Recruiting news 9/25

[Big Mike]

Sounds good!

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/092507/BRA_BEF4BKVS.071.php

[mexicobufan]

I like the fact he is bringing his parents with him, to me it says he is serious. Its easier to get his commitment as well with the parents at hand to say yes. If not its usually I need to go back and talk to my parents and I will get back with you. Am I off base, thoughts?

[MacabreMob]

I like the fact he is bringing his parents with him, to me it says he is serious. Its easier to get his commitment as well with the parents at hand to say yes. If not its usually I need to go back and talk to my parents and I will get back with you. Am I off base, thoughts?

Sorry Mexicobufan, I think you are WAYYYYYY off base here. People from the East Coast are curious to see what it looks like out West, especially way out West past Ohio.

LOL!!!!

(just kidding - honestly, I think you are all over it; I hope Bradley and Central Illinois impresses the P's)

[romar]

I'm really hoping BU can land Hill!!

On Roberts, I worry a little when a kid leaves after a "good visit" and doesn't commit w/in a week or so. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

On Witherspoon - much like Shumpert, it's awesome that he's keeping BU on that laundry list of BCS schools that have offered him and is actually willing to talk with JL today. That said, this is another one that you just can't hold your breath about, but, you gotta give JL & staff sooo much credit for consistently getting their foot in the door. To me it's a numbers game and sooner or later one of them are going to sign. It'll just get easier after that.

Maybe Hill will be the first to start that domino effect. Fingers crossed!

[Da Coach]

A little more recruiting news--

Missouri State just got a commitment from a 6'9" Alaskan center.
Damen Bell-Holter, a 6-foot-9 240-pound center from Ketchikan, Alaska, committed last night to the SMS Bears. Bell-Holter played against Bradley's Will Egolf a number of times.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070925/SPORTS040101/709250365/1096

And an article in the Northwest Arkansas News about Stan Simpson's visit to the University of Arkansas this past weekend. It sounds like he has a visit planned to Illinois, but not to the other 2 schools still on his list, Kentucky and Bradley.--

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/202448/

A former recruit that Jim Molinari helped land for Minnesota, and who backed out of his commitment when Dan Monson and Mo left, has now committed to Iowa. Andrew Brommer is a 6-foot-8 forward from Rosemount (Minn.) High School--

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070925/SPORTS13/709250377/-1/LIFE04

Article about Armond Battle, the 6'6" wing forward from Plymouth, Minnesota who just committed to Tulsa over Bradley--

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?articleID=070924_2_B3_YWorl21461

And an article about a top Illinois big man who visited Southern Illinois this past weekend. Josh Crittle of Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago, is considering the Salukis as well as Minnesota, Kansas State, Oregon, and Marquette.--

http://media.www.siude.com/media/storage/paper1096/news/2007/09/25/MBasketball/HighRanking.Recruit.Visits.Siu-2988537.shtml

http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=44956&sport=2

I find a couple things in the Daily Egyptian article a little interesting--
He is described as a "Force" for his high school team, but the article says that he only averaged 9.1 points per game with 6.3 rebounds per game and 1.8 assists per game. He shot only 52.7% from the field and 50% from the free throw line. These are not very good stats for the huge 6'8", 250 pound big man considering he played for a small Class A school (smaller of the 2-classes last year) against usually much weaker competetion and much smaller players.

Crittle also said this about his host school--
Crittle said he likes the SIU basketball program but may hold the fact that it plays in the Missouri Valley Conference against the team when it comes time to make his college choice.
"The only thing I really don't like is the conference," said Crittle, a senior at Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago. "I feel like they're too good for their conference. I think they should be in a bigger and better conference."

By the way, someone should tell Crittle that the school he just visited before SIU, Kansas State, plays in the Big 12, which has been ranked behind the MVC in the RPI rankings last season!

And finally, here is another hilarious thing Crittle said--
Crittle visited Kansas State, which plays in the Big 12 Conference, before SIU.
Kansas State was also a nice place, Crittle said, but the location is a problem.
"It's just in the middle of nowhere," he said. "It's just like there's nothing around there, it's just Kansas State in that city."

Is he kidding? I suppose he thought Carbondale was some kind of mega-metropolis!

