Recruiting: 2017

[ValpoDad89]

Guys Burton is a nice player no doubt. A transfer from a major U with really no stats. But I want to put things in perspective. HS rankings after a year or two of college ball mean nothing. I know I will catch heck for this but being a fan of DePaul, we got excited about these transfers and very rarely did they deliver.

Here is the difference, DePaul coaching blows, big time, they did not develop what was given to them.....maybe. But maybe these kids were overrated to begin with.

Joe Burton is an athlete he dominates with his right hand but I did see one take where he switched hands and made a layup which was impressive. His 3 Point shooting maybe good but his release sucks. He catches the ball at his chest, uses two hands to deliberately bring it up and then fires. Now with no one on you you're golden. But I saw Alec Peters tie UWGB in the Horizon League playoffs catch a ball, shake off a defender and put up a quick release three with nothing but net. That is elite. A release with that result is NBA esque. Now if Joe can play D...now were talking.

Now I say this but I have more confidence in this staff than ever at Depaul. I think Matt, with the game he played will get Joe righted from a shooting standpoint. If anyone saw Matt shoot, he could do that

[bbtds]

Welcome back, ValpoDad89. Glad to see you back from your summer absence. I, for one, missed your contributions from the time you were gone.

[ValpoDad89]

bbtds, on behalf of a Valpo father, I thank you man!!! This board, with people like you and a host of others, makes it worthwhile. And for the record I trolled over the summer but had nothing to really contribute.

[vu72]

Don't think I've seen this before.  Here is what recruits see when they visit the basketball offices:

https://amp.twimg.com/v/85f62421-9f08-4079-83cc-b8921b98fbd8

[agibson]

Always nice to see coaches around campus escorting tall parents of tall young men.

Not sure of names or classes, but one of those signs that the school year is off to a good start.

[valpo64]

I guess that as close-to-the-vest we keep our recruiting news, etc. we shouldn't expect any new info on how recruiting is going.  Please note that I am not being critical of our philosophy on recruiting, but it sure would be nice to hear a little about it now and then. I guess I am just getting anxious for news and excited about the up-coming season.

[Valpo89]

I guess that as close-to-the-vest we keep our recruiting news, etc. we shouldn't expect any new info on how recruiting is going.  Please note that I am not being critical of our philosophy on recruiting, but it sure would be nice to hear a little about it now and then. I guess I am just getting anxious for news and excited about the up-coming season.

You do know there are NCAA rules that prohibit coaches, and anyone at a school for that matter, from talking about potential recruits, right?

[valpo64]

I understand the rules, but very often info/offers/interests in recruits/etc become known(or speculated).  We already have seen some of that come out on this board, as it does every year.

[bbtds]

Parker Hazen's senior year (high school at Columbia City) schedule

in case you have time to see him play, 7:45 p.m. game times isn't bad for you driving from Valpo and central time

http://indianahsbasketball.homestead.com/files/boyslogs54.htm

Nov. 23   Whitko {2A}   7:45 pm   
Nov. 26   at Warsaw {4A}   7:45 pm   
Dec. 2   Fort Wayne Northrop {4A}   7:45 pm   
Dec. 6   at Churubusco {2A}   7:30 pm   
Dec. 10   at Carroll (Fort Wayne) {4A}   7:30 pm   
Dec. 16   East Noble {4A}‡   7:45 pm   
Dec. 20   Wawasee {3A}   7:45 pm   
Dec. 29   Columbia City/Huntington Tournament    through Dec. 30
Jan. 4   Garrett {3A}   7:30 pm   
Jan. 6   at Bellmont {3A}‡   7:45 pm   
Jan. 13   at Huntington North {4A}‡   7:45 pm   
Jan. 14   Fort Wayne Canterbury {2A}   2:30 pm   
Jan. 17   Homestead {4A}   7:45 pm   
Jan. 21   DeKalb {4A}‡   7:45 pm   
Jan. 28   at New Haven {3A}‡   7:45 pm   
Feb. 2   Norwell {3A}‡   7:45 pm   
Feb. 10   at Leo {3A}‡   7:30 pm   
Feb. 11   at West Noble {3A}   7:30 pm   
Feb. 17   at Manchester {2A}   7:45 pm   
Feb. 18   Northridge {4A}   7:45 pm   
Feb. 24   at Fort Wayne Concordia {3A}   7:30 pm   
‡NORTHEAST 8 CONFERENCE GAME
 
Simple directions from Valpo: US30 to Main Street in Columbia City (about 85 miles with Super 8 and Pizza Hut near the intersection) turn right at light at Main St.(Hwy 9). Go past the Dairy Queen and turn left at the next light on North St. (Pizza King on far southeast corner). Go down about 2 blocks and Columbia City High School is on the far southeast corner. Turn right on Whitley St and turn left into the parking lot. The gym is to the east end of the school.   

