Recruiting

[agibson]

If they were moderators, they wouldn't be making suggestions

[vu72]

Someone help me. Are vu72 and FWalum moderators?

Nope. Just very senior posters who have seen it all.   

[LaPorteAveApostle]

thanks a Lat, you guys.

Going to take advantage of this lull to bang the drum again:

what about a year-by-year topics like "Recruiting 2014" "Recruiting 2015" etc. to keep posts about a particular class of players united together? 

Or is everybody pretty much ok with the way things are all mishmoshed together on here?

[wh]

thanks a Lat, you guys.

Going to take advantage of this lull to bang the drum again:

what about a year-by-year topics like "Recruiting 2014" "Recruiting 2015" etc. to keep posts about a particular class of players united together? 

Or is everybody pretty much ok with the way things are all mishmoshed together on here?

This thread is so long and covers so much it is impossible to go back and find out what if anything has been said previously about a prospective candidate.  As you suggest, we should continue posting on this thread for our 2013 recruits, but then start new recruiting threads for each subsequent year.

[VULB#62]

How about this guy?

Virginia coach Tony Bennett says sophomore guard Paul Jesperson is leaving the Cavaliers' program.

The 6-foot-6 Jesperson started 33 of 35 games this season. He averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds. He scored a career-best 12 points in an 80-69 victory at Maryland on Feb. 10, but shot just 36.1 percent from the field overall. He made 40 of 108 3-point tries, or 37 percent.

Bennett says Jesperson, of Merrill, Wis., intends to transfer to another school and continue his basketball career.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/college/college_basketball/2013/04/bennett_jesperson_granted_release_to_transfer

[historyman]

How about this guy? Virginia coach Tony Bennett says sophomore guard Paul Jesperson is leaving the Cavaliers' program. The 6-foot-6 Jesperson started 33 of 35 games this season. He averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds. He scored a career-best 12 points in an 80-69 victory at Maryland on Feb. 10, but shot just 36.1 percent from the field overall. He made 40 of 108 3-point tries, or 37 percent. Bennett says Jesperson, of Merrill, Wis., intends to transfer to another school and continue his basketball career. http://bostonherald.com/sports/college/college_basketball/2013/04/bennett_jesperson_granted_release_to_transfer

My guess is he'll drop down to one of the Div. II in central or northern Wisconsin. Merrill is north central Wisconsin, just north of Wausau and Stevens Point. That way he can play next year and not sit.

[bbtds]

Anybody happen to notice this guy?

http://verbalcommits.com/players/aaric-armstead


Aaric Armstead of Fresno, CA

Aaric Armstead 6'5 shooting guard Bullard HS (Fresno, CA) 2012-Mac Irvin Fire basketball highlights


Schools interested: Hawaii, New Mexico, Green Bay, Loyola(MVC), Manhattan, Valpo, Colorado State, Cal St-Bakersfield, Cal St-Northridge, Northern IL, Fairfield

[classof2014]

According to twitter via verbalcommits. Apparently Armstead has committed to Northern Illinois about 16 days ago but nothing else has been released, so I don't believe that to be true. He's gotten 10 or so offers and some are pretty big schools: New Mexico, Colorado St, and Valpo which all made the tournament and numerous teams better than Northern so I really don't believe it to be true. Perhaps it shows he's looking in this area though.

[RS]

Both Aaron and Aaric Armstead have verbally chosen Northern Illinois. Both are from the Chicago area with Aaric already having played 1 year with Green Bay. Both at one time had been on VU's radar but that was several years ago. Today is the beginning of official signing. Will anxiously be waiting to see what Bryce does with his 1 scholarship left. Will he wait and leave it open hoping for a late transfer? Also waiting to see what Coach Dorow will bring in. I believe there are 7 to 8 scholarships open.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Putting out a bat-signal for someone more in the know than I to create a sticky post to go on the top of the basketball page (along with schedule, etc?): Men's Recruiting

It would say stuff like
Class of 2015
Commits

Offers
C/PF Matt Holba 6'6 Guerin Catholic
etc.
Interest
PG MJ Fox 5'10 Teen Wolf
etc.

