2018 Valley recruits

[tornado]

Just a claraification....as I said all those players noted would be signing...

some recruits are NOT eligible to sign a National Letter of Intent ("LOI" or "NLI")
..and here's an example...

ISU's Josh Jefferson already signed a LOI last fall to Cal State Northridge, but requested release from his LOI then verballed to ISU.

The Pantagraph's Jim Benson just tweeted that Jefferson has now signed with ISU, but he cannot sign another LOI.
What he would sign is a scholarship agreement or grant in aid agreement. he's still signing a binding agreement but not a LOI.

Here is the rule directly from the National Letter of Intent web site:

QUESTION: "If I sign an NLI and get a complete release, can I sign another NLI in the same signing year?"

ANSWER: "No. NLI policy states a prospective student-athlete is only permitted to sign one valid NLI in an academic year. Therefore, if you sign an NLI during the early period and get a complete release by the institution or one of the NLI committees before the spring signing period ends, you are not permitted to sign a second NLI in the spring."

http://www.nationalletter.org/frequentlyAskedQuestions/askingForARelease.html#

Transfers from other 4-year schools, like Trae Berhow or Jared Ridder also will NOT sign a LOI but juco transfers can.

[tornado]

Northern Iowa also signs Tray Croft LINK


and another DEPARTURE- Valparaiso freshman, little used 6-8 Martin Linssen is leaving and transferring, giving Valpo an additional scholarship this fall

[Da Coach]

Valparaiso freshman Parker Hazen was just granted his release to transfer.

https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/984160340035428353

Hazen played very little as a freshman and averaged only 1.0 ppg and 1.2 rpg.

[braves16]

Northern Iowa also signs Tray Croft LINK


and another DEPARTURE- Valparaiso freshman, little used 6-8 Martin Linssen is leaving and transferring, giving Valpo an additional scholarship this fall

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/northern-iowa/uni-panthers/2018/04/11/uni-basketball-panthers-land-juco-all-american-tray-croft-part-three-man-spring-signing-class/508061002/

[tornado]

UNI gets all their guys signed plus they give a scholarship to one of their walk-ons, Adam McDermott, & Valpo gets Sackey signed

That UNI article, Ben Jacobson says "We’re always looking to build our roster for the long haul", and yet their spring recruiting class looks more like the classic "quick fix" & included three guys with limited years available - 2 juco kids and a transfer...

Loyola, with all their publicity and newfound recruiting prowess, did not appear to sign anyone thus far...I guess they've been too busy going to Bulls & Cubs games.

I think we are seeing just how hard it is to get kids at the midmajor level - kids seem willing to chance being the 13th option in the Big Ten over playing an active role and contributing in the MVC.

2018
Bradley - Armon Brummett (3 open scholarship- altho Aristide Boya may reclassify as 2018 )
Drake - James Moors*, Montrell Horsey ** now reneged and reopening recruitment, Matt Gray, Garrett Sturtz (walk on) (7 scholarships open)
Evansville - (may have as many as 7-8 or more open scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon*, Rey Idowu*, Josh Jefferson, Zach Copeland (not playing 2017-18, should play 2018-19) (0 scholarships open)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington*, Blake Brinkmeyer*, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarship open)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne*, Isaiah Bujdoso*, Cooper Kaifes* (2 open scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed* (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI), ** new - Darnell Butler, Jr. (3 scholarships open)
UNI - AJ Green*, Shandon Goldman, Tray Croft, Trae Berhow (transfer, won't be available until 2019-20) (1 scholarship left)
SIU - Darius Beane*, Sam Shafer*, Amadou Fall* (** has not played yet this year) (0 scholarships open)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty*, Daniel Sackey (2 open scholarships)


2019
Bradley - Aristide Boya (may reclassify as 201 (7 open scholarships)
Evansville - (at least 11 - maybe all 13 open scholarships and no commits at all)
ISU - had a commitment from Chris Payton but has reneged (4 open scholarships)
Missouri State - Tyem Freeman (6 or 7 open scholarships)
UNI - James Betz (3 open scholarships)

[tornado]

now this morning - one of the only remaining commits Drake has - Montrell Horsey - has reneged and asked out of his LOI that he signed last fall & wants to reopen his recruitment.

He reportedly told one of their east coast recruiting writers that "tons of schools" were interested.

[tornado]

Evansville starts their rebuild and have landed two recruits for 2018

They have received commitments from

Rosel Hurley, a 6-5 juco guard from New Mexico Military Institute - averaged 14.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 27.8% from 3-pt in 2017-18- he was formerly at Kent State
He is not listed currently as having any other offers. In his freshman year at Kent State, he was pretty deep in the rotation and averaged just 1 ppg in limited play.
His New Mexico Military Institute played 11 non-juco opponents (army base teams, JV squads, high school prep teams, etc.) ...some of which scores were silly (150-70, 126-83, 108-62, 150-81, 109-91, 112-107, 155-81...)

