BU recruit- class of 2010- Ricardo Johnson

[Eta Rho]

More highlights of Ricardo Johnson of Holmes (#33):

Holmes v Louisville Central (State Championship):
http://www.fox19.com/global/Category...clipId=3574641

Holmes vying for state championship (Interviews with Ricardo Johnson, highlights, a nice view of where he comes from, and talk about his recruitment):
http://www.fox19.com/global/Category...clipId=3401102

[Bradleyguy10]

It seems we may already be a bit out of our league as his recruiting will continue to grow, but this IMHO should definitely be our #1 priority by a long shot for next year and by #1...I mean our ONLY priority...really make him feel needed not just wanted.

[BUBrave28]

Thanks for the info eta. Rico would be a great get. I LOVE how you mentioned he will run the point next year. Our offense relies heavily on 1-3 (even better if we can rely on the 4) being able to handle the ball well. If we bank our last schollie this year could go after the twins as a combo package? Lets get him on campus and go from there. He could be the final piece of the puzzle for a great run in 2010-11.

[Eta Rho]

Thanks for the info eta. Rico would be a great get. I LOVE how you mentioned he will run the point next year. Our offense relies heavily on 1-3 (even better if we can rely on the 4) being able to handle the ball well. If we bank our last schollie this year could go after the twins as a combo package? Lets get him on campus and go from there. He could be the final piece of the puzzle for a great run in 2010-11.

One of Rico's biggest assets is his ablity to play ANYWHERE on the floor. Coach Henley has described him as a "point-forward" because down the stretch that's what he did...ran the point from time to time but would also play the 2 through 4 as well, depending on the personnel being used. Over the summer, he and his brother JJ take turns running the point on their AAU team.

As good of a ball player as Rico is though, he is an even better kid off the court. Minds his own, never gets in trouble, and is a great STUDENT-athlete. He and his brother JJ both. If teams decide to start going after these two as a package deal, like Butler is currently doing, they will have success all 4 years that those two play together.

Since their sophomore year, Holmes is 70-5 with those two in the starting lineup. Holmes lost 7 seniors from last year's 34-3 state runner up team, returned JJ, Rico, and Pittman, and those three led Holmes to a state championship and 36-2 record as juniors this year.

[dogsrus]

One of Rico's biggest assets is his ablity to play ANYWHERE on the floor. Coach Henley has described him as a "point-forward" because down the stretch that's what he did...ran the point from time to time but would also play the 2 through 4 as well, depending on the personnel being used. Over the summer, he and his brother JJ take turns running the point on their AAU team.

As good of a ball player as Rico is though, he is an even better kid off the court. Minds his own, never gets in trouble, and is a great STUDENT-athlete. He and his brother JJ both. If teams decide to start going after these two as a package deal, like Butler is currently doing, they will have success all 4 years that those two play together.

Since their sophomore year, Holmes is 70-5 with those two in the starting lineup. Holmes lost 7 seniors from last year's 34-3 state runner up team, returned JJ, Rico, and Pittman, and those three led Holmes to a state championship and 36-2 record as juniors this year.

Thanks again for the info. Sounds like a solid pickup for somebody...hope its BU...BRADLEY BU of course.

[dogsrus]

...especially considering BU has offered.

WHICH BU....thanks.....

[Eta Rho]

WHICH BU....thanks.....

Bradley is his only current offer.

I'd look for Mississippi St. to offer soon though, from what I'm hearing.

Indiana as well.

[Eta Rho]

From ESPN.com's Reggie Rankin:

January, 2009: Johnson is a long armed wing with a great basketball body. He likes to attack the rim and shoot the pull up going to his left. He hangs in the air and draws fouls near the rim and can finish through contact. He can also slash between defenders. He is an excellent defensive rebounder that is a threat to take it coast to coast. Johnson is a good ball handler that can find the open man and remains calm when trapped. Great upside.

[Eta Rho]

From Hoopsreport.com's Darnell "Tate" Johnson after Ricardo's soph. season:

The 2010 class maybe the deepest class in Kentucky history. There are over 20 kids in this class that should play high major to mid major basketball in the future. We start at the top with a very talented guard from Covington Holmes, Ricardo Johnson.

Ricardo Johnson (Covington Holmes High, Covington): We have watched Ricardo play for the last two years but the rest of the state wasn’t welcomed to Ricardo's talents till his talent was put on the largest stage at the state championship in Rupp Arena. Ricardo was the catalyst for leading his team to the finals against Mason County. Even though Covington Holmes came up short it wasn’t from lack of effort from Ricardo, who was a star in the game and made the all tournament team. Ricardo can do it all from the point guard, shooting guard or the wing position. This kid is definitely a high major talent.

