Uncommitted Recruits

[UConnCat]

Nared is taking an official visit to UCLA this weekend (as are Drummer, Billings, and others), so UCLA should be added for her.

Nared is the other uncommitted player joining Drummer and Billings at UCLA this weekend. Three committed players (Canada, Caldwell and Hayes) are also there. Coach Close is on her way to an excellent class that will bring high expectations to Westwood.

BTW, and just FYI (no need to change chart), a poster on the UCLA board says, based on reliable information, that Drummer is down to UCLA and Cal while Billings is down to UCLA, USC and UConn.

 

[UConnCat]

Baylor already has a commitment from Micayla Buckner, a 6'4" 4-star post. McKenzie Calvert decommitted this spring (post Griner debacle) after having given her verbal in 8th grade. Right now Baylor is listed as recruiting LaJahna Drummer and Monique Billings, but there could be other recruits they are pursuing.

Baylor is recruiting and part of final lists for some players who are not top 40 but are top 100: Kortney Dunbar (IL), Kristina King (NC) and Dekeiya Cohen (SC).

 

[UcMiami]

Thanks Vowelguy and to all the others adding info. Nice to have an overview of the uncommitted universe.

Edit: Also love your signature quote. Kara has a knack for cutting through the clutter in her analysis - she got this one spot on.

 

[UConnCat]

That's amazing how many top recruits Coach McGuff has gotten to take a serious look at tOSU in his first year.

I've said before that I'll-just-hire-your-Dad-McGuff now at tOSU is going to make for some interesting regional recruiting battles with Billboard-Walz and I'll-catch-the-next Helicopter-to-your home-Mitchell.

 

[Vowelguy]

while Billings is down to UCLA, USC and UConn.

Billings is not a name I had heard before re: UConn.
Any info/insight on her?

 

[UConnCat]

Billings is not a name I had heard before re: UConn.
Any info/insight on her?

I don't know anything about her other than what I read on the UCLA board and this board a couple of weeks ago

http://www.the-boneyard.com/threads/monique-billings.42325/

UConn's interest appears to be recent and it may be that the coaches don't feel particularly confident about Westbeld and need post players.

 

[Vowelguy]

So UConn has interest in 5 players, one of whom will not decide until the spring, and already has 3 verbals.

If one of the other 4 accept, does UConn withdraw offers from the rest?

 

[Tonyc]

I think the coaches have a pretty good idea of who they want and who they have a chance of getting based on talking to the kids, kids parents and kids coaches. When the kids are interviewed by the media, they very seldom say anything negative about any school. Thus telling me, by reading in between the lines that we will never know by listening to kids where they are favoring to go. On another note I would think that amongst themselves and at AAU tournments they talk about where they want to go and who they want to play for and discuss all the plus's and minus's. For example if your a top guard wanting to go to a top school would you choose a school who already has 2 or more top guards that you would be fighting for playtime with? Same for a top post player or top wing. You might go there just for a free education with minimal playtime.

As for UConn. We haven't heard much about Geno backing off on recruiting anybody and by the same token there have been kids very interested in UConn over the past few seasons who have gone elsewhere. Why? There are various reasons. Not a chance of starting, parents interference, or not coming off the bench for 2-3 years etc. So where is Geno spending his time and with who? Wilson is the big get this season. UConn is spending time watching her games. It was thought Turner might come to UConn and now shes at ND. Why? Maybe because she can start in a year and maybe because Geno has another big in the wings? Who I don't know. Im just speculating.

Another point to watch for, who has a lot of serious interest in UConn. Where is Geno going for home visits? The home visits tell me those recruits are interested, very interested in UConn. When you look at Bre and Stef both who have an outside shot and then you look at a player like Wilson who wants to play a little outside you can see why she would want to play for UConn. Tina and Stef both were developed inside and with a 15 footer. Stef on occasion can knock down a trey. A side from all the championships Stef is in her last season, Kiah has 2 to go and Wilson could fit right in with Bre and Morgan and play inside and out on a team that is favored to win more championships. IMO so why go somewhere that is trying to make the FF when you have a place to go where the FF is very attainable/expected every season and a team that is favored to make the NC game the next 3 seasons?

When I look at different teams recruiting and I see top players like Harrision Russell and Graves at TN it makes me wonder why a kid who plays the post or who plays underneath would go to TN when they know they have a tuff road to go to get a starting position. When I look at Duke with all those AAs why would a top kid want to go there unless a starting position is almost guaranteed. UCLA is doing a great job recruiting and has a couple of top guards. So the question remains why would a top guard want to go to UCLA? Im just making comparisons. Thus the reason for one player like Chong coming to UConn this season. UConn needed a guard. A year or two ago when Bre Morgan and MoJeff committed who would want to play behind UConns roster? This season opens more positions.

Geno recruits based on the needs of the team. He also recruits by spacing recruits to have them ready to step into the lineup knowing his system. We need a post, we will need a shooter next year as KML has 2 more seasons. There are many answers as to who can fill those positions and the 2 that I like a lot are Wilson and Samuleson. Will it happen? I don't know. I do know one thing. The first half of the season our OOC schedule will put UConn on TV a lot. Ever recruit in America will be watching one of the greatest teams in the history of WCBB perform and that will create dreams for those girls and that is something that will leave a lasting impression. It will help recruiting too. So the seeds have been planted with the USA teams, with the NCs, with the history or UConn and with TV. All we can do as fans is sit and wait and see.

