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re: Basketball Recruiting Discussion
Posted on 3/3/14 at 3:12 pm to CayceCock13
Posted on 3/3/14 at 3:12 pm to CayceCock13
Recruiting
-- The Gamecocks hosted several local prospects over the weekend for their win over Kentucky. The big names on hand were 2015 wing Perry Dozier Jr. (Columbia/Spring Valley) and 2016 guard Seventh Woods (Columbia/Hammond Academy). Other players on hand were 2015 wing Tevin Mack (Columbia/Dreher), 2015 point guard DeAndre Nathaniel (Columbia/Dreher) and 2017 point guard Devontae Shuler (Irmo/Irmo).
-- We caught up with Dozier following the win to get his reaction. A couple more notes to pass along is that Dozier believes that he is about 3-5 weeks away from being able to get back on the court and start playing again. This coming AAU season, Dozier will again play with his Upward Stars program based out of Spartanburg but is also likely to play a few tournaments with the Under Armour based Carolina Wolves and Seventh Woods.
This could be a very good move for the Gamecocks as the Wolves were current signee Marcus Stroman’s team and they have a pretty good relationship with the Gamecocks staff. Despite Dozier not mentioning North Carolina in terms of possible visits, do not read too much into that. His point during our interview was that he wanted to visit schools further away such as Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Kansas. If the Tar Heels firm up their offer, we still believe this likely comes down to them and the Gamecocks with Ohio State as a dark horse.
-- We have not been able to catch up with Woods following the game, which is not a surprise as he does not do phone interviews. In speaking with people that interacted with him at the game though, the feeling on him was very positive. It is still very early but the feeling is that Martin has made a significant impact on Woods and his family and have put the Gamecocks in an excellent position to be a major factor heading into the AAU season and beyond.
-- The Gamecocks are beginning to pick up interest in Mack who has been at several home games recently. We caught up with him on Sunday night for his feelings on the win and where things stand and will have a full interview soon. Mack recently was named the AAA Player of the Year in South Carolina after having a very solid junior season. Schools such as Florida State, Southern California and Virginia have all reached out to him lately making him a player to keep a very close eye on as we move into the spring and summer AAU period.
-- One other prospect at the game that we mentioned was the 2017 point guard Devontae Shuler from Irmo. Shuler has a chance to be a high major prospect as he develops over time and is a name to keep an eye on over the next few years.
-- The Gamecocks hosted several local prospects over the weekend for their win over Kentucky. The big names on hand were 2015 wing Perry Dozier Jr. (Columbia/Spring Valley) and 2016 guard Seventh Woods (Columbia/Hammond Academy). Other players on hand were 2015 wing Tevin Mack (Columbia/Dreher), 2015 point guard DeAndre Nathaniel (Columbia/Dreher) and 2017 point guard Devontae Shuler (Irmo/Irmo).
-- We caught up with Dozier following the win to get his reaction. A couple more notes to pass along is that Dozier believes that he is about 3-5 weeks away from being able to get back on the court and start playing again. This coming AAU season, Dozier will again play with his Upward Stars program based out of Spartanburg but is also likely to play a few tournaments with the Under Armour based Carolina Wolves and Seventh Woods.
This could be a very good move for the Gamecocks as the Wolves were current signee Marcus Stroman’s team and they have a pretty good relationship with the Gamecocks staff. Despite Dozier not mentioning North Carolina in terms of possible visits, do not read too much into that. His point during our interview was that he wanted to visit schools further away such as Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Kansas. If the Tar Heels firm up their offer, we still believe this likely comes down to them and the Gamecocks with Ohio State as a dark horse.
-- We have not been able to catch up with Woods following the game, which is not a surprise as he does not do phone interviews. In speaking with people that interacted with him at the game though, the feeling on him was very positive. It is still very early but the feeling is that Martin has made a significant impact on Woods and his family and have put the Gamecocks in an excellent position to be a major factor heading into the AAU season and beyond.
-- The Gamecocks are beginning to pick up interest in Mack who has been at several home games recently. We caught up with him on Sunday night for his feelings on the win and where things stand and will have a full interview soon. Mack recently was named the AAA Player of the Year in South Carolina after having a very solid junior season. Schools such as Florida State, Southern California and Virginia have all reached out to him lately making him a player to keep a very close eye on as we move into the spring and summer AAU period.
