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With zero HS recruits or likely prospects right now, I'll take a project big with some upside.

(03-04-2021 04:39 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  With zero HS recruits or likely prospects right now, I'll take a project big with some upside.

Not trying to derail the thread but i get a lot of my recruiting info from Twitter, which has been fairly reliable over the years, and the two observations i have are that: 1) most of the recruiting news out there has been largely about fb, in general; and 2) there isn't much bball recruiting info out there at all, not just Cincy but everyone. i'm not claiming to be connected at all (i get my info from twitter for eff's sake) but i just don't see a ton of schools out there killing it on the recruiting trail.

(03-04-2021 06:49 PM)eroc Wrote:  

(03-04-2021 04:39 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  With zero HS recruits or likely prospects right now, I'll take a project big with some upside.

Not trying to derail the thread but i get a lot of my recruiting info from Twitter, which has been fairly reliable over the years, and the two observations i have are that: 1) most of the recruiting news out there has been largely about fb, in general; and 2) there isn't much bball recruiting info out there at all, not just Cincy but everyone. i'm not claiming to be connected at all (i get my info from twitter for eff's sake) but i just don't see a ton of schools out there killing it on the recruiting trail.

What gives anyone any confidence that Brannen has the recruiting ability or connections to bring in anyone worthwhile?

(03-04-2021 09:14 PM)chatcat Wrote:  

(03-04-2021 06:49 PM)eroc Wrote:  

(03-04-2021 04:39 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  With zero HS recruits or likely prospects right now, I'll take a project big with some upside.

Not trying to derail the thread but i get a lot of my recruiting info from Twitter, which has been fairly reliable over the years, and the two observations i have are that: 1) most of the recruiting news out there has been largely about fb, in general; and 2) there isn't much bball recruiting info out there at all, not just Cincy but everyone. i'm not claiming to be connected at all (i get my info from twitter for eff's sake) but i just don't see a ton of schools out there killing it on the recruiting trail.

What gives anyone any confidence that Brannen has the recruiting ability or connections to bring in anyone worthwhile?

Everything he's done prior to this season. I don't overreact and hang a coach's future on every individual win and loss.

I view recruiting this year as the transfer lottery. UC has lots of tickets, will they hit the jackpot or come up with a few small prizes.

I'd be surprised if we're not involved on this transfer, but i'm sure quite a few will be. I think NKU may have recruited him out of high school.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket...son-battle

https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/...8903419912

(03-08-2021 02:36 PM)dsquare Wrote:  I'd be surprised if we're not involved on this transfer, but i'm sure quite a few will be. I think NKU may have recruited him out of high school.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket...son-battle

https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/...8903419912

Don't we already have that guy on our roster?

I hope we expend most of our resources on rebounding/rim defense.

(03-08-2021 02:36 PM)dsquare Wrote:  I'd be surprised if we're not involved on this transfer, but i'm sure quite a few will be. I think NKU may have recruited him out of high school.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket...son-battle

https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/...8903419912

Would definitely be happy to take on someone who averaged 17 points per game in the A-10. High volume 3-point shooter and seems to move well without the basketball. Doesn't look terribly athletic though. Offensively, looks like he would play a role similar to Davenport. Haven't seen him play defense -- just offensive highlights.

(03-08-2021 03:26 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 02:36 PM)dsquare Wrote:  I'd be surprised if we're not involved on this transfer, but i'm sure quite a few will be. I think NKU may have recruited him out of high school.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket...son-battle

https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/...8903419912

Don't we already have that guy on our roster?

I hope we expend most of our resources on rebounding/rim defense.

Yeah, a rim-protecting 5 is definitely our biggest need. We'll need at least one wing who can come in and contribute though. Would prefer someone who is more of a ball handler than Battle, but I'll take someone who has played in the Atlantic 10 for 2 years over someone from the OVC or Horizon League. I do think we run the risk of bringing in guys with similar skill sets/levels to what we have, creating a log jam in terms of playing time. I prefer transfers who either have realistic expectations of playing time, or guys who are true difference makers. Battle might be a weird in-between, but if he's a plus level defender, he could be a real difference maker.

(03-08-2021 03:33 PM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 03:26 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 02:36 PM)dsquare Wrote:  I'd be surprised if we're not involved on this transfer, but i'm sure quite a few will be. I think NKU may have recruited him out of high school.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket...son-battle

https://twitter.com/jeffborzello/status/...8903419912

Don't we already have that guy on our roster?

I hope we expend most of our resources on rebounding/rim defense.

Yeah, a rim-protecting 5 is definitely our biggest need. We'll need at least one wing who can come in and contribute though. Would prefer someone who is more of a ball handler than Battle, but I'll take someone who has played in the Atlantic 10 for 2 years over someone from the OVC or Horizon League. I do think we run the risk of bringing in guys with similar skill sets/levels to what we have, creating a log jam in terms of playing time. I prefer transfers who either have realistic expectations of playing time, or guys who are true difference makers. Battle might be a weird in-between, but if he's a plus level defender, he could be a real difference maker.

