A two-fer: Huestis / Filipek

The problem with doing an Odds and Ends column once a week is that it never fails that as soon as a publish one I get immediately come across tid bits of information that that are two short to warrant their own post, but often it is something I do not want to wait a whole week to share. That happened today twice, I have decided to combine two such tid bits into a two for one. You could also consider this to be “Odds and Ends” 8-31-09 part B”

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• Fullcourtpress.com today had an article on some of the top performers of the summer and what their recruitment is doing. In the long article they had the following blurb on Great Falls high’s Josh Huestis:

Five schools lead for 2009 summer revelation and stellar student 6’7” senior swingman Josh Huestis (CM Russell/Great Falls MT): Stanford, USC (will visit Labor Day weekend), Gonzaga, Harvard and Oregon State.

This has been the first time I have heard a list of Josh’s top 5 schools … if it is correct. In addition to a visit to USC it is reported that he will be taking an official visit to Harvard the following week (September 11-13).

Odds and Ends – 7/25/09

I could not wait until Monday, this was getting too long.

• This week end there is a huge basketball AAU tournament in Las Vegas. Actually it is not a single tourney but a group at least three (each sponsored by a shoe company) all scheduled for the same days to Give coaches the Max bang for their travel buck. Additionally there are at least 3 different age groups and they cover both boy’s and girls. Just about every Gym in Las Vegas is being used this week end and there are thousands of basketball players in Vegas. From what I have heard, both MSU and UM have two coaches in Las Vegas, and I believe Binford’s Staff had at least one coach also in Vegas. I have to imagine Selvig had someone down there but I can not confirm.

July Evaluation Period: Bobcat Men

With the basketball evaluation period underway and the basketball offices in Missoula and Bozeman looking a lot like ghost towns with the exception of the lone coach who gats to stay home and man the phones, I thought it might be interesting to look at what the coaching staffs might be looking for this July. I will look at the four Montana D-1 programs in four posts. The first will be Brad Huse’s Bobcats.

It appears that Brad is half way there to completing his recruiting class, with two commits already. The Bobcat will graduate returning starters 2G Will Bynum, and PG Marquis Navarre, potential starter PF Brandon Johnson, and role player PF Cameron Henderson. This will open up four scholarships for the coaches to work with. It appears, from my vantage point that Huse is only looking at high school kids, which could change to a JC player or two in the spring if he does not find the high schoolers he is looking for this fall. I would, also assume the Cats will have a very balance class spread across all five spots on the floor.

Odds and Ends – 6/29/09

It is looking like most of my “Odds and Ends”, are becoming a Monday ritual for me. I don’t know if this is completely on purpose, but Monday’s always seem to be good for them. Seven days to collect them and then the first day after the week-end to regurgitate them. For some reason though they seem to be fan favorites and the most viewed on any given week, so Mondays they are. I do though reserve the right to post at any time I feel like it.

More Odds and ends

• It is going to get kind of slow hear for a while. It is just the time of year when a lot of thing slow down. Come the end of June and into July things should pick up as the basketball and football teams start to offer more kids. As I become aware of things I will of course post info.

 

• The first Montana State and Montana recruit to come off the board recently did so yesterday when Gary Winston from Walla Walla high school. committed to Idaho. He was a kid who I thought the Griz, has been recruiting for some time and really had a chance with.

 

Bobcats recruit Taylor Filipek

The Bobcats are recruiting 6-6 Taylor Filipek of Willmar high school in Minnesota. Taylor is projected as a combo forward in college but played every position except center for Willmar this past season. Filipek started at point guard at the beginning of the season, but was eventually moved back to forward, despite being the best ball handler on his team. This move seemed to help Willmar hit its stride, by allowing them to take advantage of his inside presence.

Filipek is a very skilled smooth forward who can shoot the 3 ball or post up underneath. From the descriptions of him he sounds to me like a very similar player to Bobby Howard. He is a very unselfish player almost to a fault, and some wish he would be more aggressive. I believe Filipek averaged around 16 points 6 rebounds 3 assists a game this winter although I could not find any end of the season Numbers.