[Eta Rho]

Johnson makes All Queen City High team:

The high school hoops season is over and it's time to hand out the hardware. Holmes brought the state title back to Northern Kentucky for the first time in 28 years. Princeton came up just short on their championship run. Congrats to both teams for keeping all of us entertained this season. Now, let's look at the players that did the same.

Second team:
G ??“ Ricardo Johnson, Holmes, 6-5, Jr.
Ricardo Johnson saved his best for last by winning the MVP of the Kentucky Sweet 16 Tournament as Holmes (36-2) won the state title for the first time. He led the Bulldogs in assists (109) and was second in points (417) and rebounds (212). That balanced game earned him Second-Team All-Kentucky honors. He currently is sitting on 822 career points and has an offer on the table from Bradley along with several others schools expressing interest.

[Eta Rho]

Awards that Ricardo received this year:

Second Team All State
Sweet 16 State Tournament MVP
Sweet 16 State All Tournament Team (Second year in a row)
9th Region Tournament MVP
9th Region All Tournament Team (Second year in a row)
9th Region Player Of The Year
9th Region Defensive Player Of The Year
9th Region Division 1 All Star Team (Second year in a row)

[Bradleyguy10]

Eta Rho...who ARE you?

haha

Seriously though...this would be PHENOMENAL for Bradley. This would be a huge coup I think even though we are his only offer I don't expect that to be the case soon. I hope this isn't one of those deals again where Bradley offers early and a kid has us in his top 3 all along but realistically has to choose a BCS school in the end. He would be a star here...plain and simple.

Take a look at how SCARY this would be for the valley:

RJ's freshmen year if he commits to BU:
Sr. Sam Maniscalco
Sr. Andrew Warren
Jr. Eddren McCain
Jr. Taylor Brown
Jr. Will Egolf
Jr. Anthony Thompson (not sure what that means yet)
So. Jake Eastman
So. Milos Knezevic
So. Jordan Prosser
Fr./So. Sean Harris
Fr./So. John Wilkens
Fr. Ricardo Johnson
+ 1 other Sophomore (possibly DSE) or 1 other Freshmen (if we bank this extra scholly)

There is not a name on that list that I didn't like...Anthony Thompson still has upside and could still surprise us.

Honestly, if he commits I could see us being a Sweet 16 team both his freshmen and sophomore years and I like the foundation of the team that is there when he is a Junior as well......and I'm a "realist" sometimes known as "pessimist"

[Eta Rho]

Eta Rho...who ARE you?

haha

Seriously though...this would be PHENOMENAL for Bradley. This would be a huge coup I think even though we are his only offer I don't expect that to be the case soon. I hope this isn't one of those deals again where Bradley offers early and a kid has us in his top 3 all along but realistically has to choose a BCS school in the end. He would be a star here...plain and simple.

Honestly, if he commits I could see us being a Sweet 16 team both his freshmen and sophomore years and I like the foundation of the team that is there when he is a Junior as well......and I'm a "realist" sometimes known as "pessimist"

I do work with Queencityhigh.com which is a rivals site in the nky/cincy area, so I'm pretty up to date with the players in that area, especially Ricardo. I was fortunate enough to cover Holmes this year for probably 30 of their 38 games.

Rico is a high character kid who is big on honesty and the coaches being real with him. If the coaching staff is keeping in touch with him and letting him know how important he would be to the program, I'm sure his interest level would continue to grow toward them.

The following is from an article a few months back:

"Right now I'm hearing from Xavier, Cincinnati, Butler, Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky, Georgetown, West Virginia, South Florida, Ole Miss, Wright State and Virginia Tech," said Johnson.

Johnson has already attended camps at Kentucky, Cincinnati and Xavier, and has made an additional unofficial visit to Xavier.

Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin and assistant coach Tony Stubblefield have been by to see Johnson work out in open gym and Johnson has taken notice. "The coaches at Cincinnati stand out, they keep it real with me and tell me what's right," said Johnson.

As one of the top players in the state of Kentucky in the 2010 class don't expect Ricardo Johnson's recruitment to slow down anytime soon.

[tornado]

you are really good with your reporting, thanks...
you are welcome here any time to report on talent from your area

[Eta Rho]

you are really good with your reporting, thanks...
you are welcome here any time to report on talent from your area

Thanks Tornado.

I'll be doing an interview with Ricardo here in the next few days and I'll be sure to post it when I finish it.