April 2021 Recruiting (only) thread

[CocoHusky]

Betts? Iriafen?


Rexrode: I can’t say I saw that coming, Charlotte, though I was told an interesting story this week by a Vanderbilt source in reference to a recent recruiting battle involving Stanford and UConn. Stanford won, and Stanford winning any recruiting battle in this sport should be no surprise. But apparently, the decisive factor for this particular recruit was academics.

UConn heir apparent Shea Ralph is off to Vanderbilt: What does it mean for both programs?

Ralph is taking over a program with a proud history but one that has struggled in recent years

theathletic.com

Haley Jones?

 

[UConnCat]

Betts? Iriafen?


Rexrode: I can’t say I saw that coming, Charlotte, though I was told an interesting story this week by a Vanderbilt source in reference to a recent recruiting battle involving Stanford and UConn. Stanford won, and Stanford winning any recruiting battle in this sport should be no surprise. But apparently, the decisive factor for this particular recruit was academics.

UConn heir apparent Shea Ralph is off to Vanderbilt: What does it mean for both programs?

Ralph is taking over a program with a proud history but one that has struggled in recent years

theathletic.com

Haley Jones.

 

[NYCHUSKIES]

My guess is because she is Brazilian.

She is Dominican

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Haley Jones?

Haley Jones.

Would Jones be considered "recent" though? She chose in 2018.

 

[JordyG]

Haley Jones?

I really don't see who else it could have been. UConn didn't recruit Brink so.... Could nave been Betts though. My money's on Jones though.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

My guess is because she is Brazilian.

Born in the Dominican but been in the US for most of her life. I would think she considers herself American but you never know.

 

[Mdoggie]

Born in the Dominican but been in the US for most of her life. I would think she considers herself American but you never know.

Why would you think/assume that?

 

[UConnCat]

I really don't see who else it could have been. UConn didn't recruit Brink so.... Could nave been Betts though. My money's on Jones though.

UConn did recruit Brink. I said Jones because she chose Stanford over UConn. The others chose Stanford but there's no evidence UConn came in second.

I would consider 2018 recent.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Why would you think/assume that?

If you've lived in a country all of your life except when you were a baby, why would you considering yourself a part of anyplace other than said country?

 

[Sluconn Husky]

KK Bransford makes the MaxPreps All-American First Team list.


It should be noted that are a handful of previous All-America selections not included this year — Azzi Fudd of St. John's (Washington, D.C.), Caroline Ducharme of Noble & Greenough (Dedham, Mass.), Brooke Demetre of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and JuJu Watkins of Windward (Los Angeles) — due to their seasons being shortened, delayed or canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.


K.K. Bransford, Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati)
5-10 | Junior (2022) | Forward | Uncommitted
Ohio Ms. Basketball led the Cougars to an unbeaten season, a state title and the No. 3 ranking in the MaxPreps Top 25, averaging 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

2020-21 MaxPreps All-America Team: Raven Johnson headlines high school girls basketball's best and most talented players

MaxPreps News - South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has a pair of first teamers headed to Columbia.

www.maxpreps.com

 

[BobbyJ]

Betts? Iriafen?


Rexrode: I can’t say I saw that coming, Charlotte, though I was told an interesting story this week by a Vanderbilt source in reference to a recent recruiting battle involving Stanford and UConn. Stanford won, and Stanford winning any recruiting battle in this sport should be no surprise. But apparently, the decisive factor for this particular recruit was academics.

UConn heir apparent Shea Ralph is off to Vanderbilt: What does it mean for both programs?

Ralph is taking over a program with a proud history but one that has struggled in recent years

theathletic.com

Iriafen makes sense to me. I always had the idea she would stay close to LA and when I saw Stanford in the mix, I figured that was the place based on geography and academics.

 

[CocoHusky]

KK Bransford makes the MaxPreps All-American First Team list.


It should be noted that are a handful of previous All-America selections not included this year — Azzi Fudd of St. John's (Washington, D.C.), Caroline Ducharme of Noble & Greenough (Dedham, Mass.), Brooke Demetre of Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and JuJu Watkins of Windward (Los Angeles) — due to their seasons being shortened, delayed or canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic.


K.K. Bransford, Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati)
5-10 | Junior (2022) | Forward | Uncommitted
Ohio Ms. Basketball led the Cougars to an unbeaten season, a state title and the No. 3 ranking in the MaxPreps Top 25, averaging 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

2020-21 MaxPreps All-America Team: Raven Johnson headlines high school girls basketball's best and most talented players

MaxPreps News - South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has a pair of first teamers headed to Columbia.

www.maxpreps.com

This is the first time I've seen KK referred to as a "forward"-any significance to that?

 

[BobbyJ]

Haley Jones?

I would agree. She fits my rationale on Iriafen also.

