2024 and beyond recruits

[Bballjunkie]

All great points. Had a feeling kizer may struggle. He needs to be in right system.

[Dubl R 1]

No question about that. I agree. I've never seen Mason play, but from people who have, they believe he is the best player on a team loaded with kids who have or will have D1 scholarships. But recruiting also takes future potential and other things into account. Maybe if he hadn't committed early, he might be getting D1 interest now. That's a choice each high school kid makes.
On the other hand, some great high school players' games don't quite translate into becoming a good D1 player. One of the stars of last year's state championship team, Ethan Kizer is struggling at South Alabama. He didn't play at all in their last game and hasn't contributed much as a freshman- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...83/ethan-kizer

I'm kinda in this camp as well on Mason at the D1 level, however, like I said he's got decent size, handles the ball well, and is pretty strong, and has a high basketball IQ. He's also played and had success against top programs with kids who have D1 athleticism. I don't think he's a full time D1 point guard, but would be an excellent player to spell the point and the 2 at a valley school. Has a toughness and IQ about him that is rare, and usually translates into success.

Kizer was/is a completely different type of player...more athletic, but not real strong for his size, cannot dribble all that well, and at 6'6" is a tweener at the D1 level. Cannot handle the ball well enough, or play Defense well enough to be in the back court, but doesn't possess the strength or post game to play inside either.

[tomahawk chop]

I'm kinda in this camp as well on Mason at the D1 level, however, like I said he's got decent size, handles the ball well, and is pretty strong, and has a high basketball IQ. He's also played and had success against top programs with kids who have D1 athleticism. I don't think he's a full time D1 point guard, but would be an excellent player to spell the point and the 2 at a valley school. Has a toughness and IQ about him that is rare, and usually translates into success.

Kizer was/is a completely different type of player...more athletic, but not real strong for his size, cannot dribble all that well, and at 6'6" is a tweener at the D1 level. Cannot handle the ball well enough, or play Defense well enough to be in the back court, but doesn't possess the strength or post game to play inside either.

I like Mason a lot more then Kizer. I do think he has the skills to play D-1 basketball because he does pretty much everything on the court in helping his team win.

[Da Coach]

For the record, Kizer had 7 or 8 Division I offers prior to his senior year. I have never seen a report that any D1 coach has offered Mason.

[Bballjunkie]

Mason is one of those kids the more you watch him the more you realize he can play. He is very solid in all aspects. He wouldnt be a D1 star but he could give you sold minutes at both guards spots. Plus he has a winning pedigree. That is so important.

[Da Coach]

Speaking of kids who were underappreciated as high schoolers, here is a story about kid everyone is familiar with, who had no college interest when he was in high school, but with hard work and a late growth spurt, made himself into a pretty good D1 player.

Christian Davis was a 5' 11", 130 lb reserve guard as a junior at Mullen High School in Denver (2017-18 )- https://www.ncsasports.org/mens-bask...istian-davis36
By his senior year (2018-19), he had grown slightly to 6'0", 145 lb, but he still got no interest or offers from colleges.- https://www.maxpreps.com/co/denver/m...=mgok83i8lt788
He did have one spectacular game in December, 2018, in which he scored 55 points on just 24 shots, including 15-19 from three- https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=zuwirZfr8Bo
Article- https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/new...n-high-school/

So Christian went to a prep school, New Hampton Prep in New Hampshire, and was initially listed there as 6'2" - https://newenglandrecruitingreport.c...ian-davis-2020
By the time he finished his year at the prep school in 2020, he grew to 6'4", 160 lb., but he still didn't get any scholarship offers. So, he walked on at Division II Lemoyne College near Syracuse, New York for the 2020-21 season. He did not play in 2020-21 at Lemoyne because their season was cancelled due to Covid, but by his second year, he had grown to 6'6", 180 lb, and significantly improved his game. He was the team's leading scorer as a redshirt-freshman in 2021-22 (12.9 ppg) - https://lemoynedolphins.com/sports/m...ian-davis/6074

Christian tested the transfer portal after that redshirt-freshman season of 2021-22, and ended up with a scholarship offer from Bradley.
He was reported to be 6'7" in this article when he signed with Bradley in April, 2022- https://bradleybraves.com/news/2022/...hristian-davis
He averaged just 1.9 ppg and 1.0 rpg in 8 minutes off the bench for Bradley in 2022-23- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/men...stats/2022/pdf
He is now listed as 6'7", 200 lbs, and he is a part-time starter, playing 28 minutes per game, and he's averaging 8.8 ppg and 5.2 rpg- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/men...an-davis/13099

Dave Eminian article from last season- https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/...s/69720346007/

[bradleyfan124]

Speaking of kids who were underappreciated as high schoolers, here is a story about kid everyone is familiar with, who had no college interest when he was in high school, but with hard work and a late growth spurt, made himself into a pretty good D1 player.

