Recruiting 2019

[M]

I'm amazed it only took 22 pages for this thread to be hijacked into a facilities thread 🤷‍♂️

[VULB#62]

I wonder how many recruits know or even care if the ARC is air-conditioned.  To be honest, until not too long ago I didn't even know that it was not.

As far as facilities, I beieve that potential recruits look at and assess the following in rank order:

1 - team facility - locker room and support facilities in the BB wing like player lounge, lockers, etc. 
2 - practice facility (Hilltop)
3 - game day arena impression

We have made big strides on 1 and 2. However, when it comes to #3 we let the air out of the balloon (unless a recruit visits at a sold out game when the place rocks).  Here is where we lose out to our competitors. It's not the AC. You can always dismiss this in the summer visit. It's not the PA system. What player cares about that?  It's not the bathrooms or concessions. It is the visual impact of the arena compared to every other MVC arena. These kids visualize themselves playing in front of their parents and fans in that arena. They mentally compare their potential playing environments. It is here where Valpo loses all but a few uniquely dedicated BB players ( AP, Javon as examples).  It really is true that the ARC actually is less modern and attractive than quite a few Indiana HS gyms. Valpo has to take a major step to create a true college D-1 playing environment ( perhaps like Gentile and maxing out at under 5k) before it will be taken seriously as a legitimate player in the MVC scheme of things.

So, are you saying that's what happened to the giant Crusader??

ABSOLUTELY!   

[VULB#62]

I'm amazed it only took 22 pages for this thread to be hijacked into a facilities thread 🤷‍♂️

Not hijacked, but evolved into one of the more glaring issues with regard to "Recruiting 2019" ..... and following years.

[M]

Facilities didn't cost us Newman...thats just ridiculous.  Regardless, I'm proud of you guys for letting this thread go this long before taking it to facilities.   

[valpo64]

AMEN!

[VULB#62]

Facilities didn't cost us Newman...thats just ridiculous.  Regardless, I'm proud of you guys for letting this thread go this long before taking it to facilities.   

Absolutely correct.  Valpo, IMO, never had a chance once the B1G boys came a calling. It would be interesting to do a post recruitment assessment of players who appear to be more within our range (e.g., Bediako, Skogman) and find out what contributed to their decision regardless if they come to Valpo or not.

[M]

That would be nice for sure!

[vu72]

Facilities didn't cost us Newman...thats just ridiculous.  Regardless, I'm proud of you guys for letting this thread go this long before taking it to facilities.   

Absolutely correct.  Valpo, IMO, never had a chance once the B1G boys came a calling. It would be interesting to do a post recruitment assessment of players who appear to be more within our range (e.g., Bediako, Skogman) and find out what contributed to their decision regardless if they come to Valpo or not.

[/b]

You can do that with the current roster.  Guys like Gordon, Fezekas and Robinson, Evelyn and Freeman. Or, from previous years, guys like Hammink, Burton, Peters, Carter and many others. Guys who decided to go to a "higher level" only to return when given the chance.  Freeman and Peters of course could have gone to a much higher level.

[VULB#62]

Facilities didn't cost us Newman...thats just ridiculous.  Regardless, I'm proud of you guys for letting this thread go this long before taking it to facilities.   

Absolutely correct.  Valpo, IMO, never had a chance once the B1G boys came a calling. It would be interesting to do a post recruitment assessment of players who appear to be more within our range (e.g., Bediako, Skogman) and find out what contributed to their decision regardless if they come to Valpo or not.

That would be nice for sure!

Following up on this idea......

When assessing any recruit's decision process certain factors must come into play.  I'm sure each player has a list of factors and that each factor is weighed diferently by each individual.  So here's my recruit's generic laundry list of factors (in no particular order) that could play into the commitment decision:

THE PROGRAM
Recruiting relationship with the coaching staff
Offensive / defensive systems
Opportunity for playing time
Conference affiliation
Competitive OOC schedule/exposure
History of basketball success
Recent Won/Loss record

THE SCHOOL
Academic reputation of the school
Availability of desired course of study
Proximity to home
Campus environment
Enrollment size

THE FACILITIES
Team facilities
Arena

What else should be on the list?

[VULB#62]

Facilities didn't cost us Newman...thats just ridiculous.  Regardless, I'm proud of you guys for letting this thread go this long before taking it to facilities.   

Absolutely correct.  Valpo, IMO, never had a chance once the B1G boys came a calling. It would be interesting to do a post recruitment assessment of players who appear to be more within our range (e.g., Bediako, Skogman) and find out what contributed to their decision regardless if they come to Valpo or not.

[/b]

You can do that with the current roster.  Guys like Gordon, Fezekas and Robinson, Evelyn and Freeman. Or, from previous years, guys like Hammink, Burton, Peters, Carter and many others. Guys who decided to go to a "higher level" only to return when given the chance.  Freeman and Peters of course could have gone to a much higher level.

Spot on for the players who wound up at Valpo.  But it would be really good, perhaps even more beneficial, to poll the ones we lost to find out where we fell short.  My thought being that hearing why guys came to Valpo equates to hearing good things about yourself.  Why change?  However, finding out the "not-so-good" things that disqualified us often helps to encourage self improvement.

