(03-28-2018 04:19 PM)JMU08 Wrote:  From what Walfish posted on Twitter, looks like Rowe has done a good job in keeping all the freshman. Pinkard speculation on here also seems to be off, as Walfish indicates he was ineligible(academics?), but should be good going into the fall.

They are a tight knit group and they love Rowe. No surprise at all. Anybody who was in the Convo at least once or saw them live on the road can/could easily see the bond these guys have. I think they know with offseason improvement they have the makings of a very special season next year. Hoping the old coach’s adage holds true that the biggest surge of improvement year over year for a college athlete generally is between their Freshman and Sophomore seasons.

(03-28-2018 04:19 PM)JMU08 Wrote:  From what Walfish posted on Twitter, looks like Rowe has done a good job in keeping all the freshman. Pinkard speculation on here also seems to be off, as Walfish indicates he was ineligible(academics?), but should be good going into the fall.

Speculation was based on that with academics ineligibility, maybe he would leave the program. Good to hear he's sticking around.

Tariq Johnson out of prep school in Maryland is heading to University of Wyoming (a program with a revolving door) -- https://www.verbalcommits.com/players/tariq-johnson

http://www.wyosports.net/university_of_w...1d1b6.html

Pay wall on Da'Shawn Phillip out of Baltimore -- https://www.prephoops.com/2018/03/recrui...llip-2018/

No update after PG Michael Forrest visit.

If Urbach goes non-schollie then Rowe still has 3 to give. No sense in saving them. Figure they are searching/waiting for JUCO or possibly a transfer.

Is it crazy for me to think maybe we're recruiting Shepard? (Might just be wearing my eternal optimist hat aka Cent Hat)

New wing player offered -- Adrian Nelson.

Just watched a highlight tape of Adrian nelson and again, it's another player who's highlight tape is full of defensive plays. Definitely looks like Rowe is trying to build a team that gets after you on that end of the court.

(03-28-2018 05:41 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Is it crazy for me to think maybe we're recruiting Shepard? (Might just be wearing my eternal optimist hat aka Cent Hat)

Doubtful- because he would be a rising Junior at JMU the same year as JMU's Fab 5 are scheduled to be Juniors. No doubt you could find room for him Lewis and Banks at the same time but not sure he would see it that way.

(03-28-2018 07:38 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  New wing player offered -- Adrian Nelson.

Nelson is a former Detroit commit who requested his release when Bacari Alexander was let go. Interesting that as an Ohio kid we are competing against Youngstown State early on. Deshon Parker (JMU recruit) and his backcourt mate (Youngstown recruit) are in a battle to see if they can get this kid to their respective schools.

(03-28-2018 05:14 PM)Wear Purple Wrote:  

(03-28-2018 04:19 PM)JMU08 Wrote:  From what Walfish posted on Twitter, looks like Rowe has done a good job in keeping all the freshman. Pinkard speculation on here also seems to be off, as Walfish indicates he was ineligible(academics?), but should be good going into the fall.

They are a tight knit group and they love Rowe. No surprise at all. Anybody who was in the Convo at least once or saw them live on the road can/could easily see the bond these guys have. I think they know with offseason improvement they have the makings of a very special season next year. Hoping the old coach’s adage holds true that the biggest surge of improvement year over year for a college athlete generally is between their Freshman and Sophomore seasons.

Like you I tend to look at the glass as half full- I think the fact that the players have stuck around and the coaches and what the coaches and players said throughout the season means something but I guess time will tell.

Re transfers out or kids leaving - there was the Ryan Daly news and then today the guard from Drexel via Missouri announced he is exploring the NBA draft. Also ODU just lost their big Trey Porter. Granted some of this grad transfer related in his case but a guy like Mosely could probably have that option as well. He must believe in Coach Rowe and what he's building. The players believing and being bought in is important and obviously matters a lot more than what some fans on a message board think about the program and head coach.

(03-28-2018 10:26 AM)Dukes84 Wrote:  I don't know if Urbach is still coming to JMU, but when I quickly peered at the All Met teams from the WAPO, I didn't notice his name. Looked up his stats....he averaged about 14 or 15 a game.

If you want to cut to the chase on recruiting, it's usually, if not always, the guys that make official or unofficial visits to JMU that seal the deal. According to 247 sports, both Christian Guess and Alanzo Frink officially visited JMU this past September that has them listed as warm there, although it seems unlikely that JMU will get either. In fact, I don't think Guess is listed at the Verbal Commits site (someone can check me on that).