-- One other prospect at the game that we mentioned was the 2017 point guard Devontae Shuler from Irmo. Shuler has a chance to be a high major prospect as he develops over time and is a name to keep an eye on over the next few years.
This post was edited on 3/3/14 at 3:13 pm
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Posted on 3/10/14 at 2:14 pm to CayceCock13
Recruiting
-- According to people close to 2014 forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) the Gamecocks are currently second behind Indiana for his services and either the Hoosiers or Gamecocks will receive his final official visit. Cunningham is still very interested in Michigan State but last week they informed the 6-foot-6 prospect that it may not be until April before they can make a decision on whether or not to offer. People close to Cunningham have encouraged him to move on if that is the case so that he does not lose a spot with either the Gamecocks or Hoosiers.
Cunningham recently took an unofficial visit to Indiana and based on what we were told Sunday afternoon it looks like that visit gave him enough information that an official visit to Columbia is more likely at this point. Cunningham is a tough kid that we are told would thrive under a coach like Frank Martin and there are some people in his camp that would like to see him come south and play for Martin. We were told to keep an eye on Michigan State, if they do elect to move on an offer in the next two weeks then that could change things but with them heading to the NCAA Tournament and the uncertainly of who may declare for the draft on their roster it is very unlikely they do anything.
Cunningham is in the process of deciding on the final official visit and we expect to hear something by mid to late week.
-- 2014 center Adonis Delarosa (New York, NY/Christ the King) has set an announcement date of April 18th which is not really important because that is more than a month away and right in the middle of the spring signing period. Miami offered the 6-foot-11 big man on Sunday afternoon while St. John's and Cincinnati were both in attendance for his game over the weekend. We were told on Sunday evening to keep an eye on the Bearcats as Mick Cronin has taken a big interest in getting the big center to campus.
Delarosa is still mentioning the Gamecocks and one person we spoke with feels there is a good chance they will get an official visit at this time but is unsure of just where they stand overall.
-- According to people close to 2014 forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) the Gamecocks are currently second behind Indiana for his services and either the Hoosiers or Gamecocks will receive his final official visit. Cunningham is still very interested in Michigan State but last week they informed the 6-foot-6 prospect that it may not be until April before they can make a decision on whether or not to offer. People close to Cunningham have encouraged him to move on if that is the case so that he does not lose a spot with either the Gamecocks or Hoosiers.
Cunningham recently took an unofficial visit to Indiana and based on what we were told Sunday afternoon it looks like that visit gave him enough information that an official visit to Columbia is more likely at this point. Cunningham is a tough kid that we are told would thrive under a coach like Frank Martin and there are some people in his camp that would like to see him come south and play for Martin. We were told to keep an eye on Michigan State, if they do elect to move on an offer in the next two weeks then that could change things but with them heading to the NCAA Tournament and the uncertainly of who may declare for the draft on their roster it is very unlikely they do anything.
Cunningham is in the process of deciding on the final official visit and we expect to hear something by mid to late week.
-- 2014 center Adonis Delarosa (New York, NY/Christ the King) has set an announcement date of April 18th which is not really important because that is more than a month away and right in the middle of the spring signing period. Miami offered the 6-foot-11 big man on Sunday afternoon while St. John's and Cincinnati were both in attendance for his game over the weekend. We were told on Sunday evening to keep an eye on the Bearcats as Mick Cronin has taken a big interest in getting the big center to campus.
Delarosa is still mentioning the Gamecocks and one person we spoke with feels there is a good chance they will get an official visit at this time but is unsure of just where they stand overall.
Posted on 3/10/14 at 6:49 pm to CayceCock13
quote:
@sportstalksc
Per his coach 6-6 Shamiek Sheppard has committed to USC.
Shamiek Sheppard 24/7 Bio
This post was edited on 3/10/14 at 6:51 pm
Posted on 3/10/14 at 7:40 pm to CayceCock13
Sheppards High School Coach Ed Huckaby Jr spoke in an interview with Sports Talk SC tonight, here's some quotes from the radio interview:
"He likes the values that Frank Martin stands for, just like I do," Huckaby said. "How Frank coaches his team and his desire to win, but more importantly Shamiek really appreciates the discipline and the structure that Frank demands of his players and the accountability."
