Kasongo to Announce This Week

[Peacefrog]

I find it particularly encouraging that the momentum toward UConn seemed to increase AFTER the Lubin committment. I was worried that might disuade him but perhaps he recongnizes that there is plenty of room on the court for both of them (imagine these two guys working down low compared to our situation last season) and/or he just likes UConn that much.

 

[UConNick]

Hearing that Kasongo wants UConn, but everyone in his camp wants Oregon.

Where you hearing that from? Pretty interesting, and hopefully moot point.

 

[UConn3432]

Hearing that Kasongo wants UConn, but everyone in his camp wants Oregon.

Maybe his camp got their duffel bags already and Ray is looking for his

 

[James]

His camp is , if they were worth a dime he'd have way more recognition. That one performance against the two top big men in the class should have merited hype.

 

[aceboon]

Hearing that Kasongo wants UConn, but everyone in his camp wants Oregon.

Oh boy, it seems like camps usually have their way at the end

 

[caw]

All

Oh boy, it seems like camps usually have their way at the end

All depends who is in the camp. If it's mom and dad, yes. But if mom and dad are leaning UConn, I think UConn prevails.

 

[DogMania]

How anyone can "predict" where a teenage BB recruit is going to land based on anything other than inside information is flat out nutty. I didn't understand what this was all about till I went to the site. It's a simply poll of a random group of people, some national and some associated with the programs battling for the recruit. In this case, 4 out of 15 are now picking UConn, and of them the Oregon Insider guy is one of the 4.

I can see them being right when all the reports are obviously pointing in one direction, but in this case, up till the latest quote by Ray saying he's leaning toward UConn, it's been a crap shoot.

I don't know where the Crystal ball was pointing after Ray's UConn visit which he was gushing about it. But knowing how recruits are so often wowed by their next visit and that he left UConn without a decision on his way to Oregon, I don't know how anyone could predict this one way or the other.

The Lubin to UConn commit had some assuming that would either scare Kasongo away or wonder if UConn was pulling their offer off the table because they landed a similar player. But again, is that enough to sway things? I guess in many cases that does sway the recruit to the other program, so if crystal balls tend to change their mind often...I had one and but could never figure out how it worked ...then I guess I can understand this effect. But for fans to hang on every spin of the ball seems a bit coo coo to me.

Now I don't know how up-to-date 247 polls their predictors, but now that Ray himself said he's leaning toward UConn, wouldn't you expect the ball to spin in our direction compared to a 11-4 in favor of the Ducks.

Here's my take on this. If it's a matter of which program he wants to go to, then I like our chances. If there are some outside pressures (parent(s), handler(s), other) then who knows how this one will fall. I hope those who influence him are similar to BBMom who loves her son, KO and UConn, seeing the Huskies as the best place for her son. Is there a BasketBallMom2 on the Kasongo team who can spin the ball in our direction? Wouldn't that be nice?!?! I'm sure KO is going to work the phones, within the rules of course, talking to Ray and those close to him. Hold on!!! I just found my crystal ball and I'm getting a good feeling it's UConn...Oh, never mind, that's my old bowling ball.

 

[3uconn]

Oregon guy on 247 now predicting Ray to UConn.

I told you so...

 

[2Infinity]

Definitely understand what upstaters saying, 17 year olds don't really think like adults most of the time. He could easily be aiming to gain suspense and shock people. I would still be sick about that, trolling us and even Ollie.

I think he's UConn bound! Kids don't normally start favoring one school just before their deadline, go public with that thought ...and then flip. To my knowledge, he hasn't come out before with a statement saying that he was favoring a certain school.... and then changed his mind. The kid sounded like he was really mulling over his final two over the weekend, up until this latest news. He's been consistent in his statements about his true feelings ...and that's just another positive here. Finally, his parents have been very positive about UConn all along. With all that said, my crystal ball says ....UCONN!

 

[upstater]

Hearing that Kasongo wants UConn, but everyone in his camp wants Oregon.

In this case, it should be noted that his camp extends well beyond his parents. I believe he is affiliated with Ro Russell who also advised Xavier Rathan-Mayes.

 

[tcf15]

Jerry Meyer ‏@jerrymeyer247 46s
Ultimately on Ray Kasongo, there is a lot of back and forth going on and it is extremely tough to say where it will end up at end of the day

 

[tcf15]

In this case, it should be noted that his camp extends well beyond his parents. I believe he is affiliated with Ro Russell who also advised Xavier Rathan-Mayes.

