Recruiting?

[PeoriaLou]

I suspect things are quiet on the Hilltop re future recruits cause BU is at its limit right now and out of deference to the players who have scholarships, and may not end up here next season. Wouldn't it be better to keep it relatiely low key and quiet especially during the season.

I think you're probably right on. It's no secret that players are evaluated each year and some turnover could be expected. I'm sure if this is the case at BU, we'll know more soon.

 

[Hello Newman]

you seem knowledgable on this...and I hope we land some of the better players from those prep schools...but

what prep school kids from La Lumiere or Traders Point have gone on to star or at least be impact players at the D-I level?

and then - given a plethora of other mid-west prep schools like Culver Academy, Brehm Prep, Decatur Christian, BTMA....can you cite any players who have had big impacts in college - at least enough to help teams get better?

There have been some prep school kids go on to success at the college level but I do understand your point. Of course they are risky...just like any other recruit.

I have no idea if Buovec, Bjozac or any of these guys will be good players. In regards to La Lumiere and Traders Point they haven't been doing the "basketball thing" for that long. Only the last few years have they started becoming basketball factories. I think the jury is still out on those two schools. Heck, La Lumiere has five guys with mid or BCS scholarships. That doesn't count Buovec, Jonathan Wilkins, etc.

Trader's Point has the big kid from Romania and then Bjozac. I don't know if there is enough history to make a statement one way or another about the La Lumeire or Trader's Point kids.

Personally, I like Buovec and Bjozac alot more based on their international experience, not what they are doing here at the prep schools. Croatia is a very good basketball country. They produce good players. It is a big sport there. Both guys played and were key contributors to the U18 National Team that went 6-3 last summer. They also played in the A2 Croatia league at 17 and 18 years old. They have the one very important skill that many young American kids don't have---that is shooting the ball from outside with great accuracy and consistency. That is a skill that is hard to teach and doesn't just go away.

There have been many foreign kids do well in the NCAA D1 level and there have been some who have flamed out and been completely overhyped. I don't know if that is much different than any other recruit.

I think a guy like Tyshon Pickett is about as "projectable" recruit as a team can get. As for any high school, prep school, or foreign kid, it's tough to tell.

Bradley has two prep school guys now and I think both Jalen Crawford and Shayok Shayok have shown as freshman they have a future at this level if they continue to develop.

 

[indybrave10]

There have been some prep school kids go on to success at the college level but I do understand your point. Of course they are risky...just like any other recruit.

I have no idea if Buovec, Bjozac or any of these guys will be good players. In regards to La Lumiere and Traders Point they haven't been doing the "basketball thing" for that long. Only the last few years have they started becoming basketball factories. I think the jury is still out on those two schools. Heck, La Lumiere has five guys with mid or BCS scholarships. That doesn't count Buovec, Jonathan Wilkins, etc.

Trader's Point has the big kid from Romania and then Bjozac. I don't know if there is enough history to make a statement one way or another about the La Lumeire or Trader's Point kids.

Personally, I like Buovec and Bjozac alot more based on their international experience, not what they are doing here at the prep schools. Croatia is a very good basketball country. They produce good players. It is a big sport there. Both guys played and were key contributors to the U18 National Team that went 6-3 last summer. They also played in the A2 Croatia league at 17 and 18 years old. They have the one very important skill that many young American kids don't have---that is shooting the ball from outside with great accuracy and consistency. That is a skill that is hard to teach and doesn't just go away.

There have been many foreign kids do well in the NCAA D1 level and there have been some who have flamed out and been completely overhyped. I don't know if that is much different than any other recruit.

I think a guy like Tyshon Pickett is about as "projectable" recruit as a team can get. As for any high school, prep school, or foreign kid, it's tough to tell.

Bradley has two prep school guys now and I think both Jalen Crawford and Shayok Shayok have shown as freshman they have a future at this level if they continue to develop.

Traders Point has only had High School Classes since 2008

 

[Hello Newman]

Traders Point has only had High School Classes since 2008

Thanks. And La Lumeire hasn't done much with basketball until recently correct?

 

[tornado]

There have been some prep school kids go on to success at the college level but I do understand your point. Of course they are risky......

There have been only a few thus far in the Valley as many are kinda overhyped and aim way, way too high...
guys like Lucca Staiger, Beas Hamga, James Siakam, Thijin Moses, Angel Garcia, Mario Stula, Matija Pocsic..
and even La Lumiere's own pressers compare their basketball program to Oak Hill - but Oak Hill has dozens of their grads who went on to be D-I superstars and now NBA stars...while none of these prep schools can really even boast yet one "superstar" with a small "s'".

I agree that this next batch of kids might make a difference although all the top ones like Jay Simpson, Hanner Perea, Raphael Davis, Jalen James were already studs BEFORE they went to La Lumiere and most were already committed.

but since top high school kids play year after year in the same place against competition that is easier to evaluate - and thus I think the top HS talent might be more inclined to excel than a lot of the top prep school talent.

Of the 60 or 80 kids who passed thru (*well documented) Chicago Boys to Men Academy, Decatur Christian School, Brehm Prep, Traders Point, Culver, etc....
in the past 5-6 years - barely even one had much impact at the college level...(one example - maybe the best one can find of a kid who stayed more than briefly at one of those prep schools would be Mac Koshwal - who despite all the hype & promise couldn't help his team do better than 16th place in a 16-team league).
I find that statistic extremely hard to explain....when Simeon HS alone has put numerous kids at top schools who were then quite successful...and even Manual has a better overall success rate than all those prep schools combined.