Yeah...I'm thinking we need to look more at the 4/5 market than wings. I've heard nothing saying that G. Madsen or DeJulius AREN'T coming back, and we have MAW as a starting 2, M.Madsen and Saunders as guard support (potentially Harvey if he decides to come back), and Davenport and Eason as more wing-types. To me, we probably need 3 guys who can walk in and contribute as centers or rebounding forwards, and shouldn't expend as many resources on guys who are going to play on the wing where we've got a decent stable moving forward and would likely destabilize what's going on there. Having a defense first 4/5 and an athletic rebounder type would help fill A LOT of holes for this team...I don't think the perimeter is a hole we've really got to worry about.

Just looked up Jamison Battle's defensive efficiency numbers, and they're awful. Worse than anyone who has been in our rotation this season. I'll pass. I would like to find some 3-ponit shooting, but not at the expense of terrible defense.

Need a an alpha on the wing more than anything else. Next need is rim protection at the 5. After that depth in the post and defense oriented wings.

(03-08-2021 03:56 PM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  Need a an alpha on the wing more than anything else. Next need is rim protection at the 5. After that depth in the post and defense oriented wings.

If you watched any games this year and don't think interior defense and rebounding are this team's biggest deficiencies...I don't know what to tell you.

On the wing we have got 5 guys coming back who have the potential to drop 20 points in a game...there aren't a ton of teams who can say that, and when you have that, an "alpha" isn't necessary (even though I think Davenport is turning into that VERY quickly).

There are not likely to be a surplus of 4/5's in that portal.

(03-08-2021 04:07 PM)dsquare Wrote:  There are not likely to be a surplus of 4/5's in that portal.

Therein lies the general problem with relying on the portal. Our only hope is that there are some guys floating out there that we aren't committed as high school seniors...or else next year is going to be rough and we'll be looking for a new coach.

(03-08-2021 03:44 PM)robertfoshizzle Wrote:  Just looked up Jamison Battle's defensive efficiency numbers, and they're awful. Worse than anyone who has been in our rotation this season. I'll pass. I would like to find some 3-ponit shooting, but not at the expense of terrible defense.

I actually think three point shooting between Davenport and the Madsens (assuming Gabe also translates his 40%-shooting percentage in high school to college like Mason did) is pretty set.

But I wholeheartedly agree on those defensive numbers. Maybe it's the fact that the lower levels don't play defense all that well but if they're gonna add a wing or a 5, one of his top skill sets has to be defense.

(03-08-2021 04:08 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 04:07 PM)dsquare Wrote:  There are not likely to be a surplus of 4/5's in that portal.

Therein lies the general problem with relying on the portal. Our only hope is that there are some guys floating out there that we aren't committed as high school seniors...or else next year is going to be rough and we'll be looking for a new coach.

I think it's still early. Last year it looks like there were 35-40 Centers and 60-65 Power Forwards in the portal, according to 247 Sports. Everyone in college basketball believes the overall number will rise above the 600-700 transfers that we see in a normal cycle, thereby increasing the number of 4's and 5's on the market.

I’ve read that the number could climb to as many as 1500 in the portal. Which is nuts.

If it were only the 350 or so D1 programs, 1500 would equate to 1/3 of all 13 man rosters.

Going to be a lot of guys left standing without a chair when the music stops...same for a lot of HS seniors on the radar of small programs when you mix in the seniors who get an extra year...lots of teams won’t be finalizing rosters until the end of the summer.

(03-08-2021 04:08 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 04:07 PM)dsquare Wrote:  There are not likely to be a surplus of 4/5's in that portal.

Therein lies the general problem with relying on the portal. Our only hope is that there are some guys floating out there that we aren't committed as high school seniors...or else next year is going to be rough and we'll be looking for a new coach.

Some of the east coast reports note a couple late bloomers that are not rated that we are apparently after. Seem to be in the tall skinny guys who can fill it up from behind the arc mold.

We really need at least one athletic knuckle dragger with a bad attitude to patrol the lane.

(03-08-2021 05:28 PM)rath v2.0 Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 04:08 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-08-2021 04:07 PM)dsquare Wrote:  There are not likely to be a surplus of 4/5's in that portal.

Therein lies the general problem with relying on the portal. Our only hope is that there are some guys floating out there that we aren't committed as high school seniors...or else next year is going to be rough and we'll be looking for a new coach.

Some of the east coast reports note a couple late bloomers that are not rated that we are apparently after. Seem to be in the tall skinny guys who can fill it up from behind the arc mold.

We really need at least one athletic knuckle dragger with a bad attitude to patrol the lane.

Yeah...one enforcer would do a lot for this team. As far as rebounding is concerned, I think Eason could be a very good secondary rebounder for the team, we just need to work on getting another big to pair with him so he's not isolated at Center, a position he clearly isn't natural at.