"There's not a coach in America that doesn't get in a player's face and say some tough words," Huckaby said. "My opinion is Frank has taken a hit to that unnecessarily. I don't see people making those same comments about some very well known coaches coaching today, so why he gets piled on on that and other coaches get a pass I have no idea."
"His passion is just to win," he said. "If that requires some offensive output, he'll do that. The defensive end and glass, he'll do that. If it's to play point guard, he'll do that. He's a versatile player and that's something I tried to emphasize."
"Mid-range, low block, transition, defensive steals, he'll hit a three very now and then. He's a guy that's going to fill the stats in a lot of areas. But more importantly he's use to winning."
You can listen to the whole interview here at the bottom of the page.
"He likes the values that Frank Martin stands for, just like I do," Huckaby said. "How Frank coaches his team and his desire to win, but more importantly Shamiek really appreciates the discipline and the structure that Frank demands of his players and the accountability."
"There's not a coach in America that doesn't get in a player's face and say some tough words," Huckaby said. "My opinion is Frank has taken a hit to that unnecessarily. I don't see people making those same comments about some very well known coaches coaching today, so why he gets piled on on that and other coaches get a pass I have no idea."
"His passion is just to win," he said. "If that requires some offensive output, he'll do that. The defensive end and glass, he'll do that. If it's to play point guard, he'll do that. He's a versatile player and that's something I tried to emphasize."
"Mid-range, low block, transition, defensive steals, he'll hit a three very now and then. He's a guy that's going to fill the stats in a lot of areas. But more importantly he's use to winning."
You can listen to the whole interview here at the bottom of the page.
This post was edited on 3/10/14 at 7:58 pm
Posted on 3/17/14 at 1:37 pm to CayceCock13
VIP Notes 3/17:
Recruiting
-- The staff will return to the road this coming week to look for prospects that could help the 2014 team. In speaking with people close to four-star power forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park), we would still classify Indiana as the leader for him and his most likely destination. The Gamecocks have some help with Cunningham though from people close to him who would like to see him play for a coach like Frank Martin because they believe that Martin could help Cunningham grow as a person. Still the chance to play in the Big Ten, a conference Cunningham has grown up watching, and be closer to home could be the deciding factors in his decision.
Two names to just keep in the memory bank in terms of 2014 players as we move forward are 6-foot-4 shooting guard Troy Holston (Tampa, Fla./Oldsmar Christian) and 6-foot-3 point guard Shelton Mitchell (Mouth of Wilson, Va./Oak Hill Academy). Currently both players are committed to other programs and have signed their letters of intent, as Holston is signed with South Florida and Mitchell with Wake Forest. However, Stan Heath has already been let go from the Bulls and there is a lot of speculation that Jeff Bzdelik could be on the way out in Winston-Salem.
If Holston elects to open up recruitment back up and can get a release from South Florida, expect the Gamecocks to at least inquire into his interest. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard has a college ready body as he is close to 200 pounds and was one of the best shooters on the AAU circuit during the month of July. Holston's shooting ability earned him offers from Mississippi, Memphis and Kansas State among others. In speaking with his current head coach, the family is in no rush to make a decision and would like to at least see who the Bulls choose as their head coach before deciding on anything.
As for Mitchell, the Gamecocks could potentially elect to get involved with him again he does open his recruitment. We reached out to someone on Saturday night to see what type of interest Mitchell would have in the Gamecocks if he does open things up and they elect to pursue him. We were told that Mitchell would probably be interested in talking to the Gamecocks if that does indeed happen as he is a good friend of current player Sindarius Thornwell.
Recruiting
-- The staff will return to the road this coming week to look for prospects that could help the 2014 team. In speaking with people close to four-star power forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park), we would still classify Indiana as the leader for him and his most likely destination. The Gamecocks have some help with Cunningham though from people close to him who would like to see him play for a coach like Frank Martin because they believe that Martin could help Cunningham grow as a person. Still the chance to play in the Big Ten, a conference Cunningham has grown up watching, and be closer to home could be the deciding factors in his decision.
Two names to just keep in the memory bank in terms of 2014 players as we move forward are 6-foot-4 shooting guard Troy Holston (Tampa, Fla./Oldsmar Christian) and 6-foot-3 point guard Shelton Mitchell (Mouth of Wilson, Va./Oak Hill Academy). Currently both players are committed to other programs and have signed their letters of intent, as Holston is signed with South Florida and Mitchell with Wake Forest. However, Stan Heath has already been let go from the Bulls and there is a lot of speculation that Jeff Bzdelik could be on the way out in Winston-Salem.
