Phoenix Gill (son of NBA vet Kendall Gill), a 6'3" guard in the class of '25, has received an offer:
https://twitter.com/sloche_o/status/1670482073797140481?s=20
Rising Junior? Very physical
Usually sophomores aren't all that physical. Tend to back off the upperclassmen. Some don't develop the physical style until senior year.
This kid is impressive. Much moreso than the Bynum kid.
"You get an offer...you get an offer...and you get an offer!"
Three more offers today for the class of '25
Braylon Mullins, 6'5" SG from Greenfield IN
Jaymen Townsend, 6'6" SF from Marion IN
Nick Allen, 6'11" C from Bourbonnais IL
NICK ALLEN DEVELOPING INTO A PREMIER 2025 POST IN MIDWEST
https://ny2lasports.com/article_one.aspx?articleid=5734
https://twitter.com/_Nick_Allen_/status/1670984343471226881?s=20
https://twitter.com/ILHoopProspects/status/1656089200813387779?s=20
https://twitter.com/jaymentownsend/status/1670638649354887172?s=20
2022-23
19.3PPG/7.6RPG
One of the top sophomores in Indiana
Last, but not least:
https://twitter.com/mullins_braylon/status/1644049652377964549?s=20
https://twitter.com/mullins_braylon/status/1670969266659635201?s=20
https://twitter.com/recruitszone/status/1670630952073154560?s=20
Ranked #4 overall best IN player Class of 2025
:coffeetime: Geez, it like herding cats trying to keep up with all the 2025 offers going out.
According to PO's Twitter site this appears to be the list so far:
Jason Jakstys
Jack Stanton
Jaymen Townsend
Nick Allen
Phoenix Gill
Braylon Mullins
Angelo Ciaravino
Davis Bynum
Jack Bailey (4*, contacted)
Is that it? Anyone else who I've missed at this point?
And...... the staff is on the road again this weekend to:
Appleton, WI,
https://basketball.exposureevents.com/202408/boys-wiaa-wbca-june-jam--scholastic-event
Romeoville, IL
https://romeovillelive.com/event/4663-certified-romeoville-live-summer-shootout
and Indianapolis, IN (guessing on this one)
https://basketball.exposureevents.com/200891/summer-classic
Will there be more?
Quote from: VULB#62 on June 23, 2023, 11:03:15 AM
:coffeetime: Geez, it like herding cats trying to keep up with all the 2025 offers going out.
According to PO's Twitter site this appears to be the list so far:
Jason Jakstys
Jack Stanton
Jaymen Townsend
Nick Allen
Phoenix Gill
Braylon Mullins
Angelo Ciaravino
Davis Bynum
Jack Bailey (4*, contacted)
Is that it? Anyone else?
And...... the staff is on the road again this weekend to:
Appleton, WI,
https://basketball.exposureevents.com/202408/boys-wiaa-wbca-june-jam--scholastic-event
Romeoville, IL
https://romeovillelive.com/event/4663-certified-romeoville-live-summer-shootout
and Indianapolis, IN (guessing on this one)
https://basketball.exposureevents.com/200891/summer-classic
Will there be more?
It's certain. What happens is that as they get the first guys the offers start getting pulled. Obviously, none of these qualify for walk-on status and there aren't very many spots.
I also saw that a few are 4* rising juniors, and that's a big reach for Valpo given our record over the past 7 years. So, I presume some of these early offers will also be declined in the future by some of these kids who get serious P5 pressure, e.g., maybe a kid like Phoenix Gill (4* soph, dad, Kendall Gill, a former pro).
Regardless, I am liking the wide net that Roger is casting. He is so personable (as are his assistants) that it's not hard to visualize a kid or two buying in on that alone. Ya know, I don't remember seeing recruiting promotion and aggressiveness as intense in the past. Or is that selective memory?
The other part of this little game, IMO, is that these are rising juniors and like all young kids they are into "collecting" cool stuff
These offers may pay off later in the players' careers after they sign with a P5 and decide to transfer after a year or two.
Quote from: humbleopinion on June 23, 2023, 03:36:07 PM
These offers may pay off later in the players' careers after they sign with a P5 and decide to transfer after a year or two.
Yes, it's about being in the conversation, having the school's name out there with some of the best players, making a strong impression with a kid who at the very least will think well of Valpo -- with the possibility that a few may end up here. And the right few is all you need to do special things.