[OrangeandBlack74]

On Roberts, I worry a little when a kid leaves after a "good visit" and doesn't commit w/in a week or so. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

I was at the Tailgating party prior to the BU soccer game on Saturday night, and saw the interaction between Roberts and the other players.....it appeared very positive and friendly, like he was already part of the group.

JMO, but I think we can expect a favorable outcome to his visit.

[Da Coach]

Missouri State just got a commitment from a 6'9" Alaskan center.
Damen Bell-Holter, a 6-foot-9 240-pound center from Ketchikan, Alaska, committed last night to the SMS Bears. Bell-Holter played against Bradley's Will Egolf a number of times.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070925/SPORTS040101/709250365/1096

By the way, in the 5 games they played against each other last year, Will Egolf's team easily beat Damen Bell-Holter's team all 5 times- 63-48 and 61-51 at Juneau, 64-58 and 78-70 at Ketchikan, and 77-65 in the second round of ther state tournament.
Will had 33 points in one of the games at Juneau, and 28 points in one of the games at Ketchikan. Bell-Holter did put up some good numbers in a couple of the games, but he did not have as strong a supporting cast on his team.

[tornado]

...it's awesome that he's keeping BU on that laundry list of BCS schools

I think another benefit is that after a couple more years of Bradley being mentioned prominently on the lists of 3-star and 4-star recruits, then it will (hopefully) end the "where's Bradley" and "who is Bradley" comments that are heard outside Central Illinois.
It will gradually get the name of our school into people's minds, and ultimately it is going to pay off even more. I think it already is paying off as top rated recruits from as far away as Texas, Alaska, Connecticut, and California are coming to BU.

Anyone remember Jim Les's "vision" when he was first introduced as head coach a little over five years ago?
Jim has already made good on winning "games" in the NCAA tournament, and getting national publicity, and now he's working on getting the name of Bradley University into the prominance it once had in the glory days!

[tornado]

By the way, in the 5 games they played against each other last year, Will Egolf's team easily beat Damen Holter-Bell's team all 5 times- 63-48 and 61-51 at Juneau, 64-58 and 78-70 at Ketchikan, and 77-65 in the second round of ther state tournament.
Will had 33 points in one of the games at Juneau, and 28 points in one of the games at Ketchikan. Holter-Bell did put up some good numbers in a couple of the games, but he did not have as strong a supporting cast on his team.

Damien Holter-Bell is one of the best opponents Will faced in high school, and I am sure he'll have a good college career.
Here is a photo of Will Egolf (#54 in white) "scorching" Damien Holter-Bell (#32 in the dark uniform).
.
This picture is from the game in which Will scored 33 points, Bell-Holter scored 21.
as Juneau won 63-48:

[tornado]

Sounds good!
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/092507...F4BKVS.071.php

I really appreciate when our local coverage highlights even topics in the off-season such as recruiting.
I am still wondering why one of the local media didn't come by the BU basketball tent at the soccer game and get some interviews (even the Texas recruit).
Also I noted in the list of recruits BU has just missed on, DR mentions Scott Suggs but doesn't mention Lewis Jackson.
Suggs had not listed, mentioned, nor visited Bradley since last February, while BU was really right down to the wire with Jackson until he committed to Purdue just a month ago.

[squirrel]

I like the fact he is bringing his parents with him, to me it says he is serious. Its easier to get his commitment as well with the parents at hand to say yes. If not its usually I need to go back and talk to my parents and I will get back with you. Am I off base, thoughts?

It says to me his parents had probably never heard of BU before 2006. They probably want to make sure it actually exists, see what Peoria has to offer, and get a feel for how easy it is to get into and out of to see him play, and get a feel for the smaller campus.

[Da Coach]

Indiana State lost out on a quality recruit today. 3-star forward Julian Mavunga, a 6'7" forward from Brownsburg, Indiana. He played on the Speice Select AAU team, the same one Andrew Warren played for. He is originally from Zimbabwe, and will be the first from his country to play at a Division I college.
He had announced this past week that he had narrowed his choices to Indiana State and Miami of Ohio. Today he committed to Miami (OH). Tough break for the Sycs.

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