2007 BU commitment- 6'10" Anthony Thompson

[BradleyBrave]

....Marcus Sikes is about the only guy JL has really wanted and put a lot of effort into and didn't get. ....

depends on how you define "a lot of effort"...
Here are some names of guys JL did put a lot of hope and a lot of effort into, but didn't get...
Roy Bright, Dom Johnson, Manual Cass, Anthony Slack, Marvell Waithe, Arturas Valeika, Jeremy Fears the first time around when he chose Iowa State, and to some extent Mareceo Rutledge.

It is a matter of definition. Sikes was our top recruiting priority and we put more effort and time into recruiting him than anyone previously. I'm sure we put solid efforts in on the other guys.

[OrangeandBlack74]

....Marcus Sikes is about the only guy JL has really wanted and put a lot of effort into and didn't get. ....

depends on how you define "a lot of effort"...
Here are some names of guys JL did put a lot of hope and a lot of effort into, but didn't get...
Roy Bright, Dom Johnson, Manual Cass, Anthony Slack, Marvell Waithe, Arturas Valeika, Jeremy Fears the first time around when he chose Iowa State, and to some extent Mareceo Rutledge.

It is a matter of definition. Sikes was our top recruiting priority and we put more effort and time into recruiting him than anyone previously. I'm sure we put solid efforts in on the other guys.

I still don't understand why Sikes didn't come here. I thought he was sure to sign with BU, and would have made a ton of difference for the upcoming season.

[BradleyBrave]

....Marcus Sikes is about the only guy JL has really wanted and put a lot of effort into and didn't get. ....

depends on how you define "a lot of effort"...
Here are some names of guys JL did put a lot of hope and a lot of effort into, but didn't get...
Roy Bright, Dom Johnson, Manual Cass, Anthony Slack, Marvell Waithe, Arturas Valeika, Jeremy Fears the first time around when he chose Iowa State, and to some extent Mareceo Rutledge.

It is a matter of definition. Sikes was our top recruiting priority and we put more effort and time into recruiting him than anyone previously. I'm sure we put solid efforts in on the other guys.

I still don't understand why Sikes didn't come here. I thought he was sure to sign with BU, and would have made a ton of difference for the upcoming season.

Yeah, BU seemed to make a lot more sense for him than Cincinnati. Same thing with Roy Bright and Delaware State. But, sometimes these things have a way of working out. Maybe Matt Salley will end up being everything Marcus Sikes could have been and more. Time will tell.

[Da Coach]

Two other present D-I players have come from Thompson's high school in the past couple years.

http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/perka_aleks00.html

http://www.goislanders.com/roster_bi...um=131&sp=bskm

Anthony Thompson is not even the highest rated kid on his own high school team. Alonzo Edwards, who is also playing at Klein Forest High School, is rated a higher recruit among the Texas prep players than Thompson.

http://texashoops.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=55379

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=378&p=8&c=1&nid=2680502

It doesn't look like he's committed anywhere, yet. Maybe he'd be interested in playing with Thompson for the next 4 years?

[Da Coach]

Yeah, BU seemed to make a lot more sense for him than Cincinnati. Same thing with Roy Bright and Delaware State. But, sometimes these things have a way of working out. Maybe Matt Salley will end up being everything Marcus Sikes could have been and more. Time will tell.

A lot of what goes into kids' decisions is in the name of the school. Bradley just is not as impressive a name to brag to your friends as Cincinnati.

Now why anyone would pick Delaware State over Bradley is a bigger mystery to me.

[Da Coach]

I have heard that Old Dominion made a strong late push to get Thompson, and would have liked him to wait on the commit. Nice to get the verbal now.

[bu fan 9]

Good job coach Les and his staff keep up the good work.

[Big Mike]

http://www.chicagohoops.com/articles1/thompsonbradley.html

[Big Mike]

Did anyone else catch the line from the Chicago hoops thread that says......Thompson is a LEFTY..........?

[BradleyBrave]

Wow...we MUST get the LOI from this kid. Sounds like he's got a chance to be a star.

[dogsrus]

I keep thinking of CU's big...Tolliver. While AT needs some weight and strength I'd take that kind of player.

[BradleyBrave]

I keep thinking of CU's big...Tolliver. While AT needs some weight and strength I'd take that kind of player.

It sounds like Thompson's upside is much higher than Tolliver's. This kid can be a star.

Just to put in perspective what kind of recruit this kid is, and what we're building here at BU...

(All ratings courtesy of Scout.com)

Pre-Sweet 16

Marcellus Sommerville - 3 star
Lawrence Wright - 1 star
Patrick O'Bryant - 2 star
Jeremy Crouch - 2 star
Sam Singh - 2 star
Tony Bennett - NR
Danny Adams - NR
JJ Tauai - NR
Zach Andrews - 2 star
Ray Brown - 1 star
Will Franklin - NR
Daniel Ruffin - NR
Andrew Warren - NR
Xavier Crawford - 3 star (I debated whether or not to count him)

Post-Sweet 16

Matt Salley - 3 star (Spring commitment)
Anthony Thompson - 3 star
Sam Maniscalco - 2 star
DeAaron Williams - 3 star
Jeremy Fears - 2 star

Of course these rankings have their flaws, and players (especially ones that opt for smaller venues like BU) are underrated all the time, but I think this really shows how we're rasing the bar talent-wise on the Hilltop. IMO we're in the midst of building something very special. What a difference a year makes!

[MacabreMob]

I have feelings of 'Warm-Willies'.... but I am aware of the 'Gordon-Grundies'.

Sign him.

Get him on campus.

I won't be convinced til he suits up in red/white on the hardfloor.

[MacabreMob]

What a difference a year makes!

What a difference a great coach makes.

Recruiting and coaching. A vision. Others sharing the vision. Building.

[BradleyBrave]

What a difference a year makes!

What a difference a great coach makes.

Recruiting and coaching. A vision. Others sharing the vision. Building.

I'm not ready to call JL a great coach yet. I'll need a few more 20 win seasons and NCAA appearances to do that (which I do foresee). However, his eye for talent and ability to bring players to Peoria is unquestionable.