Recruiting?

[bradleybraves1]

If a few spots open up, I'd like to see a big man and Buovac. If a third scholly is available, I'd love to have Brzoja. That may be a longshot, but we could almost guarantee him immediate playing time. Along with Bell and Pickett, thus would be a huge recruiting class for Geno.

I think, like me, you will be very pleased with Bradley's recruiting class.

[LittleBrave]

If a few spots open up, I'd like to see a big man and Buovac. If a third scholly is available, I'd love to have Brzoja. That may be a longshot, but we could almost guarantee him immediate playing time. Along with Bell and Pickett, thus would be a huge recruiting class for Geno.

Who's this Buovac? Never heard of him on this site before.
I would take Brzoja as our 1st priority. Without a pure shooter, we will struggle to get out of the cellar next year again. And whatever shooter we get, he will likely need a year in the Valley before hitting stride.

[Hello Newman]

Who's this Buovac? Never heard of him on this site before.
I would take Brzoja as our 1st priority. Without a pure shooter, we will struggle to get out of the cellar next year again. And whatever shooter we get, he will likely need a year in the Valley before hitting stride.

Brzoja is considered the better all around player but Buovac is actually considered the better pure shooter of the two.

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20236

[Da Coach]

Who's this Buovac? Never heard of him on this site before.
I would take Brzoja as our 1st priority. Without a pure shooter, we will struggle to get out of the cellar next year again. And whatever shooter we get, he will likely need a year in the Valley before hitting stride.

You need to check our recruiting board more often-
We've had this thread about 2012 recruit Matej Buovac of La Lumirere prep school for over a month-

http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20236

And this one about Mizlav Brzoja for over a month, too. He is a 2012 recruit from Trader's Point Christian Academy--

http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20255

Both are good shooters and very good passers, though I disagree and think Mizlav may be the better pure shooter and most ready to have immediate impact. He is a very strong and mature kid, despite just turning 18 last month.
I have heard our coaches think Mizlav Brzoja is the better shooter, too.

[lefty]

Brzoja is considered the better all around player but Buovac is actually considered the better pure shooter of the two.

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20236

that would be something to have both of those guys...Snell would have a filed day with those names...


by the way I love the hello newman name....good job

[Hello Newman]

You need to check our recruiting board more often-
We've had this thread about 2012 recruit Matej Buovac of La Lumirere prep school for over a month-

http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20236

And this one about Mizlav Brzoja for over a month, too. He is a 2012 recruit from Trader's Point Christian Academy--

http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20255

Both are good shooters and very good passers, though I disagree and think Mizlav may be the better pure shooter and most ready to have immediate impact. He is a very strong and mature kid, despite just turning 18 last month.
I have heard our coaches think Mizlav Brzoja is the better shooter, too.

No doubt Brzoja would have a much bigger impact and would be a bigger "get" for sure. He is pretty elite from what I hear/know. Buovec would be a bit more of a "specialist".

I heard from two guys who said Buovec is a better shooter in the pure, three-point shooting contest type of way. He also shot a higher percentage in the U18 Championships but I'm sure they are both good shooters.

I don't think there is any question Brzoja is the superior player. The two guys have played together both on the U18 team and for Dubrava Zagreb in Croatia's A2 league.

[Da Coach]

Thanks for the info, Hello NNNNewman.

[AZ BU Fan]

I suspect things are quiet on the Hilltop re future recruits cause BU is at its limit right now and out of deference to the players who have scholarships, and may not end up here next season. Wouldn't it be better to keep it relatiely low key and quiet especially during the season.

I would also think it prudent for coaching staff to go real public about going after bigger, better players in the future during a season so as to not crimp the season/career/effort of those that are here now and will still be in the future, albeit in possibly lessor roles or with much more competition for PT.

GF trying to keep his current team in the present as much as possible?

[LittleBrave]

You need to check our recruiting board more often-
We've had this thread about 2012 recruit Matej Buovac of La Lumirere prep school for over a month-

http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20236

Yeah - the name just didn't ring a bell. I have checked out that thread before. I am more impressed with Brzoja with his experience and seems to be better all-around.

[tornado]

No doubt Brzoja would have a much bigger impact and would be a bigger "get" for sure. He is pretty elite from what I hear/know. Buovec would be a bit more of a "specialist"....

you seem knowledgable on this...and I hope we land some of the better players from those prep schools...but

what prep school kids from La Lumiere or Traders Point have gone on to star or at least be impact players at the D-I level?

and then - given a plethora of other mid-west prep schools like Culver Academy, Brehm Prep, Decatur Christian, BTMA....can you cite any players who have had big impacts in college - at least enough to help teams get better?

[PeoriaLou]

I suspect things are quiet on the Hilltop re future recruits cause BU is at its limit right now and out of deference to the players who have scholarships, and may not end up here next season. Wouldn't it be better to keep it relatiely low key and quiet especially during the season.

I think you're probably right on. It's no secret that players are evaluated each year and some turnover could be expected. I'm sure if this is the case at BU, we'll know more soon.

