2018 Valley recruits

[tornado]

Loyola gets commitment from
2018 PG Isaiah Bujdoso from Hamilton Ontario (Canada) - he is listed at 6-2, 160 lb



2018
Bradley - (2 open scholarships)
Drake - Adam Thistlewood, Kendle Moore, James Moors, Messiah Jones (3 scholarships)
Evansville - (6 scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon (1 scholarship)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington, Blake Brinkmeyer, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarships)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne, Isaiah Bujdoso (1 scholarship)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed (juco), Ronnie Bell, Grant Gelon (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI) (1 scholarship)
UNI - AJ Green (3 scholarships)
SIU - Darius Beane, Sam Shafer (2 scholarships)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty ( scholarships)

2019
Bradley - Aristide Boya (6 open scholarships)
Illinois State - Chris Payton
UNI - James Betz

[Da Coach]

Loyola gets another 2018 commitment, this one from a kid from a suburb of Kansas City-
Cooper Kaifes, a 6'3" shooting guard from Mill Valley HS in Shawnee, Kansas.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/cooper-kaifes

That is Loyola's 3rd commitment for 2018-

http://verbalcommits.com/schools/loyola-il

[tornado]

ISU lands a 2018 commitment
2018 6’9 PF Rey Idowu - another Florida kid who was originally Class of 2017 but didn't get a lot of offers so reclassified as 2018
so he's doing a year of prep school at Clearwater Academy
His other offers included Louisiana Tech, Canisius, ETSU, La-Lafayette, New Hampshire, Cornell, Little Rock, and IPFW

https://twitter.com/Aholmes20/status/918976110578323456

[Da Coach]

ISU lands a 2018 commitment
2018 6’9 PF Rey Idowu
https://twitter.com/Aholmes20/status/918976110578323456

I am trying to find out more about this kid, but there isn't much available info.
He is not highly rated, and has only lower midmajor offers. He is now listed on Verbalcommits.com, but he is not listed in any other recruiting site database that I can find.

http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/rey-idowu

Here is a video, and he looks like a big kid with some potential-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Odsx1BWnrw

Illinois State just got a commitment a few weeks ago from an almost identical under-the-radar player- 6'9" post player Demontry Dixon

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?p=825132441#post825132441

http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/demontay-dixon

[PurpleAceFan]

I am trying to find out more about this kid, but there isn't much available info.
He is not highly rated, and has only lower midmajor offers. He is now listed on Verbalcommits.com, but he is not listed in any other recruiting site database that I can find.

http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/rey-idowu

Here is a video, and he looks like a big kid with some potential-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Odsx1BWnrw

Illinois State just got a commitment a few weeks ago from an almost identical under-the-radar player- 6'9" post player Demontry Dixon

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?p=825132441#post825132441

http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/demontay-dixon

Pantagraph article says that Illinois was coming down to watch him and that he was starting to draw interest from other high-major teams like WSU. Also great to see that he is a straight-A student and scored 1350 on the SAT. Can't teach size.

[tornado]

I would have a suspicion that if the U of I coaches were going to make a recruiting trip to Florida - they likely were planning to watch more than one single player...
..and if Idowu made a trip all the way up here to check out ISU then drive over to IPFW, how come he didn't stop at Champaign-Urbana?

[tornado]

DePaul, which already had one verbal commit from an 8th grader (class of 2022)- a 2-star 6'2" point guard named Amari Bailey-

http://verbalcommits.com/players/amari-bailey

Today (10/9/17) just received another 2022 verbal commit from a 2-star 6'1" point guard named Skyy Clark-
http://verbalcommits.com/players/skyy-clark

DePaul picked dead last in the Big East again...
...so if DePaul head coach Dave Leitao is getting all these Class of 2022 verbals - what's the likelihood he is even gonna be there five years from now if he does indeed keep finishing last?

[Da Coach]

Drake head coach Niko Medved has landed his 5th commitment from the class of 2018-
Montrell Horsey, a 6'2" guard from Joppa, Maryland-

http://verbalcommits.com/players/montrell-horsey

The previous 4 commitment were-
Kendle Moore, a 5'10" guard from Danville, IL HS-

http://verbalcommits.com/players/kendle-moore

Adam Thistlewood, a 6'6" Guard from Golden, Colorado HS

http://verbalcommits.com/players/adam-thistlewood

Messiah Jones, a 6'6" forward from Chicago Simeon HS

http://verbalcommits.com/players/messiah-jones

James Moors, a 6'9" forward from Auckland, New Zealand

http://verbalcommits.com/players/james-moors

[tornado]

Here's an update of the future verbals for MVC teams- it would appear ISU, Loyola, and possibly Missouri State have all filled their scholarships for 2018, but a lot can still happen.

The Letter of Intent signing period starts two weeks from Wednesday.


2018
Bradley - (2 open scholarships)
Drake - Adam Thistlewood, Kendle Moore, James Moors, Messiah Jones, Montrell Horsey (2 scholarships)
Evansville - (6 scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon, Rey Idowu (0 scholarships)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington, Blake Brinkmeyer, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarships)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne, Isaiah Bujdoso, Cooper Kaifes (0 scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed (juco), Ronnie Bell, Grant Gelon (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI) (0 or 1 scholarship)
UNI - AJ Green (3 scholarships)
SIU - Darius Beane, Sam Shafer (2 scholarships)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty (1 scholarship)

2019
Bradley - Aristide Boya (6 open scholarships)
Illinois State - Chris Payton
UNI - James Betz

[tornado]

Updated, and the ones expected to sign this week are noted with *
Names in Maroon are confirmed LOI's.
No official word yet on signing for the ones in blue