Yeah, I just saw today that Ro Russell is running Phase 1 Academy, which is where Kasongo is going now. For anyone who doesn't know who Russell is, read this article: http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh...ing-job-wake-devastating-fifth-060520443.html.

 

[upstater]

I don't understand this thread. What's the difference between a kid saying that one school is "leading" for him and that he's "leaning" toward a certain school? Nothing, as far as I can tell, particularly when you consider that these are teenagers who say all kinds of things for all kinds of reasons. Kids rank the schools that are after them all the time. They say they have a favorite all the time. How is this any different? Why take anything from it?

There's no difference. I've never heard a kid say either before.

 

[upstater]

Yeah, I just saw today that Ro Russell is running Phase 1 Academy, which is where Kasongo is going now. For anyone who doesn't know who Russell is, read this article: http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh...ing-job-wake-devastating-fifth-060520443.html.

I wasn't aware of Phase1. http://pointstreaksites.com/view/phase1academy/phase-1-academy-1#.UkxiiLyE6DA
No comment.

 

[DogMania]

In this case, it should be noted that his camp extends well beyond his parents. I believe he is affiliated with Ro Russell who also advised Xavier Rathan-Mayes.

I heard he was associated with some problematic influence, though I don't know if it was that guy. Not assuming Russell is a bad influence, I don't follow the ugly underworld of hoops recruiting. With that said, if this is the case and the fact that XRM not only ended up in Florida as a non-qualifier, has me worried that Ray's wrestling with the decision could be this guy pushing him toward the Ducks. Note I have no idea and am just thinking out loud.

Does anyone know much about this guy? Is he a World Wide Wess sort of influence that might not be UConn friendly?

 

[tcf15]

I heard he was associated with some problematic influence, though I don't know if it was that guy. Not assuming Russell is a bad influence, I don't follow the ugly underworld of hoops recruiting. With that said, if this is the case and the fact that XRM not only ended up in Florida as a non-qualifier, has me worried that Ray's wrestling with the decision could be this guy pushing him toward the Ducks. Note I have no idea and am just thinking out loud.

Does anyone know much about this guy? Is he a World Wide Wess sort of influence that might not be UConn friendly?

The only association that I know of between Ro Russell and UConn is that Russell was Denham Brown's AAU coach.

 

[aceboon]

I wasn't aware that this school was being run by Russell, if I'm Kasongo or anyone else being steered to this school I'd be worried after seeing what happened with XRM.

 

[2Infinity]

Jerry Meyer ‏@jerrymeyer247 46s
Ultimately on Ray Kasongo, there is a lot of back and forth going on and it is extremely tough to say where it will end up at end of the day

Yet there was enough there for Jerry to flip from Oregon to UConn less than two hours ago!

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

There's no difference. I've never heard a kid say either before.

You've never heard a kid say that a school was in the lead on his recruitment? I can't imaging that's possible if you've ever clicked on a recruiting thread.

 

[3uconn]

@GTuckerF150: Talked to a source who says Ray Kasongo is still "wavering back and forth" between Oregon & UConn.

 

[kansashusky]

You've never heard a kid say that a school was in the lead on his recruitment? I can't imaging that's possible if you've ever clicked on a recruiting thread.

That's what I am saying, kids say they have leaders all the time.

 

[caw]

Ro Russell isn't nearly as bad as some. He's not the best either.

 

[tcf15]

Jerry Meyer ‏@jerrymeyer247 2m
#Crystalball for Ray Kasongo trending #UConn but I wouldn't be surprised to see it swing #Oregon before its over.

 

[Clockshop]

Ro Russell sent a couple guys to Oregon:

Oregon lands Detroit transfer guard Jason Calliste ... He spent a season at
Christian Faith Center Academy, which was run by Ro Russell.
And from 2011-12:

Former Minnesota guard Devoe Joseph is headed to Oregon. “Devoe to Oregon,”
Ro Russell, Joseph's AAU coach with Grassroots Canada

 

[kansashusky]

Also the Oregon board on 247 is furious with all the predictions, and everyone is claiming we had to have paid him/ gave him a car. Hysterical. The kid hasn't even committed yet.