Recruiting update from Rich

[pap49cba]

"UConn is no longer involved with Kathryn Westbeld, a 6-2 forward from Kettering, Ohio, or Taylor Rooks, a 6-1 forward from Warren, N.J."

LINK

 

[UConnCat]

Okay then. The update we've been waiting to hear. No Westbeld. No Rooks. The remaining targets for 2014 are A'ja Wilson and Kia Nurse.

The current fall contact period runs Sept. 9 through Sept. 29 (It used to be Sept. 16-Oct. 6). And the UConn coaching staff will be extremely active. A recruiting source has indicated that the Huskies will make a home visit with Class of 2014 target A’ja Wilson, a 6-foot-4 wing from Hopkins, S.C. who is considered the No. 1 player in the class, either Sept. 11 or 13. They will also visit Kia Nurse, a 6-foot guard from Hamilton, Ontario who is currently a member of the Canadian Senior National Team.

Wilson and Nurse, whose brother Darnell was selected by the Edmonton Oilers with the seventh overall pick in June and whose uncle is Donovan McNabb, are the lone remaining targets from the current senior class. UConn is no longer involved with Kathryn Westbeld, a 6-2 forward from Kettering, Ohio, or Taylor Rooks, a 6-1 forward from Warren, N.J.

 

[doggydaddy]

Oh great.....looking forward to the hundreds of posts on how doomed Uconn is.

 

[DavidinNaples]

839 wins, 14 final fours, 8 National Championships, winning streaks of 70 games and 90 games.....I'm starting to think Geno knows what he is doing and we should relax and let it all play out....


Thanks Biff...corrected..

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

"UConn is no longer involved with Kathryn Westbeld, a 6-2 forward from Kettering, Ohio, or Taylor Rooks, a 6-1 forward from Warren, N.J."

LINK

 

[HGN]

Any word on whether the relationship was broken off by UConn or broken off by the recruit ?

 

[UcMiami]

Oh God1 We are Doomed!!!
(Happy DD?)
Not all that surprised by this news and not that big a deal - neither was really a 'post' player and we have some pretty good forwards through 2014 and 2015. Obviously the 2015 class height becomes more critical. I wonder if there are any other international inquires going on. The trouble in some of the Euro leagues suggested that a few more HS age kids might choose college over the semi-pro club option, but I am not aware of that happening anywhere yet. Be nice to add an 'international' player like Nurse - it worked well with Sveta, not so well with Sadiq

 

[caramel]

839 wins, 14 final fours, 8 National Championships, winning steaks of 70 games and 90 games.....I'm starting to think Geno knows what he is doing and we should relax and let it all play out....

A toast to David,it is spot on!

 

[Kibitzer]

839 wins, 14 final fours, 8 National Championships, winning steaks of 70 games and 90 games.....I'm starting to think Geno knows what he is doing and we should relax and let it all play out....

All Boneyarders, like it or not, have no choice about letting it all play out.

There will be limited compliance with the "relax" part of the equation you suggest.

 

[Biff]

... winning steaks of 70 games and 90 games....

If I posted something like that I'd get "barbecued" by the spelling police!

 

[Icebear]

If I posted something like that I'd get "barbecued" by the spelling police!

They would be Biff Steaks, of course.

 

[Phil]

You mean we have to choose?

 

[Adesmar123]

If I posted something like that I'd get "barbecued" by the spelling police!

well...much like the "not wearing white" after Labor Day rule..."Barbeques" except in the informal sense are also not fashionable after Labor Day. So you did not miss the spelling police. They have been reassigned to the chaos on the football board.

 

[UConnCat]

Any word on whether the relationship was broken off by UConn or broken off by the recruit ?

Probably a combination of both. Geno and his coaches are good at gauging interest and he's not going to spend his time at this point pursuing kids when he doesn't think he'll get them and when their not that important to the program's success. I'm sure Geno would have welcomed Westbeld and/or Rooks if they were truly interested but it doesn't seem like that's the case. So, for the class of 2014, Geno and the staff will focus on Wilson, Nurse and maintaining with the current commits Ekmark, Williams and Edwards. Geno and the staff have also moved on to the class of 2015 with scheduled visits with Durr, Boykin and Collier and perhaps a visit to Mater Dei thrown in.

 

[jdubct]

Probably a combination of both. Geno and his coaches are good at gauging interest and he's not going to spend his time at this point pursuing kids when he doesn't think he'll get them and when their not that important to the program's success. I'm sure Geno would have welcomed Westbeld and/or Rooks if they were truly interested but it doesn't seem like that's the case. So, for the class of 2014, Geno and the staff will focus on Wilson, Nurse and maintaining with the current commits Ekmark, Williams and Edwards. Geno and the staff have also moved on to the class of 2015 with scheduled visits with Durr, Boykin and Collier and perhaps a visit to Mater Dei thrown in.

