Recruiting Wish List

[Ricker]

In 2016 and 2017 we need at least 10 recruits with the quality to compete nationally and at a mix of positions and skill sets. I haven't got any special knowledge on our likelihood of specific recruits but wanted to start a conversation before more commitments take players off the board.

My thoughts for 2016 is to target low hanging fruit regionally and go 'ALL IN' on a couple of difference makers.

1. Wenyen Gabriel #117 to provide good size and scoring mentality at the forward position, Adams has tweeted him to come so maybe there is a good connection with him. Hedges Hamilton leaving. New England player. Good size to score from the 3 or 4.
2. Mamadou Diarra NR size and depth at forward position with upside and local, reported as active offensive rebounder. CT location. Gives us some help if Brimah leaves. Could play some center a la Enoch.
3. Bruce Brown #46 Adam's cousin connection that we have been 'in' with, aggressive scorer and active player but takes everything to the rim. I haven't seen any outside shots in 4 games watched, and he gets to the line but misses there a bunch. He is the kind of effort player that ignites coming from behind with effort. Role player despite ranking until he can shoot better. New England player.
4. Alterique Gilbert #53 Go 'ALL In' on him as a difference maker at point guard. He visited so he at least was interested, but we haven't closed.
5. Mario Kegler #30 go 'ALL In' on him as a combo forward at the 3/4 to be our future star there. He would seem the longest shot of the group, or my whole list.
Post season, if Hamilton leaves we have replacements, if Brimah leaves we will be weaker at the center position for a year unless we have a 5th year big to add. I think he will stay.


2017
1. Jermaine Samuels #23 I love playing 2 wings like Miller and Hamilton, so having Gabriel, Kegler and Samuels on the team together I would be playing 2 of them most of the time. Regional player with reported UConn interest.
2. Samuel Japhet-Mathias #68 6'10 280 lbs gives us a 4 year real big with poise, strength, can pass and runs well for his size. New England player that gives us a true center.
3. Hamidou Diallo #69 6'4 shooting guard that is too local to pass up. (haven't seen him)
4. Ishmael El-Amin #79 Can't pass up or under estimate a winning pedigree that we should have an advantage recruiting
5. Tremont Waters #31 So small defensively, but such a great shooter and winner. Local.
6. Zach Brown #5 Go 'ALL In' on this Huge Center from Miami that could be a difference maker in the low post. Natumbu Willingham is his coach (Ollie's roommate at UConn) and Brown made his own way to first night this year. A 1-2 year player.

This mix gives us a 2017 roster
Centers
Zach Brown
Samuel Japhet-Mathias

4-5 Players
Steve Enoch
Mamadou Diarra

3-4 Players
Mario Kegler
Wenyen Gabriel
Jermaine Samuel

1-2 Guards
Adams (maybe)
Alterique Gilbert
Tremont Waters
Ishamael El-Amin

2-3 Guards
Hamidou Diallo
Bruce Brown

Obviously a bit too much to ask, but it would seem to me that staff effort on these regional kids with just a couple of others could give us a hell of a 2017 roster.

 

[caw]

In 2016 and 2017 we need at least 10 recruits with the quality to compete nationally and at a mix of positions and skill sets. I haven't got any special knowledge on our likelihood of specific recruits but wanted to start a conversation before more commitments take players off the board.

My thoughts for 2016 is to target low hanging fruit regionally and go 'ALL IN' on a couple of difference makers.

1. Wenyen Gabriel #117 to provide good size and scoring mentality at the forward position, Adams has tweeted him to come so maybe there is a good connection with him. Hedges Hamilton leaving. New England player. Good size to score from the 3 or 4.
2. Mamadou Diarra NR size and depth at forward position with upside and local, reported as active offensive rebounder. CT location. Gives us some help if Brimah leaves. Could play some center a la Enoch.
3. Bruce Brown #46 Adam's cousin connection that we have been 'in' with, aggressive scorer and active player but takes everything to the rim. I haven't seen any outside shots in 4 games watched, and he gets to the line but misses there a bunch. He is the kind of effort player that ignites coming from behind with effort. Role player despite ranking until he can shoot better. New England player.
4. Alterique Gilbert #53 Go 'ALL In' on him as a difference maker at point guard. He visited so he at least was interested, but we haven't closed.
5. Mario Kegler #30 go 'ALL In' on him as a combo forward at the 3/4 to be our future star there. He would seem the longest shot of the group, or my whole list.
Post season, if Hamilton leaves we have replacements, if Brimah leaves we will be weaker at the center position for a year unless we have a 5th year big to add. I think he will stay.


