Seattle U lands Ian Burke from GCU's backyard of Phoenix. 6'5 SG also held an offer from Air Force. Can't find much info about him, likely to add depth behind the many guards in front of him. Seems like a typical tall Hayford wing.

Burke was an All-League starter on a 26-2 squad for his 6A HS Brophey College Prep. Also led the team in PPG

Will be on an academic scholarship with a 4.0 GPA and not count towards a basketball scholarship. Love this move for depth

Was anybody else recruiting Ian Burke besides Air Force?

(04-11-2018 04:42 PM)SeattleVandals Wrote:  Seattle U lands Ian Burke from GCU's backyard of Phoenix. 6'5 SG also held an offer from Air Force. Can't find much info about him, likely to add depth behind the many guards in front of him. Seems like a typical tall Hayford wing.

Burke was an All-League starter on a 26-2 squad for his 6A HS Brophey College Prep. Also led the team in PPG

Will be on an academic scholarship with a 4.0 GPA and not count towards a basketball scholarship. Love this move for depth

He looks like a more skilled version of CSUB's Brent Wrapp.

Ian Burke Highlight Video

(04-11-2018 06:48 PM)dancingNMSUaggie Wrote:  Was anybody else recruiting Ian Burke besides Air Force?

I'd imagine he had interest elsewhere especially with a 4.0+ GPA. Even if he doesn't develop he is just a athletic walk on so no biggie. Hell of a deal to get a player with his HS stats and resume as a walk on though. I'll take that. Especially with a MWC offer

According to Verbal Commits, Burke joins Seattle U. as a walk-on.
Ian Burke

Wow...gotta' be a little tough to pass up a service academy appointment!

Sitting on a toilet somewhere and interacting with you.

Looks like #1 JUCO Wendall Mitchell has picked Texas A&M over GCU

(04-13-2018 12:08 AM)SeattleVandals Wrote:  Looks like #1 JUCO Wendall Mitchell has picked Texas A&M over GCU

He's an Aggie. Just not the right Aggie for us.

Per his personal Instagram, JJ Rhymes has committed to GCU
https://instagram.com/p/BhfoZOzHwQP/

(04-13-2018 05:33 PM)JustALopesFan Wrote:  Per his personal Instagram, JJ Rhymes has committed to GCU
https://instagram.com/p/BhfoZOzHwQP/

Reads more like a question than statement. LOI or it didn't happen.

(04-13-2018 06:33 PM)gleadley Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 05:33 PM)JustALopesFan Wrote:  Per his personal Instagram, JJ Rhymes has committed to GCU
https://instagram.com/p/BhfoZOzHwQP/

Reads more like a question than statement. LOI or it didn't happen.

Good pick up. I was hoping NMSU would get him since we need more scoring. However, I am a little confused by his decision since currently Oscar Frayer is playing the same position and has been a two year starter. He said he wanted to go to a program where he could start. Without a consistent three point stroke, he is more a wing forward than a shooting guard. I am curious to see how he responds if he finds himself behind Frayer on the depth chart.

(04-13-2018 07:48 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 06:33 PM)gleadley Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 05:33 PM)JustALopesFan Wrote:  Per his personal Instagram, JJ Rhymes has committed to GCU
https://instagram.com/p/BhfoZOzHwQP/

Reads more like a question than statement. LOI or it didn't happen.

Good pick up. I was hoping NMSU would get him since we need more scoring. However, I am a little confused by his decision since currently Oscar Frayer is playing the same position and has been a two year starter. He said he wanted to go to a program where he could start. Without a consistent three point stroke, he is more a wing forward than a shooting guard. I am curious to see how he responds if he finds himself behind Frayer on the depth chart.

These days, some teams don’t need five positions. Brad Stevens with the Celtics talks about needing a ball handler, wings and a big. The Warriors do the same. That seems to be a trend with some teams. That maybe what Majerle is doing with his roster.

(04-14-2018 12:26 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 07:48 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 06:33 PM)gleadley Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 05:33 PM)JustALopesFan Wrote:  Per his personal Instagram, JJ Rhymes has committed to GCU
https://instagram.com/p/BhfoZOzHwQP/

Reads more like a question than statement. LOI or it didn't happen.

Good pick up. I was hoping NMSU would get him since we need more scoring. However, I am a little confused by his decision since currently Oscar Frayer is playing the same position and has been a two year starter. He said he wanted to go to a program where he could start. Without a consistent three point stroke, he is more a wing forward than a shooting guard. I am curious to see how he responds if he finds himself behind Frayer on the depth chart.

These days, some teams don’t need five positions. Brad Stevens with the Celtics talks about needing a ball handler, wings and a big. The Warriors do the same. That seems to be a trend with some teams. That maybe what Majerle is doing with his roster.

Rhymes is too good a player to not see major minutes. But unless Majerle moves Oscar Frayer over to the shooting guard position and puts JJ Rhymes at wing forward, I don't see Rhymes breaking the starting line at any other position. His doesn't shoot the three well enough to be the shooting guard (only 19 threes at 29.7% in JC ball) and his rebounding stats are not that impressive for his size (only 3.9 rpg in JC ball). So, he would be a liability at power forward. His strength is to dribble drive and reek havoc inside the arc; a natural small forward.

PG: 6'1 Demari Milstead
SG: 6'7 Oscar Frayer
SF: 6'5 JJ Rhymes
PF: ???? Jackson, Blumbergs, or Martin
C: 6'10 Alessandro Lever

(04-14-2018 03:45 AM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(04-14-2018 12:26 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 07:48 PM)NMSUPistolPete Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 06:33 PM)gleadley Wrote:  

(04-13-2018 05:33 PM)JustALopesFan Wrote:  Per his personal Instagram, JJ Rhymes has committed to GCU
https://instagram.com/p/BhfoZOzHwQP/

Reads more like a question than statement. LOI or it didn't happen.