Yes. It seems that at this time of year, every year, there seems to be a parting of ways and the staff goes on to recruit whoever else remains from the current recruiting class and pursues the players in the following class.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Probably a combination of both. Geno and his coaches are good at gauging interest and he's not going to spend his time at this point pursuing kids when he doesn't think he'll get them and when their not that important to the program's success. I'm sure Geno would have welcomed Westbeld and/or Rooks if they were truly interested but it doesn't seem like that's the case. So, for the class of 2014, Geno and the staff will focus on Wilson, Nurse and maintaining with the current commits Ekmark, Williams and Edwards. Geno and the staff have also moved on to the class of 2015 with scheduled visits with Durr, Boykin and Collier and perhaps a visit to Mater Dei thrown in.

If Geno shows up at Mater Dei I will let you guys know.

 

[UConnCat]

\I wonder if there are any other international inquires going on. The trouble in some of the Euro leagues suggested that a few more HS age kids might choose college over the semi-pro club option, but I am not aware of that happening anywhere yet. Be nice to add an 'international' player like Nurse - it worked well with Sveta, not so well with Sadiq

Oh Canada. The 51st state in college recruiting. The #1 2013 player on the men's side was Canadian Andrew Wiggins. I think we'll see more women's programs continue to look north to fill some needs. Achonwa has done well at ND. Teri Mitchell at Marquette has recruited successfully in Canada and this year has signed a sleeper in Shantelle Valentine who played recently in the 3x3 tournament. In addition to UConn, it appears that Louisville, Ohio State, Tennessee and Kentucky are all interested in Nurse. We'll probably begin hearing about a 2015 F named Eternati Willock.

 

[RadyLady]

They would be Biff Steaks, of course.

OMG, a knee slapper...I laughed out loud at this one, padre.

L'Shana Tova!

 

[DavidinNaples]

They would be Biff Steaks, of course.

ice...classic.... I thought my post was "well done"....turned out I made a "rare" mistake....

 

[Vowelguy]

So Westbeld is down to ND and Ohio St, as many expected a while ago.

And Rooks seem to be choosing between Stanford, StJ, Harvard, and Princeton. I don't like to criticize kids' decisions, but I have to say if she's capable of getting into Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton and yet chooses St John's, she will have made a big mistake - IMHO.

 

[HGN]

Probably a combination of both. Geno and his coaches are good at gauging interest and he's not going to spend his time at this point pursuing kids when he doesn't think he'll get them and when their not that important to the program's success. I'm sure Geno would have welcomed Westbeld and/or Rooks if they were truly interested but it doesn't seem like that's the case. So, for the class of 2014, Geno and the staff will focus on Wilson, Nurse and maintaining with the current commits Ekmark, Williams and Edwards. Geno and the staff have also moved on to the class of 2015 with scheduled visits with Durr, Boykin and Collier and perhaps a visit to Mater Dei thrown in.

Thanks Cat.......Sounds reasonable to me.

 

[Stray Cat]

"UConn is no longer involved with Kathryn Westbeld, a 6-2 forward from Kettering, Ohio, or Taylor Rooks, a 6-1 forward from Warren, N.J."

LINK

Is it possible that knowing they (UConn) only wanted to take "X" number of 2014 recruits (4) and knowing that A'ja Wilson was their #1 target left on the board, that both Westbeld and Rooks were offered "conditional" offers while the Huskies were waiting to hear from Wilson. Or that simply Westbeld and Rooks are getting pressured from the other schools they are looking at to make a decision or lose their offer, or else the recruits are anxious to make a decision and end this process, and they informed UConn they can't wait any longer, that they need a firm offer or else they don't wish to be considered by UConn any longer?

I am not all that knowledgeable with the inner workings of "offers" to recruits. Can anyone shed some light on my possible theories?

 

[Kibitzer]

The discussion about UConn recruiting a Canadian, Nurse, has been of special interest to me because my beloved wife, Mrs. Kibitzer here, is indeed a Canadian nurse.

But on 9/11 she takes her US Constitution test, and unless she "takes the 5th," that is the final hurdle before she becomes sworn in as a US Citizen.

And I am very proud of my Canadian nurse.

 

[RadyLady]

Best of luck to her, Kib

 

[pinotbear]

Oh great.....looking forward to the hundreds of posts on how doomed Uconn is.