[wh]

Official Joe Burton announcement.

http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2016-17/15639/joe-burton-joins-crusader-basketball-program/#.V7x3I2ViAo8

With the 3 xfers sitting out this season, it appears Matt is reloading more than rebuilding after Alec leaves us.

What the announcement failed to mention is that coming out of high school Burton was 59th on the ESPN Top 100 list. It is nothing short of amazing how the recruiting quality dynamic has changed over the past 4 years. To think that we have a pre-season 3rd team All American who is projected to go mid 2nd round in next year's NBA Draft to other 3- and 4-star recruits and now a mid Top-100 player is kind of mind staggering.

Speaking of which, it would be great to see 3-star HS senior Sasha Stefonavic join forces with 3-star Parker Hazen in next year's freshman class and have 3 years with 3-star Derrik Smits, 3-star Micah Bradford and 3-star Bakari Evelyn, and 2 years with 4-star Joe Burton.

[VU2014]

Sounds like the coaches are back on the recruiting trail.

https://twitter.com/JucoBasketball/status/775822530737238016

https://twitter.com/brookhoops/status/776239717645950976

They were probably there to see Nana Akenten again. He's a program changing type player sort of the same way Alec and Rowdy were. He'd be a huge part of our program and would have the chance to start from day one or at the very least see big minutes and grow with Hazen and our young core. I think him and Sasha would be huge for the program if they came. Sasha's jump shot is a game changer.

Nana Akenten just visited Nebraska and said, ""What is next in the recruiting process?
"I'm still talking to my coaches about visits and dates."
Any schools that he knows he wants to get out too?
"That's the hard part.  Singling out schools and picking which ones I want to visit.  So nothing official yet."
Akenten is the #8 overall prospect in the 2017 class and #3 small forward.  He had a monster spring/summer with Hoopers/Celtics on the grassroots circuit.""

Coaches also could have been scouting 2019 Bolingbrook (IL) G Joseph Yesufu and 2018 (HS JR) Bolingbrook G Kaleb Thorton.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/joseph-yesufu

http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/kaleb-thornton

[VULB#62]

Lottich was in DC recently.  Seems like he's pretty open about when and where he's out on the road.

[tweet]775497312957263872[/tweet]

[M]

Nana committed to Nebraska.

[ValpoDad89]

Which means Nana will be transferring here in a year or two!!!

[wh]

Trying something new, La Lumiere puts its players on display

By MICHAEL RAINES - Staff Writer | Updated 1 week ago

LA PORTE — Wednesday was the last day of summer, and it was sweltering under the domed roof of La Lumiere's basketball arena.

Outside temperatures in the upper 80s overpowered the large fans placed at the north end of the concourse and the four high-powered blowers placed around the corners of the playing surface. Still, well more than 100 people dispersed themselves among the four rows of bleachers to watch the inaugural boys basketball combine.

"We kind of stole (the idea) from (the University of) Kentucky," Lakers coach Shane Heirman said. "They put on a combine for NBA scouts. For us, the talent level we have this year and the ranked guys we have, it kind of made sense to try to showcase our guys in this light.

"We've been waking up, working out at 5:30 a.m. four days a week. This is kind of a culmination of their work and kind of letting them reap the benefit of all their hard work."

Representatives from dozens of collegiate programs, mostly Division I, were in attendance to watch the players go through drills before a five-on-five, full-court scrimmage. The Lakers showed off their abilities at stations for vertical leap, shuttle run, lane agility and a three-quarters court sprint before shooting drills at five points along the collegiate 3-point line.

"This is the first time I've been to an event like this, where they're doing all of the skills testing and stuff," Valparaiso University coach Matt Lottich said. "It's good to see. We've recruited La Lumiere for a while and I think it's one of the best high schools in the country.

"I'm not talking about (just) the basketball team, although that is true. I'm talking about the school in general. I've got a lot of respect for it."

The highlight of the event was the scrimmage. Heirman stood by and allowed his assistants to lead the players against each other in a fast-paced contest during which the clock did not run and no score was kept.

"This is a dream, honestly," Jaren Jackson Jr., a senior forward from Carmel, said. "You'd never think you would experience an NBA Combine-like atmosphere in high school. Thanks to Nike and Gatorade and Coach Shane for putting this together to help us get exposure and put us on the map a little bit more."

The combine was an amiable affair, with college coaches chatting each other up in the stands while watching the action on the floor, a sea of multicolored golf shirts, each emblazoned with the insignia of his affiliation. The idea that one of those in attendance could have a major impact on the future weighed in the back of the players' minds.