 

[Sonny44]

So UConn has interest in 5 players, one of whom will not decide until the spring, and already has 3 verbals.

If one of the other 4 accept, does UConn withdraw offers from the rest?

I would vote no.

 

[UcMiami]

So UConn has interest in 5 players, one of whom will not decide until the spring, and already has 3 verbals.

If one of the other 4 accept, does UConn withdraw offers from the rest?

Probably not. I don't see us as being the 'favorite' with any of them, and I suspect the commitments will be spaced out among a group of teams. If two of them were to commit, bringing the commits to five, then yes, I think he does shut down the others with the exception of Wilson - for her he would go to six.

 

[Vowelguy]

Ortiz has verballed to Oklahoma. 15 of the top 40 uncommitted.

 

[Raoul]

Baylor is recruiting and part of final lists for some players who are not top 40 but are top 100: Kortney Dunbar (IL), Kristina King (NC) and Dekeiya Cohen (SC).

Swish Appeal reporting that Dunbar committed to Tennessee after officially visiting there this weekend.

 

[UConnCat]

Dunbar is ranked #77 by BS, #81 PN. Not sure of ASGR ranking. Considered good perimeter shooter.

 

[Vowelguy]

Swish Appeal reporting that Dunbar committed to Tennessee after officially visiting there this weekend.

#89 Composite

 

[stwainfan]

Yes Dunbar did commit. She was there over the weekend.

 

[Vowelguy]

#34 Myisha Hines-Allen says she'll announce her decision on Tuesday.

She is an interesting case in that BlueStar does not have her ranked in its top 105, yet the other services all have her top 30, including ProspectsNation at #13.

 

[Fightin Choke]

#34 Myisha Hines-Allen says she'll announce her decision on Tuesday.

She is an interesting case in that BlueStar does not have her ranked in its top 105, yet the other services all have her top 30, including ProspectsNation at #13.

She just visited Louisville a week ago, but they seem to have similar recruits already. I wonder if she chooses the Cardinals.

 

[UConnCat]

She just visited Louisville a week ago, but they seem to have similar recruits already. I wonder if she chooses the Cardinals.

Georgia Tech maybe. Her AAU teammate Tilford committed to GaTech a few weeks ago.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Probably down to those 2. Louisville or GT!

Wish her the best wherever she lands.

 

[Vowelguy]

Looking for any help on who these kids are looking at:

( 1) Aja Wilson .....(F ,SC) - SC,UConn,TN,NC,KY, others
( 5) Gabby Green ....(G ,CA) - Cal,OhSt,LSU,TN,RU
( 6) Jatarie White ..(P ,NC) - TN,SC,NC,Clem, Fla,Mia,FlaSt,OhSt, ??
( 9) LaJahna Drummer.(F ,CA) - verbal to UCLA over Cal,USC
(14) Shakayla Thomas.(F ,AL) - FSU,SC,GA,Aub,AL,MissSt
(17) Monique Billings(F ,CA) - verbal to UCLA over USC,UConn
(18) Jaime Nared ....(W ,OR) - TN,UCLA,USC,OhSt,OreSt,Lou
(21) Kathryn Westbeld(F ,OH) - ND,OhSt,UConn
(22) Alyssa Rice ....(P ,OH) - KY,VA
(26) Taylor Rooks ...(F ,NY) - UConn,Stan,StJ,Harv,Princ
(29) Gabrielle Ortiz.(PG,WI) - verbal to OKLA over Pur
(32) Bianca Cuevas ..(PG,NY) - TN,Miss,SC
(34) M. Hines-Allen .(F ,NJ) - verbal to LOU over WV,GaTch
(35) Victoria Vivians(W ,MS) - Lou,KY,FL,MissSt
(37) McKenzie Calvert(PG,TX) - TN,GaTch,Winth,BallSt,USC,Duke, ??
(38) Nasheema Oliver.(P ,GA) - GA,MD,ND,Fla,Mia, GaTch

Ranks are from composite calculations of ASGR, ProspectsNation, BlueStar, & FullCourt.

And then there were 12!

Reportedly in the running:
Tenn = 6
Ohio St, SoCar = 4
UConn, Florida =3
UNC, ND, KY, GA, Lou, FlaSt, USC, GaT, Mia, MissSt = 2

 

[Vowelguy]

Since UCLA seems to be at capacity, I assume they're off Nared's list.

 

[John Glass]

Since UCLA seems to be at capacity, I assume they're off Nared's list.

I doubt it, if Nared wants to come, UCLA will find a scholarship

 

[CBus13]

I'm pretty I saw somewhere UCLA has one more scholarship left if they choose to use it.

 

[osubbfan]

Does anyone have any updates on these uncommitted recruits?

 

[Icebear]

At this point I would expect few immediate changes until in home visits are complete.