Griz Camp: Player Attendance

Typically, at college basketball camps every year, coaches will hire current and incoming players to help coach at the camps. Coaches love to do this, because they have a decent built in employee pool to hire camp coaches from, and it allows the players a chance to get together in one place, at one time, before the start of the season and get to know one another and play some ball. And if those same said player happen to play some pick up ball in the evening and some of the top recruits/campers just happen to come by and want to play , so more the better.

I am just going to say this more than one college athlete has earned a scholarship offer, after playing in one or two of these pick up games.

 

Questions on Bobcat Recruit Dominique O’Connor

I have fielded a handful of questions the last few months on Bobcat recruit Dominique O’Connor from Westchester high school in Los Angeles. My response as of late, has been, that I do not thing we have much of a chance and are probably not recruiting him any more. It sounds like I am only half right.

Future Grizzlies still playing this week-end

Both Will Cherry and Eric Hutchison will be playing basketball this week, one player will be playing a Champion finals and the other in an All Star.

Will Cherry and his 21-1 McClymond high school team will take on the USA Today’s No. 2 national team in Westchester (34-2) in a very tough first round game. Here is a preview of the game by MaxPreps.com

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Here is a very good profile on Will Cherry by the San Francisco Chronicle

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Eric Hutchison will be playing in a Washington all-state boy’s basketball tournament. . Some of the other D-1 bound athletes who will be playing in the game are, Anthony Brown (a Washington State recruit), forward Chris Holmes (Eastern Washington), center David Wink (Northern Illinois) and center Eric Hutchinson (Montana). Here is an article on the Game

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Griz Men’s Basketball Wrap Up and Look Ahead (Part 4)

This is the final in a series of four posts on the Griz men’s basketball team, discussing the past season and a look ahead to next season. The four post shall be as followed, Part 1 Season Wrap up, Part 2 Look ahead: Big Men, Part 3 Look Ahead: Wing players and Part 4 Look Ahead: Recruits.

Taking a look at the Recruit / Recruiting

Last fall Tinkle filled all three of his projected 2009 scholarships with guard 6-2 guard Will Cherry, 6-5 combo forward Thurmond Woods and 6-9 center/ forward Eric Hutchison. As I have said before, I would expect Cherry to play next year. Hutchison I think really could use a redshirt year, but will be one of the few big men with size on the team next year and could be pressed into action at he center position. Woods is a talent, but the only question is at which position. Right now he is a power forward, who can play some at the 3 spot. He has not played high school basketball this winter so he could be the x-factor coming into next fall. There are also some questions about him clearing the NCAA clearing house. From what I am hearing, Tinkle is out on the recruiting trail looking to sign at least one more players for this fall. To do that, though, that will mean at least one of the existing players will not be returning. I have heard a few names like Michael Taylor or Nyandigisi Moikobu, but the rumor I am hearing most often is Shawn Stockton may be looking to leave. I have heard Shawn may be looking to transfer to a JC (North Idaho?) or another D-1, with playing time being the reason. In any case it appears that Tinkle is looking to recruit a point guard this spring, from either the JC ranks or high school. I am told he definitely is looking for some one who can play next year. I have also heard he has been looking at some athletic power forward types again from both JC and high school ranks but, at this point it does not seem to be a priority. The spring recruiting season just kicked into high gear this past week so I expect to get a clearer idea what there priorities might be.

Update on Montana signie Will Cherry

Will Cherry’s McClymonds high school is 25-1 and dominating the Oakland league in Northern California. Cherry is averaging around 14 points, 4.5 rbs. 4.4 ast., 4.4 stls, 53% 2fg, 34% 3fg, and 67% ft. He is a stat monster. I know he has been billed as a point guard, I am told that he is more of a shooting guard that can play the point right now. He is a very hard worker and most agree if the coaches ask him will make the transition to the point guard, he will do it. I have been told he very similar to ex-Griz Cameron Rundles, but more athletic and a much better defensive player. I have also been told by a friend in California who has seen most of the top teams in California, that he is the best guard in northern California. Over exaggeration? I don’t know but definitely a great pick up for the Griz

Recruiting tidbits: I am told one of the reasons Montana got in on Cherry was that he did not get involved with AAU scene until this past summer. Montana saw him last winter and started recruiting him. He did turn some heads this last summer, but most of the Pac-10 teams asked him to wait until this spring to sign (basically they wanted to watch his winter play). They are regretting that now. Montana offered, and at the last day of the fall signing period he just felt like getting it over and signed with Montana. Rumor has it that his high school and AAU coaches have been approached by Pac-10 coaches to check up on him. More on Griz recruits Hutchison, and Woods later.