 

[BobbyJ]

Mr. Flynn's influence on girls competitive basketball has been an intriguing question to me as I got more familiar with the AAU landscape for women's basketball. I know he has a reputation that goes back decades from what I've been able to research and I wish I understood more about the dynamics.

His Bluestar organization has come to Canada on occasion for different events. I also think there may have been a business relationship between him and Richard Nurse for AAU ball before the Kia Nurse Elite program came into existence.

I also have seen on social media several who have their issues with him regarding how he promotes the Belles program. He seems to be a polarizing figure in the sport when it comes to girls basketball.

And he's been that since at least 1992.

 

[cancontent]

She is Dominican

Born in the Dominican but been in the US for most of her life. I would think she considers herself American but you never know.

To clarify, is this the Dominican Republic or Dominica (part of the British Commonwealth)? .

Reason I ask is my family is from Dominica which gets confused with the DR a lot. I may have missed where it may have been mentioned. If so, my apologies.

 

[Mdoggie]

If you've lived in a country all of your life except when you were a baby, why would you considering yourself a part of anyplace other than said country?

Pride in your birth country and identity.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Pride in your birth country and identity.

Actually, I had her situation backwards. She was born in the US but spent most of her life in the Dominican before returning a few years ago. Should've double-checked that.

That scenario makes a bit more sense but goes against the pride in birth country option.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[DEpup]

Would Jones be considered "recent" though? She chose in 2018.

Well Geno has been at UConn since 1985, I believe, so 2018 is recent...lol.

 

[DEpup]

Would Jones be considered "recent" though? She chose in 2018.

Well Geno has been at UConn since 1985, I believe, so 2018 is recent...lol.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Homestead's Ayanna Patterson

The ABC21 Girls Basketball Player of the Year is Homestead junior forward Ayanna Patterson.

wpta21.com

 

[MilfordHusky]

UConn did recruit Brink. I said Jones because she chose Stanford over UConn. The others chose Stanford but there's no evidence UConn came in second.

I would consider 2018 recent.

It could have been Haley, but her long-term relationship with Tara going back to Tara's camps when Haley was young and the proximity between her home town of Santa Cruz and her high school town of San Jose to Palo Alto seemed to be the deciding factors for Haley.

 

[Dillon77]

This is the first time I've seen KK referred to as a "forward"-any significance to that?

A mistake on the writer's part?
I've never seen KK Bransford referred to as anything but a guard, save this article. She rebounds well, drives the lane with a passion and might even be considered a candidate for "positionless" basketball. But a forward, she's not.

 

[Dillon77]

What had been rumored for 2 years now finally has become a reality. Kevin Lynch, Fran Burbage, & Brian Creech founded a new AAU organization called the Philly Rise which is nike affiliated and will play on the EYBL circuit this year. They also snagged one of my favorite human beings on this planet La’Keisha Sutton who played at Trenton Catholic ( Aalyah Del Rosario anyone?) and played at South Carolina for Dawn Staley. The Rise also snagged Ellen Masonis who was running an off shoot of the Philly Belles called the NJ Belles. Ellen is of course the mother of Faith Masonius of Maryland. Ellen has a connection to UCONN which I recall @UConnCat writing about some time ago. Ellen played her college ball at St. Joe's but I don't believe the connection was through Geno who was gone from St. Joes by this time, circa 1987. This was a power move and a great one- let's face it. Kevin, Fran and Brian were the Coaching engine of the Belles all the way dating back to Laura Harper through Caroline Doty, Stewie and up to an including Amari. What is also remarkable is the Mike Flynn has always stated that he would never allow another Nike Sponsored team to operate in the Philadelphia Area. For all practical purposes the Philly Rise are the New Philly Belles-they will do well.

Thanks for the input. A question and a few points:

• What is happening/will happen to the Belles?
• Ellen Masonius, prior to the NJ Belles, was (and still might) be deeply involved in Jersey Shore developmental programs. Besides Faith Masonius, she also worked with her niece Stella Clarke, who was a pg on Manasquan HS with Faith and Dara Mabrey before playing for Northeastern, graduating and now taking a grad year at Monmouth. Oh, and her son played hockey at UConn.

- As per Del Rosario commuting from Trenton to Philly. Might be a challenge to Del Rosario's family, but I recall Celeste Taylor and Danielle Cosgrove coming from Long Island to play for the Belles (try negotiating the Belt Pkwy or BQE to get to Jersey...that's dedication). And Alli Cambell drove from the Pittsburgh area.

 

[Dillon77]

Safety school!

Bunch of Ashlynn Shade clips upcoming.

First, a montage from 2018 before she entered the 8th grade.

Thanks Sluconn for posting the clips on Ashlynn Shade. We denizens of McGraw's Bench appreciate it because you never know how strong the bandwidth is at those "safety schools." Right, Milford?