"I'm not that new to it," Jackson said. "They've been watching me for a while. It's just, when you actually see them all together, it's kind of intimidating at first. You've just got to act like they're not there and play like you normally do.

"My emotions were a little high. I've got to control that a little more. Some plays, I didn't do what I wanted to. I've got to remember to relax."

Of the 16 players who worked out Wednesday, four are from Indiana: Jackson, Isaiah Coleman-Landis of Indianapolis, Pantelis Xidias of Michigan City and Peyton Marker of La Porte. Six others are from elsewhere in the United States, and the remaining six are international students.

"It reminds me of the Valpo basketball team," Lottich said.

For the event, NCAA regulations did not permit coaches to have contact with high school players who are freshmen or sophomores, making three of the players off-limits: Marker, Tyger Campbell and Paxson Wojcik. La Lumiere distributed a flyer with this information to the coaches in attendance, and an NCAA official was on hand to keep tabs on the goings-on.

"No one's really trying to go out of their way to infringe upon the rules or anything," Heirman said. "It's pretty easy, pretty self-policed. The NCAA's here to, just in case. It went really smooth, so we're happy with it."

Though Heirman plans to make a few changes to the format going forward, he expects La Lumiere's combine to be a premiere event for many years.

"This is Year One," Heirman said. "We'll get the kinks out and make it right."

Contact sports writer Michael Raines at mraines@thenewsdispatch.com or (219) 214-4169. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael__Raines.

[VU2014]

Something to keep an eye on. It sounds like Sasha could be special college player. He mentioned he wanted to make his decision before his high school basketball season started. Not sure when that begins but has to be coming up soon.

https://twitter.com/INBBallSource/status/784531728723480576

https://twitter.com/INBBallSource/status/784836765777526784

"Sasha Stefanovic, a 2017 guard from Crown Point High School, does not have a final list of schools. With that in mind, high-majors like Purdue, Ole Miss and Northwestern are entering the picture. Here's an update with Sasha Stefanovic."

http://inbasketballsource.com/recruiting-news/2666-high-majors-eye-sasha-stefanovic

I was under the assumption that Valpo was in his Final 5 school, when he paired down his list a few months ago.

[VU2014]

This is Peters and Rowdy'esk

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLXPlWOg_ss/

[Valpo89]

This is Peters and Rowdy'esk

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLXPlWOg_ss/

Please don't. Bad memory.

[M]

He's going to be a star, and is hopefully a priority of the coaching staff.

[covufan]

Something to keep an eye on. It sounds like Sasha could be special college player. He mentioned he wanted to make his decision before his high school basketball season started. Not sure when that begins but has to be coming up soon.

https://twitter.com/INBBallSource/status/784531728723480576

https://twitter.com/INBBallSource/status/784836765777526784

"Sasha Stefanovic, a 2017 guard from Crown Point High School, does not have a final list of schools. With that in mind, high-majors like Purdue, Ole Miss and Northwestern are entering the picture. Here's an update with Sasha Stefanovic."

http://inbasketballsource.com/recruiting-news/2666-high-majors-eye-sasha-stefanovic

I was under the assumption that Valpo was in his Final 5 school, when he paired down his list a few months ago.

Would love to ink Sasha and one juco before mid-November!

[bbtds]

Not sure when that begins but has to be coming up soon.

Crown Point starts their season Nov. 23rd at Bowman Academy (the day before Thanksgiving)

http://indianahsbasketball.homestead.com/files/boyslogs65.htm

I see Indy Pike is going up to Crown Point on Dec 10th. Despite the Crusaders playing at Missouri State that night it would be a good time to see Sasha Stefanovic against an elite team.

[VU2014]

Valpo 2017 recruit Marcus Carr verbally committed to Pitt.

https://twitter.com/PghSportsNow/status/791285924273328128

[valpo64]

There was a young man at the Butler who sure looked alot like S. Stefanovic.  When is the first day of early signing for next year's class?

[wh]

There was a young man at the Butler who sure looked alot like S. Stefanovic.  When is the first day of early signing for next year's class?

http://www.nationalletter.org/signingDates/

[covufan]

There was a young man at the Butler who sure looked alot like S. Stefanovic.  When is the first day of early signing for next year's class?

Butler wasn't on his list of final five schools (Valpo, Loyola, Northern Iowa, St. Joseph's, and Evansville) according to verbal commits.  Butler was also not on the list of schools that have previously offered.  However, his recruiting might be picking up, as he could be getting interest (no offers yet) from IU, Purdue and Butler.  I hope we ink him soon!