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Post by Commissioner on Sept 21, 2017 20:49:36 GMT -5
Yes, because so far only 9 Michigan high school kids in the class of 2018 have signed with Big 10 programs. Armstrong has been terribly mishandled. He's hardly played high school ball because he keeps transferring (leaving the state once before) and didn't play in very competitive AAU team. He's still a top recruit but I sense his stock is dropping. This may be an effort to boost it back up, but maybe what he really needs to do is stay put and play.
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Post by motorcitysam on Sept 22, 2017 2:28:20 GMT -5
Yes, because so far only 9 Michigan high school kids in the class of 2018 have signed with Big 10 programs. Armstrong has been terribly mishandled. He's hardly played high school ball because he keeps transferring (leaving the state once before) and didn't play in very competitive AAU team. He's still a top recruit but I sense his stock is dropping. This may be an effort to boost it back up, but maybe what he really needs to do is stay put and play. I always say, there are 7 D1 basketball programs in Michigan. If you can play, you will be noticed. The only thing you have to do is actually play. The idea that you need to leave the state to "get exposure" is false. I don't know much about Bella Vista Prep, so I don't know what their facilities and coaching are like, but we've all watched that prep school move backfire or have no significant impact for a lot of players. Hopefully, things work out for Armstrong. I have no idea what Dozier is thinking. He's a 5-8 guard who is an established player at one of the top programs in the State ( a program that has been pumping out D1 players) and he's willing to move out West to play for a new coach, in a new program. I guess we'll see how it works out.
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Post by Commissioner on Sept 25, 2017 6:27:45 GMT -5
Drawing the final curtain on Detroit's Class of "17 recruiting efforts, a player of early interest to the Titans was Anthony Johnson of Detroit Southeastern, a 6-5 forward. Johnson was third team All-PSL as a sophomore and per reports already drawing heavy mid-major and some high major interest when he decided to leave for Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Arizona. And, as an old tale might end, "he was never heard from again." He played sparingly for Hillcrest in 2015-2016 and did not play for Hillcrest in 2016-17. I can't find that he surfaced anywhere else or has surfaced on a college roster. Because of his common name, he's a bit hard to track down, so if anybody has any knowledge let us know.
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Post by Commissioner on Jun 7, 2018 14:15:56 GMT -5
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Post by motorcitysam on Jun 7, 2018 15:42:54 GMT -5
Just read that Harlond Beverly is going to prep at Montverde Academy. Apparently the offers from Louisville and Xavier, along with visits to both, aren't satisfactory for whoever is making decisions on the kid's future.
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Post by motorcitysam on Jun 7, 2018 15:49:09 GMT -5
I don't remember much about Mr. Washington's recruitment, but seems like he got that Ohio State offer prior to the season at his prep school, so it's hard to think that the move was why he got the scholarship offer. However, he seems to have enjoyed his time out West and it certainly didn't hurt him, so I am happy for him.
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Post by motorcitysam on Aug 9, 2018 11:34:22 GMT -5
Wendell Green, Jr., class of 2020 guard from Country Day, is transferring to La Lumiere in Indiana.
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Post by titantarheel on Aug 9, 2018 14:06:00 GMT -5
Wendell Green, Jr., class of 2020 guard from Country Day, is transferring to La Lumiere in Indiana. I'll admit I don't fully understand why the top talented guys leave Michigan to play high school ball. I recently saw a twitter post, that Rashad Phillips liked, that referred to the MHSAA and it's policies needing to change. I guess I just don't know what those policies could be that makes kids feel they need to head out of state. But this has been happening, en masse, seemingly for 5-10 years now.
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Post by Commissioner on Aug 9, 2018 14:43:37 GMT -5
Wendell Green, Jr., class of 2020 guard from Country Day, is transferring to La Lumiere in Indiana. I'll admit I don't fully understand why the top talented guys leave Michigan to play high school ball. I recently saw a twitter post, that Rashad Phillips liked, that referred to the MHSAA and it's policies needing to change. I guess I just don't know what those policies could be that makes kids feel they need to head out of state. But this has been happening, en masse, seemingly for 5-10 years now. I don't know all the policies but Michigan allows fewer games than some states; more importantly, it has tighter restrictions on travel, making it harder for top athletes to play other top athletes. Sam and I have often posted here on very few, if any, of these guys who leave the state actually improve their position. A growing number, like Al Eichelberger and Trevor Manuel, eventually come back, having damaged their recruitment in the interim. The best players, like Josh Jackson, are going to get offers regardless. Jackson had all the top offers before he left Michigan. Maybe he matured as a player a bit more than he would have staying home, but I'm pretty skeptical. Meanwhile, if they pick a legit place like Lumiere, they get great facilities and coaching. But they also spend the time playing in empty gymnasiums with no interest at all except from assistant coaches. (OK, OK, this sounds like good prep for the Horizon League, but it's much worse than the HL. They typically play in literally empty gyms save for college scouts and their own coaches). They miss out on family and friends and high school memories (for some that's a good thing, too, I guess). I don't get it. Or maybe I do. You're hoping for a pro career that will make you a multi-millionaire, but that is fiercely competitive. You need every advantage you can get. What if this--going out of state--is that advantage? Do you take that risk? It can rarely if ever be proven that it hurt someone's chances (just as it's very hard to prove it helped). Even if you realize the pros are unlikely, that scholarship could be worth $100K or more over 4 years--often a lot more. Sometimes it takes a great deal of confidence to stay home. Having said that, Green would seem like the kind of player most likely to benefit--maybe. His only offers now are from Horizon and MAC schools, all within 100 miles of Detroit. Michigan, Purdue, Xavier, etc--they've looked, but that's all. Maybe they're telling him he needs to improve certain things. The problem, of course, is that at star-studded Lumiere (surely Green knows he's not the only prospect attending) it may be hard to get the playing time needed to really improve.
