Recruiting: 2018

[VU2014]

I just saw Coach Lottich just followed Israel on twitter (and Israel followed him back). Definitely a sign we're still pursuing him and maybe he's coming in for a visit soon. All the guards the coaching staff has offered have had good ball-handling skills. Always nice to see the versatility from players. On a few sites he's list as a combo guard.

It looks like he's visited UAB & Weber State recently. He also received an offer from Cleveland State a few weeks ago.

I know I'm a bit biased but I think we're a better school/program/in a Conference then those other teams.

According to 247 sports says he has offers from: Texas Tech, Pennsylvania, Tulsa, UAB, & Valpo, but their "crystal ball" predicts he 50% chance he attend Kansas & a 50% chance he attends Texas Tech 
Interest: Weber State (obviously offered), Kansas, Drake, Kansas State, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Wichita State

http://247sports.com/Player/Israel-Barnes-82653

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXJWUrQ7Z5E

[VU2014]

I wonder how the Adidas scandal will shuffle recruitment around the country. Auburn just lost their top commitment (probably more to come) & Louisville is now seeing kids decommit. I'm sure we'll see other kids decommit from the other schools as well.

I don't think Valpo will land any of these schools top recruits that decommitted (nor do I want kids or kids whose parents/AAU coaches were involved in that shady business to come to Valpo) will chose to go somewhere else and then some other kids will get "bumped" out of their scholarships or spots & maybe there will be a trickle* down affect to mid-majors landing kids in this very strange 2018 recruitment period.

I'm just wondering how this whole shake up in the sport of college basketball will affect recruitment for the 2018 class across the country as more schools potentially get caught cheating. This will not be a normal recruitment year for the sport. I wonder what the macro impact will be.

[humbleopinion]

maybe there will be a tickle down affect to mid-majors

I guess we'll all be giggling...

[bbtds]

maybe there will be a tickle down affect to mid-majors

I guess we'll all be giggling...

The real Tickle down effect.

https://giphy.com/gifs/elmo-BstmojEi81qg0/

[ValpoDad89]

I love How this group bust chops!!! Tickle effect is awesome.

But let's compare 2 coaches, both from Chicago who played and excelled at higher learning institutions, played at very cerebral colleges who have had success. One is Chris Collins from Norhwestern and the other Matt Lottich who coaches our Crusaders. Look at what they've done from a recruiting standpoint. Collins is getting 4/5* kids going to NU. Beat our own Bryce Drew in the NCAA's last year. While we aren't in a P5 conference like Collins, we are getting solid 3* kids here. We have a well balanced staff from a legacy and inner city perspective. The comparison deserves note as we will continue to have a balanced roster. We've made hires that make sense like both schools and we do things the right way.

My point is this, we will surpass Loyola if we have not already as the Chicago area's MVC school. We may not get the caliber player from a rating standpoint that Collins gets but we will get pretty darn close. We are looking at guys that want to play for Valpo for what we are. Dildy will lock down the CPS and gets kids overlooked by the bigger programs. Majerus did it at Lou for years and with success McCall comes to mind immediately. We will continue to hone in on Indiana and Illinois cultivating the next Peters. We have an international reach that even most big schools don't have and we take care of our own. Eventually with some name recognition we can go broader nationally over time.

Our recruiting is coming to the point where we can starting being more selective rather than taking P5 schools seconds. This FBI investigation will help that in the "trickle" down short term I assure you.

[ValpoDad89]

And bbtds I never gave you squat with the Dildy comment that was akin to the babysitter's mom being friends with Javon's sister (paraphrasing) with respect to the Javon recruitment but let me say this, the CPS is incentuous. They like doing "business" with their own if there is no ends for them. Javon was being recruited by Loyola for sure but their lead recruiter was Mullins who's dad runs the IL Wolves. Javon played for Tai Street's Mean Streets and he is a product of the CPS (Streets that is and if anyone knows Tai Streets was a stud WR at Michigan). Dildy played in the CPS for Chicago Academy, his cousin is a CPS legend and landed a stud from Simeon to Chicago State. My point was we are in better than most. I would,never guarantee he was coming here but we all know the end result.

I live in Chicago near Curie HS and know a few people. I can tell you, Cliff Alexander who fizzled in college was a highly touted recruit out of Curie and his recruitment was a little more North of shady. Kansas ended up getting him on some terms that weren't on the level of what the NCAA preaches and quite frankly I hope they end up on the FBIs most wanted list with respect to this investigation as does the NCAA for that matter.