Is there anyone out there with the knowledge?  I figure sites like this new VerbalCommits must be getting it from somewhere.  And it's something we really should have--I just thought it was random everyone talking about Dominique Hawkins, but apparently many people knew that he had a VU offer.  So something like this will serve as a handy reference chart, right?

[wh]

Putting out a bat-signal for someone more in the know than I to create a sticky post to go on the top of the basketball page (along with schedule, etc?): Men's Recruiting

It would say stuff like
Class of 2015
Commits

Offers
C/PF Matt Holba 6'6 Guerin Catholic
etc.
Interest
PG MJ Fox 5'10 Teen Wolf
etc.

Is there anyone out there with the knowledge?  I figure sites like this new VerbalCommits must be getting it from somewhere.  And it's something we really should have--I just thought it was random everyone talking about Dominique Hawkins, but apparently many people knew that he had a VU offer.  So something like this will serve as a handy reference chart, right?

Good idea.  Unfortunately, I'm not the guy to make it happen.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Neither am I.  But hopefully someone can step forward, or people can nominate someone if they know a qualified person.

The most ironic thing I find about this clip from HBO's old Mr. Show with Bob & David is that it's old.  As in over sixteen years old.  So, years before Lane Kiffin was offering scholarships to preteens, they were already mocking him and Les Miles.

Also it's pretty funny.

MR SHOW: Recruiters!

EDIT:  Whoops I posted the wrong YouTube video...I didn't mean to post Palombizio season highlights.  At least not here.  Seriously check out this awesome video.

[classof2014]

I'm starting to think Valpo is holding out for a transfer to fill the final scholarship void. I have heard nothing of incoming freshman visiting campus or even anybody visiting campus for that matter, I believe.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Jubril Adekoya--9 points, 9 boards, and showed some range (and some inexperience) in a McLegends game loss to TO et al:

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/girls-basketball/t-o-is-the-show-at-mclegends-xi/article_774ef606-0241-5095-9812-d2c138e43317.html

[Terrell] Owens had a big play with 49.2 seconds left after a missed free throw by by Kenyea Beach. The Boys' Jubril Adekoya grabbed the rebound, but Owens tied him up and the possession arrow was with the McLegends....
Valparaiso recruit Jubril Adekoya, from Andrew, had nine points, including a first-quarter 3-pointer.

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/high-school-all-stars-get-a-quarter-pounding-in-mclegends/article_acb77068-6ed0-58ad-ba09-202d04a2cdd3.html

VU 2: Andrew's Jubril Adekoya played well, scoring nine points and grabbing just as many rebounds. The 6-foot-7 power forward will play for Valparaiso University's Bryce Drew next season.

This week in THANKS FOR MAKING ME FEEL OLD, YA LITTLE PUNK:

Bowman Academy's Antonio Pipkin led the high school all-stars with 18 points in their 112-109 loss to the McLegends. But the biggest thing he did was block a dunk attempt by former NFL superstar Terrell Owens.

"When I saw it was just me and T.O. I knew I had to go for it," Pipkin said.

He also hit a runner over four-time NBA champion Craig Hodges, who won two titles with the Bulls.

"I didn't even know who he was until the (pre-game) announcements," Pipkin said. "But when I heard about his history, to make a shot like that, that's pretty cool."

sigh

[valpo84]

And to think we generally remember Craig Hodges for his ignominious record as head coach at Chicago State...

[FWalum]

VU 2: Andrew's Jubril Adekoya played well, scoring nine points and grabbing just as many rebounds. The 6-foot-7 power forward will play for Valparaiso University's Bryce Drew next season.

I really liked seeing the rebound numbers.  Without seeing a box score I would have to think this is near the top for number of rebounds.  I really think that initially rebounding will be his main job early in his VU career.

[HC]

Maurice Creek looking for a new school....heard he is looking closer to home though.

[EddieCabot]

Maurice Creek looking for a new school....heard he is looking closer to home though.