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Post by motorcitysam on Aug 16, 2018 18:28:59 GMT -5
I'll admit I don't fully understand why the top talented guys leave Michigan to play high school ball. I recently saw a twitter post, that Rashad Phillips liked, that referred to the MHSAA and it's policies needing to change. I guess I just don't know what those policies could be that makes kids feel they need to head out of state. But this has been happening, en masse, seemingly for 5-10 years now. I don't know all the policies but Michigan allows fewer games than some states; more importantly, it has tighter restrictions on travel, making it harder for top athletes to play other top athletes. Sam and I have often posted here on very few, if any, of these guys who leave the state actually improve their position. A growing number, like Al Eichelberger and Trevor Manuel, eventually come back, having damaged their recruitment in the interim. The best players, like Josh Jackson, are going to get offers regardless. Jackson had all the top offers before he left Michigan. Maybe he matured as a player a bit more than he would have staying home, but I'm pretty skeptical. Meanwhile, if they pick a legit place like Lumiere, they get great facilities and coaching. But they also spend the time playing in empty gymnasiums with no interest at all except from assistant coaches. (OK, OK, this sounds like good prep for the Horizon League, but it's much worse than the HL. They typically play in literally empty gyms save for college scouts and their own coaches). They miss out on family and friends and high school memories (for some that's a good thing, too, I guess).
I don't get it. Or maybe I do. You're hoping for a pro career that will make you a multi-millionaire, but that is fiercely competitive. You need every advantage you can get. What if this--going out of state--is that advantage? Do you take that risk? It can rarely if ever be proven that it hurt someone's chances (just as it's very hard to prove it helped). Even if you realize the pros are unlikely, that scholarship could be worth $100K or more over 4 years--often a lot more. Sometimes it takes a great deal of confidence to stay home. Having said that, Green would seem like the kind of player most likely to benefit--maybe. His only offers now are from Horizon and MAC schools, all within 100 miles of Detroit. Michigan, Purdue, Xavier, etc--they've looked, but that's all. Maybe they're telling him he needs to improve certain things. The problem, of course, is that at star-studded Lumiere (surely Green knows he's not the only prospect attending) it may be hard to get the playing time needed to really improve. That "empty gym" thing stands out with me. I guess you can't miss what you never had, but I would imagine that a guy like Cassius Winston wouldn't trade his experience in high school for anything. Big crowds, a state title, connection with the school and your hometown. And last year he was the starting point guard for the Big Ten champion, so I wouldn't say he missed out on anything by not heading West to Prolific Prep or South to IMG Academy. The point about increased competition is a legit one, also. Trevor Manuel was a four star recruit with high major offers in Lansing. He went South to one of the basketball academies and got lost in the shuffle of a star studded roster. He wasn't even on the travel team. To his credit, he came back home for his senior year and managed to get recruited by Oregon, but somewhere along the way things fell off and he is about to start his one full college season at D3 Olivet. Would his career had turned out differently had he stuck with the coaches and teammates who were supporting and developing him in Lansing? Hard to say. But that prep move did him no favors.
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Post by Commissioner on Oct 4, 2018 23:38:21 GMT -5
Brian Bowen Sr. testified today that La Lumiere paid $2000 per month to have Brian, Jr. attend.
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Post by titantarheel on Oct 5, 2018 10:26:46 GMT -5
Ahhh, but we've been told its because of the MHSAA rules that are so restrictive that makes kids go to Lumiere or other prep schools like them, so surely the money didn't really influence any decision on that front.
And lets be honest and blame the parents/handlers etc. Its not in the long term interests of these 16 and 17 year old kids to shuttle themselves all around the country as high school free agents, for a host of reasons. But with so much money sloshing around pro basketball, and that trickling down in college, aau and prep ball its quite predictable that money will make people do the imperfect thing.
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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 5, 2018 14:19:58 GMT -5
Surprising to hear about La Lu paying bribes to parents. They aren't one of those pop up basketball factories that have become popular in recent years. La Lumiere has a long and proud academic tradition, and there basketball program has been strong for a long time. If they are paying for players, I imagine the pop ups like Prolific Prep and 22 Feet Academy are probably paying, too.
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Post by Commissioner on Oct 5, 2018 15:30:46 GMT -5
Surprising to hear about La Lu paying bribes to parents. They aren't one of those pop up basketball factories that have become popular in recent years. La Lumiere has a long and proud academic tradition, and there basketball program has been strong for a long time. If they are paying for players, I imagine the pop ups like Prolific Prep and 22 Feet Academy are probably paying, too. To be precise, Bowen, Sr. testified that the Coach was paying the bribes. It may not involve "school" at all--and that's if it's true. Not sure why Bowen would lie about this, but he doesn't seem all that trustworthy either, does he?
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Post by motorcitysam on Oct 5, 2018 16:14:01 GMT -5
Surprising to hear about La Lu paying bribes to parents. They aren't one of those pop up basketball factories that have become popular in recent years. La Lumiere has a long and proud academic tradition, and there basketball program has been strong for a long time. If they are paying for players, I imagine the pop ups like Prolific Prep and 22 Feet Academy are probably paying, too. To be precise, Bowen, Sr. testified that the Coach was paying the bribes. It may not involve "school" at all--and that's if it's true. Not sure why Bowen would lie about this, but he doesn't seem all that trustworthy either, does he? True. Although part of me feels like it would be hard for the coach to do that without the school at least turning a willful blind eye. I guess the school's defense would be the money was coming from a shoe company to the coach and the coach using that money to get players. Sleazy, any way you look at it.
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