Creighton Picks Up Big-time Transfer

[Braves4Life]

Word has it that CU is picking up a BIG-TIME big man, Greg Echeniqie from Rutgers. This guy was being recruited by some major BCS schools (like Duke, UK, Memphis, Florida) out of high school. Here's a link reporting the transfer -- http://www.insidethehall.com/2010/01...-to-creighton/ .

Here's the Scout link which has him rated as a 4-star center. They say the following:
"Big time player from a program that kicks out high level signees. Native of Venezuela. One of the top interior defensive players in the country. A rock on the block, he seals and scores. He's best at defending big post players, leaning and using his body. He's hard to score against and rebounds his area with control and presence."

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=2383054

[Braves4Life]

Here's a more official report:

http://www.zagsblog.com/2010/01/13/echenique-to-creighton/

"Former Rutgers forward Gregory Echenique is headed to the Midwest.
The 6-foot-9 Echenique has decided to transfer to Creighton, choosing the Omaha, Neb., school over Miami, Maryland and Indiana. Some 20-30 other schools, including Duke, Arizona and Oklahoma, also called with interest."

[wily coyote]

Word has it that CU is picking up a BIG-TIME big man, Greg Echeniqie from Rutgers. This guy was being recruited by some major BCS schools (like Duke, UK, Memphis, Florida) out of high school. Here's a link reporting the transfer -- http://www.insidethehall.com/2010/01...-to-creighton/ .

Here's the Scout link which has him rated as a 4-star center. They say the following:
"Big time player from a program that kicks out high level signees. Native of Venezuela. One of the top interior defensive players in the country. A rock on the block, he seals and scores. He's best at defending big post players, leaning and using his body. He's hard to score against and rebounds his area with control and presence."

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75...=1&nid=2383054

Great pick up for Creighton. Now when are we going to hear our name called and hopefully by a big that can play before his Jr. or Sr. year. Hope one is from Iowa

[Bradleyguy10]

Good. Anything good for the valley is good for us. The higher end recruits filtering into the MVC has to start sometime if it's going to start at all...hopefully this is one and hopefully JW is one for us next year. The valley needs to be one big dog fight again where only 2 or 3 teams are bad.

[tornado]

Greg Echenique is a bit of an enigma.........6-9 250lb - good player

He was fine high schooler out of New Jersey (St. Benedict's - head coach is Bobby Hurley's dad) - Class of 2008, originally from Venezuela.
During that season he was rated as hi as #50 nationally by Rivals....but despite what was published about his offers....none of the really top schools seemed willing to offer, so he accepted a scholarship to Rutgers and played internationally in the summer of 2008 and ...
had a groin injury that nagged him - but he still had a successful freshman year at Rutgers - he's a lot like Mac Koshwal - gets a lot of rebs but doesn't really score a ton...shoots poorly except layups...
His freshman averages 8.4ppg, 8.4 rpg

His scoring picked up a little in the first 7 games this season (vs. some pretty weak opponents, Marist, Vermont, Colgate..etc) but then the season ended with a detached retina...so transfer now means he won't be eligible until 2nd semester next year...but it isn't hard to find some rumbles of dischord between his and the coach...
The very fact that a kid who's never been away from the east coast wants to get away and go to Omaha is a bit surprising...but he has the potential to be a fine player.
There's also a lot of dischord between Rutgers head coach Fred Hill and the fans, and he is about as popular now at Rutgers as Jerry Wainwright was at DePaul, and may be gone after the season.
Creighton's other two verbals are also BOTH from post players - 6'11 Will Artino and 6'8 Keithrick Denson, who is a similar player.

[Braves4Life]

The very fact that a kid who's never been away from the east coast wants to get away and go to Omaha is a bit surprising...

From the article......

Echenique visited Creighton during his junior year at St. Benedict??™s Prep and has a strong relationship with Creighton head coach Dana Altman.

???Once we started talking, that feeling of trust and excitement was still there,??? Echenique said.


