Thread: 2013 Recruits

This is not good. Uconn has perhaps the craziest 2 weeks in its history Germany, get ready for Vermont, then off to the Virgin Islands. I hope that Uconn doesn't mind Olllie making long distance calls, because he should be on the phone everyday with Austin. He would be a great addition next year and our last hope at a top 100 recruit. Uconn should go all in and focus on getting this guy. Ollie needs to show hime that he's his coach and convince him that the contract extension is a sure thing after the MSU victory. Otherwise, I'm really looking forward to the 2014 class!

Ollie should sell Austin on Uconn's long history of playing 2 point gaurds together: Ollie and Sheffer, Moore and El-amin, Price and Walker, Walker and Napier, and now Napier and Boatright, allowing the PG to play off the ball and switching up the player running the point. Uconn has also played Allen, Hamilton, Lamb and others at the wing in a 3 guard allignment to accomodate the two point gaurds Uconn loves. This is a huge selling point to a guy like Austin that can play either guard position or a point forward position at small forward.

Hearing cooley is putting some serious real time into austin. Like ledo and dune, we could lose to pc again

Originally Posted by husky99

Hearing cooley is putting some serious real time into austin. Like ledo and dune, we could lose to pc again

Well when we were recruiting Dunn and Ledo we just fell off of both them, so the situation is a bit different now. Hopefully Austin makes the best choice

Originally Posted by Ozzie33

It is just US and PC that he is down to. I mean to me it is a no brainer that Austin picks us..... BUT if not see my previous post!

Numerical chances we land Austin? I mean I would think out of the two programs UConn makes more sense. At least RJ Evans will be gone so there's a spot for him to play some at the 2, and his size will allow him to play at the 3 as well if we want to go smaller.

Members of the staff were in Springfield, MA today and DC

Im thinking small chance at Austin and bell will be at tiger or a duck by tomorrow.theres a good chance we could just wait till next year maybe. I wish we'd pick up a decent center.

Originally Posted by chevtheman

Members of the staff were in Springfield, MA today and DC

How is in MA and or DC? Austin is from phil correct

Jordan Bell will be off the board tomorrow... Im betting Oregon with Auburn right behind.

Is there anyone eles were looking at for this class besides Austin that we have A shot at landing?

Originally Posted by Jaybo

Is there anyone eles were looking at for this class besides Austin that we have A shot at landing?

Committed
PF/C- Kentan Facey (Long Island Lutheran, NY)
PG- Terrence Samuel (South Shore, NY)

2013 Targets
SG/SF- Brandon Austin
PG- Rysheed Jordan
C- Amida Brimah
C- Sidy Djitte
C- Fallou Ndoye
PF/C- Gavin Schilling

Originally Posted by Jaybo

Is there anyone eles were looking at for this class besides Austin that we have A shot at landing?

Committed
PF/C- Kentan Facey (Long Island Lutheran, NY)
PG- Terrence Samuel (South Shore, NY)

2013 Targets
SG/SF- Brandon Austin
PG- Rysheed Jordan
C- Amida Brimah
C- Sidy Djitte
C- Fallou Ndoye
PF/C- Gavin Schilling

Thanks hadn't seen your up dated list good to see some centers on there.

Bell sure is taken his time today,any news yet?

Originally Posted by Jaybo

Bell sure is taken his time today,any news yet?

He is choosing at 3pm Pacific Time, so 6pm Eastern time. 10 more min.

Originally Posted by Jaybo

Bell sure is taken his time today,any news yet?

Dam west coast kids

We can cross off Fallou Ndoye from the updated list he chose Miss St. Hurting for big guys in 2013 class!

Bell to Oregon no surprise there

Hope austin comes aboard

So austin, what is the scoop???srarting to hear pc

Originally Posted by husky99

So austin, what is the scoop???srarting to hear pc

That's what I'm thinking to untill I hear it from Austin he's comeing to uconn.

Joey, thanks for the update on the bigs. UConn fans would be in the dark without that.

I also want to remind everyone that while Austin would be a nice get, he'd be far from the best prospect available to ever turn us down. And this isn't the worst time either. Do we need Austin now as bad as we need Josh Shelby, Brandon Knight or Corey Joseph? NO!!!

We need bigs and will be fine with guards until next year. Shabazz will be a senior, supposedly Boatright will be gone and I think Omar Calhoun is good; but will definitely improve his game and draft stock by coming back without freshman jitters. We'll have Terrance Samuel and he's no slouch.

As for bigs, we are thinnnnnn. Nolan needs experience and weight training. Olander will still be here as senior and we'll still have wolf too. I'm not sure what we'll get from tolksdof(??). BUt the point there is that there's no answers or exciting names. We may not find either of those in the 2013 class at this point but we can find an under the radar guy with good potential. Ollie has to have learned what heart and determination on the court looks like with players like Kemba, Shabazz and Boatright showing so much heart and dedication. Hopefully we can find a big with that quality too.

I wanted to ask both Joey and Ozzie to address something out of David Borges's blog. It's the only downside I can see to having KO stay head coach at UConn. And that's the whole AAU aspect of recruiting and how Borges explained that it hurts UConn that the staff has no connections with AAU coaches.
-----Could you guys speak on if Borges is correct in his article that we lack in that department and how serious those connections are in recruiting? I honestly want someone to tell me its good but unnecessary but i have a feeling its borderline good and necessary to have those connections as a head coach. I would never expect Ollie to have them with only 2 years of coaching but I'd hope he could somewhat pick up the connections coach Calhoun has made.