But here's the rub, if you got guys scouting basketball players that want to play for you and your university, you win. Alexander was way higher ranked than Peters and they are near the same class. Who got drafted?

[VU2014]

Israel Barnes visited this weekend.
https://twitter.com/Ilb_12/status/914606577935699968

[valpotx]

I never knew that an official basketball visit allows them to wear the school's uniform, and to workout in the gym.  Interesting.

[VU2014]

I never knew that an official basketball visit allows them to wear the school's uniform, and to workout in the gym.  Interesting.

Yeah I see kids posting pictures in University gear all the time on their official visits. Israel has taken a picture in every uniform of the schools he's visited. Weber State, UAB & now Valpo.

[FieldGoodie05]

I never knew that an official basketball visit allows them to wear the school's uniform, and to workout in the gym.  Interesting.

Yeah I see kids posting pictures in University gear all the time on their official visits. Israel has taken a picture in every uniform of the schools he's visited. Weber State, UAB & now Valpo.

Israel Barnes thanked VU for his official visit and ended the tweet with this...〽️...what in the works does that mean?

[swiftmutiny]

I never knew that an official basketball visit allows them to wear the school's uniform, and to workout in the gym.  Interesting.

Yeah I see kids posting pictures in University gear all the time on their official visits. Israel has taken a picture in every uniform of the schools he's visited. Weber State, UAB & now Valpo.

Israel Barnes thanked VU for his official visit and ended the tweet with this...〽️...what in the works does that mean?

After doing some Google-Fu... Apparently it's called a "Part Alternation Mark." In traditional Japanese music, it's used to signify the beginning of a singer's part.

[FieldGoodie05]

I never knew that an official basketball visit allows them to wear the school's uniform, and to workout in the gym.  Interesting.

Yeah I see kids posting pictures in University gear all the time on their official visits. Israel has taken a picture in every uniform of the schools he's visited. Weber State, UAB & now Valpo.

Israel Barnes thanked VU for his official visit and ended the tweet with this...〽️...what in the works does that mean?

After doing some Google-Fu... Apparently it's called a "Part Alternation Mark." In traditional Japanese music, it's used to signify the beginning of a singer's part.

And that's precisely why I'm asking our younger posters.  I'm not connecting the dots on intended meaning.  As is normal, our younger generations are creative outside of the actual meaning of the word.  When I pulled that up on my Google-Fu...let's just say I felt less informed!!!

Any clarification on its meaning
〽️

[Valpower]

I never knew that an official basketball visit allows them to wear the school's uniform, and to workout in the gym.  Interesting.

Yeah I see kids posting pictures in University gear all the time on their official visits. Israel has taken a picture in every uniform of the schools he's visited. Weber State, UAB & now Valpo.

Israel Barnes thanked VU for his official visit and ended the tweet with this...〽️...what in the works does that mean?

After doing some Google-Fu... Apparently it's called a "Part Alternation Mark." In traditional Japanese music, it's used to signify the beginning of a singer's part.

And that's precisely why I'm asking our younger posters.  I'm not connecting the dots on intended meaning.  As is normal, our younger generations are creative outside of the actual meaning of the word.  When I pulled that up on my Google-Fu...let's just say I felt less informed!!!

Any clarification on its meaning
〽️

Obviously, it can mean whatever the user wants it to mean. I've seen it used after #gomichigan, as it looks like the football helmet logo from 3/4 view. More universally, it seems to be used as an "M" by someone whose name begins with "M" and also quite popularly as "McDonald's" which, in Israel's case may mean "I'm lovin' it!" or "Can you believe they tried to bribe me with a Big Mac?"

[VU2014]

I have no clue what it means but my best guess is its a M which stands for his AAU team which is named 'Mokan'.

[FieldGoodie05]

If we are fortunate enough to land Israel Barnes that'd be big.  But if he commits elsewhere, I'm for leaving the last scholarship open for transfers or other opportunities.

Thoughts?

[VU2014]

If we are fortunate enough to land Israel Barnes that'd be big.  But if he commits elsewhere, I'm for leaving the last scholarship open for transfers or other opportunities.

Thoughts?

I might be with you on this one. It might be best to just hold onto the last scholarship. If Barnes commits elsewhere the only other outstanding offer that we know of is Walter Ellis (SG) & Shakur Daniel (PG). Walter Ellis transferred to a pretty well respected Prep School for developing aspiring D1 kids Brewster Academy. It seems he wants to focus more on basketball and wants to try and attract more offers. It doesn't seem like he will commit anywhere this Fall and he'll be a Spring signing period recruit. I've heard almost nothing about Shakur Daniel.