[Hello Newman]

you seem knowledgable on this...and I hope we land some of the better players from those prep schools...but

what prep school kids from La Lumiere or Traders Point have gone on to star or at least be impact players at the D-I level?

and then - given a plethora of other mid-west prep schools like Culver Academy, Brehm Prep, Decatur Christian, BTMA....can you cite any players who have had big impacts in college - at least enough to help teams get better?

There have been some prep school kids go on to success at the college level but I do understand your point. Of course they are risky...just like any other recruit.

I have no idea if Buovec, Bjozac or any of these guys will be good players. In regards to La Lumiere and Traders Point they haven't been doing the "basketball thing" for that long. Only the last few years have they started becoming basketball factories. I think the jury is still out on those two schools. Heck, La Lumiere has five guys with mid or BCS scholarships. That doesn't count Buovec, Jonathan Wilkins, etc.

Trader's Point has the big kid from Romania and then Bjozac. I don't know if there is enough history to make a statement one way or another about the La Lumeire or Trader's Point kids.

Personally, I like Buovec and Bjozac alot more based on their international experience, not what they are doing here at the prep schools. Croatia is a very good basketball country. They produce good players. It is a big sport there. Both guys played and were key contributors to the U18 National Team that went 6-3 last summer. They also played in the A2 Croatia league at 17 and 18 years old. They have the one very important skill that many young American kids don't have---that is shooting the ball from outside with great accuracy and consistency. That is a skill that is hard to teach and doesn't just go away.

There have been many foreign kids do well in the NCAA D1 level and there have been some who have flamed out and been completely overhyped. I don't know if that is much different than any other recruit.

I think a guy like Tyshon Pickett is about as "projectable" recruit as a team can get. As for any high school, prep school, or foreign kid, it's tough to tell.

Bradley has two prep school guys now and I think both Jalen Crawford and Shayok Shayok have shown as freshman they have a future at this level if they continue to develop.

[indybrave10]

There have been some prep school kids go on to success at the college level but I do understand your point. Of course they are risky...just like any other recruit.

I have no idea if Buovec, Bjozac or any of these guys will be good players. In regards to La Lumiere and Traders Point they haven't been doing the "basketball thing" for that long. Only the last few years have they started becoming basketball factories. I think the jury is still out on those two schools. Heck, La Lumiere has five guys with mid or BCS scholarships. That doesn't count Buovec, Jonathan Wilkins, etc.

Trader's Point has the big kid from Romania and then Bjozac. I don't know if there is enough history to make a statement one way or another about the La Lumeire or Trader's Point kids.

Personally, I like Buovec and Bjozac alot more based on their international experience, not what they are doing here at the prep schools. Croatia is a very good basketball country. They produce good players. It is a big sport there. Both guys played and were key contributors to the U18 National Team that went 6-3 last summer. They also played in the A2 Croatia league at 17 and 18 years old. They have the one very important skill that many young American kids don't have---that is shooting the ball from outside with great accuracy and consistency. That is a skill that is hard to teach and doesn't just go away.

There have been many foreign kids do well in the NCAA D1 level and there have been some who have flamed out and been completely overhyped. I don't know if that is much different than any other recruit.

I think a guy like Tyshon Pickett is about as "projectable" recruit as a team can get. As for any high school, prep school, or foreign kid, it's tough to tell.

Bradley has two prep school guys now and I think both Jalen Crawford and Shayok Shayok have shown as freshman they have a future at this level if they continue to develop.

Traders Point has only had High School Classes since 2008

[Hello Newman]

Traders Point has only had High School Classes since 2008

Thanks. And La Lumeire hasn't done much with basketball until recently correct?

[tornado]

There have been some prep school kids go on to success at the college level but I do understand your point. Of course they are risky......

There have been only a few thus far in the Valley as many are kinda overhyped and aim way, way too high...
guys like Lucca Staiger, Beas Hamga, James Siakam, Thijin Moses, Angel Garcia, Mario Stula, Matija Pocsic..
and even La Lumiere's own pressers compare their basketball program to Oak Hill - but Oak Hill has dozens of their grads who went on to be D-I superstars and now NBA stars...while none of these prep schools can really even boast yet one "superstar" with a small "s'".

I agree that this next batch of kids might make a difference although all the top ones like Jay Simpson, Hanner Perea, Raphael Davis, Jalen James were already studs BEFORE they went to La Lumiere and most were already committed.

but since top high school kids play year after year in the same place against competition that is easier to evaluate - and thus I think the top HS talent might be more inclined to excel than a lot of the top prep school talent.

Of the 60 or 80 kids who passed thru (*well documented) Chicago Boys to Men Academy, Decatur Christian School, Brehm Prep, Traders Point, Culver, etc....
in the past 5-6 years - barely even one had much impact at the college level...(one example - maybe the best one can find of a kid who stayed more than briefly at one of those prep schools would be Mac Koshwal - who despite all the hype & promise couldn't help his team do better than 16th place in a 16-team league).
I find that statistic extremely hard to explain....when Simeon HS alone has put numerous kids at top schools who were then quite successful...and even Manual has a better overall success rate than all those prep schools combined.

I would say "risky" is a good term on the prep kids - I hope we evaluate closely and don't get a Saihou Jassey or a kid who fails to help us..