And home grown talent is going elsewhere...

[Sea Goat]

Please read this article linked below from the Register. There are gems being mined in our state by other D-1 programs. I know we have gotten some great recruits from our home state, but are we missing out on some real gems. This is clearly a coaching/recruiting issue to start. I read on the Boneyard, that KO has gotten lazy about about recruiting and isn't working as hard as he did in the past. Some say it may be related to his personal issues (divorce?).

Well, I certainly feel sorry for any personal issues KO may have. I wish him well in getting through them. But, the program is in trouble. Nobody will read the post-script on the once great UConn basketball program that says it's demise was due to the coach's personal problems.

Connecticut players starring for Division I teams across the nation

 

[Stainmaster]

A third thread on this. Hooray.

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

Please read this article linked below from the Register. There are gems being mined in our state by other D-1 programs. I know we have gotten some great recruits from our home state, but are we missing out on some real gems. This is clearly a coaching/recruiting issue to start. I read on the Boneyard, that KO has gotten lazy about about recruiting and isn't working as hard as he did in the past. Some say it may be related to his personal issues (divorce?).

Well, I certainly feel sorry for any personal issues KO may have. I wish him well in getting through them. But, the program is in trouble. Nobody will read the post-script on the once great UConn basketball program that says it's demise was due to the coach's personal problems.

Connecticut players starring for Division I teams across the nation

Yes, the Boneyard states only the facts. It's a great resource if you are looking for all the answers about all the behind the scenes recruiting tactics. That's why our fan base knows so much about the inner workings of our program. Everything is so transparent, we are so lucky to be UConn fans.

 

[gtcam]

I read on the Boneyard, that KO has gotten lazy about about recruiting and isn't working as hard as he did in the past. Some say it may be related to his personal issues (divorce?).

I suggest you forget this source as any type of gospel - the haters will hate and those who claim to be in the know, in most cases, know nothing

 

[boog204]

Let's look at this realistically. The two legit misses right now are Heron and Waters. Neither wanted to come here and both went to SEC schools that I do not believe they visited. Unless you wanted KO to become a "different" type of recruiter, this was out of our hands and the $ketchiness is quite strong with both recruitments. Chukwu, if I remember correctly, wanted a small school initially. I liked Tyrique Jones and thought he was a better option than Diarra, but Jones was not a huge recruit. The other guys were not "UConn" players according to this board and if we had prioritized them this place would have blown up.

JC established himself as such an elite recruiter that unless you were a top 50 guy from CT in his day (a rarity of sorts) you were going to be an option, not a priority. Missing on Gomes, Vin Baker, Abromatis, etc. They were never options when we were going after and more often getting, bigger fish.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Merge threads plz

 

[Huskyforlife]

Let's look at this realistically. The two legit misses right now are Heron and Waters. Neither wanted to come here and both went to SEC schools that I do not believe they visited. Unless you wanted KO to become a "different" type of recruiter, this was out of our hands and the $ketchiness is quite strong with both recruitments. Chukwu, if I remember correctly, wanted a small school initially. I liked Tyrique Jones and thought he was a better option than Diarra, but Jones was not a huge recruit. The other guys were not "UConn" players according to this board and if we had prioritized them this place would have blown up.

JC established himself as such an elite recruiter that unless you were a top 50 guy from CT in his day (a rarity of sorts) you were going to be an option, not a priority. Missing on Gomes, Vin Baker, Abromatis, etc. They were never options when we were going after and more often getting, bigger fish.

The issue with your argument, is the apparent weight you give our opinions. Contrary to the belief, this place has no impact on anything(besides many people here being season ticket owners/doners), nothing we say is taken seriously by people in charge.

It doesn’t matter if I see Ollie prioritize Khalil Dukes(2 star?) over bigger fish with higher rankings, and write angry message board posts. It’s up to the Head Coach to identify talent, regardless of rankings, and prioritize the right players. He doesn’t get a pass because of us.

 

[boog204]

The issue with your argument, is the apparent weight you give our opinions. Contrary to the belief, this place has no impact on anything(besides many people here being season ticket owners/doners), nothing we say is taken seriously by people in charge.

It doesn’t matter if I see Ollie prioritize Khalil Dukes(2 star?) over bigger fish with higher rankings, and write angry message board posts. It’s up to the Head Coach to identify talent, regardless of rankings, and prioritize the right players. He doesn’t get a pass because of us.

Oh of course not... But there IS a reason a guy like Khalil Dukes was "ranked" as 2 star player versus someone else. He went out to USC, couldn't play, went to a smaller school and did much better. He was a 2013-2014 guy, we had Boat, Bazz, and a freshmen TSam as our primary guards. TSam was a guy that we clearly liked over higher ranked guards. While our opinion is obviously meaningless, our program was built on national recruiting; not checking out Ellington HS.

But seriously, that article is discussing the two real big fish in Heron and Waters. They were not coming here without us being shady. I think that's pretty clear. Chukwu did not want to come here and it seems we picked Diarra over Jones due to the Diallo connection. That was a big miss. The other guys mentioned were deemed to not be UConn caliber players by the coaching staff and only became solid players after years of smaller schools or Juco. McGuirl, the kid who went to K-State, has played 12 minutes this year since coming back from injury. Including him as some sort of big miss is idiotic at this point.

 

[husky429]

Oh of course not... But there IS a reason a guy like Khalil Dukes was "ranked" as 2 star player versus someone else. He went out to USC, couldn't play, went to a smaller school and did much better. He was a 2013-2014 guy, we had Boat, Bazz, and a freshmen TSam as our primary guards. TSam was a guy that we clearly liked over higher ranked guards. While our opinion is obviously meaningless, our program was built on national recruiting; not checking out Ellington HS.