If Holston elects to open up recruitment back up and can get a release from South Florida, expect the Gamecocks to at least inquire into his interest. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard has a college ready body as he is close to 200 pounds and was one of the best shooters on the AAU circuit during the month of July. Holston's shooting ability earned him offers from Mississippi, Memphis and Kansas State among others. In speaking with his current head coach, the family is in no rush to make a decision and would like to at least see who the Bulls choose as their head coach before deciding on anything.
As for Mitchell, the Gamecocks could potentially elect to get involved with him again he does open his recruitment. We reached out to someone on Saturday night to see what type of interest Mitchell would have in the Gamecocks if he does open things up and they elect to pursue him. We were told that Mitchell would probably be interested in talking to the Gamecocks if that does indeed happen as he is a good friend of current player Sindarius Thornwell.
Posted on 3/20/14 at 6:41 pm to CayceCock13
Jeff Bzdelik is expected to resign tonight as the Head Basketball Coach at Wake Forest, so probably be on the lookout for SC to become more serious with Shelton Mitchell.
Posted on 3/24/14 at 2:04 pm to CayceCock13
Recruiting
-- Head coach Frank Martin was in attendance last Friday for New York center Adonis Delarosa (Middle Village, N.Y./Christ the King) and his game in which he scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. Delarosa is quickly becoming one of the most coveted big men remaining on the market and it appears that the Gamecocks will likely receive one of his official visits when he decides to take them. According to those around Delarosa we spoke with on Sunday night, he is likely to settle on a final five this week and begin official visits next week. The feeling right now is that St. John's, Cincinnati, Miami and South Carolina are likely four of the official visit destinations with Rutgers, Alabama, Georgetown and Georgia being the others in contention for a visit.
-- We exchanged text messages with four-star forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) on Sunday night as well. The 6-foot-6 prospect is coming of winning the AAA State Championship this past weekend and said that he plans to decide on his final official by Friday and then likely take the visit either the middle of next week or after coaches return from the Final Four. Cunningham did confirm that he is deciding between Indiana and South Carolina for his final official visit but that he is wide open and considering everyone in terms of his overall recruitment.
-- We linked the article on Sunday night but the Gamecocks have made a big effort to get into the recruitment of three-star small forward Djuan Piper (Seattle, Wash./Rainer Beach) and he has included them in his final three. In speaking with others last night who have interacted with Piper, the feeling is that Minnesota holds the edge with Washington being the next option. We hope to catch up with Piper on soon to get his feelings on where things stand.
-- Last week we touched base with 2014 power forward Jabari McGhee (Chatham, Va./Hargrave Military Academy) and his AAU coach. The 6-foot-7 prospect is a former AAU teammate of current signee TeMarcus Blanton and the feeling in speaking with both people is that if the Gamecocks were to offer they would be in strong position to land McGhee. Currently he is already taken official visits to Western Kentucky and Florida Gulf Coast but is also hearing from Georgia Tech and Murray State along with the Gamecocks.
-- Head coach Frank Martin was in attendance last Friday for New York center Adonis Delarosa (Middle Village, N.Y./Christ the King) and his game in which he scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. Delarosa is quickly becoming one of the most coveted big men remaining on the market and it appears that the Gamecocks will likely receive one of his official visits when he decides to take them. According to those around Delarosa we spoke with on Sunday night, he is likely to settle on a final five this week and begin official visits next week. The feeling right now is that St. John's, Cincinnati, Miami and South Carolina are likely four of the official visit destinations with Rutgers, Alabama, Georgetown and Georgia being the others in contention for a visit.
-- We exchanged text messages with four-star forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) on Sunday night as well. The 6-foot-6 prospect is coming of winning the AAA State Championship this past weekend and said that he plans to decide on his final official by Friday and then likely take the visit either the middle of next week or after coaches return from the Final Four. Cunningham did confirm that he is deciding between Indiana and South Carolina for his final official visit but that he is wide open and considering everyone in terms of his overall recruitment.