Maybe they hold onto it and try and pick up a mid-season red-shirt transfer or save it for next years class. The rumor is that the 2019 Illinois class isn't very deep but the 2019 Indiana class is pretty deep with talent.

One thing that I saw that was interesting is a article about Sasha Stefanovic. Apparently the Purdue coaches are still considering Red-Shirting him for the 2017-2018 season. If he red-shirts maybe he decides to eventually transfer if he wants a bigger role somewhere else. Purdue just received a commitment from another big Indiana 2018 Shooting Guard recruit name Eric Hunter. Something to monitor. He was apparently close to committing to Valpo but Purdue got involved at the last minute in his recruitment.

https://twitter.com/MrPUHoops/status/909961759452102657
https://www.hammerandrails.com/2017/9/16/16320758/55-days-purdue-basketball-sasha-stefanovic
2017-18 Projection: Possible redshirt
"Will Sasha redshirt this year? With Dakota Mathias and Ryan Cline as the resident "Never Leave the White Guys Open" shooting guards there may not be a lot of minutes for Sasha this year. He projects as a reserve for those two guys and both are established upperclassmen that are going to play the majority of minutes at the 2 or the 3.

Still, Sasha is making coach Painter's decision difficult. He got to play quite a bit in Taiwan and he ended up looking the best of Purdue's freshmen. He averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for Crown Point last season and this summer, taking a massive step up in weight class, had a few big games at the World University Games. Is it worth not redshirting him if he only plays 5-10 minutes a night, but gets to come in and knock down open threes?

That is coach Painter's decision."

[oklahomamick]

Would be nice to have Sasha aboard. 

[VU2014]

If I'm the Valpo Coaching Staff I'm getting on the phone to see if Cooper Neese has any interest in coming to Valpo or trying to set up a visit at least.

Cooper is a Indiana native and was one of the best players in the state for the class of 2017. He'd be a huge get for Valpo.

Year: 2017 (FR)
Position: SG
Height: 6-4
Weight: 175
Hometown: Cloverdale, IN
High School: Cloverdale High School
AAU Team: Grassroots Indiana Indy Hoosiers

Offers: Butler, Ball State (1 SG on roster past next season), Indiana State (3 SG on roster past next season), Evansville (5 SG on roster past next season)
-Valpo as of right now would only have Marcus Golder who is more of a wing/forward & Javon Freeman-Liberty for the 2018-2019 season
-the only reason he doesn't have more offers is because he committed to Butler way back in December 08, 2015

Ranking:
ESPN: 3-star
Rivals: NA
Scouts: NA
247 Sports: 3-star (Nationally: 233, PG Rank: 46, IN Rank: 10) He's list as a PG on their site but he's really SG/combo

https://twitter.com/kyleneddenriep/status/917018310893494273
https://twitter.com/kyleneddenriep/status/917018707242520576
https://twitter.com/bkitch1bodie/status/917021882184032257
https://twitter.com/kyleneddenriep/status/917023967977783296
https://twitter.com/bkitch1bodie/status/917028769663279106
https://twitter.com/kyleneddenriep/status/917029557168857088

He seems pretty close to his hometown of Cloverdale, so maybe he wants to stay close to home in Indiana. May give an advantage to schools like Indiana State that is only an hour away. Valparaiso is 3 hours away. Evansville is 2 1/2 hours away. Ball State is around 2 hours away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZxyt2Hud4g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAz-Ck6UNfw&t=135s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m55l92HexlA

[FWalum]

Fort Wayne's News-Sentinel Sports Editor, Butler alum, and general Butler journalism lackey basically saying that Cooper Neese did not have what it takes to play at Butler and the Big East.  Recruit Obviously Doesn't Fit With Bulldog Program

[wh]

Fort Wayne's News-Sentinel Sports Editor, Butler alum, and general Butler journalism lackey basically saying that Cooper Neese did not have what it takes to play at Butler and the Big East.  Recruit Obviously Doesn't Fit With Bulldog Program

Tom Davis would worship the Devil if he was wearing a Butler shirt. If the kid is deemed to not be a good fit before he even suits up, that's on on Butler, not him. They courted him, not the other way around. Obviously, they told him he would be a good fit, that he could play at the Big East level, or he would never have signed on. If there were red flags going back to the All-Star game, they should have told him then. Instead, they wait until after the semester starts, ruining his entire Freshman season. What a bunch of jamokes.