Maybe presumed, but for those who may not be familiar
Kendall Gill — Illinois, FF 1989 (teammate Marcus Liberty)
Roger Powell — Illinois, FF 2005
I like seeing all of the recruiting news coming from this coaching staff. I would hope that in the interviews, Roger said, "I will going out and doing a lot of recruiting, so my budget will need to be a lot more, as the years go on." Seeeing they are staying within driving distance currently is good too. I agree that some of these offers will be rejected, but that's all these is "offers". At least, it gives the potential to the kid that he can be a focus from our program, but also allows him to see what other schools will send offers that might be better than Valpo, or will be under what Valpo has to offer. I'm excited to see how things go over the next 5 years.
Kids talk among themselves, even at that early age. The best players, and some with great potential, see each other on a regular basis and talk about schools, coaches, who they like and the first impressions the coaches and schools give. In the larger scheme of things these factors can mean alot. It can only be a win-win situation when players have already met a coach or coaches and have a good impression of a Staff and School. Getting in there early and good follow-up can bring real successes in the long run. It appears that Coach Powell and this Staff are doing just that. GO VALPO!
Player development is key. Interested in how AJ Moye comes into play developing players. Players developing in 2024 may help land some of these 2025 recruits. Sometimes it is better to get playing time
at a smaller school like Belmont, Santa Clara or Gonzaga.
Another 2025 offer to Brady Koehler, a 6'8" power forward from Cathedral HS (Indianapolis)
Definitely feels like both a "wide net" strategy and also a general PR strategy to elevate Valpo's name. All of our new coaches seem much more savvy in regards to social media, publicity, and the general need to use themselves to sell the program and team. These offers may be a part of that. especially at such an early stage. It's a message Valpo is out there and recruiting hard.
Quote from: valpopal on June 27, 2023, 01:18:44 PM
Another 2025 offer to Brady Koehler, a 6'8" power forward from Cathedral HS (Indianapolis)
His Twitter announcement was "After a conversation with Coach Powell...." Note, he did not say "great conversation." :o What should we read into that? Is Roger losing his edge? 🧐
Just kidding and being a little snarky - it just seems that all these recent announcements are the same as if these kids check a box next to a prepared text line and then post.
It's just like the whole "with that being said" phrasing that used to be a big part of transfer announcements.
I guess that is the phrase of the year. Wasn't last year's "I have been blessed to receive an offer......." ??
Another big with a 2025 offer: Will Goode, a 6'9" 230 lb. PF from Kansas. Looks in videos like a strong player likely to grow even more with a good looking outside shot as well.
I see that neither Grand Canyon nor Gonzaga has made anywhere near as many 2024 2025 offers as Valpo, so Roger's strike fast, strike often recruiting approach isn't simply a copy and paste from his past. That makes me like it even more.
Quote from: wh on July 20, 2023, 06:41:14 PMI see that neither Grand Canyon nor Gonzaga has made anywhere near as many 2024 2025 offers as Valpo, so Roger's strike fast, strike often recruiting approach isn't simply a copy and paste from his past. That makes me like it even more.
Roger went from Vandy to Gonzaga. No stop at Grand Canyon.
Quote from: JD24 on July 20, 2023, 11:48:40 PM
Quote from: wh on July 20, 2023, 06:41:14 PMI see that neither Grand Canyon nor Gonzaga has made anywhere near as many 2024 2025 offers as Valpo, so Roger's strike fast, strike often recruiting approach isn't simply a copy and paste from his past. That makes me like it even more.
Roger went from Vandy to Gonzaga. No stop at Grand Canyon.
However, his former boss at Vandy is now at Grand Canyon.
Quote from: vu72 on July 21, 2023, 07:47:24 AMQuote from: JD24 on July 20, 2023, 11:48:40 PMQuote from: wh on July 20, 2023, 06:41:14 PMI see that neither Grand Canyon nor Gonzaga has made anywhere near as many 2024 2025 offers as Valpo, so Roger's strike fast, strike often recruiting approach isn't simply a copy and paste from his past. That makes me like it even more.
Roger went from Vandy to Gonzaga. No stop at Grand Canyon.
However, his former boss at Vandy is now at Grand Canyon.
No kidding. No Roger however.