-- We linked the article on Sunday night but the Gamecocks have made a big effort to get into the recruitment of three-star small forward Djuan Piper (Seattle, Wash./Rainer Beach) and he has included them in his final three. In speaking with others last night who have interacted with Piper, the feeling is that Minnesota holds the edge with Washington being the next option. We hope to catch up with Piper on soon to get his feelings on where things stand.
-- Last week we touched base with 2014 power forward Jabari McGhee (Chatham, Va./Hargrave Military Academy) and his AAU coach. The 6-foot-7 prospect is a former AAU teammate of current signee TeMarcus Blanton and the feeling in speaking with both people is that if the Gamecocks were to offer they would be in strong position to land McGhee. Currently he is already taken official visits to Western Kentucky and Florida Gulf Coast but is also hearing from Georgia Tech and Murray State along with the Gamecocks.
Posted on 4/7/14 at 10:08 pm to CayceCock13
Recruiting
-- Based on more feedback received last night on 2014 center Adonis Delarosa (New York, NY/Chirst the King), we are expecting him to stick with his plan of committing to St. John's this coming week. There are some people around Delarosa that would like to see him at least visit the Gamecocks this coming weekend to give them a chance but at this point it appears his mind is made up. The Red Storm are down to seven scholarship players are transfers and graduation and the Delarosa feels that he could be an immediate starter as soon as he steps on campus. That along with the proximity to home is what has helped him make his decision. We are told the Gamecocks are a firm number two at this point on his list but it is unlikely they will be able to overcome the Red Storm.
- The news on 2014 power forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) now electing to visit South Carolina this coming weekend before making his announcement next week is huge. We touched base with several people on Sunday night to get a deeper read into what it means by delaying his decision and taking the visit but could never get specific answers as to why he changed his plans and what it means regarding Indiana.
The general feeling is that Indiana is still the top choice and that had he made his decision this Wednesday, he would have joined the Hoosiers. We were told on Sunday night the Hoosiers staff was surprised by the decision to take the visit this coming weekend to Columbia and are hoping to speak with Cunningham at 12:01 p.m. on Thursday which is one minute after the current dead period ends.
-- Expect the Gamecocks to at least show some interest in current players that are transferring schools this offseason. The idea of adding an experienced player to the roster that would have to sit out next year but be eligible for the 2015-16 season is something the staff would like to have for several reasons. There are no specific names that we can mention just yet but expect the Gamecocks to at least inquire into several guys over the next couple of weeks.
- At this point in time, we do not expect the Gamecocks to move forward with offers to either junior college prospect Cinmeon Bowers (Marianna, Fla./Chipola Junior College) or forward Jabari McGhee (Chatham, Va./Hargrave Military Academy).
-- Based on more feedback received last night on 2014 center Adonis Delarosa (New York, NY/Chirst the King), we are expecting him to stick with his plan of committing to St. John's this coming week. There are some people around Delarosa that would like to see him at least visit the Gamecocks this coming weekend to give them a chance but at this point it appears his mind is made up. The Red Storm are down to seven scholarship players are transfers and graduation and the Delarosa feels that he could be an immediate starter as soon as he steps on campus. That along with the proximity to home is what has helped him make his decision. We are told the Gamecocks are a firm number two at this point on his list but it is unlikely they will be able to overcome the Red Storm.
- The news on 2014 power forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) now electing to visit South Carolina this coming weekend before making his announcement next week is huge. We touched base with several people on Sunday night to get a deeper read into what it means by delaying his decision and taking the visit but could never get specific answers as to why he changed his plans and what it means regarding Indiana.
The general feeling is that Indiana is still the top choice and that had he made his decision this Wednesday, he would have joined the Hoosiers. We were told on Sunday night the Hoosiers staff was surprised by the decision to take the visit this coming weekend to Columbia and are hoping to speak with Cunningham at 12:01 p.m. on Thursday which is one minute after the current dead period ends.
-- Expect the Gamecocks to at least show some interest in current players that are transferring schools this offseason. The idea of adding an experienced player to the roster that would have to sit out next year but be eligible for the 2015-16 season is something the staff would like to have for several reasons. There are no specific names that we can mention just yet but expect the Gamecocks to at least inquire into several guys over the next couple of weeks.
- At this point in time, we do not expect the Gamecocks to move forward with offers to either junior college prospect Cinmeon Bowers (Marianna, Fla./Chipola Junior College) or forward Jabari McGhee (Chatham, Va./Hargrave Military Academy).
