Recruit Lexi Gussert from Fuller article

[UcMiami]

I think when Courtney Ekmark gets to UCONN you will see her separate herself from the other Frosh. I don't think anyone thought Kelly Faris was real athletic at first. Well it turned out that she was the MOST athletic player on the team. I am not comparing the 2 of them. Courtney has already played with and against kids playing at the Div 1 level. She is one of the best long range shooters in bball. She also has developed a killer pull up and floater game. She is also one of the best tennis players in the state, No 1 on her team ! She says she plays tennis to cross-train and to stay in shape.
If she does not start as a Frosh, I believe she will get starter's minutes

Thanks for the review. I actually think what you write is very similar to Kelly - she was being selected for USA teams in HS and was one of her HS teams top scorers. And she was playing in a basketball crazy state and never losing. I think she had a worse record in college than on her HS team - certainly fewer championship wins - not easy to do coming to Uconn. I don't remember where she played AAU.

 

[Raoul]

Purdue beat writer provides an update on Lexi Gussert in this post. Contrary to previous reports, her high school coach, Jeff Syrjanen, says she's not on the verge of making a decision. Here's the part of most interest on this board:

As far as a timetable, Syrjanen said Gussert doesn’t have one. UConn wants her to visit Storrs before extending an offer and Gussert is deciding whether to make the trip to the East Coast.

“They want her to come out there to make sure it’s a fit,” Syrjanen said. “I don’t know for sure if she’s going to do that or not. That’s one of the dilemmas she’s going through right now.

“A lot of people would like for her to make the decision earlier than later but when you’re making a decision like this, you need to look at all the options. This is your career and future.”

Louisville and Kentucky are also mentioned as showing late interest in her.

 

[UConnCat]

Purdue beat writer provides an update on Lexi Gussert in this post. Contrary to previous reports, her high school coach, Jeff Syrjanen, says she's not on the verge of making a decision. Here's the part of most interest on this board:



Louisville and Kentucky are also mentioned as showing late interest in her.

Thanks for the update. Sounds like she might be Purdue's to lose. Interesting that her coach labels the question of whether to travel to Storrs a "dilemma." What's the worst that can happen? She'll enjoy her visit and receive an offer from the defending national champions and the best program in the country.

UConn is a bit of a johnny-come-lately but ahead of some others who are contacting her.

 

[Vowelguy]

I wouldn't call it a beauty contest, but, for example, a kid with the tats that Seimone Augustus now has might not get as much attention from UConn as a comparable kid with no tats. I couldn't see a Dennis Rodman type playing for Geno and CD.

True but correlation does not mean causation.

Does Geno dislike tattoos in general or does he dislike kids drawing attention to themselves?

It's probably some of both.

 

[Alydar]

This article says she planned on announcing by the end of April. It's May 7. I'd say her list may still be evolving.
.
http://abc10up.com/gussert-to-decide-on-b-ball-future-soon/

 

[Wbbfan1]

The dilemma could be family finances since a trip now would be an unofficial visit.

Thanks for the update. Sounds like she might be Purdue's to lose. Interesting that her coach labels the question of whether to travel to Storrs a "dilemma." What's the worst that can happen? She'll enjoy her visit and receive an offer from the defending national champions and the best program in the country.

UConn is a bit of a johnny-come-lately but ahead of some others who are contacting her.

 

[Geno-ista]

You cannot play faster than your team. You have to develop a rhythm for the game. High school will never be as fast as college, which will never be as fast as the pros. That has to do with skill level and knowledge of the game. Do you really think Geno cares about her "nice, marketable look"? He could care less. What he wants are basketball players not models. Let's face it D and Stewie aren't going to be on the cover of Vogue modeling clothes. Who cares. They are two of the most determined players that UConn has ever had. That's all that matters!

Chris- more than once Geno has alluded to the fact that he really doesn't want to be around a face/personality that brings negativity - he may have used the term "puss". I'm not saying the talent/ability isn't primary. But they make no bones about the fact that they want a personality that they think they can work with closely for four years. A la Charde Houston/Huston?

 

[Geno-ista]

This article says she planned on announcing by the end of April. It's May 7. I'd say her list may still be evolving.
.
http://abc10up.com/gussert-to-decide-on-b-ball-future-soon/

Just noticed Alydar- those races with Affirmed were magical! What a horse! My dad was at Saratoga for at least one of those classics I think. I'm a Secretariat fanatic! I really enjoyed the magic of thoroughbred racing of years past. Ruffian, Seattle Slew, and all the great side stories!

 

[UConnCat]

The dilemma could be family finances since a trip now would be an unofficial visit.

If she can see herself at UConn and wants an offer, she'll make the trip. Sounds like that's the dilemma: do I make the trip to Storrs if I don't see myself at UConn. It appears Geno is also trying to gauge her level of interest.

 

[Drumguy]

If she can see herself at UConn and wants an offer, she'll make the trip. Sounds like that's the dilemma: do I make the trip to Storrs if I don't see myself at UConn. It appears Geno is also trying to gauge her level of interest.

Having had 2 kids attend college, I don't think they can make a good decision without visiting - my kids had to visit before they knew whether they loved or hated a place once they stepped on campus. Both kids were actually reluctant visitors to Cornell (4 hours in a car) and both loved it once they visited campus as prospective students and both went there (for different reasons)! So she should come if she's interested.

 

[Kibitzer]

I wouldn't call it a beauty contest, but, for example, a kid with the tats that Seimone Augustus now has might not get as much attention from UConn as a comparable kid with no tats. I couldn't see a Dennis Rodman type playing for Geno and CD.

It is commonplace to use the shorter "stats" instead of the tricky to spell "statistics." A bit riskier to substitute "tats" for "tattoos."