I think the "closer to home" comment was just press release material to explain why he was leaving ... much easier than saying Crean didn't want him back.  FWIW, Creek was part of IU's recruiting class that included Bobby Capobianco, so maybe that might help.  If Creek wants playing time, he might find it at Valpo, especially while the freshmen are getting adjusted to college. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

[IndyValpo]

Maurice Creek looking for a new school

That poor kid has had 3 major injuries while at IU.  He is a shadow of what was once a really good prospect.  He is graduating and taking advantage of the Senior rule.  Good for him, he was not going to be a factor for IU next year. 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

That poor kid has had 3 major injuries while at IU

sounds like he's up the creek

[valpopal]

Alex Foster, a 6'8" Rivals 3-star from Chicago, has just de-committed from Minnesota. He is someone who was on Valpo's radar, especially coach Powell, and would be a great addition if he could be persuaded to come to VU:

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/high-school/tuesday-s-illinois-prep-roundup-seton-s-foster-decommits-from/article_81fc33bd-59df-5e07-95ce-b6f3934a2f3a.html

This could have legs.  Foster and our own Jubril Adekoya played AAU together last summer for Meanstreets:

http://aauinfo.blogspot.com/2012/06/meanstreets-2012.html

Foster had numerous D-1 Major offers, including Minnesota, Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern of the Big 10.  We're short on bigs and he would undoubtedly get a lot of playing time from the get-go.  Sounds like a match made in heaven.  If he were to join this incoming class, the "struggling early" and other negative projections would have to be reassessed.

Foster has an official visit with Texas Tech today, and he is also said to be considering Drake and possibly Rhode Island.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

does that mean no Valpo? or no Valpo yet? or is valpo interest implied?

Lord help me I'm becoming one of those recruiting nuts I always used to make fun of.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Sandi Marcius saga still playing itself out

There hasn't been any news on this front, and even if I did hold out some hope that he might come back north and trade black for brown, based on this he wouldn't be looking to share time with Capo, but check this out:
http://www.indystar.com/article/20130423/SPORTS0602/304230096/Morgan-Burke-Sandi-Marcius-has-not-burned-Purdue-bridges?odyssey=obinsite

For the TL/DR crowd, basically, Purdue's AD has flat-out told the press that if Marcius transfers, he has to pay for his summer school (which he needs to graduate and avail himself of the grad year exception) himself.  This is about $7K.  If he comes back, all is forgiven!  School is free again!!  Plus you get to cuddle with AJ Hammons in the low post for another year!!!

Wow.

Things we have learned from this:
1)  Never, ever, trust a dude named "Morgan".
2)  Huge universities can indeed act like a jilted frat girl even when dumped by a single one of their 40K+ students.
3)  One would have thought that in "leaving Croatia behind" you'd also have left behind "getting suspended by your thumbs by the authorities".  Welp.
4)  Matt Painter has been listening to the Eagles' "Hotel California" on repeat play on his iPod ('you can check out any time you like...')
5)  If your coach looks like a used-car salesman, he will probably act like one too.
6)  Don't go to Purdue.  Just don't.




for the reference:
Snatch. Don't go to england

[zvillehaze]

For the TL/DR crowd, basically, Purdue's AD has flat-out told the press that if Marcius transfers, he has to pay for his summer school (which he needs to graduate and avail himself of the grad year exception) himself.  This is about $7K.  If he comes back, all is forgiven!  School is free again!!  Plus you get to cuddle with AJ Hammons in the low post for another year!!!

Wow.

I have no idea why you're so outraged over this (although I might understand better if I knew what the "TL/DR crowd" was).  Purdue has given Marcius 4 full years of room, board and tuition (one year when he didn't play and three years where he contributed very little).  They've also granted him a full and unconditional release to look at / attend another school, if that's what he wants to do ... and this is clearly something that he initiated.  What they won't do is use their scholarship fund to pay for his summer school so he can play immediately at another school.  Seems fair to me.  (Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm sure at least a few Valpo fans would be upset if Valpo had used part of their budget to fund summer school for Brandon Wood so he could graduate after he announced he no longer wanted to play for your school and was going elsewhere.)

As someone who writes checks to Purdue University (the 3rd college education I'm paying for), I've got little pity for this stiff whining because he might have to take out a $7,000 student loan.  Not bad for four years (plus summers) at Purdue, plus a free 5th year at whatever school he ends up at.  I'd take that deal in a heartbeat.

And please don't anyone preach to me how much money these guys make for the university ... Purdue fans paid to watch games in spite of Sandi Marcius, not because of him.