Posted on 4/14/14 at 2:51 pm to CayceCock13
-- After speaking with several different people throughout Sunday, here is the latest on 247Sports Composite four-star power forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park). The feeling is that Indiana, South Carolina, DePaul and Bradley are the schools with the best chance of landing Cunningham this coming Friday when he plans to announce.
Cunningham and his family are keeping things very close to the vest right now and we do not expect to see Indiana publicly eliminated but the feeling is that they have faded significantly and barring a change will not be the school that lands him.
The two other schools that are options are Bradley and DePaul. Of those two, DePaul is the least likely but does have the lure of staying in Chicago and being extremely close to Cunningham's home and family. We are not ruling them out but also do not believe that will end up being the college he chooses. Bradley on the other hand appears to be a very realistic option for Cunningham due to a strong relationship built between the coaching staff and the family.
The returns from the visit to South Carolina over the weekend have been extremely positive. Cunningham was occupied on the trip by his mother and they liked the campus and the plan the Gamecocks have for Cunningham, not just as a basketball player but also on the academic side of things as well. The biggest challenge in Cunningham will be the distance from home but we are told that is not a huge factor.
Cunningham and his family are keeping things very close to the vest right now and we do not expect to see Indiana publicly eliminated but the feeling is that they have faded significantly and barring a change will not be the school that lands him.
The two other schools that are options are Bradley and DePaul. Of those two, DePaul is the least likely but does have the lure of staying in Chicago and being extremely close to Cunningham's home and family. We are not ruling them out but also do not believe that will end up being the college he chooses. Bradley on the other hand appears to be a very realistic option for Cunningham due to a strong relationship built between the coaching staff and the family.
The returns from the visit to South Carolina over the weekend have been extremely positive. Cunningham was occupied on the trip by his mother and they liked the campus and the plan the Gamecocks have for Cunningham, not just as a basketball player but also on the academic side of things as well. The biggest challenge in Cunningham will be the distance from home but we are told that is not a huge factor.
Posted on 4/14/14 at 5:59 pm to CayceCock13
Good stuff 
Posted on 4/22/14 at 1:13 pm to Gcockboi
VIP Recruiting:
quote:
-- One spot that the staff will surely hit is the Elevate Hoops event in Biloxi, Miss. Upward Stars, with top 2015 target Perry Dozier Jr. (Columbia/Spring Valley), will feature in the event. Dozier recently returned to the court after eight months away rehabbing a torn ACL. We’re told that North Carolina is still closely monitoring Dozier and that head coach Roy Williams is still personally overseeing his recruitment.
Also playing for Upward is class of 2016 forward Jordan Bruner (Columbia/Spring Valley), who is the high school teammate of Dozier and also the younger brother of former USC women’s basketball player Ashley Bruner. Jordan Bruner recently picked up an offer from Clemson.
-- Speaking of the UNC coach, Williams is scheduled to be in Columbia on Monday to see class of 2016 target Seventh Woods (Columbia/Hammond). Williams is also personally overseeing the recruitment of Woods, who is a five-star prospect in both the 247Sports Composite and 247Sports rankings. Word in the basketball community is North Carolina is trending again for Woods but the Gamecocks are still very much in the mix. Martin is also personally overseeing the recruitment of both Woods and Dozier.
-- Another player we expect a member of the staff to check out this weekend is 2015 wing Tevin Mack (Columbia/Dreher), who is playing in a tournament in Augusta. Mack visited VCU last week and the Rams are in on him hard right now. Head coach Shaka Smart was also in town recently to check on the AAA Player of the Year in South Carolina.
-- Of course, top 2014 target still left on the board is Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park), who will make his decision this week. Late last week, Cunningham was trending hard towards the Gamecocks with Bradley being the school that posed the biggest threat. Since then though, Cunningham visited St. John’s over the weekend and 247Sports’ lead basketball analyst Jerry Meyer Crystal Balled him to the Red Storm. The Crystal Ball is foggy at best at the moment with Indiana still holding the biggest percentage followed by Bradley and then South Carolina.
While we haven’t been able to pick up much at this point on the visit to St. John’s, we do know that people in his camp are pushing him to stay at home and attend Bradley. We also know, however, that BU picked up a pair of verbal commitments over the weekend from junior college players, including 6-foot-8 forward Jermaine Morgan. While Bradley would certainly take and make room for Cunningham, the commitment may be an indicator of the school’s confidence level in landing him.
