A hint that Aristide Boya might be a 2018 recruit?

[tornado]

a tweet from his coach...

"Scotland Campus Hoops

7??™1 Big Man Ari Boya looking to make an impact on the next level!
Thanks for a great year Ari! God bless

Ari Boya
Bradley commit"

https://twitter.com/scotland_hoops/status/979838025160187904

[Da Coach]

That would be great!

[houstonbrave]

I sure hope this one comes true.

[LongTimeFan]

Hope that he is at Bradley next year.

It would leave two scholarships to fill for next year. Would the other two recruits be wings, point guard, or another front-line recruit?

[mexicobufan]

He will be here at the start of second summer session.

[pfcmsh]

Hope So

He will be here at the start of second summer session.

mexicobufan, I ask with total respect and I hope you do not mind that I ask, but how do you know this?

Thank you.

[Da Coach]

I can vouch for MexicoBUfan, he knows what he's talking about. I am hearing the same thing. Nothing is 100% guaranteed until it actually happens, but this is looking like it will happen.

[tornado]

He will be here at the start of second summer session.

That has been the plan since almost a year ago - shortly after Ari Boya's name was first mentioned here...

then last fall, a couple hurdles presented...
coaching changes at Conrad Academy & Calusa Prep & other issues caused Ari to transfer twice in short succession then land at Scotland Campus in Pennsylvania -- so any time a student has to transfer multiple times, it makes it much harder to certify his academic progress.

[pfcmsh]

I can vouch for MexicoBUfan, he knows what he's talking about. I am hearing the same thing. Nothing is 100% guaranteed until it actually happens, but this is looking like it will happen.

Ok, Da Coach. Thanks. That makes me feel great about landing Boya.

[BUSongwriter]

If true, impact next year?

I know it's all conjecture, but I have a question or two for those who have followed Ari's development the last couple of years.

Do you think he has the skills already to be a starter for us, or at least an impact player, in his freshman year? If so, it sure will be nice to have him and Koch together for a couple of years. The Valley's version of Michigan's Wagner and Teske.

Also, do you see Boya (or Koch) and Childs and then three guards? I'm hoping Luuk muscles up even more this summer and comes in ready for a big senior season. We'll see who else is brought in to fill the void left by Donte and Stipo.

[tornado]

Boya is playing at the prep POST-GRAD level - meaning almost every team he plays against are top caliber, nationally ranked prep teams with post-grad kids who are doing 5th years and more of high school - (19, 20 & 21 years old). Many of these very prep schools play against jucos & JV squads of a few 4-year schools.

So he is already playing at a level roughly equal to juco 19-20 year olds...and holds his own as well as occasionally having a huge game (26 pts/5 blk).

but having said all that, will he start right away? I doubt it - I think he will need time to get experience at the college level where everyone is faster, bigger, stronger, maybe even better coached. I have linked over the past year to half a dozen different videos of Ari's games and he's a lot like Koch in many ways......still kind of raw. One person who has watched Ari multiple times hesitated to say he would start or have a huge impact but stated "he has a skill set that the MVC never sees and he would help us right away".

[egib52]

"he has a skill set that the MVC never sees and he would help us right away".

Any idea what this means? Specifically what does he do that the Valley doesn't typically see?

[tornado]

blocks, defender, changes shots in the lane, intimidates shots near the hoop - a "rim protector" and defensive specialist
..not a big time scorer altho most prep school play is very guard oriented and the offense doesn't always utilize the big man skills.

[Da Coach]

The closest thing any MVC team has to a 7-foot shot blocking center may be Kavion Pippin or David N'Diaye. Pippin is listed at 6-10 and is more offensively talented than Boya right now, but not really much of a shot-blocker (he averaged only 0.8 blocks per game in MVC play this past season). N'Diaye is 7-0 and is maybe a better shot blocker (1.4 bpg in MVC games), but not as much of an offensive threat.

I'm excited to see what Boya can do. I think it will take some time for him to adjust and contribute at the D1 level, but if he can develop a bit better offensively, I don't see any other team that would have anyone similar to him.
He definitely has some skills, and has been playing against some of the top prep talents in the country.

There aren't any good highlight videos of him, but if you have time, watch some of his games. He is #30 in the black uniform in this game-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixR_DCvebHk&feature=youtu.be

He is #30 in the white uniform in this game (he is not on the floor at the start of this video and doesn't play as much since his team is way ahead)-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOtDtx8N3Iw&feature=youtu.be