Recruiting - 2023

[jimbo]

O’dell has a solid $iena link….mother played there. Lots of players in his family.  I’ve mentioned this before, but his grandfather (basically the same height, frame, etc) was quite possibly the best athlete to ever come out of my HS. Whether that translates to struggling low major basketball team talent…I don’t know. 

[cwdickens]

15 hours 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. 

 

15 hours 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. 

What was the injury prevented Shane from playing any of the St Rose games in 2023?  Has St Rose wished him the best in his future basketball endeavors?

[cwdickens]

The answers to my one question appeared in today's Times-Union:

SAINT ROSE MEN’S BASKETBALL

 

Three top scorers to seek transfers

 

By Mark Singelais

PERNO

Since ending a 20-loss season last week, College of Saint Rose men’s basketball coach Mike Perno has watched his top three scorers enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Guard/forward Shane O’Dell (16.3 points per game) of Schalmont High, forward Josh McGettigan

(13.9 ppg) and forward Eric Fleming (11.9 ppg) are all moving on.

Perno said the departures of McGettigan and Fleming were no surprise because both players, listed as juniors in athletic eligibility, are getting their degrees and leaving as graduate transfers.

Perno said he thinks O’Dell, who is 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, is looking to move up to a Division I program. Perno believes O’Dell is good enough to make the jump. He also led Saint Rose at 6.9 rebounds per game. He missed the final 14 games with foot problems.

“I just think Shane is looking for a different change of scenery,” Perno said. “Just the landscape, man, that’s what it is now in college basketball. It’s amazing. At our level, you may need a different team every year. And it’s something that coaches have to get used to, something players have to get used to, I guess. Nothing surprises me any more, not with the way the landscape is right now in college basketball.”

Perno acknowledged roster turnover is needed after a season in which the Golden Knights went 9-20 overall, 3-17 in the Northeast-10 Conference. They lost at Southern Connecticut in the first round of the league tournament.

“I think it’s time for new players,” Perno said. “We had five kids that were injured this year who sat out. They’re all young guys. I think these guys for the most part, Shane’s been with me three years, Josh has been here five, Eric’s been here four. ... I told my assistant I think it’s time to rebuild and go out there and maybe freshmen are the answer. I think it’s got to be a combination of portal kids and maybe some freshmen. I think we’ve got to change the dynamic on our end and just kind of start over from scratch and maybe bring in some high-level kids that can impact right away.”

Working for athletic director Lori Anctil, Perno said he is not concerned about his job security. He is 43-74 since being promoted from assistant to replace Brian Beaury in 2018.

“I’m fine,” Perno said. “It was just one of these years. Just nothing went right. We started the year with 18 guys and ended up finishing with seven healthy bodies. ... I’m just trying to reshape this group and get this program back to where it used to be.”

▶› msingelais@- timesunion.com A 518-454-5509 A @MarkSingelais

[Eli]

Updated per VS as of 3/4/23:

UAlbany Men's Roster 2023-2024					
					
Name			Position	Height	Weight	Year	Status
Japannah Kellogg III	PF		6'8"	190	Jr.	Returning
Tairi Ketner		PF		6'7"	263	Jr.	Returning
Jonathan Beagle		PF		6'9"	220	So.	Returning
Justin Neely		SF		6'5"	205	Jr.	Returning
Aaron Reddish		SF		6'7"	185	Jr.	Returning
Jack Margoupis		SF		6'8"	-	Fr.	Incoming
Cornelius Robinson	SF		6'8"	220	Fr.	Incoming
Ny'Mire Little		SG		6'4"	203	Jr.	Returning
Marcus Jackson		SG		6'3"	180	So.	Returning
Malik Edmead		PG		5'10"	165	Jr.	Returning
Will Amica		PG		6'0"	160	Jr.	Returning
Zane Adnan		PG		6'2"	-	Fr.	Incoming
Free Scholarship					
					

					
					
