Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=689846 Here's a great report on 2009 commitment, Tommy Mason Griffin, who plays on the stacked Houston Hoops AAU team, which recently won a summer AAU tourney. Throughout the tourney, he was able to score points and dish the rock. I'm liking it... it appears that TMG has been hurt a little this spring, but as he's getting healthier, he's showing a strong point guard game. So far, there's no apparent synergies recruiting the other Houston guys playing with TMG, although we are in contact with guys like Keith Gallon, the 6'8" BIG man who is moving to Oak Hill. There was also interest from Jeremy Green, a 6-4 Austin SG, but he recently committed to Stanford. :geauxtige :bball: LSU IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL. BE A FAN.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) Tommy Mason-Griffin article. http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/8484267.html?showAll=y&c=y Great news. There's more on TMG and on LSU recruit Keith Gallon in the article.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) Wow... the wing span. Gallon would be a very intriguing pick up and I hope TMG and him are buds. The problem is KG is moving to Oak Hill this fall, and then, he becomes a ACC target. Right now he's listing SW schools, but I wouldn't be surprised if he starts looking at the east coast schools once he's in basketball country.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) 5 star Karron Johnson lists us as his only high interest school, and says we offered him. http://lsu.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=53822 But wasn't he expelled with James Tyler? If he was, that's pretty hippocritical or redundant or whatever the hell those words are. Forget James Tyler. Sign this guy up.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) This is why I think recruiting websites don't pay nearly enough attention to hoops recruiting... Scout lists Karron's interest in the Tigers as "low" and doesn't show an offer. Not sure who to believe, but obviously I would love to see the Tigers sign this guy. Just not sure what the story is. http://louisianastate.scout.com/a.z?s=107&p=8&c=1&nid=2371479 The thing I would say though is that Asst. Coach Dollar has definitely made an impact. Many more GA hoops players have us on their list. Whether any of them actually sign with us is another story. But certainly, there is a reach there where we might not have had that in year's past. We sort of gave up reach into Florida that Nikita seemed to have for Dollar's contacts in Georgia.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) Some interesting reports out of day one in Vegas, including more reports on '09 recruit Karron Johnson who is turning heads, as well as news on Nikita Johnson who makes news recruiting for LA Tech. What was sort of left silent in the local news was Ray Shipman and Olu Ashaolu, who were considering LSU before Nikita left. Olu as many know chose Rutgers some time ago, although it's a "soft" verbal. Ray, unfortunately, committed early to the Gators. http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=693612 Let's hope that a good solid 07-08 builds momentum for '09.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) If we get Karron Johnson, he'll likely play some SF, too, because he can step back and shoot 3's. And I agree that Coach Dollar is already proving how useful connections can be. Also, look who's rocking a fro-hawk. http://lsu.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=54076 Finally, we're doing a lot better than Rivals is making us look. They erased some names from LSU's prospect database that are still showing legit interest. Some of these are Noel Johnson, Keith Gallon, Brandon Reed, Kenny Boynton, Lorenzo Brown, Kenny Hall, Chris Singleton, and recently J'mison Morgan. Here is an excerpt from a recent Lorenzo Brown article.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) You gatta give much props to coach Dollar. Here is the question, if you had the option would you rather have N, Johnson back? I guess the question is premature and can be better answered In two years but I’m getting little tid bits of what he’s doing for La Tech and I think in a year or so they’ll the 2nd best b-ball school in La. He picked up Rolle and Wright who both probably should be in the WAC I the first place and it looks like he could end up stealing Olu Ashaolu who also could be a good pick up for La Tech. One thing that still concerns me about LSU, we’re getting looks from a lot of high ranked recruits but most of them are SF, PF and C. Not a lot of guards specifically points. With GT and Bo I don’t think were as bad off as people are saying we are and of course we have Tommy coming in a few years but I would like to see more interest from high ranking guards.
Re: Hoops Recruiting (2009) I think these are fair questions to ask. Nikita was a good recruiter, no doubt. But, honestly, I don't know if Rolle was a big loss considering the track record, and while DJ Wright looked good on paper, it remains to be seen what the kid could do against top talent. Olu would have at best been a Tasmin back up. And, Dollar has led to some in-roads into GA. That's all I'll say at this point. Until a GA recruit of some notariety signs with us, I'm reserving judgment. More important in some respects than recruiting though, is the coaching talent. I was never quite sure what coaching Nikita did. If he was responsible for the development of our guards (he was a guard himself) or forwards, not sure I saw anything there. We know Treloar is a good X and Os guy, and we know Butch is a recruiter and Brady is a defense and intensity guy. But, now Dollar is added into the mix. Supposedly, Dollar is supposed to focus on guards and small forwards. So, if I see LSU improving on that front, Dollar will be a good hire. But, you're right, LSU is a "forward" or "big man" U right now. They haven't yet shown the ability to really develop guards yet and that's a little bit of why guards haven't signed with us. But, it's somewhat of a chicken and egg question and a little unfair knock on the Tigers' staff. Do the guards get developed at schools, or schools get the benefit of the guards they sign? Imagine where we'd be if DJ Augustin and Scottie Reynolds, both looking at LSU a few years back, had signed with us? They're probably both right now in the top 10 PGs playin in college. You could argue that they were good before going to Texas or Villanova, and those schools had nothing to do with their success. But, the likely story may be that Barnes and Wright put those guys in systems that allow for more free guard play. That's what I hope this season brings for LSU--perhaps Dollar helps get this done or perhaps the lack of a true "big" man this year gets it done in the backcourt. Let's not underestimate the signing of Marcus Thornton either. The kid's an All-Juco who some NBA scouts were supposedly starting to follow. We'll have some new guards this year--now let's see if Brady et. al can diversity their game plan to integrate these guys in a meaningful way. :geauxtige :bball: LSU IS A BASKETBALL SCHOOL. BE A FAN.