DeAndre Williams, a 6-9 forward from an obscure "post-grad prep school" called Nation Wide Academy in Oklahoma City.
He graduated from Klein Forest HS in Houston in 2016, same high school as Bradley's Anthony Thompson & Wichita's Toure Murry...
and had previously committed to Prairie View A&M University but never signed there - LINK
His VerbalCommits page lists no other offers ...
Williams reportedly averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds a game last season, so he may be a hidden gem...



so Evansville finally gets on the board-

2018
Bradley - Armon Brummett (3 open scholarship- altho Aristide Boya may reclassify as 2018 )
Drake - James Moors*, Montrell Horsey ** now reneged and reopening recruitment, Matt Gray, Garrett Sturtz (walk on), UAB transfer Nick Norton (6 scholarships open)
Evansville - Rosel Hurley, DeAndre Williams (may still have as many as 5-6 or more open scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon*, Rey Idowu*, Josh Jefferson, Zach Copeland (not playing 2017-18, should play 2018-19) (0 scholarships open)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington*, Blake Brinkmeyer*, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarship open)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne*, Isaiah Bujdoso*, Cooper Kaifes* (2 open scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed* (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI), ** new - Darnell Butler, Jr., Keandre Cook (2 scholarships open)
UNI - AJ Green*, Shandon Goldman, Tray Croft, Trae Berhow (transfer, won't be available until 2019-20) (1 scholarship left)
SIU - Darius Beane*, Sam Shafer*, Amadou Fall* (** has not played yet this year) (0 scholarships open)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty*, Daniel Sackey (2 open scholarships)


2019
Bradley - Aristide Boya (may reclassify as 2018 ) (7 open scholarships)
Evansville - (at least 11 - maybe all 13 open scholarships and no commits at all)
ISU - had a commitment from Chris Payton but has reneged (4 open scholarships)
Missouri State - Tyem Freeman (6 or 7 open scholarships)
UNI - James Betz (3 open scholarships)

[Da Coach]

Missouri State gets another commit- Keandre Cook, a 6'5" wing player from Odessa College.
He averaged 15.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, and shot 35.5% from three.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/keandre-cook

[tornado]

UAB transfer Nick Norton commits to Drake

[Da Coach]

UAB transfer Nick Norton commits to Drake

Seems a little unusual. Most grad-transfers will want to go to a school with a good chance to get to the NCAA Tournament in their final year of eligibility. Drake lost a lot of their talent and probably will be picked somewhere near the bottom of the MVC next year.

[DannyCooksey]

I was informed by some close colleagues that this young man wanted revenge against the Redbirds, Braves and Salukis for not properly recruiting and loving him when he was in high school.

I was told that he was looking for a chance to ruin those 3 teams with all his might.

I was told this is why he chose Drake. Playing time and a chance to ruin ISU, SIU and BU. I am interested to see what transpires when he plays us. But the long and short of it is he's looking for revenge. :0

[Da Coach]

I was informed by some close colleagues that this young man wanted revenge against the Redbirds, Braves and Salukis for not properly recruiting and loving him when he was in high school.

I was told that he was looking for a chance to ruin those 3 teams with all his might.

I was told this is why he chose Drake. Playing time and a chance to ruin ISU, SIU and BU. I am interested to see what transpires when he plays us. But the long and short of it is he's looking for revenge. :0

Regarding Nick Norton's choice to transfer to Drake....

Assuming you are serious, that is the most ridiculous reason for picking a school I have ever heard.


But, Bradley and ISU did recruit him-

http://bradleyfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=23487&

And according to multiple recruiting sites, Bradley did offer him a scholarship, though that was the previous coaching staff, not this current one. So I can't see what grudge he would have against Bradley or Coach Wardle-

https://twitter.com/CIHoops/status/417477585405095937

http://verbalcommits.com/players/nick-norton (click on "Show Other Offers" at bottom)

If anything, he should be thankful he didn't come to Bradley. He would have played for Geno in 2014-15 and been part of a last-place team and the worst era in Bradley history, and likely would have left in 2015 after his freshman year like nearly all of Geno's players did.

Here are his stats for his 4 years at UAB (ignore the 2016-17 stats- he was injured in the first game and redshirted)-

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/3132482/nick-norton

Good luck playing for Drake next year. Somehow I don't think Darian DeVries will have the same first year success that Niko Medved had.