Possible Signings	Position	Height	Weight	Year	Status
Gavin Walsh		SF		6'7"	205	Fr.	Offered
Peyton Smith		SF		6'7"	220	Fr.	Offered
Elijah Wilborn		SF		6'7"	185	Fr.	Offered
Shane Cercone		SG		6'5"	-	Fr.	Offered
Armoni Zeigler		SG		6'5"	-	Fr.	Offered
Bangaly Berete		SG		6'4"	-	Fr.	Offered
Damani Barley		PG		6'5"	155	Fr.	Offered
Malik Olafioye		PG		6'0"	155	Fr.	Offered
Darryl Simmons II	PG		5'8"	-	Fr.	Offered
=========================================================================
Thomas Haugh		PF		6'9"	200	Fr.	Florida
Augustus Gerhart	PF		6'9"	-	Fr.	Penn
Matt Mayock		SF		6'6"	190	Fr.	American
Anthony Finkley		SF		6'6"	-	Fr.	St. Josephs
Joe Nugent		SF		6'6"	-	Fr.	Holy Cross
Horace Simmons		SF		6'6"	-	Fr.	Drexel
Zion Stanford		SF		6'5"	-	Fr.	Temple
Cooper Wright		SG		6'5"	-	Fr.	Colgate
Jayden Ndjigue		SG		6'4"	-	Fr.	UMass
Miles Rose		SG		6'3"	160	Fr.	St. Bonaventure
Seyphon Triplett	PG		6'1"	-	Fr.	Stonehill
Jordan Clayton		PG		6'0"	-	Fr.	Northwestern

					
					
Possible Departures	Reason				
Trey Hutcheson		Graduating with Eligibility				
Gerald Drumgoole, Jr	Graduating with Eligibility				
					
Departures		Reason					
Da'Kquan Davis		Graduated				
Sarju Patel		Graduated

 

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

Mark Singelais

 

@MarkSingelais

·

1m

 

The UAlbany football team has added Tairi Ketner, who played the last two seasons for the basketball team. Ketner, listed at 6-6, 250, joined as a tight end but has been switched to defensive line. "He's got talent," Greg Gattuso said. "We'll see how he does when the pads go on."

[Clickclack]

Maybe DK will start recruiting...teams recruiting kids left and right...crickets from this program. A program that needs all the help they can get. 

[cwdickens]

2 hours ago, Clickclack said:

Maybe DK will start recruiting...teams recruiting kids left and right...crickets from this program. A program that needs all the help they can get. 

Seems like 2022 all over again, virtually nothing coming out on MBB Instagram except Marcus Jackson talking about his brother on the UCONN Huskies.

One would think some control chatter via social media could help in setting a tone and letting the fan base know an effort is being made to improve the situation.  I am afraid Killings has been instructed to lay low or could there be "another shoe to drop" moment.

[godanesgo99]

Every now and then a recruit or someone posting about a recruit mentioned that they have heard from Albany. I can't point to specifics, but if you look at the America East forum there are a few examples mentioned there. So we are recruiting, it just seems to be silence from the staff and program. 

Have to imagine that its on purpose. Either as @cwdickens mentions above that another shoe will drop soon, or maybe its because our fanbase is so disillusioned right now that any post they make gets slammed with negativity about firing DK or firing Benson and Cegles. Not posting removes some of the visible on-line negativity when prospective recruits are doing their own research in trying to figure out what school to attend or transfer to. 

My bet is the second option. If I was a potential recruit and all I saw was fan negativity about the players, coach, administration, and program then I would take a pause before considering going to that school. 

While we as fans have SO MUCH to be negative about for GOOD REASON, maybe its time to try and exude some positive thoughts and posts. Try to help sell the school and program as a place that players would be accepted and followed? We need to still be negative and point out the things that need to change, and change quickly, but we also need to make this a place those players want to come to. That is on us as fans and supporters as much as it is the program. Maybe we can't make 6-7 figure donations to the program, but we can help make the place look like its good for the talent. Maybe I am wrong, but could it hurt?

Edited March 28, 2023 by godanesgo99

[Eli]

10 hours ago, godanesgo99 said:

Every now and then a recruit or someone posting about a recruit mentioned that they have heard from Albany. I can't point to specifics, but if you look at the America East forum there are a few examples mentioned there. So we are recruiting, it just seems to be silence from the staff and program. 

Have to imagine that its on purpose. Either as @cwdickens mentions above that another shoe will drop soon, or maybe its because our fanbase is so disillusioned right now that any post they make gets slammed with negativity about firing DK or firing Benson and Cegles. Not posting removes some of the visible on-line negativity when prospective recruits are doing their own research in trying to figure out what school to attend or transfer to. 

