(03-24-2018 07:43 PM)Sleepy Wrote:  Hundal has a 2018 offer from Rockets

https://patch.com/california/castrovalley/las-positas-basketball-big-men-hundal-hewitt-bring-h-factor

(03-25-2018 03:22 AM)pono Wrote:  Most programs offer more than their number of available scholarships. That said, when you give a juco his first D1 offer 2 weeks before signing day you are usually prepared for him to say "yes".

Hundal sounds like a humble guy who also has a chip on his shoulder from being passed over in recruiting. Watching him on tape I'm reminded of.... Nathan Boothe. About the same size although not quite as broad in the shoulders, not particularly muscular or cut, but has a quick first step and a soft high arching jumper. Plays pretty loose and tries to quickly dunk the ball when around the rim. Not a space eater but a basketball player ready to make a play. No idea if he'd be anywhere near as good as Boothe but has that nice game and size disguised by the imperfect body. Only averaged 5 and 3 as a frosh but blew up a year later after dedicating himself to an offseason conditioning regimen.



Hundal is usually a Sikh name and he's from central California which has the oldest Sikh community in the US. So, I'm guessing by that and his appearance that he's Sikh which is a really interesting and misunderstood religion and culture that has a lot of basketball fans. A few years ago a D3 Sikh player born and raised in Texas became an international news story after overcoming years of racism to play ball and captain his team in his traditional turban. Darsh Singh's jersey is retired in the Smithsonian. Hundal, if it makes any difference, doesn't shoot 3s or rebound in a turban.

(03-25-2018 09:00 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  While I do not want to downplay Hundal's potential if he does become a Rocket, Coach K has not had much success with JC Transfers, unlike his track record on Division 1 Program Transfers which for the most part have paid huge dividends for the Rockets during his tenure at Toledo. This is not an indictment on the recruiting capabilities of Coach K and his staff, but rather a strong sense that it is much harder to determine whether or not a JC Player can translate his game to Division 1 compared to someone already playing at a Division 1 Program. Here's hoping that Coach K has made the right determination in this case if it does indeed happen!

(03-26-2018 05:50 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  I swear, highlight films make me crazy. One I saw makes it look like he can’t shoot, but dunks everything. The next one makes him look like a pure spot-up three shooter who stays on the perimeter. He has a pretty nice stroke and gets his mid-range shot off quickly. Not convinced he’ll bang with Moses, Thompson and the like but only because I don’t see much of that here.

(03-26-2018 10:33 AM)Rocket75 Wrote:  Since we have no scholarships available, the assumption is that a current player is transferring (besides Rose). However, it could also mean that one of our two freshman recruits is going to prep school instead or has simply changed his mind.

(03-26-2018 10:07 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(03-26-2018 05:50 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  I swear, highlight films make me crazy. One I saw makes it look like he can’t shoot, but dunks everything. The next one makes him look like a pure spot-up three shooter who stays on the perimeter. He has a pretty nice stroke and gets his mid-range shot off quickly. Not convinced he’ll bang with Moses, Thompson and the like but only because I don’t see much of that here.

Against the Zone, a guy like Hundal will be able to score against the smaller defenders on the outside. Otherwise facing a Man defense, he draws the big defenders away from the basket. Questions are while doing this is he a defensive liability, what is his transition game like, and can he find the open guy with a pass? He definitely has upside and would give the Rockets another Offensive weapon.

(03-26-2018 11:57 AM)bcunn3128 Wrote:  

(03-26-2018 10:07 AM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  

(03-26-2018 05:50 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  I swear, highlight films make me crazy. One I saw makes it look like he can’t shoot, but dunks everything. The next one makes him look like a pure spot-up three shooter who stays on the perimeter. He has a pretty nice stroke and gets his mid-range shot off quickly. Not convinced he’ll bang with Moses, Thompson and the like but only because I don’t see much of that here.

Against the Zone, a guy like Hundal will be able to score against the smaller defenders on the outside. Otherwise facing a Man defense, he draws the big defenders away from the basket. Questions are while doing this is he a defensive liability, what is his transition game like, and can he find the open guy with a pass? He definitely has upside and would give the Rockets another Offensive weapon.

I agree. In particular, I think it would create some match-up problems for other MAC teams if he & Knapke were on the floor together, with Hundal at the low post. Knapke likes to play at the high post--has a nice outside shot and is a capable passer from the post.

I do still think we need a "big" body on this team, someone who can play straight-up against a guy like Moses, Thompson IV, De La Rosa...however, this late in the recruiting game, it may not be a likely get, so even though Hundal may not be "that" guy, I am intrigued. Seems like a rebounding machine, and I believe he averaged more than 2 blocks a game, so he has those instincts.

If he adds value (and I think he does), then you find a way to get him here if he wants to sign with us. I'd certainly prefer not to lose Saunders (looks like a high energy, fun player); and while I'm not as excited about TJ Smith, I also don't think it's cool to offer a guy & then pull the rug out after he verbals (if a recruit chooses a different path after verbaling, I still don't it's cool but at least that's of his choice). So, I guess to have what I want, someone else has to transfer.