[bbtds]

If I'm the Valpo Coaching Staff I'm getting on the phone to see if Cooper Neese has any interest in coming to Valpo or trying to set up a visit at least.

Cooper is a Indiana native and was one of the best players in the state for the class of 2017. He'd be a huge get for Valpo.

Year: 2017 (FR)
Position: SG
Height: 6-4
Weight: 175
Hometown: Cloverdale, IN
High School: Cloverdale High School
AAU Team: Grassroots Indiana Indy Hoosiers

Offers: Butler, Ball State (1 SG on roster past next season), Indiana State (3 SG on roster past next season), Evansville (5 SG on roster past next season)
-Valpo as of right now would only have Marcus Golder who is more of a wing/forward & Javon Freeman-Liberty for the 2018-2019 season
-the only reason he doesn't have more offers is because he committed to Butler way back in December 08, 2015

Ranking:
ESPN: 3-star
Rivals: NA
Scouts: NA
247 Sports: 3-star (Nationally: 233, PG Rank: 46, IN Rank: 10) He's list as a PG on their site but he's really SG/combo

It was Cooper Neese's Cloverdale team that beat Taylor Bruninga's Illini Bluffs team in a tournament in Alec Peters' high school gym, Washington, IL, at the beginning of the 2016-17 season. I remember a small story about it in the Indy Star and the writer being impressed that Cloverdale was able to beat a tough Illini Bluffs squad that included Bruninga.

http://www.pjstarforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=101922

TAYLOR BRUNINGA- ILLINI BLUFFS
by Dirtbags » Mon Nov 21, 2016 9:38 pm

Taylor Bruninga goes off for 42 points and 22 rebounds tonight. He will be playing tomorrow night at the ToC at 8:30 against Cloverdale, Indiana and their All-America guard Cooper Neese (30 ppg). It should be a great game!!!
========================================================================
Re: TAYLOR BRUNINGA- ILLINI BLUFFS
by sirtoxic4 » Tue Nov 22, 2016 2:54 pm

Cloverdale should not have anyone that can handle Taylor, but will IB have anyone that can contain Cooper Neese. Wish I could make the drive back. Our local sports reporter is making the drive back to watch. Cloverdale is 6 miles away from where I live now.
========================================================================
Re: TAYLOR BRUNINGA- ILLINI BLUFFS
by Disturbed » Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:55 pm

Cloverdale wins 76-68. Bruninga with 37 points and 17 boards. Neese had 24 at halftime and finished with 30. Great small school game. IB played basically without 3 starters for most of the game due to injury.


http://www.pjstar.com/sports/20161230/illini-bluffs-big-man-taylor-bruninga-sets-records-at-macomb-holiday-tournament

Bruninga scored 28 points to set the four-game tournament record with 134 total points. The previous mark belonged to David McGinnis of Illini Central, who scored 129 points in 1990.

Bruninga also set the tournament record with 57 free throws made, destroying the previous record of 33 set by Canton's Hunter Rhodes in 2013. Also, Bruninga's 65 free throw attempts were 22 more than the previous record set in 1970 by former VIT and Bradley player Mark Dohner.


This is what happens when a Lutheran kid from the farm belt gets rejected by the national Lutheran university. It's going to be painful to see him score in large numbers against Valpo twice a year for 4 years with Illinois State.

There is a very short clip of Bruninga scoring and getting fouled by Neese in this video of Taylor from WEEK-TV in Peoria. Watch for the Cloverdale green uniforms.

http://www.week.com/story/35183118/illini-bluffs-star-taylor-bruinga-updates-his-recruiting


This is starting to feel a lot like when Gordon Hayward, now with his college coach and the Boston Celtics, a Lutheran kid, got away to Butler.

[VU2014]

This is what happens when a Lutheran kid from the farm belt gets rejected by the national Lutheran university. It's going to be painful to see him score in large numbers against Valpo twice a year for 4 years with Illinois State.

There is a very short clip of Bruninga scoring and getting fouled by Neese in this video of Taylor from WEEK-TV in Peoria. Watch for the Cloverdale green uniforms.

http://www.week.com/story/35183118/illini-bluffs-star-taylor-bruinga-updates-his-recruiting


This is starting to feel a lot like when Gordon Hayward, now with his college coach and the Boston Celtics, a Lutheran kid, got away to Butler.