My bet is the second option. If I was a potential recruit and all I saw was fan negativity about the players, coach, administration, and program then I would take a pause before considering going to that school. 

While we as fans have SO MUCH to be negative about for GOOD REASON, maybe its time to try and exude some positive thoughts and posts. Try to help sell the school and program as a place that players would be accepted and followed? We need to still be negative and point out the things that need to change, and change quickly, but we also need to make this a place those players want to come to. That is on us as fans and supporters as much as it is the program. Maybe we can't make 6-7 figure donations to the program, but we can help make the place look like its good for the talent. Maybe I am wrong, but could it hurt?

Vic? Is that you? 😂🤣

[godanesgo99]

1 hour ago, Eli said:

Vic? Is that you? 😂🤣

LMAO. No. 

[jimbo]

All a potential recruit or transfer has to do is google the program and look at the Wikipedia entries to see that MBB is a program in serous decline from the last three years of the WB era to the current DK situation. More googling would discover the ranking in the bottom of the barrel in KenPom. Further googling would show DK suspension, lawsuit and charges in the Midwest. A potential recruit is sure to discover that our best players have entered the transfer portal. Our incessant bitching about it is a natural reaction to all the above and likely there’s a chorus of the same for any program in this much of a decline. What we have now is a situation that does not need tweaking, glossing over, rah rahs or cockeyed optimism. I started being a UA fan 52 years ago and I’ve NEVER seen it this bad. 

[dslyank]

3 hours ago, jimbo said:

All a potential recruit or transfer has to do is google the program and look at the Wikipedia entries to see that MBB is a program in serous decline from the last three years of the WB era to the current DK situation. More googling would discover the ranking in the bottom of the barrel in KenPom. Further googling would show DK suspension, lawsuit and charges in the Midwest. A potential recruit is sure to discover that our best players have entered the transfer portal. Our incessant bitching about it is a natural reaction to all the above and likely there’s a chorus of the same for any program in this much of a decline. What we have now is a situation that does not need tweaking, glossing over, rah rahs or cockeyed optimism. I started being a UA fan 52 years ago and I’ve NEVER seen it this bad. 

Jimbo, Saw my first basketball game winter 1968. Thought DIII was BS; only went to another game or so that winter. Somehow, got hooked did not miss a game for 12 years. While some carried anti-war posters I carried a sign Start a Football program. 

So while I agree with your post 99.9%, I also agree with 99 maybe some positivity from this blog would be HELPFUL?? As you say, a recruit doing his diligence has no problem seeing ALL the problems. I doubt they look at this blog anyhow, but if so, they don't need ALL our bitching to recognize an athletic program in the pits.

"Our incessant bitching" seems to have fallen on deaf ears anyhow. Don't get me wrong, when a program hits the pits like UA has, you fire the athletic director NO DOUBT. Maybe for our own peace of mind, some positivity and HOPE wouldn't hurt.

Edited March 29, 2023 by dslyank

[cwdickens]

3 minutes ago, dslyank said:

Jimbo, Saw my first basketball game winter 1968. Thought DIII was BS; only went to another game or so that winter. Somehow, got hooked did not miss a game for 12 years. While some carried anti-war posters I carried a sign Start a Football program. 

So while I agree with your post 99.9%, I also agree with 99 maybe some positivity from this blog would be HELPFUL?? As you say, a recruit doing his diligence has no problem seeing ALL the problems. I doubt they look at this blog anyhow, but if so, they don't need ALL our bitching to recognize an athletic program in the pits.

"Our incessant bitching" seems to have fallen on deaf ears anyhow. Don't get me wrong, when a program hits the pits like UA has, you fire the athletic director NO DOUBT. Maybe for our own peace of mind, some positivity and HOPE wouldn't"t hurt.

I am of the opinion that everyone that posts here would rather post in a positive manner; however, other than the SEFCU Arena renovation project there has been no other good news.  The postings here are just a reflection of the reality of UAlbany sports. 

That being said our coaches are ones on the front line and our coaches need to possess the skill set to close the deal with potential athletes.  When your head coach in the America East you need have some finesse because you not associated with money, highly visible conference or even a successful NIL program.