Good pick up. I was hoping NMSU would get him since we need more scoring. However, I am a little confused by his decision since currently Oscar Frayer is playing the same position and has been a two year starter. He said he wanted to go to a program where he could start. Without a consistent three point stroke, he is more a wing forward than a shooting guard. I am curious to see how he responds if he finds himself behind Frayer on the depth chart.

These days, some teams don’t need five positions. Brad Stevens with the Celtics talks about needing a ball handler, wings and a big. The Warriors do the same. That seems to be a trend with some teams. That maybe what Majerle is doing with his roster.

Rhymes is too good a player to not see major minutes. But unless Majerle moves Oscar Frayer over to the shooting guard position and puts JJ Rhymes at wing forward, I don't see Rhymes breaking the starting line at any other position. His doesn't shoot the three well enough to be the shooting guard (only 19 threes at 29.7% in JC ball) and his rebounding stats are not that impressive for his size (only 3.9 rpg in JC ball). So, he would be a liability at power forward. His strength is to dribble drive and reek havoc inside the arc; a natural small forward.

PG: 6'1 Demari Milstead
SG: 6'7 Oscar Frayer
SF: 6'5 JJ Rhymes
PF: ???? Jackson, Blumbergs, or Martin
C: 6'10 Alessandro Lever

The list also doesn't account for the additional 4 roster spots GCU needs to fill. Even if GCU does sign Rjymes, some expect half or more of the remaiming scholarships to be filled with grad transfer signings. Not a problem if they they are are bringing in guys like Grant White and Uros Ljeskovic (i.e. practice bodies). However, GCU is still in on some pretty talented kids, like Michael Finke and Aaron Calixte. There is also the inevitable kid from Europe, Africa, or Australia that GCU always seems to bring in.

The GCU lineup could look more like this next year:

Ball-handler: Demari Milstead
Wing: Oscar Frayer
Wing: JJ Rhymes
Wing: Tim Finke
Big: Alessandro Lever

I would not get got up with previous 3 point shooting percentages. Frayer shot 25% from three as a freshman, 36% as a sophomore. Lever ended up with a 32% three point percentage for the season, but he is a much better shooter than that. Milstead shot 52% on threes in limited playing time, but he is probably not that good. Finke is a very good shooter and Majerle thinks he can start as a freshman.

With that "small ball lineup," you can spread the floor with five shooters and spread the defense. This would work better for GCU than a more traditional lineup and I think it is more of the type of lineup that Majerle prefers. He played in small ball lineups at Phoenix. He watched as Mike D'Antoni had a lot of success with it in Phoenix as well and Alvin Gentry ran the same offense when Majerle was an assistant coach.

Steve Kerr and Brad Stevens are having success with it in the NBA. You may sacrifice some rebounding with a smaller lineup, but it can be a tough offense to guard if you have the right players. I think that is the lineup Majerle will put on the floor next season.

(04-14-2018 11:48 AM)SoCalBobcat78 Wrote:  The GCU lineup could look more like this next year:

Ball-handler: Demari Milstead
Wing: Oscar Frayer
Wing: JJ Rhymes
Wing: Tim Finke
Big: Alessandro Lever

I would not get got up with previous 3 point shooting percentages. Frayer shot 25% from three as a freshman, 36% as a sophomore. Lever ended up with a 32% three point percentage for the season, but he is a much better shooter than that. Milstead shot 52% on threes in limited playing time, but he is probably not that good. Finke is a very good shooter and Majerle thinks he can start as a freshman.

With that "small ball lineup," you can spread the floor with five shooters and spread the defense. This would work better for GCU than a more traditional lineup and I think it is more of the type of lineup that Majerle prefers. He played in small ball lineups at Phoenix. He watched as Mike D'Antoni had a lot of success with it in Phoenix as well and Alvin Gentry ran the same offense when Majerle was an assistant coach.

Steve Kerr and Brad Stevens are having success with it in the NBA. You may sacrifice some rebounding with a smaller lineup, but it can be a tough offense to guard if you have the right players. I think that is the lineup Majerle will put on the floor next season.

Rebounding would be an issue with Frayer being the best rebounder in the line up. At any rate, it appears JJ Rhymes going to GCU is a bit premature. According to the article below, Rhymes will decide on a school at the end of this month.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/c...466322002/

You might be right but the guy who wrote the article steals things off pal's twitter than writes in in his articles. HE is one of the laziest sports writers in the country.

(04-14-2018 02:07 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  You might be right but the guy who wrote the article steals things off pal's twitter than writes in in his articles. HE is one of the laziest sports writers in the country.

Well, if Rhymes intends on visiting NMSU prior to making his decision, there is still a chance he could be an Aggie. NMSU apparent deficiencies are scoring and size in the paint. Rhymes would help NMSU with added scoring.

GCU really needs a seasoned point guard (with speed) and a "enforcer" power forward to collect rebounds and patrol the paint on defense. I think Majerle can find both through the grad transfer route.

GCU land UW transfer Carlos Johnson. Rivals and Scout has him at 3 Star ESPN has him as a 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzB2bR0c2p4

(04-17-2018 03:18 PM)Lopes87 Wrote:  GCU land UW transfer Carlos Johnson. Rivals and Scout has him at 3 Star ESPN has him as a 2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzB2bR0c2p4

Good get. Does he redshirt this upcoming season?