Updated 2019 recruit rankings

[EricLA]

'if Horston signs with UConn first, I wonder whether that has any effect on Jones....

Doubtful.

1. Cash, Jones, Williams
2. Bird, Walters
3. Doty, Hayes

I mean, no one really knows what these kids are thinking - often times not even their parents, but my point is that UCONN has, at times, recruited more than 1 player for a position in the past, and it's worked out great. Horston and Jones are different enough where they could easily be starters together coexisting and complementing each other nicely...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Boston's the only one with a known offer but I'd be stunned if Jones doesn't have one. Horston probably either does have one or will after her visit. Amihere's recruitment is near radio silence so who knows about her.

I’d be shocked if Haley doesn’t have an offer. I think Amihere probably does too, but I don’t have confirmation of either.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Doubtful.

1. Cash, Jones, Williams
2. Bird, Walters
3. Doty, Hayes

I mean, no one really knows what these kids are thinking - often times not even their parents, but my point is that UCONN has, at times, recruited more than 1 player for a position in the past, and it's worked out great. Horston and Jones are different enough where they could easily be starters together coexisting and complementing each other nicely...

Horston can play the 1, 2, or 3. Jones is good enough to play wherever the heck she wants. They would complement each other nicely.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

7/5 update *


Blue Star has just updated their 2019 rankings.

Sam Brunelle drops from #1 to #4 while Aliyah Boston takes over the top spot.

Haley Jones, who had moved to #7 in early May, is now #2.

Jordan Horston moves up to #3.

Presumably due to her absence, Laeticia Amihere drops t0 # 9.

1) Aliyah Boston
2) Haley Jones
3) Jordan Horston
4) Sam Brunelle
5) Ashley Owusu
6) Celeste Taylor
7) Brea Beal
8) Zia Cooke
9) Laeticia Amihere
10) Fran Belibi
11) Rickea Jackson


Blue Star Basketball

 

[Charliebball]

7/5 update *


Blue Star has just updated their 2019 rankings.

Sam Brunelle drops from #1 to #4 while Aliyah Boston takes over the top spot.

Haley Jones, who had moved to #7 in early May, is now #2.

Jordan Horston moves up to #3.

Presumably due to her absence, Laeticia Amihere drops t0 # 9.

1) Aliyah Boston
2) Haley Jones
3) Jordan Horston
4) Sam Brunelle
5) Ashley Owusu
6) Celeste Taylor
7) Brea Beal
8) Zia Cooke
9) Laeticia Amihere
10) Fran Belibi
11) Rickea Jackson


Blue Star Basketball

I've seen Celeste Taylor play multiple times in person over the past couple of years and she's a very talented player that would have fit in nicely at UConn............that said, she's not the 6th best player in that class........not even close

 

[CTrefugee]

That’s the problem everyone thinks a UConn recruit is supposed to be a star he recruits role players also think Bent and Irwin were recruited as such

"Chris, what we need to be a well rounded team, is a guard who can accurately pass to the opponent."

 

[CocoHusky]

I've seen Celeste Taylor play multiple times in person over the past couple of years and she's a very talented player that would have fit in nicely at UConn..that said, she's not the 6th best player in that class...not even close

I disagree. Of the top 10 Blue Star players 7 (including Celeste) are on USA Basketball U17 team. Amihere was not eligible for that team and Celeste is placed directly between two players (Owusu and Beal) who did not make the team. Seems that these Blue Star rankings very closely mirror what USA basketball saw at the trials considering that 4 players ( Brink, Fudd, Bruekers, & Van Lith) from the U17 Team were not eligible for this list. Only one 2019 player (Osborne) from U17 team was not in Blue Star top 10. Clearly Celeste belongs on the list having made both U16 and U17 teams.

 

[Charliebball]

I disagree. Of the top 10 Blue Star players 7 (including Celeste) are on USA Basketball U17 team. Amihere was not eligible for that team and Celeste is placed directly between two players (Owusu and Beal) who did not make the team. Seems that these Blue Star rankings very closely mirror what USA basketball saw at the trials considering that 4 players ( Brink, Fudd, Bruekers, & Van Lith) from the U17 Team were not eligible for this list. Only one 2019 player (Osborne) from U17 team was not in Blue Star top 10. Clearly Celeste belongs on the list having made both U16 and U17 teams.

last four games I watched her play in person she scored 17 points or less, shot under 40% and had as many turnovers as assists............I've seen Leilani Correa and Dara Mabrey take her to school..........she's clearly a great talent but from what I have observed she's simply not a top six player.......

 

[CocoHusky]

last four games I watched her play in person she scored 17 points or less, shot under 40% and had as many turnovers as assists..I've seen Leilani Correa and Dara Mabrey take her to school.....she's clearly a great talent but from what I have observed she's simply not a top six player..

Dara Mabrey is headed to Virginia Tech. Leilani Correa is headed West Virginia. Celeste is headed to Texas. Besides USA basketball I guessing that the college coaches also saw things a little differently.

 

[Charliebball]

I disagree. Of the top 10 Blue Star players 7 (including Celeste) are on USA Basketball U17 team. Amihere was not eligible for that team and Celeste is placed directly between two players (Owusu and Beal) who did not make the team. Seems that these Blue Star rankings very closely mirror what USA basketball saw at the trials considering that 4 players ( Brink, Fudd, Bruekers, & Van Lith) from the U17 Team were not eligible for this list. Only one 2019 player (Osborne) from U17 team was not in Blue Star top 10. Clearly Celeste belongs on the list having made both U16 and U17 teams.

