UA1882

3 years left to play.  Seems like an OK signing.  As of right now there is no way this team is as good as last year's team and that's sad.  They have 3 scholarships left and need 2 impact immediate starter players.  If not, it will be a long long year. 

17 minutes ago, BestDaneSinceHamlet said:

Did Thomas sign anywhere?

Yes.  He went back to his cheating ex girlfriend Rhode Island.....

From Twitter 

Amar'e Marshall tells me that he's withdrawing from the transfer portal and will return to Albany next season. 

Averaged 16.7 PPG in 2023-24.

Huge return.   

5 hours ago, dslyank said:

Pro Sports have arrived 🤮🤑.  Do you really think it will make UA into a power 5 type program???????????😏

Of course not.  But I do believe in the saying "Adapt or Die". This is D1 sports. If you don't want to try and be successful then go back down to D3. 

We will see how it goes but at least on the surface it appears UA wants to be successful.  

https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/danes-greatness-nil-collective-support-ualbany-19439210.php

Looks like it's happening and I really think if done right can be a game changer.  I know for a fact we have several high income alumni in the area.  If we can get them interest this can really really take off.  

Time will tell.... 

12 minutes ago, BestDaneSinceHamlet said:

Shouldn't you just sign the best guys you can get? Think about this like football, in the new world, lower schools are a great place for guys to get polished and grow their game.  That can only help a team recruit, until they change the transfer rules (which I think after about 2 years, they will)

Absolutely.  And if the person you can get is a 7 foot project what will likely take 2 years to develop when you are a losing team, then sure.  

But I can tell you that it's not a recipe for success. 

For record I don't follow this player.  Just read what the "experts" are saying that he is very very raw. We don't get players of his size in our league unless they are. We should not be focusing on raw players on a losing team.  

I'm not sure attempting to sign a 7 foot project that has a 75 percent chance to leave if any good is such a great idea.  

Unless we have having trouble filling our scholarships- which may be the case.  

I prefer to sign guys that can help right now.  We have a ton of minutes left. If we were a winning team with a lot of depth then I could understand.  

6 hours ago, Dane96 said:

Jackson is not a borderline D1 player.  Agree with the rest.  Borderline hyperbolic statement. 

You guys like him more than I do.  I thought is defense was good.  Not great. Fouled a ton. Offensively, he can't create his own shot . Not a great shooter. He hustles.  Which is great. To me and I understand its my opinion but he is a 10 minute player on a D1 team. 

Chuckle all they want.  They picked up a boardline D1 player. Have not been to the tournament in 15 years.  Lost to us by 30 last year. Their atheltic department as a whole is an absolute failure and could not even hold our jock strap. 

6 hours ago, Clickclack said:

3 years at BC with decent numbers...tough go at UCF with big drop off. 

 

 

Kacper Klaczek from Saint Joseph's committed as well.  

Killings has proven he can't coach but he is now doing what I thought he should be doing all along.  22-23 year old kids. Get old and stay old.  I like the drop downs that have had some success in higher conferences.  I like the additions so far. This is his true make or break year.  

16 hours ago, Clickclack said:

Thomas back to Rhode Island...ge's gone gone!

Kinda odd.  It's like going back to a cheating girlfriend. They did not think he was good enough to play the first 2 years. Then goes back with a ton of other options ? Probably has some good friends there or something.  

On another note from Twitter:

6'9 forward Angelo Winkel out of Des Moines Area Junior College tells me that he just visited UAlbany.

Winkel will be visiting Northern Arizona on Monday & South Dakota on Wednesday.

Winkel also visited Portland State last weekend.

16.9 PPG 
7.1 RPG 
First Team All-American

Looks like he wants to take a ton of visits and decide.  Seems like a good player. 

9 hours ago, Clickclack said:

I know it's a common assumption that once a kid is in portal he's gone but if he can re-recruit Thomas and or Marshall you have something here. 

With those two back you have something almost no matter what.  However a freshman that averaged 3 points a game (even though could very much improve) does very very little to move the needle for Thomas and Marshall.  Would need to bring in high level senior talent for a shot to have them come back.  

I would say at this point ....no one on the team right now would start on a .500 D1 team.  Not one.  

I believe there are 13 D1 scholarships. If im a D1 coach at this level I'm recruiting Jr's and Srs only.  Freshman and sophomores are younger , less developed and will leave before they reach their development.  

"Get old and stay old". - Will Brown 

Thanks.  Appreciate it.  One in a row!

Beagle to Richmond. Good luck to him.  He can score but hopefully this next coach can teach him how to play defense.  

I have been following (on X) who Albany is talking to in the transfer portal.  It's bad.  A ton of D2 players. Things can change but it looks like a Siena type season unless we pull a rabbit out of our hat.  

I got stuck in the garage once. Never ever again. I will park in a lot outside to make sure I get out quickly.  

2 hours ago, dslyank said:

The sit year for second time portal people is STILL on the books. Like last year it has been waved for 2024; while the ncaa evaluates the whole portal and nli issue. Since we all know the ncaa has no ba!!s at all and moves at glazier speed, the only hope seems to be University president stepping in. IMHO this will happen at some point; who knows when, but IMHO will result in "pro-colleges" and "student athlete colleges".  Good chance, I will not be around to see it happen; but HOPING😇.

Very true. .. unfortunately "Adultery" is still a crime in the Penal Law of NYS. (On the books) And of course not enforced. Haha.  

My understanding is no . College basketball is free agency every year.  Can transfer as many times as you want with no penalty.  

Someone said it before.  Almost every mid major player will now join the portal.  Maybe our players are like "go find some great talent and we will come back". They are just keeping their options open.

However they are probably gone.

If you can't coach and you can't keep recruits, you won't be a head coach for long.  

Again we cannot afford it but he needs to be done.  Unless something changes I will not be renewing my season tickets.  I have had them for 10 years.  Plus it's not like we have a large fan base.  I can get them back whenever I want.  

Fire him now and bring in someone with winning on their resume.  

I will not give money to a University that does not care about winning.  They renovate this place and for what? 

I will see what happens in the portal but I'm sure it will be terrible.  We have 0 guys on the team right now that should start a D1 game.  

1 hour ago, UAalum72 said:

Well, Carm got fired today 

Killings needs to go next.  

4 minutes ago, Clickclack said:

Marshall gone, have to believe Thomas is gonna hang around with no talent. Brutal...no hope!

You unfortunately need to fire him now.  Can't coach.  And can't hold on to talent.  Need to figure out a way. Back load the contract or something but he needs to go.  

The selling point is the 2 very good guards. The type of guards you typically dont see together at this level. The facilities are very nice for a low major. If and it's a big if .... we get 2 impact transfers we can be very good.  Even Killings would have a hard time messing it up.  

I believe D1 is 13 scholarships.  If no one else leaves we have 9 scholarship players. (Not counting Amica who should move on). Two recruits coming in means we have 2 scholarships to give.  

They are two huge scholarships in Killings make or break year. Needs to bring in immediate size and skill.  Hopefully drop down guys from bigger conferences. If we miss on these we are at best a .500 team.