[tornado]

Drake returns a grand total of 22% of their minutes played - and probably more like 15% of their non-garbage time minutes played, 25% of points scored & rebounds...
Everyone else they will play is brand new and as of now, only Norton has played any DI ball - so you think they are going to pay people back?

Bradley was almost all underclassmen, and doesn't lose much at all next year- yet we still beat a Drake team that was the most experienced/oldest/most games played of any team in the MVC and who had a 1st Team All Valley player


btw- Drake just offered 2018 Cameron Williams from St. Louis area (last week) but he has yet to commit,
- a kid who has no other offers (except DII Drury) & whose only other option looks to be an extra year at prep school then go as a 2019 recruit. It'll be interesting to see which he prefers.


Loyola adds a kid for 2018, a "Preferred Walk-On" Will Adcock - LINK

one more thing- there is a report that Iowa grad transfer Brady Ellingson (2.8 ppg/0.7 rpg) has committed to Drake - but I think that is premature and is not yet the fact...
.. in the 3 days since that report there has been absolutely no other such hint of confirmation. Two Drake transfers, Cory Kuentsling & Casey Schlatter - both appear to be headed to NAIA where Casey's brother is an assistant coach.

[tornado]

List updated with the names from above plus...

Reports over the weekend said there were two new commits for new head coach at Missouri State, Dana Ford-
Two Polish nationals Szymon W??jcik and brother Jan W??jcik ...
HOWEVER, strangely, newer reports coming out saying they have not yet committed!
I guess we have to wait & see...


2018
Bradley - Armon Brummett, Chudier Bile- signed (2 open scholarship- altho Aristide Boya may reclassify as 2018 )
Drake - James Moors*, Matt Gray, Garrett Sturtz (walk on), UAB transfer Nick Norton, grad-transfer Brady Ellingson (5 scholarships open)
Evansville - Rosel Hurley, DeAndre Williams (may still have as many as 5-6 or more open scholarships)
Illinois State - Demontay Dixon*, Rey Idowu*, Josh Jefferson, Zach Copeland (not playing 2017-18, should play 2018-19) (0 scholarships open)
Indiana State - De'Avion Washington*, Blake Brinkmeyer*, Cooper Neese (transfer - eligible in 2018-19) (1 scholarship open)
Loyola - Franklin Agunanne*, Isaiah Bujdoso*, Cooper Kaifes*, Will Adcock (walk-on) (2 open scholarships)
Missouri State - Kabir Mohammed* (juco), Jared Ridder (transfer not eligible until 2018 but won't sign a LOI), ** new - Darnell Butler, Jr., Keandre Cook (2 scholarships open)
UNI - AJ Green*, Shandon Goldman, Tray Croft, Trae Berhow (transfer, won't be available until 2019-20) (1 scholarship left)
SIU - Darius Beane*, Sam Shafer*, Amadou Fall* (** has not played yet this year) (0 scholarships open)
Valparaiso - Javon Freeman-Liberty*, Daniel Sackey (2 open scholarships)


2019
Bradley - Aristide Boya (may reclassify as 2018 ) (7 open scholarships)
Evansville - (at least 11 - maybe all 13 open scholarships and no commits at all)
ISU - had a commitment from Chris Payton but has reneged (4 open scholarships)
Missouri State - Tyem Freeman (6 or 7 open scholarships)
UNI - James Betz (3 open scholarships)

[braves16]

Drake returns a grand total of 22% of their minutes played - and probably more like 15% of their non-garbage time minutes played, 25% of points scored & rebounds...
Everyone else they will play is brand new and as of now, only Norton has played any DI ball - so you think they are going to pay people back?

Bradley was almost all underclassmen, and doesn't lose much at all next year- yet we still beat a Drake team that was the most experienced/oldest/most games played of any team in the MVC and who had a 1st Team All Valley player


btw- Drake just offered 2018 Cameron Williams from St. Louis area (last week) but he has yet to commit,
- a kid who has no other offers (except DII Drury) & whose only other option looks to be an extra year at prep school then go as a 2019 recruit. It'll be interesting to see which he prefers.


Loyola adds a kid for 2018, a "Preferred Walk-On" Will Adcock - LINK

one more thing- there is a report that Iowa grad transfer Brady Ellingson (2.8 ppg/0.7 rpg) has committed to Drake - but I think that is premature and is not yet the fact...
.. in the 3 days since that report there has been absolutely no other such hint of confirmation. Two Drake transfers, Cory Kuentsling & Casey Schlatter - both appear to be headed to NAIA where Casey's brother is an assistant coach.

https://twitter.com/B_Ellingson24/status/985985492033458176