2017
1. Jermaine Samuels #23 I love playing 2 wings like Miller and Hamilton, so having Gabriel, Kegler and Samuels on the team together I would be playing 2 of them most of the time. Regional player with reported UConn interest.
2. Samuel Japhet-Mathias #68 6'10 280 lbs gives us a 4 year real big with poise, strength, can pass and runs well for his size. New England player that gives us a true center.
3. Hamidou Diallo #69 6'4 shooting guard that is too local to pass up. (haven't seen him)
4. Ishmael El-Amin #79 Can't pass up or under estimate a winning pedigree that we should have an advantage recruiting
5. Tremont Waters #31 So small defensively, but such a great shooter and winner. Local.
6. Zach Brown #5 Go 'ALL In' on this Huge Center from Miami that could be a difference maker in the low post. Natumbu Willingham is his coach (Ollie's roommate at UConn) and Brown made his own way to first night this year. A 1-2 year player.

This mix gives us a 2017 roster
Centers
Zach Brown
Samuel Japhet-Mathias

4-5 Players
Steve Enoch
Mamadou Diarra

3-4 Players
Mario Kegler
Wenyen Gabriel
Jermaine Samuel

1-2 Guards
Adams (maybe)
Alterique Gilbert
Tremont Waters
Ishamael El-Amin

2-3 Guards
Hamidou Diallo
Bruce Brown

Obviously a bit too much to ask, but it would seem to me that staff effort on these regional kids with just a couple of others could give us a hell of a 2017 roster.

Solid list. I would like us to stay on King in 16 and take a real look at T Jones also, any reason not to get on Jones? I get the arguments that Kings top 5 is a tough set but still, top five this early, have to stay on the kid. If those are UConns next two classes, people should be through the moon. 2017 is a bit far from now for me to think about totally but like your list.

As for Browns shooting, he needs to work on it a lot, but he still has time, Mitchell and Adams both looked better this past high school year.

 

[Ricker]

I personally chose Kegler over King because when I saw King he gave so little effort on the defensive side of the ball I came away with no understanding as to whether he even knew he was supposed to be on defense. He is an offensive shot maker. But defensively it was the worst of any player I saw all winter, but it was 1 game that anything could have been happening in his head.

Tyrique Jones I dropped off the list because he is a straight up 4 in my mind. Not tall enough for big 5's and not athletic enough to compensate. I chose Diarra instead based on my thoughts he can protect the rim a bit better and thus give some help at the 5 if Brimah left.
I have seen Jones 4x in person, Diarra only on mix tape so my impression could be wrong.

Not really adamant about my choices vs King and Jones, just my reasons since you can't pick everybody.

 

[JimHurley]

I don't think Kegler is a long shot at all. Matter of fact, I think if he was forced to pick a team today, he'd go with UConn. Bruce Brown I'm confident we'll get. Alterique Gilbert is getting tons and tons of offers now so I'm not feeling as good about him. I think Wenyen Gabriel will end up coming to UConn. As you said, him and Adams seem to share a bond.

 

[stick]

I like the list, but 10 might be a little too much in a 2 year period.

 

[Ricker]

10 better not be too low over 2 years. In 2017 Enoch will be the only current player on the roster unless Adams stays.

 

[Matrim55]

Like the enthusiasm and insight in the first post. A couple of notes from what I've seen and read:

Gabriel is not a wing. He's basically only a PF at the next level, with length and motor but lacking the quickness, handle and instincts to play on the perimeter. He also takes forever to get his jumper off. Facey is the correct comparison for him.