During his tenure as head coach at Kansas State, Altman coached Askia Jones, who later played professionally in Venezuela with Jose Echenique, Gregory??™s father. Led by Jones, the 1994 Kansas State team upset No. 1 Kansas on ESPN and advanced to the NIT Final Four at Madison Square Garden.

???They [Creighton] recruited him when he was at Benedict??™s with us,??? St. Benedict??™s coach Dan Hurley said. ???We know Coach Altman and coach [Brian] Fish very well. They??™ve been recruiting our kids for the last several years.???

[real fan]

It would be nice to hear that BU would get a 6-9 245lb. post player , something we have been lacking for quite sometime.

[AZ BU Fan]

Yeah, it would be nice to hear anything coming out of the hill top about additional talent headed to BU in teh future.

Is it just me, or does it seem other Valley schools appear to be getting more talent than BU is, particularly on the front line.

[Braves4Life]

Yeah, it would be nice to hear anything coming out of the hill top about additional talent headed to BU in teh future.

Is it just me, or does it seem other Valley schools appear to be getting more talent than BU is, particularly on the front line.

It said he liked CU because 70% of the touches go inside to "bigs". I guess big guys DO look at the stats and probably see that a very small number of touches in BU's system actually go inside. Where do you (rhetorical) think they're going to have a better chance of success?

[wily coyote]

Yeah, it would be nice to hear anything coming out of the hill top about additional talent headed to BU in teh future.

Is it just me, or does it seem other Valley schools appear to be getting more talent than BU is, particularly on the front line.

Check the standings sometime and you'll answer your own question.

[wily coyote]

Greg Echenique is a bit of an enigma.........6-9 250lb - good player

He was fine high schooler out of New Jersey (St. Benedict's - head coach is Bobby Hurley's dad) - Class of 2008, originally from Venezuela.
During that season he was rated as hi as #50 nationally by Rivals....but despite what was published about his offers....none of the really top schools seemed willing to offer, so he accepted a scholarship to Rutgers and played internationally in the summer of 2008 and ...
had a groin injury that nagged him - but he still had a successful freshman year at Rutgers - he's a lot like Mac Koshwal - gets a lot of rebs but doesn't really score a ton...shoots poorly except layups...
His freshman averages 8.4ppg, 8.4 rpg

His scoring picked up a little in the first 7 games this season (vs. some pretty weak opponents, Marist, Vermont, Colgate..etc) but then the season ended with a detached retina...so transfer now means he won't be eligible until 2nd semester next year...but it isn't hard to find some rumbles of dischord between his and the coach...
The very fact that a kid who's never been away from the east coast wants to get away and go to Omaha is a bit surprising...but he has the potential to be a fine player.
There's also a lot of dischord between Rutgers head coach Fred Hill and the fans, and he is about as popular now at Rutgers as Jerry Wainwright was at DePaul, and may be gone after the season.
Creighton's other two verbals are also BOTH from post players - 6'11 Will Artino and 6'8 Keithrick Denson, who is a similar player.

T just a note for clarification. I think Dan Hurley is the coach at St. Benedicts and Bob is the coach at St. Anthonys. Dan is Bobbys brother. Its no biggie but Bobby has been much more successful than Dan and I think St. Anthonys under his direction has been very good for a long time. When are we going to land a BIGGIE?

[Braves4Life]

I think Dan Hurley is the coach at St. Benedicts and Bob is the coach at St. Anthonys. Dan is Bobbys brother. Its no biggie but Bobby has been much more successful than Dan and I think St. Anthonys under his direction has been very good for a long time. When are we going to land a BIGGIE?

Yep. But I think you're confusing Bobby (the brother of Dan) with his father Bob. Bob is the father of Dan and Bobby and is the legendary coach at St. Anthony's.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2009/01/31/2009-01-31_st_benedicts_dan_hurley_no_longer_eclips.html

[wily coyote]

Yep. But I think you're confusing Bobby (the brother of Dan) with his father Bob. Bob is the father of Dan and Bobby and is the legendary coach at St. Anthony's.


http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hi...er_eclips.html

I stand corrected also. I do think you are correct. What a program he has had at St. Anthonys.