Recruiting Update

[hoopmanx]

What would be a disaster? It gives us spacing for bigs and the only person who cares about ship reductions is you. We're fine, even if we don't get a few back. If we add one more, we're only at 11 for next year.

[Stallion]

Rebel said: If any of the incoming bigs have to redshirt due to NCAA eligibility issues that would not be the worst thing.
-------
No we aren't fine, at least right now, with just one real big next year-presumably Froling. Just like we weren't fine this year playing with 7 like you ridiculously claimed when Frazier quit. We ran out of gas and had to play cautiously because of a short bench. We got lucky due to no major injuries yet we were only 7-5 down the stretch. We could get by at the other positions if somebody went down but not inside. Ben Moore's best contribution to the team is not as a true Big. We would get killed inside plus with no good alternatives if any of our big men got in foul trouble or got injured. Plus, there's no guarantee that either Kapita or Froling transition to college basketball well as freshman. Having both gives us more margin for error. Some don't-see Frazier, see Semi who were Top 50 Players

Now if we also sign Fernando and he's eligible then that might change the equation-but not the fact we need two at minimum new real bigs next year

Finally, I was always clearly on the side saying we could maintain the program and survive the scholarship limitations which was a major reason I thought we should accept the sanctions and move on to avoid further hits from possible transfers and recruiting.

[hoopmanx]

None of that makes any sense. How was it ridiculous for me to claim we were dead in the water w/just 7 players? We were and it played out. I definitively said eat the season before bringing Frazier back. Also, we have 4 bigs next year w Semi/Moore/kapita/Froling even Jarrey on occasion. That's plenty fine. Your assertion that Moore,, based on 3 seasons of play, isn't a college big is beyond inane. His handle is solid for a big, not a wing. we've never even seen the kid shoot from beyond 15 ft, much less depend on him facing. He can straight line drive a little, and high low dish, but that's a far cry from facing at distance and making good entries.

Another big is a luxury not a necessity. Who the hell is going to kill us inside, Stallion? This isn't the 1970s and 80s. It's hard to find one kid per team that can play over their shoulders, much
less two.. The roster could use another change of pace ball handler, otherwise best available. Locking Bruno in, getting him on campus, if just as a redshirt, helps immensely in 17

[Cort]

jarrey will not play the 4. we are in trouble if he does

[hoopmanx]

jarrey will not play the 4. we are in trouble if he does

He played it some this year defensively, if only as a stop-gap, but was decently effective.

[Cort]

I'm not so sure I saw him play the 4 much at all. Maybe when we were down to 6 in the cincy game. They can move sterling down to the 4 if needed. they have 5 guys they can play between those two spots next year, I wouldn't think of jarrey as one of them

[hoopmanx]

Nobody thinks of Jarrey as one of them, but he proved capable guarding 4s on occasion this year, and it wasn't just vs Cincy, see Gonzaga and a few others. He's our best defender, super scrappy and boards. He's a legit stop gap. I get our depth, just making the point that we don't really need another big in '16, unless it's Bruno or Pinder. Given their academic situations, both provide spacing

[gostangs]

i agree with everything you have said Hoop - but i don't think Larry is thinking about spacing. I think LB wants to round house the NCAA in the jaw next year - and he knows it would greatly help him to have more post depth - you never know about injury or academic issues that pop up during the year.

I agree if you were going to pinpoint a need it would be point depth - and overall toughness/meaness.

[Rebel10]

Now if we also sign Fernando and he's eligible then that might change the equation-but not the fact we need two at minimum new real bigs next year

To clarify, I was more referring to if we got Fernando.

[hoopmanx]

I agree, gostangs, but I don't see how you can bring all 3 bigs in 16 and keep everyone happy. Seems like attrition would be a give. If you get Bruno, you want him happy, if the younger Angolans are part of future roster planning.

[SMUstangs22]

I agree, gostangs, but I don't see how you can bring all 3 bigs in 16 and keep everyone happy. Seems like attrition would be a give. If you get Bruno, you want him happy, if the younger Angolans are part of future roster planning.

Interesting I hadnt even considered how his happiness would affect future recruiting.

My how far we have come. We are concerned IF we could.keep a top 100 center happy with enough playing time.

[fmced]

What's the level of certainty that Kapita makes it to campus in the fall? As an SMU fan I'm especially gun shy about high-profile recruits with academic red flags. They seem to not make it to campus or else transfer away.

a) I think the prep year kapita took almost certainly helped him from an academic side b) SMU has dedicated even more resources to academic counseling since the time KF enrolled and will certainly be much more on top of Kapita's situation c) Kapita likely has a good attitude towards making the grades as he already suffered some negative consequences.

Your AD has told some that Kapita will not be eligble

[smupony94]

What's the level of certainty that Kapita makes it to campus in the fall? As an SMU fan I'm especially gun shy about high-profile recruits with academic red flags. They seem to not make it to campus or else transfer away.

a) I think the prep year kapita took almost certainly helped him from an academic side b) SMU has dedicated even more resources to academic counseling since the time KF enrolled and will certainly be much more on top of Kapita's situation c) Kapita likely has a good attitude towards making the grades as he already suffered some negative consequences.

Your AD has told some that Kapita will not be eligble

Been mentioned several times on this board he is a likely candidate for an academic redshirt

[ojaipony]

If Kapita can't go, we need another big if we are to make a deep run this year IMHO. And that's unfortunate because I really think we need a scrappy point guard, with rock solid handles and speed, more.

[JasonB]

Ben, Tolbert and MK were all a 4 this season. Not having a true 5 hurt us as the season went along. I'm happy we have Froling, but we need another 5. Semi and Ben can play the 4. Kapita isn't critical for next year for that reason. Bruno gives us the length we need defensively. We missed that length when we needed stops at the end of the game this season - Tulsa, for example.