Kegler is a player we've been on hard and forever, but he's tweeted stuff about Texas (before Shaka went there) and Howland has made him Mississippi State's No. 1 priority. This is not insignificant - Howland is a very, very good recruiter.

Jones is exactly the type of player Lubin was supposed to be for us: a high-energy, physical rebounding machine. I doubt he'll ever be more than that, but if he wants to sign, we should take him - especially since we're concentrated on centers in the 2017 class.

EDIT: I should add that the respective coaches of Jones & Diarra have said that both consider UConn to be their "dream school." I don't know, however, if we'd have room for two guys who are most likely only PFs in college. Though given Diarra's wingspan he could maybe play some center.

 

[JimHurley]

The guys I want the most are Alterique Gilbert, Mario Kegler, and Zach Brown.

 

[Ricker]

Sorry to respond to my own thread but I think we have positioned ourselves for a big run in 2015, and with these key recruits can do it again in 2016, then be a juggernaut of talent in 2017.

Diarra is the first wish granted on 2016 2017 wish list and I like what I see and read more and more. I think we have a 4 year player that will be tenacious and become more skilled.

As a modification, if it happens, we should be very satisfied with Terry Larrier in lieu of Mario Kegler even though I think Kegler will be a star, or VJ King even though he is a scoring machine.

I covet Hamidou Diallo and if he becomes a 2016 recruit vs 2017 I'm ALL In on him. I didn't know that was a possibility at the time.

I also don't want to forget that Waters could be a 2016 recruit next spring and might be a key piece if we miss on Gilbert and other top PG targets

I've watched a bit more of Adams playing with Wenyen Gabriel and I think his offense at the 4 is a tough matchup for teams to defend. That is a player on my list I want more and more.

Mathias setting picks for guards forces a defender to run around a building and makes him a big value added helping others score a la Jake Voskuhl.

I just love our regional talent pool of these guys right now.

As the holdover with these guys, I also like the idea of playing lineups with Enoch as a stretch 5 to open up the lane for the guards. I think he can hit the 3 just enough to force opposing bigs out of the lane.

Love that the staff is getting good results this spring with so much additional to hope for

 

[Danzz]

We still need another PG/ball handler with Gibbs gone after this season.

 

[Danzz]

We still need another PG/ball handler with Gibbs gone after this season.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Diarra, Gilbert, Gabriel, Kegler, King in the early signing period. Then one more late grad transfer or 5 star decommit from Kentucky

 

[JonnyRI]

Diarra, Gilbert, Gabriel, Kegler, King in the early signing period. Then one more late grad transfer or 5 star decommit from Kentucky

And a partridge and a pear tree? We will be lucky if we get king or KEgler. Very lucky. Zero shot at both.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

And a partridge and a pear tree? We will be lucky if we get king or KEgler. Very lucky. Zero shot at both.

Alright settle down with zero shot. We may not have the best shot for King, but I'd bet we're in his top 3. Kegler may be trending away from us but there is still time. No need to be pessimistic

 

[Zionn]

Said in other posts - Kegler is not happening.

 

[Yankees32123]

We still need another PG/ball handler with Gibbs gone after this season.

Gilbert. Would be dynamic backcourt with sophomore Adams and senior Purvis.

 

[superjohn]

Could care less about missing out on Kegler, kid looks slower than sheet.

 

[Matrim55]

Could care less about missing out on Kegler, kid looks slower than sheet.

I think that's deceptive because he's ridiculously smooth, rather than explosive. You can see even when he goes up against the best defenders in his age-group he's able to create separation and finish above the rim.

Mississippi State's getting a talent in him.

 

[CTBasketball]

Don't get your hopes up on either Kegler or King.

 

[Gurleyman]

Don't get your hopes up on either Kegler or King.

At least Larrier fills that same need (and would be eligible at the same time) if we can close that deal. We could use Larrier and one of those guys in a perfect world, since we still need a fresh infusion of scoring/talent, but it isn't a gaping hole behind Hamilton on the wing if we have Larrrier waiting in the, uh, background.