I liked Bruninga's game a lot too and was pretty disappointed that the staff didn't offer him. I also think he has the potential to be one those "ones that got away players" but lets slow down with the Gordon Hayward comparisons lol. He hasn't played a single minute of college basketball yet.


As for Cooper Neese, my gut says he lands with Indiana State or Ball State. Both are close to home for him. And between the two I bet on him landing at Indiana State because they actually have 1 scholarship left for the 2017-2018 season. So he could transfer there in January for the Spring semester.

This is why it is beneficial to generally hold onto 1 scholarship for situations like these.... Valpo has 0 scholarships available for the 2017-2018 schedule and only 1 more available for the 2018-2019 season.

Fort Wayne's News-Sentinel Sports Editor, Butler alum, and general Butler journalism lackey basically saying that Cooper Neese did not have what it takes to play at Butler and the Big East.  Recruit Obviously Doesn't Fit With Bulldog Program

Tom Davis would worship the Devil if he was wearing a Butler shirt. If the kid is deemed to not be a good fit before he even suits up, that's on on Butler, not him. They courted him, not the other way around. Obviously, they told him he would be a good fit, that he could play at the Big East level, or he would never have signed on. If there were red flags going back to the All-Star game, they should have told him then. Instead, they wait until after the semester starts, ruining his entire Freshman season. What a bunch of jamokes.

Fort Wayne's News-Sentinel Sports Editor, Butler alum, and general Butler journalism lackey basically saying that Cooper Neese did not have what it takes to play at Butler and the Big East.  Recruit Obviously Doesn't Fit With Bulldog Program

Tom Davis would worship the Devil if he was wearing a Butler shirt. If the kid is deemed to not be a good fit before he even suits up, that's on on Butler, not him. They courted him, not the other way around. Obviously, they told him he would be a good fit, that he could play at the Big East level, or he would never have signed on. If there were red flags going back to the All-Star game, they should have told him then. Instead, they wait until after the semester starts, ruining his entire Freshman season. What a bunch of jamokes.

Fort Wayne's News-Sentinel Sports Editor, Butler alum, and general Butler journalism lackey basically saying that Cooper Neese did not have what it takes to play at Butler and the Big East.  Recruit Obviously Doesn't Fit With Bulldog Program

Tom Davis would worship the Devil if he was wearing a Butler shirt. If the kid is deemed to not be a good fit before he even suits up, that's on on Butler, not him. They courted him, not the other way around. Obviously, they told him he would be a good fit, that he could play at the Big East level, or he would never have signed on. If there were red flags going back to the All-Star game, they should have told him then. Instead, they wait until after the semester starts, ruining his entire Freshman season. What a bunch of jamokes.

Well said WH. I take what Davis says with a grain of salt. He always has a motive and is trying to spin a story one way or another.

[valpo64]

Tom Davis also thought,as did Butler, that Alec Peters was not quite up to the caliber of offering him a scholly at first chance.  And according to another article I recently read , Butler is already lamenting that they have not been able to secure their first choices  for recruits for the coming year.    Poor Butler.

[valpo64]

Butler also said our Smits wasn't good enough for them.

[FWalum]

This is another case that seems to be a head-scratcher. If you read this article from the Indy Star his leaving Butler would seem to be inconceivable. Cooper Neese was born to be a Bulldog

He had a breakout summer before his junior season, and caught the attention of Butler coach Chris Holtmann and then-assistant Michael Lewis. When Neese played for Indy Hoosiers, players on opposing teams shouted, "Shooter!" as soon as he crossed half-court.

Uncharacteristically, Butler made an offer to Neese early in his junior season (December 2015). By then, Neese had pestered Andrew Smith so often with questions that he knew everything there was to know about the program. He had played in open gyms with Butler players, proving himself to them — he once made eight successive 3s — and building rapport.

He committed on the phone, on the spot.

"He came back and said, 'It's different playing with these guys,'" his father said.

The Butler connection was too tight.

Neese already has befriended Bulldog players, including senior Avery Woodson, who has gone fishing on Neese's stepfather's property. Samantha Smith, widow of Andrew, accompanied the Roeders to Neese's summer tournaments. Samantha considers Neese a little brother, irrespective of how tall he is.

He seemingly fits two components of the Butler Way, humility and servanthood. His family regularly volunteers at two Downtown Indianapolis homeless shelters. When a couple of club teammates needed transport to practice, it was Neese who drove the 40-plus miles to pick them up in Indy.