[godanesgo99]

Please don't take what I said the wrong way. I was clear that there are issues that need to be fixed. Our complaints are warranted and I am as pissed off as anyone. My interest has faded. I didn't renew my football seats last season, and I loved where I sat. I kept basketball tix because I am addicted, but haven't made a GDAC donation yet for this season. I feel I have to make one to help ensure I get a decent shot at getting seats similar to where I am now in the renovated arena, but when/if I do make one, it will be under protest. I haven't felt this much shame over our athletics since before we went D1. 

My post was in reference to the silence on social media from the athletic department. Every post they make has trolls commenting on it, especially the "Fire DK," "Fire Gattuso," and "Luke Matters" guys. I have to assume that the school decided to just stop posting, as that stuff is extremely visible to the public and recruits and there is no good way to block the trolls. Obviously a quick google search will bring up the issues. Any recruit with a shred of intelligence is going to be looking everywhere they can before the choose a school and the stuff will come out, but I'd rather they have a better first impression, then uncover the issues when they dig deeper. Hopefully the recruiting staff has prepared them for what they will find at that point, and can use the: "You will be a big centerpiece in helping to turn everything around" type talking point to overcome all us fans pointing out how bad all the players are and how we don't think they are D1 material (even if they really aren't D1 material).  Every school and program has their trolls, but most of the big schools have longer traditions or bigger boosters and positive fans to balance it out. We have alienated pretty much all of our stupidly tiny fanbase. Still blows my mind how big of a school we have, but how apathetic the students and alumni are. The only way to fix that is through more consistent winning. 

My suggestions was merely that we, as fans, try to help recruiting with positive comments or at least no comments instead of negative ones when there are social media posts in the most public of places - namely instagram and twitter. Bring back the #purplefam narrative for our kids. A lot needs to change here, and it starts at the top, but being a little smarter about where we share those thoughts could help. Or maybe it does nothing, but it has to be better than the constant negativity and bitc&ing. 

[Clickclack]

11 hours ago, godanesgo99 said:

Please don't take what I said the wrong way. I was clear that there are issues that need to be fixed. Our complaints are warranted and I am as pissed off as anyone. My interest has faded. I didn't renew my football seats last season, and I loved where I sat. I kept basketball tix because I am addicted, but haven't made a GDAC donation yet for this season. I feel I have to make one to help ensure I get a decent shot at getting seats similar to where I am now in the renovated arena, but when/if I do make one, it will be under protest. I haven't felt this much shame over our athletics since before we went D1. 

My post was in reference to the silence on social media from the athletic department. Every post they make has trolls commenting on it, especially the "Fire DK," "Fire Gattuso," and "Luke Matters" guys. I have to assume that the school decided to just stop posting, as that stuff is extremely visible to the public and recruits and there is no good way to block the trolls. Obviously a quick google search will bring up the issues. Any recruit with a shred of intelligence is going to be looking everywhere they can before the choose a school and the stuff will come out, but I'd rather they have a better first impression, then uncover the issues when they dig deeper. Hopefully the recruiting staff has prepared them for what they will find at that point, and can use the: "You will be a big centerpiece in helping to turn everything around" type talking point to overcome all us fans pointing out how bad all the players are and how we don't think they are D1 material (even if they really aren't D1 material).  Every school and program has their trolls, but most of the big schools have longer traditions or bigger boosters and positive fans to balance it out. We have alienated pretty much all of our stupidly tiny fanbase. Still blows my mind how big of a school we have, but how apathetic the students and alumni are. The only way to fix that is through more consistent winning. 

My suggestions was merely that we, as fans, try to help recruiting with positive comments or at least no comments instead of negative ones when there are social media posts in the most public of places - namely instagram and twitter. Bring back the #purplefam narrative for our kids. A lot needs to change here, and it starts at the top, but being a little smarter about where we share those thoughts could help. Or maybe it does nothing, but it has to be better than the constant negativity and bitc&ing. 

Win...Brown didn't win, Gattuso has been stealing money for a decade...a decade of sucking at football and you're worried the fans are too mean? When this program led by losers does something that warrants praise, they will get it. I will not lay off them!

Edited March 30, 2023 by Clickclack