Quote from: JD24 on July 21, 2023, 12:48:40 PM
Quote from: vu72 on July 21, 2023, 07:47:24 AMQuote from: JD24 on July 20, 2023, 11:48:40 PMQuote from: wh on July 20, 2023, 06:41:14 PMI see that neither Grand Canyon nor Gonzaga has made anywhere near as many 2024 2025 offers as Valpo, so Roger's strike fast, strike often recruiting approach isn't simply a copy and paste from his past. That makes me like it even more.
Roger went from Vandy to Gonzaga. No stop at Grand Canyon.
However, his former boss at Vandy is now at Grand Canyon.
No kidding. No Roger however.
Maybe a little cryptic assistance is in order here. If Mark Few left Gonzaga and became Washington State's coach, I would be comparing the number of Washington State scholarship offers (not Gonzaga's) to Valpo's.
If the point was to watch what coaches are doing who trained Roger then the Canyon reference makes sense whether Roger coached there or not.
The aggressive way in which this coaching staff is jumping into recruiting has caused me to realize that I'm pretty ignorant about recruiting dynamics among schools that want to be in the mix for top players.
So if these schools are making a lot more offers than they have available scholarship spots, and each school has certain slots based on position needs and how they rank these players, then this puts enormous pressure on a kid with multiple offers to make the right decision as early as possible, yes?
If so, is it also possible that someone might accept an offer from a school that had thought of him as a sort of backup option if more desired players said no, not knowing that the coaches wish the acceptance had come from someone else?
I'm assuming this shakeout process has something of a trickle-down effect on mid-majors that are striving to be competitive and relevant in March.
Also, it could be that based on the region of the country each coach is responsible for recruiting in, they are not just focusing on current seniors alone, but getting those future spots some attention, for potential transfers after year 2 on the roster...
Big recruiting visit
https://x.com/zion_10_/status/1715895615316467884?s=46&t=cNk7taMAYtxNl1Q0_O79Gw
Not finding much on this kid. Tell us more!
Zion Gross is from Joliet West. Same high school as Coach Powell and Justus McNair. McNair is committed to Valpo and a 2024 recruit. Zion has offers from Radford, Bryant, Western Illinois, UIC and now Valpo.
Quote from: tiny707 on October 23, 2023, 11:50:50 AMZion Gross is from Joliet West. Same high school as Coach Powell and Justin McNair. McNair is committed to Valpo and A 2024 recruit. Zion has offers from Radford, Bryant, Western Illinois, UIC and now Valpo.
It's Justus McNair and I'm pretty sure he is the other player shown on the visit.
Jack Smiley is tearing it up at Valpo High. Offers from Ohio University and Valpo so
far.
Jack is playing so well he's getting high major looks.
I hope this isn't Brandon Newman and Sasha all over again. Those guys would have been legends in our program.
But I still don't think Lottich would have let them achieve their potential.
https://x.com/zt17hoops/status/1738228584966484040?s=46&t=cNk7taMAYtxNl1Q0_O79Gw
One thing that could hold this kids recruitment down is his size. 6'2" for a guard these days can limit the choices. This could help Valpo.
Just thinkin.... the kid could be the next Bryce Drew if he comes to the program. And look what Bryce did in getting NATIONAL attention to Valpo. Him playing in the "new" arena in his hometown would guarantee great gates. The other thing is that he is a natural southpaw jump shooter which is thing defenders need to adjust to, but can go with either hand for everything else. It also looks like he has a high motor and looks for teammates. And that is what Roger is seeking.
Quote from: VULB#62 on December 22, 2023, 04:37:03 PM
Just thinkin.... the kid could be the next Bryce Drew if he comes to the program. And look what Bryce did in getting NATIONAL attention to Valpo. Him playing in the "new" arena in his hometown would guarantee great gates. The other thing is that he is a natural southpaw jump shooter which is thing defenders need to adjust to, but can go with either hand for everything else. It also looks like he has a high motor and looks for teammates. And that is what Roger is seeking.
He would pair really well with Justus McNair in the backcourt. As you mentioned, he's exactly what we need
Jack Smiley hits 1000 points as a Junior.
Not great for Valpo if Notre Dame enters the mix.
https://x.com/inbballsource/status/1756390040635093496?s=46&t=cNk7taMAYtxNl1Q0_O79Gw
Jack's basketball teammate is playing baseball at Notre Dame next season.