This year's recruiting class of Parker, Urbach and Hicklin, so far, seem more like complementary players that have flown under the radar than high profile guys. That's okay, since JMU has a good foundation in place.

Agreed on the complimentary pieces- keep in mind that when these kids are choosing schools they are very aware of the talent in front of them and this impacts their decision process i.e. future playing time.

I'm pretty confident JMU will land another good wing and perhaps another PG- the big may have to wait or be in the form of a Juco or grad transfer.

I know we have differing opinions on the importance of local recruiting. I just wanted to point out again a recent article in the DNR about Spotswoods Justin Kier being named a captain at George Mason. Local kid who by all accounts wanted to play close to home (think he even has an ailing relative so it would have been preferable). Close to the JMU players like Curry but Brady didn't really recruit or offer him.

Kiers started since he's been at GMU. For guys like Hart who often point to attendance at the Convo give some thought to having a local Valley kid and the potential impact. If they send buses of fans regularly to see him play in Fairfax what do you think the impact would be had he stayed home and played for JMU in terms of attendance and Valley excitement? Yet another reason why local recruits are important and Brady didn't prioritize that or have his finger on the pulse. Big difference between rooting on a Spotswood kid and a Euro who fans can't really connect with.

(03-28-2018 09:54 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  

(03-28-2018 05:41 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Is it crazy for me to think maybe we're recruiting Shepard? (Might just be wearing my eternal optimist hat aka Cent Hat)

Doubtful- because he would be a rising Junior at JMU the same year as JMU's Fab 5 are scheduled to be Juniors. No doubt you could find room for him Lewis and Banks at the same time but not sure he would see it that way.

Yeah, makes sense.

(03-28-2018 10:08 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  I know we have differing opinions on the importance of local recruiting. I just wanted to point out again a recent article in the DNR about Spotswoods Justin Kier being named a captain at George Mason. Local kid who by all accounts wanted to play close to home (think he even has an ailing relative so it would have been preferable). Close to the JMU players like Curry but Brady didn't really recruit or offer him.

Kiers started since he's been at GMU. For guys like Hart who often point to attendance at the Convo give some thought to having a local Valley kid and the potential impact. If they send buses of fans regularly to see him play in Fairfax what do you think the impact would be had he stayed home and played for JMU in terms of attendance and Valley excitement? Yet another reason why local recruits are important and Brady didn't prioritize that or have his finger on the pulse. Big difference between rooting on a Spotswood kid and a Euro who fans can't really connect with.

I'm not sure if JMU pursued them, but it would've been nice to go after Darius George and Jarvis Vaughan from R.E. Lee as well for the same reason. George played some nice minutes for Marshall in the tournament this year and Vaughan is headed to ODU next year. Both are 6-7 and could've filled a position of need.

^^^ 100% agreed.

two more offers over the weekend. Both are Florida kids with little interest at the D1 level.

Tim Dalger
http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/tim-dalger

and

Robert Hardy
http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/robert-hardy

EDIT: These are 2019 recruits

This will be the greatest assemblage of 6'3 - 6'5 guys ever to ever play in a JMU uniform.

(03-28-2018 09:55 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  

(03-28-2018 07:38 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  New wing player offered -- Adrian Nelson.

Nelson is a former Detroit commit who requested his release when Bacari Alexander was let go. Interesting that as an Ohio kid we are competing against Youngstown State early on. Deshon Parker (JMU recruit) and his backcourt mate (Youngstown recruit) are in a battle to see if they can get this kid to their respective schools.

He is going to Northern Kentucky U. They currently have a player from his high school on the team

A. Frink to South Carolina.

Signing day in one week. Jamari Dean suuuuuuuuuuuure would look good in purple & gold...should be able to contribute immediately adding much needed depth behind Darius Banks.

Hoping Rowe can land a big man as well.

(04-04-2018 07:45 AM)Wear Purple Wrote:  Signing day in one week. Jamari Dean suuuuuuuuuuuure would look good in purple & gold...should be able to contribute immediately adding much needed depth behind Darius Banks.

Hoping Rowe can land a big man as well.

Out of Jones Wilson and Jacobs it look like Jacobs was the only one ready for any real primetimeaction and he's better off at the number 4 spot. Got to have a big man

DNR has an article today that says Rowe is looking for a 6-7/6-8 forward with emphasis on character and then use the last scholarship either on the best player available in this class or bank it for the following year.