2008 BU recruit- Daniel West

[Da Coach]

I like the fact that JL goes after this caliber of player. In most cases, Bradley offers these kids before the "bigs" do, so you have to pursue them and you have a chance, until the kid drops you - like Evan Turner, Scott Suggs, Josh Southern, and James Johnson. You never know when the "Bigs" will back off, or if the kid has an injury or a bad summer, he might drop. Or, in the case of Daniel West, or Will Egolf, maybe you'll luck out and the kid will commit while he's still under the radar. Yes, it's more work. But I also think it gives prestige to Bradley to be constantly listed with the big boys.

[Da Coach]

DRU -
We lost at Wichita St in OT by 2. We beat Wichita St 60-52 in the MVC tourney. Wichita St hosted and beat George Mason (Final 4) by 3.

We beat Creighton 86-69 at home and let a chance slip by on the road losing 80-76. We then beat CU 54-47 in the MVC tourney. Creighton had beaten George Mason (Final 4) on the road 72-52.

We beat UNI at home in OT 68-60 early in the year and pounded them late in the season on the road 71-49. They beat LSU (Final 4) on the road.

So we didn't match up well with Memphis. Heck - did we really match up all that well with Kansas?

Here is another way to look at it--
National Champion Florida only lost 6 games all year on their way to the NCAA Championship.
2 of their losses were to South Carolina.
South Carolina lost to Pittsburgh.
Bradley pounded Pittsburgh in Auburn Hills.
So Bradley has a legitimate claim to the National Championship!?

By the way, 2 more of Florida's losses were to Tennessee. And Tennessee lost twice to South Carolina, which we already know lost to Pittaburgh, who lost to Bradley.

[Majik45]

By the way, 2 more of Florida's losses were to Tennessee. And Tennessee lost twice to South Carolina, which we already know lost to Pittaburgh, who lost to Bradley.

Well, if you want to go there, there's a quicker way to do it. Tennessee lost to Wichita in the NCAA's and we know Bradley beat Wichita in St. Louis just a week before that.

[tornado]

I asked alot of my HS beauty's to the prom but none ever said yes....whats that get me?

Then at least you went down swinging and just maybe became a better person for it, but I did the same and one of them actually said "yes" because her other boyfriend was being a jerk.

Later, of course, she dumped me and married him, but at least I had the babe for the prom!

[MacabreMob]

By the way, 2 more of Florida's losses were to Tennessee. And Tennessee lost twice to South Carolina, which we already know lost to Pittaburgh, who lost to Bradley.

Well, if you want to go there, there's a quicker way to do it. Tennessee lost to Wichita in the NCAA's and we know Bradley beat Wichita in St. Louis just a week before that.

I don't like playing the 'who-beat-who' game and I apologize for bringing it up. I was just trying to illustrate to DRU that even though Bradley may not have matched up well against Memphis last year and Bradley may not have had the athleticism Memphis had, that doesn't mean Bradley was way out of their league when it comes to the top 20. It is proof that Bradley was in league when you look at outcomes of opponents and opponents opponents. But this becomes scoffable by BCS/B10/Illini fans. They don't want to believe Bradley can be in the same league. And this becomes evident in how BCS schools typically schedule - avoiding Home and Home series most of the time. I am sure they would much rather play in holiday tournaments against 2nd tier BCS schools than to have a few Mid-Majors in there.

Ahhh... sorry to rant.

Back to the topic. I think it is great to get a verbal from this kid. But just as we saw UIUC lose a verbal over a long summer (and we know first hand with incidents like Grundy), I don't like to get overly excited til I see them in Red and White.

[tornado]

........... til I see them in Red and White.

ONE WEEK AWAY!

[BradleyBrave]

Daniel West has been upgraded ALREADY to a 2-star recruit!

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=2822813

[shaunguth]

Just wanted to pass along today's article from The Saginaw News. I pulled all the relevant information regarding Daniel and it sounds like he definitely has a complete game, which comes from having a good leader in his dad. Sounds like a good all-around kid!

Monday, March 19, 2007
HUGH BERNREUTER
THE SAGINAW NEWS

Daniel West has the name and, in the tournament, he has had game.

The Saginaw High junior has become the Trojans' most consistent player during the tournament, leading the team to the Class A state quarterfinals. The 22-1 Trojans face Clarkston at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Saginaw Valley State University.

West, whose father is former Saginaw High standout Daniel West, scored 21 points in the Trojans' 76-59 regional championship win Thursday over Mount Pleasant.

"He's always had the offensive game," Saginaw High coach Lou Dawkins said. "He's still learning about all the things he needs to do as the point guard, getting other players involved, keeping them happy. He'll get his points, but it's the other things he's doing that makes him a good point guard."

West has verbally committed to Bradley, but he's not the lone future NCAA Division I player on the team. Senior Joshua Southern has signed to play for Boston College, while junior Draymond Green has verbally committed to Kentucky.

"When they're in there, I try to keep them happy," West said. "I look for them instead of maybe looking for my own shot. When they're not in there, it's a little different. I take more control, but I still look for the other guys. I want to keep them happy, too."

West says his father, who played for Central Michigan University after Saginaw High, gives him advice.

"He just tells me when I get to play, play hard," West said. "Don't play careful. When you get the chance, play your hardest."

If Saginaw High wins Tuesday, it advances to the 1 p.m. Friday Class A semifinal at Michigan State University's Breslin Center against the winner of the Lansing Eastern quarterfinal between Ann Arbor Pioneer and Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central.

[lake Camelot]

Anyone know if Daniel is playing AAU ball this summer? Any updates on his recruiting? I hope there are no changes in his status but you never know. He sounds like a player that could play either guard position and be unselfish in the team system at Bradley. In other words I am more worried about him having a great summer than a poor one. Being unselfish he may go more unnoticed during the AAU games and that doesn't mean he is less of a player so it wouldn't worry me. But if he blows up I might be a little worried about him staying with BU. I have no reason to think that just past experience with early comits.

I found this decription of him on greatlakeshoops.com It was a report from the championships this year. I like the sound of it.

???‚¬???All of Saginaw???‚¬?„?s guards are good players, but only one is great. While some of the guards are great in specific areas, only Daniel West is great in every area. On defense, he locks down opposing guards. As a passer, he will find you. Offensively, he scores off the dribble and shoots the three well. 14 points and four assists tonight in limited minutes.

[tornado]

Nice find LC, I did a little digging and found that Daniel plays for the Michigan Hurricanes.
Some of the other players on Daniel's team include

Adrian Burton
Kavon Rose
Paul Reyes

I will look for more.