I would say "risky" is a good term on the prep kids - I hope we evaluate closely and don't get a Saihou Jassey or a kid who fails to help us..

 

[Hello Newman]

There have been only a few thus far in the Valley as many are kinda overhyped and aim way, way too high...
guys like Lucca Staiger, Beas Hamga, James Siakam, Thijin Moses, Angel Garcia, Mario Stula, Matija Pocsic..
and even La Lumiere's own pressers compare their basketball program to Oak Hill - but Oak Hill has dozens of their grads who went on to be D-I superstars and now NBA stars...while none of these prep schools can really even boast yet one "superstar" with a small "s'".

I agree that this next batch of kids might make a difference although all the top ones like Jay Simpson, Hanner Perea, Raphael Davis, Jalen James were already studs BEFORE they went to La Lumiere and most were already committed.

but since top high school kids play year after year in the same place against competition that is easier to evaluate - and thus I think the top HS talent might be more inclined to excel than a lot of the top prep school talent.

Of the 60 or 80 kids who passed thru (*well documented) Chicago Boys to Men Academy, Decatur Christian School, Brehm Prep, Traders Point, Culver, etc....
in the past 5-6 years - barely even one had much impact at the college level...(one example - maybe the best one can find of a kid who stayed more than briefly at one of those prep schools would be Mac Koshwal - who despite all the hype & promise couldn't help his team do better than 16th place in a 16-team league).
I find that statistic extremely hard to explain....when Simeon HS alone has put numerous kids at top schools who were then quite successful...and even Manual has a better overall success rate than all those prep schools combined.

I would say "risky" is a good term on the prep kids - I hope we evaluate closely and don't get a Saihou Jassey or a kid who fails to help us..

As you know recruiting by nature is risky. It's the riskiest part of the whole business. Obviously kids are at prep schools for a reason. Either for academics, to develop, off the court issues, etc.

In the case of Bradley and the two Croatian kids I personally don't think the same "prep school risk" applies. To me it is more of a "foreign player" risk. Some mid-majors have gone the foreign route, developed a pipeline and really helped the program.

I'm ok with taking recruiting risks every now and again. Just don't let it be your base.

 

[indybrave10]

You are correct, La Lumiere has kind of burst onto the scene the last few years. Sandi Marcius, who plays limited minutes for Purdue went there and I believe graduated in 09. I think he was the 14th ranked Center by ESPN. He redshirted his freshmen year and hasn't done much.

 

[Hello Newman]

You are correct, La Lumiere has kind of burst onto the scene the last few years. Sandi Marcius, who plays limited minutes for Purdue went there and I believe graduated in 09. I think he was the 14th ranked Center by ESPN. He redshirted his freshmen year and hasn't done much.

Have you seen either La Lumiere or Trader's Point play this season?

 

[indybrave10]

Have you seen either La Lumiere or Trader's Point play this season?

Unfortunately I have not been able to, but they play in a tournament this weekend here in town that I may try to get to.To be honest there has been some really good basketball around the city of Indianapolis that involve many of the other high schools. For example Hamilton Southeastern plays North Central tonight in Sectionals. Hamilton Southeastern features Gary Harris (Michigan State) and Zak Irvin (Michigan) and North Central features Ronnie Johnson (Purdue) and Patrick Ingram (Iowa). Plus there are a few others on those teams that will play D1 ball.

 

[tornado]

There have been only a few thus far in the Valley as many are kinda overhyped and aim way, way too high...
guys like Lucca Staiger, Beas Hamga, James Siakam, Thijin Moses, Angel Garcia, Mario Stula, Matija Pocsic..
and even La Lumiere's own pressers compare their basketball program to Oak Hill - but Oak Hill has dozens of their grads who went on to be D-I superstars and now NBA stars...while none of these prep schools can really even boast yet one "superstar" with a small "s'".

I agree that this next batch of kids might make a difference although all the top ones like Jay Simpson, Hanner Perea, Raphael Davis, Jalen James were already studs BEFORE they went to La Lumiere and most were already committed.

but since top high school kids play year after year in the same place against competition that is easier to evaluate - and thus I think the top HS talent might be more inclined to excel than a lot of the top prep school talent.

Of the 60 or 80 kids who passed thru (*well documented) Chicago Boys to Men Academy, Decatur Christian School, Brehm Prep, Traders Point, Culver, etc....
in the past 5-6 years - barely even one had much impact at the college level...(one example - maybe the best one can find of a kid who stayed more than briefly at one of those prep schools would be Mac Koshwal - who despite all the hype & promise couldn't help his team do better than 16th place in a 16-team league).
I find that statistic extremely hard to explain....when Simeon HS alone has put numerous kids at top schools who were then quite successful...and even Manual has a better overall success rate than all those prep schools combined.

I would say "risky" is a good term on the prep kids - I hope we evaluate closely and don't get a Saihou Jassey or a kid who fails to help us..

now we have yet another FULL YEAR of experience and so to continue this discussion - have ANY of these prep school kids gone anywhere and helped anyone???

remember how vigorously kids like Mac Koshwal, Thijin Moses, James Siakam, Bruce Barron, all the Decatur Christian kids, Brzoja, Buovac, etc., etc...were hyped and promoted...and yet in looking back now 6-7 years since Boys to Men Academy, Brehm, Decatur Christian, Culver, Traders Point, & La Lumiere have come onto the scene - can we perhaps finally concede their players are terribly overhyped and turn out underproductive.

 

[tornado]

Coach Molinari just landed a late addition to his 2013 roster

Mohamed Conde, a juco big man from Columbus State CC who averagedd 14.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in 2012-13.