But seriously, that article is discussing the two real big fish in Heron and Waters. They were not coming here without us being shady. I think that's pretty clear. Chukwu did not want to come here and it seems we picked Diarra over Jones due to the Diallo connection. That was a big miss. The other guys mentioned were deemed to not be UConn caliber players by the coaching staff and only became solid players after years of smaller schools or Juco. McGuirl, the kid who went to K-State, has played 12 minutes this year since coming back from injury. Including him as some sort of big miss is idiotic at this point.

Ellington freshman this year is actually a real good player. Might end up being a 4* kid.

Edit: actually, 8th grader

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I read on the Boneyard, that KO has gotten lazy about about recruiting and isn't working as hard as he did in the past. Some say it may be related to his personal issues (divorce?).

I suggest you forget this source as any type of gospel - the haters will hate and those who claim to be in the know, in most cases, know nothing

Also the idea that this board doesn't possess several posters with a real pulse to the program is disingenuous. So I am glad you qualified your post with "most cases".

I follow several boards other than UConn and you do not have to be behind a paywall to garner some very very good info. The source does matter. There are a few posters here who I will read every one of their posts. When they deliver a good knowledge of the game, a few laughs and some intell I can collaborate easily you have yourself a true winner.

This coming from one of the most hated posters on the board the BDH. I have to navigate this place like I am trying to survive my first week at Rikers. The bullets and water balloons are flying at my head left and right!

 

[80shusky]

Wait, I hadn't heard this argument before. Please stop trying to subvert the troof.

 

[the Q]

Ellington freshman this year is actually a real good player. Might end up being a 4* kid.

Edit: actually, 8th grader

I enjoyed beating Ellington at their place senior year on put back at the buzzer...and then our team needing a police escort to leave the building.

 

[husky429]

I enjoyed beating Ellington at their place senior year on put back at the buzzer...and then our team needing a police escort to leave the building.

Ellington? Surprised. Always been a very mellow town in my experience

 

[the Q]

Ellington? Surprised. Always been a very mellow town in my experience

I went to the rival school.

And there were typically fights after the game....by the fans.

That year two girls ripped each other's hair out.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Ellington freshman this year is actually a real good player. Might end up being a 4* kid.

Edit: actually, 8th grader

Matt Curtis, SG - Ellington, CT (2022) | Future150

The kid has some serious Danny Dickau in him. Hope he turns into the next Dickau. Kids gotta dream BIG.

 

[the Q]

Matt Curtis, SG - Ellington, CT (2022) | Future150

The kid has some serious Danny Dickau in him. Hope he turns into the next Dickau. Kids gotta dream BIG.

He's got a seriously short wingspan. That will be a concern defensively at higher levels.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

He's got a seriously short wingspan. That will be a concern defensively at higher levels.

I haven't seen him play yet. Just heard he is a lethal shooter. Will probably...eventually end up at East Catholic.

 

[the Q]

I haven't seen him play yet. Just heard he is a lethal shooter. Will probably...eventually end up at East Catholic.

yeah...but of course they would NEVER recruit him.

Because the catholic schools never recruit anyone.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

yeah...but of course they would NEVER recruit him.

Because the catholic schools never recruit anyone.

Haha...

Man you understand the game.

 

[the Q]

Haha...

Man you understand the game.

My HS coach moved us a borderline S/M school to L my senior year to avoid playing the catholic schools. Instead we drew Crosby, a top 10 team in the state. We lost, but we were winning most of the way, and it was easily the most fun I ever had playing ball.

It's a joke that those schools that are able to recruit (and do) aren't playing only LL for the state tourney. The best column Jacobs has ever written was about that. I think it was 2 years ago.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

My HS coach moved us a borderline S/M school to L my senior year to avoid playing the catholic schools. Instead we drew Crosby, a top 10 team in the state. We lost, but we were winning most of the way, and it was easily the most fun I ever had playing ball.

It's a joke that those schools that are able to recruit (and do) aren't playing only LL for the state tourney. The best column Jacobs has ever written was about that. I think it was 2 years ago.

Did you play against Anthony Ireland?

 

[the Q]

My godfather has a court named after him at one of the catholic schools in CT. haha So I KNOW the deal


Did you play against Anthony Ireland?

No. I'm a bit older than him.

I did play against Julian Allen and Julian Smith though, apparently (i remember someone saying they had some college players on that team, I used Real GM to look it up).

 

[Lefty2one]

Matt Curtis, SG - Ellington, CT (2022) | Future150

The kid has some serious Danny Dickau in him. Hope he turns into the next Dickau. Kids gotta dream BIG.

Any relation to the Matt Curtis who played at Cheshire High and then Hartford in the late 80s/early 90s? Think he's Top 10 all-time in state scoring.

 

[JimHurley]

Mike McGuirl shouldn't get mentioned in this article. They're trying to make him out as a big miss on our part? Saw him play 20+ games at East Catholic and didn't even think he was a D1 player. In this article, the only 3 guys I can say I'd want are Tyrique Jones, Tremont Waters, and Mustapha Heron. Tyrique Jones is a rock solid backup PF/C that you can count on to give you 20 hard minutes. Tremont Waters, enough said. Absolute stud. Mustapha Heron is a legit first or second scoring option.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Any relation to the Matt Curtis who played at Cheshire High and then Hartford in the late 80s/early 90s? Think he's Top 10 all-time in state scoring.

Matt Curtis: One of state’s greatest scorers ever