Dara Mabrey is headed to Virginia Tech. Leilani Correa is headed West Virginia. Celeste is headed to Texas. Besides USA basketball I guessing that the college coaches also saw things a little differently.

and none of the three were offered by UConn.............I know for a fact that they both had bigger offers but chose those schools because they loved the coaches/programs..........

 

[Dillon77]

I've seen Celeste Taylor play multiple times in person over the past couple of years and she's a very talented player that would have fit in nicely at UConn..that said, she's not the 6th best player in that class...not even close

I disagree. Of the top 10 Blue Star players 7 (including Celeste) are on USA Basketball U17 team. Amihere was not eligible for that team and Celeste is placed directly between two players (Owusu and Beal) who did not make the team. Seems that these Blue Star rankings very closely mirror what USA basketball saw at the trials considering that 4 players ( Brink, Fudd, Bruekers, & Van Lith) from the U17 Team were not eligible for this list. Only one 2019 player (Osborne) from U17 team was not in Blue Star top 10. Clearly Celeste belongs on the list having made both U16 and U17 teams.

Most recent rankings for Celeste Taylor:
- Hoopgurlz: 14 (at one point she was inexplicably much higher than that)
- Prospects Nation: 26
- Blue Star: 6

Personal Own-Ups:
- I've seen her play a few times and think she is a very talented wing player with quickness and slashing ability who can bear to improve her range, like many players of that ilk.
- Aware that at one point there was some "mutual interest" between she and ND, but she went with Texas fairly early in her junior year. All power to her: Austin's a great place and I hope Aston/her staff can help her.

My Observation for This Thread:

I'm on record here and at the Bench that I try to form a consensus on a player from all the ranking services, write-ups by talent scouts/tapes and when-in-New Jersey/Long Island, personal observations.

Everyone here knows that a number of the services feature scouts/owners/coaches who play numerous roles in the world of youth basketball, similar to the one I knew in youth soccer years ago.
This does not mean their expertise is tainted, but I study aberrations in rankings when I see things like 26, 14 and 6.

As we know, Blue Star Media and the Philly Belles -- who Celeste Taylor -- plays for, are under the direction of Mike Flynn and Kevin Lynch.
You might be interested to look at the committee that chose the U16 and u17 teams:
USA Women’s Developmental national team committee:
Chair: Carol Callan (USA Basketball)
Tamika Catchings (Athlete Representative)
Kevin Lynch (AAU)
Delisha Milton-Jones (Athlete Representative)
Kirsten Moore (At-Large, NAIA)
Jill Schneider (NFSHS Representative)
Mia Smith (At-Large Representative, NCAA DIII)

In no way am I inferring that Celesete was the beneficiary of having Mr. Lynch on the committee: As I said, I've seen her play and think she certainly can play at this level (and did pretty darn well in Argentina). And Mr. Lynch is certainly not going to impugn his credibility by pushing a player on the committee.

What I am suggesting is that the bump up in Blue Star ratings certainly could come from that confluence.

Another Point, Question or Two:
- Breanna Beal: Blue Star has her at 7, HG at 12 and PN at 16, yet she has not made the last two U.S. National Teams and does not seem to be on UConn/ND/Stanford (which she once referenced) radar. What's going on there?
- As for Va. Tech and West Virginia versus Texas. Everything is a fit. Kenny Brooks is redoing Va. Tech into an up-and-down outfit and gosh knows Mike Carey does the same at WVU. BTW, you remember WVU took the tourney over Baylor and Texas not far ago. And while Texas pulls them in, will the whole become better than the sum of the parts?

 

[CocoHusky]

Celeste's disparity among Prospectsnation, ESPN, and Blue star is not significantly different from say Anaya Peoples or Charisma Osborne.

There is no question that Blue Star ratings have a tendency to favor the Belles players specifically and some might argue North East players in general. There should also be no question that the Belles via Kevin and many others do a great job of preparing Belles players for the USA basketball trials. The Belles practices and workout utilize the exact same drills in the same sequence that are utilized at USA basketball=my personal own up. While Belles players might have an advantage in preparation the results would indicated that Celeste earned her spot. Celeste Taylor, Kylee Watson, Maddie Burke, Allison Campbell, & Amari DeBerry were all Belles invited players to the U17 trials and only Celeste made the team. BTW Kevin is not involved in the evaluations or USA player selections when Belles players are involved. If Catch is involved (and she is) in the selection, it will be done correctly. Mark Lewis is involved in the Blue Star rankings Mark is just as credible as Catch.

Regarding Beal, she was ahead of the curve #2 in the class two years ago and since then quite a few players (Bell, Jones, Cooke, Oliver. Horston …) have caught up and surpassed her. Beal is still a terrific player. BTW same thing is happening to Kylee Watson in the 2020 class.

Kenny is indeed reshaping VT. As I have said before Kenny is one of my favorite coaches and has actually sat in my house. Both Kenny and Mike Carey will make the best of the players they have recruited. My point though is a more direct one: Texas “routinely” pulls in top 10 players like Celeste. VT and WVU do not.

 

[UConnCat]

Kevin Lynch can not vote for a Philly Belles player and is not present when they are discussed by the committee. I think I've mentioned this before.