Southern has a chance to report it. ...

really, we know that feeling but probably have it better than you guys