 

[Raoul]

I happened to be looking at Blue Star's rankings and noticed they had done one of their periodic updates of the 2014 class. Lexi Gussert made quite a leap up, going from #98 to #52. They also moved Taylor Rooks up slightly, from #30 to #27.

 

[UConnCat]

I happened to be looking at Blue Star's rankings and noticed they had done one of their periodic updates of the 2014 class. Lexi Gussert made quite a leap up, going from #98 to #52. They also moved Taylor Rooks up slightly, from #30 to #27.

Thanks. Appreciate the information.

How is recruiting going for KBA at Michigan? Does she have a chance at getting the Gondrezick sisters or are they destined for South Bend?

 

[Raoul]

Thanks. Appreciate the information.

How is recruiting going for KBA at Michigan? Does she have a chance at getting the Gondrezick sisters or are they destined for South Bend?

It seems like she has a real chance with them—there's definitely mutual interest. But they appear to be in no rush to make a decision, so it's hard to say how their recruiting will end up. I have a feeling they might end up going to different schools.

More generally, Michigan has yet to land a commit for 2014, but the coaches are after a number of very good prospects, such as Taylor Rooks, and I think they have a good chance with several of them.

 

[UConnCat]

It seems like she has a real chance with them—there's definitely mutual interest. But they appear to be in no rush to make a decision, so it's hard to say how their recruiting will end up. I have a feeling they might end up going to different schools.

More generally, Michigan has yet to land a commit for 2014, but the coaches are after a number of very good prospects, such as Taylor Rooks, and I think they have a good chance with several of them.

Thanks. I hope KBA has success at Michigan.

For others on the board, the Gondrezick sisters are two guards from Michigan -- Kalabrya ('15) and Kysre ('16) -- who are daughters of former NBA player Grant Gondrezick. My understanding is that while both are very good, the younger sister seems to have star potential both on and off the court (see Diggins, S.). UConn has reportedly shown early interest in Kysre though I doubt the interest will be mutual. I recall reading that they are big fans of Diggins who attended one of their games with Muffet.

 

[JS]

For others on the board, the Gondrezick sisters are two guards from Michigan -- Kalabrya ('15) and Kysre ('16) -- who are daughters of former NBA player Grant Gondrezick.

Don't remember much of anything about Grant, but as a Knicks fan in the 70s remember their uncle Glen ("Gondo") Gondrezick well. He spent six years in the NBA.

 

[UConnCat]

Don't remember much of anything about Grant, but as a Knicks fan in the 70s remember their uncle Glen ("Gondo") Gondrezick well. He spent six years in the NBA.

Their mother -- Lisa Harvey-Gondrezick -- was a Lady Techster and played on Louisiana Tech's 1988 national championship team.

 

[Raoul]

Don't remember much of anything about Grant, but as a Knicks fan in the 70s remember their uncle Glen ("Gondo") Gondrezick well. He spent six years in the NBA.

In case you didn't know, Glen died in 2009 from complications of a heart transplant. See this obit.

The sisters and their family have all kinds of stories to tell, some of which are mentioned in this MaxPreps article, including the head-on crash that their mother and the sisters survived. Their mother coaches their high school team in Benton Harbor. She took over from her father, Lou Harvey, who became a Michigan legend during his more than two decades coaching the Benton Harbor girls basketball team.

Benton Harbor, by the way, is on Lake Michigan in the southwestern part of the state, and it's less than an hour from there to South Bend, so the family lives closer to the Notre Dame campus than Michigan's.

One last bit of trivia: at one point, ASGR had the two sisters ranked #1 in the nation in their respective classes. ASGR has since moved them down, but they're both still highly rated. Blue Star has Kalabrya #7 in 2015 and Kysre #8 in 2016.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Thanks. I hope KBA has success at Michigan.

For others on the board, the Gondrezick sisters are two guards from Michigan -- Kalabrya ('15) and Kysre ('16) -- who are daughters of former NBA player Grant Gondrezick. My understanding is that while both are very good, the younger sister seems to have star potential both on and off the court (see Diggins, S.). UConn has reportedly shown early interest in Kysre though I doubt the interest will be mutual. I recall reading that they are big fans of Diggins who attended one of their games with Muffet.

glam-look that would bring her into Twitter-World?

 

[huskyrob1]

Just noticed Alydar- those races with Affirmed were magical! What a horse! My dad was at Saratoga for at least one of those classics I think. I'm a Secretariat fanatic! I really enjoyed the magic of thoroughbred racing of years past. Ruffian, Seattle Slew, and all the great side stories!

People have forgotten but maybe the greatest story in those years IMO was that of Canonero II, maybe the greatest horse that never won the whole thing and had the biggest hill to climb. Very inspiring...say "Rudy" or "Rocky" of the horse world.

 

[Geno-ista]

People have forgotten but maybe the greatest story in those years IMO was that of Canonero II, maybe the greatest horse that never won the whole thing and had the biggest hill to climb. Very inspiring...say "Rudy" or "Rocky" of the horse world.

I remember Canonero II- can u give me the shortened backstory u refer to. I've forgotten!

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I remember Canonero II- can u give me the shortened backstory u refer to. I've forgotten!

Here ya go GI...



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonero_II

 

[mcannon1]

Oh

Here ya go GI...



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonero_II

Oh my goodness Ozzie Nelson. That was wonderful. Thanks for posting.

 

[easttexastrash]

She really took it to those slow, short, white girls on the opposing team.

 

[Ouremblem]

Just noticed Alydar- those races with Affirmed were magical! What a horse! My dad was at Saratoga for at least one of those classics I think. I'm a Secretariat fanatic! I really enjoyed the magic of thoroughbred racing of years past. Ruffian, Seattle Slew, and all the great side stories![/quote

Orb had a great workout this morning and is on his way to Pimlico. I got a feelin'........