Category: Div 1 Basketball – Recruiting

Bluejays – Class of 2009

On By @gtmoblueIn Div 1 Basketball - Recruiting, Sports Commentary
Creighton Bluejays
Class of 2009

Left to right:
Andrew Bock, PG, Rivals 4-star: 6′ 1″, 165
Greg Allen, PG/SG, Scout 2-star: 6′ 2″, 170 (added 5/15/09)
Darryl Ashford, SG/SF, Rivals 3-star: 6′ 4-5″, 180
Ethan Wragge, SF, Scout 3-star: 6′ 8″, 185
Wayne Runnels, SF/PF: 6′ 7″, 215
1 PF on campus this weekend – ?? 6′ 8-10″, 250+/ The ‘Mystery Recruit’

Well, well, well. The Jays go from famine to feast in a hurry over this late signing period. Many of the faithful, including yours truly, had been a bit concerned about the lack of information on prospective recruits, and on the seeming difficulties in continuing to attract quality players to the program.

There have been myriad questions, worries, and criticisms regarding our seeming inability to land legitimate (6′ 8″ and above) bigs. On the surface of things this class should put most, if not all, of the recent concerns to bed. The question of acquiring good size appears to have been answered.

As for the quality of this class, it probably ranks 3rd behind the storied Class of 2006 and the 2007 Class. Andrew had a stellar year and earned several awards & recognition. Rivals elevated him to Top 100 status and a 4 star rating. Ethan has been consistent all year after having a breakout spring and summer of 2008, earned Scout 3 star status. Both Wayne and Darryl received recognition for outstanding Juco play this season and were Juco All Americans. (Will had early Juco recognition out in the ACCAC this year, as a Frosh.)

Note: 21Apr09 – No confirmation has been given on the 5th recruit yet. No confirmation of who the weekend visitor was on campus, but folks continue to field new names of recent decommits, transferees, and of course, more guards.
Note: 15May09 – Added another guard, Greg Allen, to the mix as the 5th recruit. Still no inkling/sign of which ‘true’ big may be coming. Worry warts on the BJC are speculating that no big man will arrive until the 2010 Class. It ain’t over.

All are welcome additions to the team and will help bolster their given positions. All fill needed roles and will see court time in the Jays system.

All in all a great mix of experience, basketball savvy, and talent. A very good class indeed.

gtmo

Jays – The Short History: Hits and Misses

On By @gtmoblueIn Div 1 Basketball - Recruiting, Sports - Men's, Sports Commentary

The Recruiting Short History: Hits & Misses.

Need for increased continuity and retention.

-gtmoBlue


Folks over at the BJC are up in arms. Several laments – Too high expectations. Too young a team (still). Poor coaching. Lack of effort by the team members. Poor recruiting. Not enough hardy, tough Midwestern kids, and too many slick 3 & 4 star players. On and on it goes.

I have pointed out/argued on the BJC that had we not been fortunate enough in our recruiting to snag several West Coast, Texas, and other out-of-area players, that the Jays would indeed be in dire straits. We have fallen on hard times in our recruitment of midwestern region kids. We have dropped to approx 20% success rate in regional recruiting.

Much of the fault lies with coaching changes in many of the regional universities, and as such, an increase in the competition for regional recruits.

Mike Anderson – Missouri

Tubby Smith – Minnesota

Rick (Tubby) Majerus – St Louis

Cuonzo Martin – Missouri St

Gregg Marshall – Wichita St

Iowa State

Iowa

Butler

both Dakota State teams

Also as some of our traditional recruiting opponents have seen recent program successes, their respective recruiting has also prospered.

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Marquette

Illinois

Bradley

Kansas State

Illinois State

Colorado State

Butler

When the above schools are added into the areas’ traditional Big 10, Big 12, CUSA, MAC, & MVC recruiting wars – it’s a crowded field.

Now add in intruders from outside the region:

Providence

Seton Hall

Virginia

Baylor

SMU

Santa Clara

Arizona State

Gonzaga

Portland

Oregon State

and others…

The Midwestern recruiting grounds have now become a free for all, a melee with elbows flying, a serious slugfest.

The chart below shows the Jays recruiting hits and misses over the last few years. In reviewing this chart one can see that because of the increased competition we have missed several good midwestern kids. Were it not for our out-of-area recruiting, we would have a very shorthanded squad today.

Two points:

Our missing an additional big in 2006 & 2007, along with some negative retention issues have left us short of talent in-the-paint. It is not lack of talent, but lack of bodies.

1) Our missing out on Matt Hill and Keith Spenser (2006), and George Goode, Festus Ezeli, or Chandler Parsons (2007) hurt more than we could have imagined back then (we still had AT & Dane aboard). Not landing one of the many 2008 midwest bigs or Greg Echenique further compounded the problem.

2) Additionally, not retaining Steve Smith and Ty Morrison contributed a bit to the problems, although they would have graduated last year. Both could/would have lent some continuity for the current bigs.

We are painfully short on Bigs. We need to be smarter in both our recruiting and retention policies. The coaches are ‘busting butt’ to fix the problem(s). What is also called for is a bit of patience, a bit of support, and a little faith in the program.

Go Big Blue.

CU Recruiting Talley Hits and Misses: 2006 – 2010
2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011
Chad Millard (So.) Booker Woodfox (Jr.) Justin Carter (Jr.) Ethan Wragge (Fr)
Ty Morrison (Jr.) Cavel Witter (So.) Josh Jones (Fr.) Andrew Bock (Fr)
Kenny Lawson (Fr.) P’Allen Stinnett (Fr.) Antoine Young (Fr.)
Isaac Miles (Fr.) Kenton Walker (Fr.)
Casey Harriman (Fr.) Kaleb Korver (Fr.)
D’Angelo Jackson (Fr.)

Aaron Brandt (Fr.)



2 1 4 (3) 2 (3) 3








Matt Hi NE

 G Goode MO G Gibbs IA Cougill IA C Creekmur IA
C Johnson MN Anthony Slack KS M Gatens IA Uhlenhopp IA Cody Larson SD
C Bailey KS Conner Teahan KS J Reid KS Van Deest IA E Anderson WS
K Spenser KS

J Brandenburg MO Bohannon IA C Cerroni WS
M Moss KS

J Coy MO E May IA C Godfrey WS
R Gentry IA

M Denmon MO D Kelly KS




S Moore MO R White MN




S Suggs MO R Cowels MN




W Eikmeier NE M Dixon MO




A DuFault ND





C Iverson SD













L Fields CA R Westbrook CA R Miller CA A Stover CA

A Smith AZ F Ezeli CA Frank Otis CA T Honeycutt CA
M Maynard AZ JD Luster CA J Underwood AZ A Marshall NV

W Donahue AZ

T Whitehead AZ









B Young FL C Parsons FL X Keeling AL J Carmichael CT

T Crocker NC A McFarland NH G Echenique NJ M Henderson TX

B Morningstar NH Jordan Crawford VA E Negedu NH M Marquis TX