Recruiting - 2015

[UA'08]

 

If I'm critiquing the roster, my only concern is that we have 3 players (Stire, Cremo, McKinley) who have the potential to be 4 year players as of now. 3 out of 14?- justdrastik1

What is the main objective at the DI level? What do you want UA to do?

 

Compete for a tournament bid every year! I have no issues with reloading with JUCOS. You can have four year players that are hit or miss as well

[Patch]

If you say 3 out of 14 that sounded mis leading because you can't get 14 out of 14 because you always have upper classmen - why not say we only have 3 Fr/Soph

 

But it really doesn't matter, we'll have to wait and watch as UA tries to go for a 4 pete (pun intended)

 

I would expect 4 year players to play a pretty big role this year with Peter, Mike Rowley, Dallas and Stire playing solid minutes. We'll see what Cremo and McKinley bring. There could be a total of 6 4 yr players contributing this season.

[justdrastik1]

You could technically have 14 of 14, if they all started here freshman year. You're correct in that I misstated it. It's early in the AM.

 

What it boils down to is that our freshmen and sophmore class has 3 players combined as it stands now. That means that after this season, if we don't have a strong freshman recruiting class/commits, we will be going the JUCO route for a long time. In my opinion, it puts a lot of pressure on the school to get solid kids straight from HS - which is I think what we want to do. We want the strongest athletic and academic team as possible. When we have done that in the past, it hasn't worked out for us. Sometimes the game plan has to switch due to unforeseen circumstances, but I think our blueprint to success is pretty evident at this point.

 

Perhaps this isn't a bad thing, but there seems to be a ton of people battling for PT this year - managing that will be very tough, especially since our front court doesn't have real standouts/locks in my opinion.

[UA'08]

Is it really that big of an issue with JUCOS? JUCOS and transfers have been a huge factor in our tournament success.

[Dane96]

It's not an issue. People just like to complain.

[Clickclack]

It's not an issue. People just like to complain.

 

I like watching home grown 4 year kids grow up here. Guys like Jamar, Ambrose, Black, Hooley, Rowley, Lillis, Puk etc.

 

I don't mind JUCO's but I'd like to have a program where the core is 4 year kids. I think Cremo and McKinley will fit that mold just fine to go along with Stire going forward. I would expect at least a few more core kids to be added for '16 that also fit this mold.

[uofalbany]

At this level, you're always going to have kids come to campus, go through a year/season.....

and realize for various reasons it's not worth sacrificing whatever it is they may be sacrificing. Personalities clash. Playing time. University student life.

And you're never going to go out and replace these kids with other freshmen 4 year players each and every time. Brown seems to be doing well and has figured out a happy medium. It's a balancing act.... a complimentary combo of 4yr and transfers.

[B9j2j6s]

Just win baby win. Also represent the university in a positive light.

[justdrastik1]

 

It's not an issue. People just like to complain.

 

I like watching home grown 4 year kids grow up here. Guys like Jamar, Ambrose, Black, Hooley, Rowley, Lillis, Puk etc.

 

I don't mind JUCO's but I'd like to have a program where the core is 4 year kids. I think Cremo and McKinley will fit that mold just fine to go along with Stire going forward. I would expect at least a few more core kids to be added for '16 that also fit this mold.

 

 

It has nothing to do with complaining - I also said that if I had to critique an area it would be this one aspect. Everyone's been thrilled with the growth of the program and the success we've had. I do think it's a realistic concern.Would I be incorrect in that we've had most success with core group guys?

 

CB himself acknowledged this and stated that he got away from what was working for him with home grown 4 year kids, and he thought that was the reason for the brief downturn in the program. So not sure why me bringing it up is complaining so to speak.

 

On every tourney team we've had, our "stars/mvp" have always turned out to be 4 year players - and not 4 year roleplayers.

[UA'08]

When coach brown said he got away from what worked for him, I don't believe it was about 4 year or JUCOS. It was about the type of player. He was going after the super athletes instead of the high IQ basketball players with less talent.

 

In all honesty, it's nice to see players excell in the classroom, but as a fan I want to see success on the court first. The succeeding in the classroom part is just icing on the cake. I'm pretty sure all the JUCOS we've had that did not pan out on the court, still stayed and graduated.

[godanesgo99]

SUNY as a whole has pushed the whole 2 year school for less money than transfer to one of the 4 year schools for your last 2 years. That is the bread and butter of the community colleges.

 

The problem I see with all the JUCO players is that most of them are athletes first and couldn't get into a 4 year school out of high school because of academics. If we want to grow the program to a bigger conference and get more national recognition we will probably have to get used to a lower quality student - not to take anything away from our kids, as Will Brown has seemed to do a great job (with a few exceptions) of finding high character student athletes - but that is the reputation of JUCO players in general.

 

Looking into my crystal ball and at the roster as it stands today, I see the following:

 

Starters: Hooley, Singletary, Sanders, Peters, Rowley

 

Bench players with Significant minutes:

G: Ennema, Green (he deserved more last year), Robinson

F/C: Stire, Brown, Mckinley (probably promised a strong opp to play to recommit)

 

That is 11 deep of people who will play a lot and leaves out Cremo and Cooper. Both deserve to play. I am guessing Brown tries to red shirt Cremo to have 4 years of him after he loses Hooley, Sanders, and Singletary. Cooper might see the floor, but from what I have read - he seems like a guy that will need the 1 year transition period from JUCO to D1, while Chas Brown has the size and athleticism, to jump in quickly.

 

Maybe I am wrong, but this looks like trouble for Coach Brown in keeping everyone happy.

[UA'08]

Mike Johnson, Fran Urli, Louis Barazza, Scottie McCrae, and Ede Egbarehva all are a few that come to mind that all stayed and graduated.

[Clickclack]

Mike Johnson, Fran Urli, Louis Barazza, Scottie McCrae, and Ede Egbarehva all are a few that come to mind that all stayed and graduated.

 

Urli left early as did Barazza if memory serves. Odunsi left early and played basketball after he left is another that comes to mind.

[UA'08]

Left early, playing wise, but I believe they were both honored during senior day. Someone can probably confirm that?

[Dane Pound]

 

That is 11 deep of people who will play a lot and leaves out Cremo and Cooper. Both deserve to play. I am guessing Brown tries to red shirt Cremo to have 4 years of him after he loses Hooley, Sanders, and Singletary. Cooper might see the floor, but from what I have read - he seems like a guy that will need the 1 year transition period from JUCO to D1, while Chas Brown has the size and athleticism, to jump in quickly.

Did I miss the Cooper commitment? This is the first I've seen it. I thought our incoming class is: Cremo, McKinley, Brown, Robinson and Charles.

 

I'm not sure how anyone could have watched Evan Singletary and Ray Sanders play this year and be unhappy with Juco players. The culture of the program is established by the four year guys. I don't know if there's a "magic number" for the amount of four year players vs. juco players but if there are more guys like Singletary and Sanders out there I say bring them in.