Originally Posted by Tonyf629

Joey, thanks for the update on the bigs. UConn fans would be in the dark without that.

I also want to remind everyone that while Austin would be a nice get, he'd be far from the best prospect available to ever turn us down. And this isn't the worst time either. Do we need Austin now as bad as we need Josh Shelby, Brandon Knight or Corey Joseph? NO!!!

We need bigs and will be fine with guards until next year. Shabazz will be a senior, supposedly Boatright will be gone and I think Omar Calhoun is good; but will definitely improve his game and draft stock by coming back without freshman jitters. We'll have Terrance Samuel and he's no slouch.

As for bigs, we are thinnnnnn. Nolan needs experience and weight training. Olander will still be here as senior and we'll still have wolf too. I'm not sure what we'll get from tolksdof(??). BUt the point there is that there's no answers or exciting names. We may not find either of those in the 2013 class at this point but we can find an under the radar guy with good potential. Ollie has to have learned what heart and determination on the court looks like with players like Kemba, Shabazz and Boatright showing so much heart and dedication. Hopefully we can find a big with that quality too.

I wanted to ask both Joey and Ozzie to address something out of David Borges's blog. It's the only downside I can see to having KO stay head coach at UConn. And that's the whole AAU aspect of recruiting and how Borges explained that it hurts UConn that the staff has no connections with AAU coaches.
-----Could you guys speak on if Borges is correct in his article that we lack in that department and how serious those connections are in recruiting? I honestly want someone to tell me its good but unnecessary but i have a feeling its borderline good and necessary to have those connections as a head coach. I would never expect Ollie to have them with only 2 years of coaching but I'd hope he could somewhat pick up the connections coach Calhoun has made.

Tony I know that have enough AAU connects. You have to remember Karl Hobbs has been in this game for awhile. That article did confuse me as well.

Brandon Austin recently said on twitter and in a few reports that he wants to play the point. I think that hurts our chances with Terrance Samuel on board.

Speaking of Terrance, I noticed that out new recruiting targets list has Rysheed Jordan on it. I was wondering if anyone has an idea of our chances with him? I think were too late but I have no inside knowledge. I also don't think him and Terrance get along after this came out. ----- Rhysheed Jordan BREAKS defender with a NASTY CROSSOVER and nails the three!!!!!!! - YouTube

(PS--Joey and Ozzie, I hate "calling you guys out" in a way by putting questions out there like whats going on with Rysheed Jordan. I hope you guys know that i'm asking you guys to answer if you feel like doing so. No pressure. You guys don't owe any of us on demand recruiting answers.)

It doesn't hurt more than PC having a 5 star guard in Dunn, and whoever else guards they have. Samuel wouldn't be more productive in their depth chart than Austin, and Austin already came out saying he wouldn't mind playing the Wing. Was talking to people in his camp on Monday and it's a very close race. Any beat writer telling you that Team A is in driver's seat is BS, but what was told, BA would have signed at his official visit if Ollie contract was long term. This was mentioned to me numerous times.

Rhysheed not liking him because he's embarrassed him couldn't be further from the truth. I know if I had to chose between him or Samuel, I'm taking Sheed 10 out 10 times. The issue is he really wants to play with BA, but BA doesn't really care. They both want to play the same position, and UConn just signed Samuel. Boat and Bazz would have the leave in order for that to work.

Clearly because of Austin's size he will work with the current surplus of guards in more of a wing role, particularly at the 2 or 3. I'm sure if it's necessary he might see time at point, but that would most likely be only in place because of injury or Boat/Bazz leaving after the season. I honestly think UConn is the better fit because Austin would come in as the best recruit of the UConn 2013 class and could earn some minutes and get some attention (somewhat like Omar Calhoun now, though Calhoun is a better recruit) right away.

Having Austin would be great and would make us a lot better, but we desperately need some big men to come in to the program as well. I'm happy to see an athlete like Kentan Facey on the squad, especially with his enthusiasm of committing earlier this year. We could really use one more center type guy to go along with Olander, Nolan, and Facey next year. Much scarier front court with improvement by Olander and Nolan and with fresh youngbloods like Facey and someone else.

Don't know how legit this is, but I'm not liking what I'm hearing about Facey. St. John's is in his ear, trying to make him decommitt. He doesn't trust the Ollie contract situation, and they are selling this. Don't know how much of this is correct, but I'm relaying the message. I was told in the past Facey commit might be shaky, but I viewed it as St. John's connects hating. As of today, he still haven't been responsive to the beat writers, and Samuel is clueless.

Read Austin will be announcing soon. Any word or comments from those in the know?

Ive heard all three different schools but ultimately he should end up signing with PC or UConn

I'll flip if we lose the Facey commit

I will be SHOCKED if we lose Facey!!


As far as Austin I have been worried the last couple days.... dude is adamant about playing the 1!

But I do love our depth chart......(lack there of)

Dom A'more is reporting Austin to Providence. Can't wait till 2014. Beating New Mexico would go a long way to shoring up Ollie's contract.