[VULB#62]

Facilities didn't cost us Newman...thats just ridiculous.  Regardless, I'm proud of you guys for letting this thread go this long before taking it to facilities.   

Absolutely correct.  Valpo, IMO, never had a chance once the B1G boys came a calling. It would be interesting to do a post recruitment assessment of players who appear to be more within our range (e.g., Bediako, Skogman) and find out what contributed to their decision regardless if they come to Valpo or not.

That would be nice for sure!

Following up on this idea......

When assessing any recruit's decision process certain factors must come into play.  I'm sure each player has a list of factors and that each factor is weighed diferently by each individual.  So here's my recruit's generic laundry list of factors [(in no particular order) that could play into the commitment decision:  [On second thought, I gave a try at ranking what I thought recruits would value within the categories]

THE PROGRAM
(1a) Recruiting relationship with the coaching staff
(3) Offensive / defensive systems
(1b) Opportunity for playing time
(4) Conference affiliation
(5) Competitive OOC schedule/exposure
(6) History of basketball success
(2) Recent Won/Loss record

THE SCHOOL
(3b) Academic reputation of the school
(3a) Availability of desired course of study
(2) Proximity to home
(1) Campus environment
(4) Enrollment size

THE FACILITIES
(1) Team facilities
(2) Arena

What else should be on the list?

I might also suggest that by category what the rank order would be -- but with varying degrees of cross-over factors between categories depending on the individual:

(1) THE PROGRAM
(2) THE FACILITIES
(3) THE SCHOOL

Thoughts?

[vufan75]

In 2019 recruiting news...Bediako just posted on Twitter he chose Santa Clara.

[emoji845][emoji845]COMMITTED [emoji845][emoji845]#StampedeAhead [emoji237] https://t.co/RH2FpTdVzP


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[VULB#62]

In 2019 recruiting news...Bediako just posted on Twitter he chose Santa Clara.

[emoji845][emoji845]COMMITTED [emoji845][emoji845]#StampedeAhead [emoji237] https://t.co/RH2FpTdVzP


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[valpopal]

In 2019 recruiting news...Bediako just posted on Twitter he chose Santa Clara.

COMMITTED #StampedeAhead https://t.co/RH2FpTdVzP


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

That's okay, of the recruits mentioned thus far, I'm hoping for Skogman.

[M]

Skogman or bust!

[NativeCheesehead]

When recruiting against California schools, don't schedule campus visits in the winter. 

[VUGrad1314]

I'm not sure if we ever even offered Bediako. How interested were we really? I just hope that doesn't come back to bite us. I really hope we land Skogman.

[valpo64]

Who are the remaining "live ones" yet unsigned that we have offered or are in the running to land?







Who are the remaining unsigned recruits that we have an interest in or who we hope to land?

[VUGrad1314]

I think Skogman might be the beginning and the end of that list which is really worrisome.

[VU2014]

I'm not sure if we ever even offered Bediako. How interested were we really? I just hope that doesn't come back to bite us. I really hope we land Skogman.

I don't know if we had a situation of preferring recruit A over recruit B situation, but it sounds like there was a real interest being shown. He used one of his official visits on us.

Definitely sounds like the coaches love Skogman. I really like Bediako's game because he seems like he has a very high upside on defense and the offense was starting to emerge. Bediako sounds like a Center and Skogman coule possibly play PF and C. He may be a better fit with Smits/Sorolla next season if he did commit here. He definitely has a nice 3pt shot for a big guy.

[VUGrad1314]

Kind of wish we had 2 scholarships available. Bediako felt like he was going to be another Vashil. Players like Vashil aren't easy to find. Also I think he and Skogman would have complimented each other well as a nice inside outside pair in the frontcourt with good rebounding and defense. That said the path to playing time just wasn't there right away for Bediako and it's easier to see that path for Skogman. I really hope we land him.

[VU2014]

Kind of wish we had 2 scholarships available. Bediako felt like he was going to be another Vashil. Players like Vashil aren't easy to find. Also I think he and Skogman would have complimented each other well as a nice inside outside pair in the frontcourt with good rebounding and defense. That said the path to playing time just wasn't there right away for Bediako and it's easier to see that path for Skogman. I really hope we land him.

Agreed it would have been nice. Bediako has a young brother named Charles who is in the class of 2021, so you never know. Maybe we recruit his brother in that massive 2021 recruiting class.

[SanityLost17]

Can we assume at this point due to the complete lack of buzz over any 2019 recruit that the likelihood is we pick up a freshman transfer after the season? Sit out a year and play as a sophomore in 2020?    I think this huge junior class and 2 good transfers on the bench are scaring away all potential game changer recruits because no really good player is going to want to be low man on the totem poll for next year.   Get a good transfer that gets to practice with the team for a year, learn the system, and still becomes a member of the 2019 class.  Seems like we will get a better player that way.     

[tiny707]

If we keep winning we will get a quality 2019 recruit. Skogman has not committed yet. Would you rather play on a bad team as a freshman or sit a bit as a freshman learning the college game on a great team? Also, some of our players may not be back. Micah as a medical red shirt and Derrick as a graduate transfer. Hoping Javon is recruiting like Ayo did at Illinois.

[valpopal]

If we don't get Skogman or if there is another opening, I believe Valpo will explore the possibility of a JUCO player.