Christian Davis was a 5' 11", 130 lb reserve guard as a junior at Mullen High School in Denver (2017-18 )- https://www.ncsasports.org/mens-bask...istian-davis36
By his senior year (2018-19), he had grown slightly to 6'0", 145 lb, but he still got no interest or offers from colleges.- https://www.maxpreps.com/co/denver/m...=mgok83i8lt788
He did have one spectacular game in December, 2018, in which he scored 55 points on just 24 shots, including 15-19 from three- https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=zuwirZfr8Bo
Article- https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/new...n-high-school/

So Christian went to a prep school, New Hampton Prep in New Hampshire, and was initially listed there as 6'2" - https://newenglandrecruitingreport.c...ian-davis-2020
By the time he finished his year at the prep school in 2020, he grew to 6'4", 160 lb., but he still didn't get any scholarship offers. So, he walked on at Division II Lemoyne College near Syracuse, New York for the 2020-21 season. He did not play in 2020-21 at Lemoyne because their season was cancelled due to Covid, but by his second year, he had grown to 6'6", 180 lb, and significantly improved his game. He was the team's leading scorer as a redshirt-freshman in 2021-22 (12.9 ppg) - https://lemoynedolphins.com/sports/m...ian-davis/6074

Christian tested the transfer portal after that redshirt-freshman season of 2021-22, and ended up with a scholarship offer from Bradley.
He was reported to be 6'7" in this article when he signed with Bradley in April, 2022- https://bradleybraves.com/news/2022/...hristian-davis
He averaged just 1.9 ppg and 1.0 rpg in 8 minutes off the bench for Bradley in 2022-23- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/men...stats/2022/pdf
He is now listed as 6'7", 200 lbs, and he is a part-time starter, playing 28 minutes per game, and he's averaging 8.8 ppg and 5.2 rpg- https://bradleybraves.com/sports/men...an-davis/13099

Dave Eminian article from last season- https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/...s/69720346007/

Good story.

[Tommy]

Good story.

Really was! What a story of perseverance! I like CD even more now, if that were possible.

[BU freak]

No question about that. I agree. I've never seen Mason play, but from people who have, they believe he is the best player on a team loaded with kids who have or will have D1 scholarships. But recruiting also takes future potential and other things into account. Maybe if he hadn't committed early, he might be getting D1 interest now. That's a choice each high school kid makes.
On the other hand, some great high school players' games don't quite translate into becoming a good D1 player. One of the stars of last year's state championship team, Ethan Kizer is struggling at South Alabama. He didn't play at all in their last game and hasn't contributed much as a freshman- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...83/ethan-kizer

Kizer has been fighting a back injury, hurt it in preseason practices. When he has been healthy he has started. He hasn’t played in a few weeks now. He will be a contributor at USA for sure. He’s already put on muscle and is working on his perimeter game. Just needs that back to get better

[Bballjunkie]

I wish him well. He is a good kid.

[Da Coach]

It's good to know he's been limited by injury this season, which explains his limited playing time at USA. Ethan had 7 or 8 D1 offers, so just about everyone, including me, thought he'd be a good D1 player. I hope he recovers soon.

[Da Coach]

Speaking of kids who were underappreciated as high schoolers, here is a story about kid everyone is familiar with, who had no college interest when he was in high school, but with hard work and a late growth spurt, made himself into a pretty good D1 player.
Christian Davis.....

Here is a short interview with Christian Davis- this week’s Scholar-Athlete Spotlight, presented by State Farm- https://twitter.com/MVCsports/status...31104331305463

More- https://twitter.com/MVCsports/status...31104331305463

[basketball nut]

No question about that. I agree. I've never seen Mason play, but from people who have, they believe he is the best player on a team loaded with kids who have or will have D1 scholarships.

I've heard the same thing but have had others say Zobrist is by far the player with the most potential. They say, actually, he makes everyone else on the team better.
Sounds a lot like Connor Hickman.

[Da Coach]

I've heard the same thing but have had others say Zobrist is by far the player with the most potential. They say, actually, he makes everyone else on the team better.
Sounds a lot like Connor Hickman.

Yes. I was not including the other important recruiting factor--> potential. That is why some kids who aren't necessarily the best players on their high school team will get D1 offers, and others who may be higher scorers or more valuable players do not. Matthew Zobrist and Cooper Koch are seen by D1 coaches as having a higher upside.
I do think Tyler Mason is good enough to play at some D1-level schools, and he might end up there after all. .

[Da Coach]

... there are no reports yet that either Trey Pettigrew or Emarion Ellis have entered the transfer portal. We don't know what their status is at this point. Even if they did enter the portal, I am not sure the scholarships players can be reused for the 2nd semester.

I've seen a report that Emarion Ellis has entered his name in the transfer portal. There have also been reports that he has considered a transfer to Grambling, but there is no official confirmation.
I still cannot find any report that Trey Pettigrew is in the transfer portal.