Recruiting - 2023

[UA1882]

1 hour ago, godanesgo99 said:

With this season all but over, I wanted to check in to see how the 3 freshman recruits for next year were doing. Checked out Robinson first... Not looking good. I have no idea what led up to the melee, so this could have been something that was building up and him just responding or it being part of something bigger, but here it appears he punches a guy setting a screen in the face. Hope this incident isn't as bad as it seems. He had some pretty good offers. Based on this it seems he was a better fit for his offer from Bryant, but I am only basing this on the 18 second clip.

 

https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/2023/02/16/camden-county-basketball-championship-between-camden-eastside-stopped-for-fight/69907493007/

 

 

Another thug. Awesome.  

[UA'08]

3 minutes ago, UA1882 said:

Another thug. Awesome.  

Another thug eh? I know we have a lot of guys that suck, but didn’t know they were thugs 

[UA1882]

2 hours ago, UA'08 said:

Another thug eh? I know we have a lot of guys that suck, but didn’t know they were thugs

 Yes thugs is a perfect word for at least a couple of our players.  Taunting technical fouls, immaturity,  flagrant fouls, selfish behavior,  ejections,lack of accountability,  lack of giving a "poop". Add another one . Perfect for this team . 

[godanesgo99]

I'm not going anywhere close to that far as saying thugs. Some of the Ts and other issues this year weren't nearly as bad as you make them seem. Refs are calling a T this season for stuff that has been a normal part of the game for years. Hutch got a T for saying a play was "all ball". Apparently you can't ever question an official on the floor without a T. "Words" after dunking on someone is part of the game. I think Ts are up all over college ball.

I saw some other footage of this event and it does look like the kid setting the screen seems to be trying to hit Robinson first right before the punch. There is another video from this game that shows a lot of bad blood and physicality throughout the entire game (then the video glitches and cuts out the 18 seconds I posted in the thread.

Definitely going to need to do some interviews and intense investigation into the event before we want this representing UA.

Edited February 20, 2023 by godanesgo99

[godanesgo99]

Looks like the story is getting international attention, with UAlbany mentioned in some of the stories. There are dozens of news organizations that have taken it up. Here are two:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/college-basketball/article-11763283/Camden-high-school-basketball-player-PUNCHES-rival-mid-game-sparking-massive-court-brawl.html

https://www.inquirer.com/high-school-sports/new-jersey/camden-dj-wagner-eastside-basketball-altercation-20230216.html

Tons of other articles, but nothing talks about what happened in the lead up. I really doubt that any player, especially one with a college scholarship to play D1 basketball, whether it be to Kentucky or UAlbany would be dumb enough to punch another player in the middle of a game without some sort of backstory. 

No matter what the backstory is, it's unacceptable for it to happen on the court. Tensions can run high, and yes players have a right to defend themselves, but I hope there is a really good explanation for what happened. The absence of an acceptable backstory should result in UA having an additional scholarship opening up now. 

Kid looks talented, and someone I was looking forward to watching develop. While I like players that stand up for themselves and play rough with an edge, not sure I could root for someone that would lose their cool on the floor on physically assault another player. Ironic coming from me, who has defended Killings locker room behavior if the incident played out the way I understand it. Not to rehash the other threads, but I'm ok with physicality and pushing and things to fire you up, but I'm not OK with a punch or intentionally injuring someone. I'm ok with Jackson guiding Sullivan into a hard foul because of his trash talk, but I'm not OK with a punch to the face.

No idea what backstory could possibly justify it. Not sure anything could justify it. But I hope there is something I'm not thinking about.

Edited February 21, 2023 by godanesgo99

[Dane Pound]

Every time I think we're at the bottom this year, the program seems to find another level to sink to.

To follow up, both teams in the video were suspended from the NJ state tournament this year.

[godanesgo99]

No comments from Twitter land. But he has been getting good mentions before this incident. I wonder if DK or anyone with ties to UA will comment on it.

 

 

 

[cwdickens]

18 hours ago, godanesgo99 said:

No comments from Twitter land. But he has been getting good mentions before this incident. I wonder if DK or anyone with ties to UA will comment on it.

 

 

 

No. DK or anyone associated with the program will not offer comment or respond to any inquiry about the incident.  Just my opinion.  To clarify, I am certain Killings and his staff are aware of the situation.  Most D1 teams keeps close tabs on committed recruits, so the occurrence of the incident was known to them shortly after the punch was made.

Edited February 22, 2023 by cwdickens
clarify

[UAalum72]

Well, not a good look, but we're still a long way from matching Alabama

https://www.al.com/news/2023/02/darius-miles-texted-brandon-miller-to-bring-gun-used-to-kill-jamea-jonae-harris-police-testify.html

Brought the gun to a murder, but "There’s nothing we could charge him with" and the coach says "Wrong spot at the wrong time"

[Clickclack]

Zero chance DK touches this with his own assault allegations pending...this just keeps getting better. Also zero chance DK pulls the scholarship unless there are arrests for assault etc. Killings needs all the talent he can get to save his own ass...he's not pulling a ship to that kid who can really play. Not saying that's right but he knows he's fielding a D3 team and Beagle. He knows he's gonna get fired as he's a $iena coach...he's gonna pray this kid, Beagle, and Neely can save his ass. 

[godanesgo99]

Zane Adnan's Bullis team wins the IAC champ. Video in the article shows him draining a three and has some comments from him at the end.

https://www.dcnewsnow.com/sports/local-sports/bullis-wins-iac-basketball-championship/

 

[UA1882]

Not sure we are even interested but I saw that Shane O'Dell from st rose has entered the portal . Averaged 17 this year and might be a good addition to the team. 

[Clickclack]

7 minutes ago, UA1882 said:

Not sure we are even interested but I saw that Shane O'Dell from st rose has entered the portal . Averaged 17 this year and might be a good addition to the team. 

I don't know him but my answer is no...enough D2 kids. He'll come here and put up 3pts a game, we just went down this road this past year. The non-D1 kids were zeros. 

[UA1882]

1 hour ago, Clickclack said:

I don't know him but my answer is no...enough D2 kids. He'll come here and put up 3pts a game, we just went down this road this past year. The non-D1 kids were zeros. 

I agree with the D2 but this kid plays the game the right way.  Averaged 20 as a freshman.  Was hurt this year . Still averaged 17. Plays hard and has good skills. Would rather see an atheltic drop down from a major conference,however depending on how many scholarships we have , we could definitely do worse. 

[godanesgo99]

I think a lot depends on what happens with the portal and how many spots the team has to fill. Unless I missed something, the team is currently full for next season, assuming Jackson ends up with the scholarship vacated by Schafer, and one of Hutch/Drumgoole leaves. 

Definitely Gone from Scholarship: Davis, Patel, Shafer

Coming in: Margoupis, Robinson, Adnan

Graduating but with eligibility remaining: Drumgoole, Hutchinson

Potential Scholarship Given: Jackson

If spaces end up opening, which they undoubtedly will, a player like Shane could be welcome. He is a local kid (Schalmont) and had an offer from UA years ago. 

I agree that an athlete transferring down from a bigger conference would be good, but the team has a lot of athleticism already, but lacks a calming influence. Someone who plays hard, but is an IQ guy more than an athlete. We need both, but the biggest issue this team had was a lack of basketball IQ. If Shane is that guy, then it would be welcome. Don't know enough about his game to know if he fits that mold.