Paris Gulley

[Scouter]

The IHSA just released regional and Sectional assignments........and Manual, although they have
to be a favorite in 2A, is in perhaps the touhest Regional.

Manual, now in 2A, is in the Canton Regional/IVC Sectional.

The five teams in the Canton Regional are
Manual - who finished 2nd in State in 2007 and are the statewide favorites to win it this year
Peoria Christian - who finished 4th in State in 2004 and is ranked 2nd in the area in 2A
Farmington - who finished 4th in State in 2007
IVC -- who finished 2nd in State in 2006 and who are always strong
Canton -- a perennial Class 3A team whose enrollment (754) makes it the LARGEST 2A school

With the exception of Canton being swapped in for Kewanee, those are the same teams that were in Manual's regional last year and the Rams had no problem with that. They beat Farmington by 30 and IVC by 32.

[mrcoachdude]

I would have to say that the other teams (not Manual), will have to say that its the toughest regional around in Class 2A.....

[tornado]

I will stick my neck out and predict that at least one of the games
they will need to win before getting out of their Regional and Sectional wil be closer than 30 points this season.

Their sectional also includes Eureka, El Paso, and Seneca.

[Dubl R 1]

I think this 4 class system is a waste of time. I graduated from Manual, and still root for them to succeed, but this team, and last year's team would never have gotten to the state finals in AA under the old system, yet they wiped the floor with all the other 2A teams from the area last year. I fail to see how this is good for IHSA basketball.

I also remember when I was at Manual in the mid 90's, many people claimed that some of the class A schools from the area were just as good, and could actually give Manual a game. It wouldn't have happened. It was about as ignorant as claiming that the 1997 Manual team would have beaten Bradley that year, which a lot of people use to tell me also.

[Dubl R 1]

I will stick my neck out and predict that at least one of the games
they will need to win before getting out of their Regional and Sectional wil be closer than 30 points this season.

Their sectional also includes Eureka, El Paso, and Seneca.

If Eureka's guards could get Prosser the ball, he would shred Manual, but I'm not sure if they could get the ball past half-court after watching them in East Peoria. Heck, they lost last year before they even got to Manual, to a team that Manual then destroyed.

[MacabreMob]

It was about as ignorant as claiming that the 1997 Manual team would have beaten Bradley that year, which a lot of people use to tell me also.

We must know some of the same people, I heard that crap too. Course, they were all UIUC fans. Ignorance and arrogance.

[Deadguy35]

I think this 4 class system is a waste of time. I graduated from Manual, and still root for them to succeed, but this team, and last year's team would never have gotten to the state finals in AA under the old system, yet they wiped the floor with all the other 2A teams from the area last year. I fail to see how this is good for IHSA basketball.

I also remember when I was at Manual in the mid 90's, many people claimed that some of the class A schools from the area were just as good, and could actually give Manual a game.

Even under the two class system, they would be in Class A. The attendance at Manual right now is half of what it was 10 years ago. Right now, they are a couple hundred students under the cutoff between 2A and 3A.

In fact, under the two class system, Manual could be playing teams like Princeville and Hartsburg, which is even more ridiculous.

[Deadguy35]

If Eureka's guards could get Prosser the ball, he would shred Manual, but I'm not sure if they could get the ball past half-court after watching them in East Peoria. Heck, they lost last year before they even got to Manual, to a team that Manual then destroyed.

That does appear to be a major achilles heel for Manual.

Once Manual got to Carver Arena, they had no answer for Keane Thomann of Olney or Paul Bunch of North Lawndale.

And this year, they will have bigger problems, since they lost Lawyer Crowder and Scottie Brown. Right now, they have 6'6 Sophomore Brandon Watson, and then after that, there is 6'2 Julian Washington and 6'2 Lawrence Alexander.

Against Champaign Centennial, who have 6'7 Josh Piper and 6'8 Jeff Johnson, Manual got outrebounded 33-11

[BUBrave28]

Anyone know what his academic situation is? If he would qualify for academic scholarships and he doesn't get any offers he likes, I would go after him to walk-on. He seems like he has all the qualities you would want in a walk-on. Who knows, maybe he would end up being a role player for us when we have all of those really tall guys hanging around in a few years.

[tornado]

Gulley is ....
"He's already a qualifier. He's an excellent student"

http://www.illinihq.com/blogs/recruiting_wrap/2008/12/18/paris_gulley_waiting_for_first_offer