Posted on 4/22/14 at 3:07 pm to CayceCock13
Interesting that we're battling St. John's of all schools for a couple of recruits this year.
Posted on 4/22/14 at 3:10 pm to CockHolliday
quote:
Interesting that we're battling St. John's of all schools for a couple of recruits this year.
Agreed, hopefully we beat them out for Cunningham though, since they already got Delarosa.
Posted on 4/24/14 at 1:12 pm to CayceCock13
quote:
@GamecockCentral
#Gamecock signee Marcus Stroman checks in at no. 94 on the final 2014 hoops #Rivals150: LINK …
Posted on 4/24/14 at 4:42 pm to CayceCock13
quote:
@GamecockCentral
#Gamecock signee Marcus Stroman checks in at no. 94 on the final 2014 hoops #Rivals150: LINK …
TeMarcus Blanton is no. 135....
Posted on 4/28/14 at 10:01 pm to ConwayGamecock
quote:
Recruiting
-- Class of 2014 forward Josh Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) has done a very good job of keeping his recruitment close to the vest as decision time draws near. Cunningham will announce his college decision and sign his NLI on Tuesday at 3 p.m. in a ceremony at his school.
The finalists are South Carolina, Bradley, St. John’s and DePaul with Indiana likely on the outside looking in. Cunningham has delayed his decision several times and said that he was done taking visits only to take other visits. After his South Carolina trip, he took visits to St. John’s and then most recently DePaul. DePaul is a school that was always considered a darkhorse candidate, but we haven’t been able to gather much intel on that visit to this point. The race is just too close to call as so many in his camp have kept quiet and he's been all over the place throughout the process.
-- One of the players who raised his stock considerably over the weekend was 247Sports Composite four-star guard Tevin Mack (Columbia/Dreher), who is rated as the No. 103 player in the country by 247Sports. Going into the weekend, the Gamecocks were close to offering but wanted to see him perform in Pittsburgh, Pa. at the Pitt Jam Fest. Mack scored 32 points once and 38 points twice over the weekend putting together a standout performance for the Carolina Wolves.
Mack will visit South Carolina this week but we’re not sure at this point whether or not the Gamecocks will offer.
The top target there was class of 2015 wing Perry Dozier Jr. (Columbia/Spring Valley). The USC coaching staff was front and center and Dozier’s games but so were Clemson head coach Brad Brownell and UNC head coach Roy Williams. Dozier is still South Carolina’s top target in the 2015 class and word we received is that while he doesn’t look like he’s back to 100 percent after having he knee ligaments repaired, he looked good over the weekend and is well on his way back to full strength.
-- One player that Martin and Evans were sure to check out in Biloxi at the Elevate Hoops event was small forward Dwayne Bacon (Fort Pierce, Fla./Fort Baptist), who plays for the Showtime All Stars. Martin has some good ties with the Florida AAU program and the feeling there is that he may be able to work his way in with the four-star prospect, who is ranked as the No. 33 player in the country in the 247Sports Composite. Bacon is a national recruit though who already has dozens of offers to his credit. The 6-foot-6 wing doesn’t plan to think too much about recruiting until the summer.
-- Another player the staff checked out was combo guard Deriante Jenkins (Santee/Lake Marion), a 2015 guard who plays for the Upward Stars. The feeling right now is that Jenkins is probably a mid-major player but he’s someone to keep an eye on over the course of the summer.
Posted on 4/29/14 at 8:06 am to CayceCock13
Thank you for all of these updates.
I hope we can close with a big man. A good big man.
I hope we can close with a big man. A good big man.
Posted on 4/29/14 at 2:33 pm to scrooster
Cunningham committing at 6:30 EST tonight, would be nice to land him. And
No problem.
quote:
Thank you for all of these updates.
No problem.
This post was edited on 4/29/14 at 2:34 pm
Posted on 4/29/14 at 6:12 pm to CayceCock13
quote:
@VerbalCommits
2014 Morgan Park (IL) F Josh Cunningham has committed to Bradley. @JoshMCunningham LINK …
Posted on 4/29/14 at 6:28 pm to CayceCock13
Yep, the news was moving towards him wanting to stay close to home, so I didn't get my hopes up. Hope well for the kid....
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