2018
Bradley - (2 open scholarships)
Drake - Adam Thistlewood*, Kendle Moore*, James Moors*, Messiah Jones*, Montrell Horsey* (2 scholarships)
Evansville - Aleks Novakovich* (5 scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon*, Rey Idowu* (0 scholarships)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington*, Blake Brinkmeyer*, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarships)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne*, Isaiah Bujdoso*, Cooper Kaifes* (0 scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed* (juco), Ronnie Bell*, Grant Gelon* (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI) (0 or 1 scholarship)
UNI - AJ Green* (3 scholarships)
SIU - Darius Beane*, Sam Shafer* (2 scholarships)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty* (1 scholarship)

The only players remaining that are expected to sign are Novakovich who says he will sign Thursday, the two ISU guys who say they will sign Thursday, and De'Avion Washington, who also will be signing Thursday. I expect tho there will still be others before the signing period ends next Wednesday.


and BU Women's Basketball signs FIVE players!

http://bradleybraves.com/news/2017/11/8/womens-basketball-adds-five-during-fall-signing-period.aspx

[tornado]

both ISU guys signed...& so has De'Avion W. & Novakovich
..everyoone expected to sign has - now we wait to see what more happens this signing period - it lasts 'til next Wednesday
no surprises and no late additions thus far...

Also- Iowa's Christian Williams is visiting both Indiana State and Evansville this weekend.

2018
Bradley - (2 open scholarships)
Drake - Adam Thistlewood*, Kendle Moore*, James Moors*, Messiah Jones*, Montrell Horsey* (2 scholarships)
Evansville - Aleks Novakovich* (5 scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon*, Rey Idowu* (0 scholarships)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington*, Blake Brinkmeyer*, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarships)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne*, Isaiah Bujdoso*, Cooper Kaifes* (0 scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed* (juco), Ronnie Bell*, Grant Gelon* (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI) (0 or 1 scholarship)
UNI - AJ Green* (3 scholarships)
SIU - Darius Beane*, Sam Shafer* (2 scholarships)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty* (1 scholarship)

[tornado]

So I guess we now add Zach Copeland back as a 2018 guy for ISU

2018
Bradley - (2 open scholarships)
Drake - Adam Thistlewood*, Kendle Moore*, James Moors*, Messiah Jones*, Montrell Horsey* (2 scholarships)
Evansville - Aleks Novakovich* (5 scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon*, Rey Idowu*, Zach Copeland (not playing 2017-18, should play 2018-19) (0 scholarships)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington*, Blake Brinkmeyer*, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarships)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne*, Isaiah Bujdoso*, Cooper Kaifes* (0 scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed* (juco), Ronnie Bell*, Grant Gelon* (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI) (0 or 1 scholarship)
UNI - AJ Green* (3 scholarships)
SIU - Darius Beane*, Sam Shafer* (2 scholarships)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty* (1 scholarship)

2019
Bradley - Aristide Boya (6 open scholarships)
Illinois State - Chris Payton
UNI - James Betz

[tornado]

Evansville gets a commitment from Class of 2018 PG Jomaru Brown - was offered back in August and visited UE in October.
He has not yet signed his Letter of Intent

https://www.verbalcommits.com/players/jomaru-brown

https://twitter.com/TeamWallElite/status/897228323683790848

..and SIU also got one from a kid playing in St. Louis at a tiny school with a total enrollment of 78 students - but he has not signed yet.

The Aces still have 3 open Scholarships but they will likely hold one for senior Solomon Hainna who is expected to get a medical redshirt for
one of his years at juco and then be available next year.



2018
Bradley - (2 open scholarships)
Drake - Adam Thistlewood*, Kendle Moore*, James Moors*, Messiah Jones*, Montrell Horsey* (2 scholarships)
Evansville - Aleks Novakovich*, Jomaru Brown* (3 scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon*, Rey Idowu*, Zach Copeland (not playing 2017-18, should play 2018-19) (0 scholarships)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington*, Blake Brinkmeyer*, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarships)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne*, Isaiah Bujdoso*, Cooper Kaifes* (0 scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed* (juco), Ronnie Bell*, Grant Gelon* (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI) (0 or 1 scholarship)
UNI - AJ Green* (3 scholarships)
SIU - Darius Beane*, Sam Shafer*, Amadou Fall* (1 scholarships)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty* (1 scholarship)

2019
Bradley - Aristide Boya (6 open scholarships)
Illinois State - Chris Payton
UNI - James Betz

[tornado]

SIU's Amadou Fall has now signed his Letter of Intent to SIU
but no word yet on Evansville's Jomaru Brown

The signing period ends in just a couple hours...



2018
Bradley - (2 open scholarships)
Drake - Adam Thistlewood*, Kendle Moore*, James Moors*, Messiah Jones*, Montrell Horsey* (2 scholarships)
Evansville - Aleks Novakovich*, Jomaru Brown* (3 scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon*, Rey Idowu*, Zach Copeland (not playing 2017-18, should play 2018-19) (0 scholarships)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington*, Blake Brinkmeyer*, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarships)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne*, Isaiah Bujdoso*, Cooper Kaifes* (0 scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed* (juco), Ronnie Bell*, Grant Gelon* (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI) (0 or 1 scholarship)
UNI - AJ Green* (3 scholarships)
SIU - Darius Beane*, Sam Shafer*, Amadou Fall* (1 scholarships)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty* (1 scholarship)

2019
Bradley - Aristide Boya (6 open scholarships)
Illinois State - Chris Payton
UNI - James Betz

[Da Coach]

Junior Christian Williams, who left Iowa 3 weeks ago, will transfer to Indiana State.
He will transfer at the semester break, sit out 2 full semesters per NCAA rules, and then will become eligible at the semester break next season and should have 1?? seasons left to play.