Gabbard walked on at WKU. I should have said played D1 with success meaning stayed at the school and played valuable minutes.

I agree with 4pointplay on Ruthsatz committing more on the defensive side of the play. Every time I have watched him play all he does is gamble, reach, and look for steals. He usually guards the other teams weakest guard. I can't recall a time Ruthsatz has ever locked someone up on the defensive end. With the way CCH plays and Ruthsatz averaging 20 a game it purely shows that he is relied upon to score the basketball, thats it.

 

Completely disagree. He gets the PG on the other team. He struggled with Bolden but everyone does. You're vastly underrating his defense. He turns the ballhandler. He makes the ballhandler pick up the ball too early. He challenges passes. He is great at help D. Good intuition on when to go for the steal from the help D(see last play of NCC game).

 

There are things to criticize about Nick's game. D isn't one.

Which yes Nick can hit those shots, however he does have the green light to stroke it whenever. When Listerman coached at CCH, you think all of those guards had the green light to pull whenever they wanted? The only person mentioned in those guards that comes close to averaging 14 shots a game is TJ. The rest, no way they shot on average more than 10 times per game. The scoring was much more balanced throughout where there were several guys averaging around 10 ppg. That is why I alluded to what do you think those players would have averaged if they were taking 14 shots a game? My point being, nick is averaging 20 ppg from the PG position, when is the last player to average 20 ppg at CCH? It hasn't happened in years but to say that players within the last 10 years weren't capable isn't true, it's just they didn't take as many shots nor have a green light like Ruthsatz does.

 

As for AAU he plays with the Ohio Phenoms. The few games I saw he didn't play as a natural point gaurd. His same game translated over however he didn't nearly take as many shots. Goes back to my green light, point. I personally, wasn't very impressed in the few games I saw him on the AAU circuit.

Well he didn't guard Monroe against Pendelton? And Monroe got his...7 point game at home. The committee guarded Bolden and they couldn't stop him. Nick's D at the next level is most certainly his biggest weakness and that translates to size. He simply struggles with bigger, faster, stronger guards both on offense and defensive end. Holmes and HC in districts last year. Struggled at NCC on offensive end against Bueter, and Pangallo arguably had the best game outside of McDonald, NCC's point guard. So did Ruthsatz guard Pangallo or not?

Which yes Nick can hit those shots, however he does have the green light to stroke it whenever. When Listerman coached at CCH, you think all of those guards had the green light to pull whenever they wanted? The only person mentioned in those guards that comes close to averaging 14 shots a game is TJ. The rest, no way they shot on average more than 10 times per game. The scoring was much more balanced throughout where there were several guys averaging around 10 ppg. That is why I alluded to what do you think those players would have averaged if they were taking 14 shots a game? My point being, nick is averaging 20 ppg from the PG position, when is the last player to average 20 ppg at CCH? It hasn't happened in years but to say that players within the last 10 years weren't capable isn't true, it's just they didn't take as many shots nor have a green light like Ruthsatz does.

 

As for AAU he plays with the Ohio Phenoms. The few games I saw he didn't play as a natural point gaurd. His same game translated over however he didn't nearly take as many shots. Goes back to my green light, point. I personally, wasn't very impressed in the few games I saw him on the AAU circuit.

 

I never said any of those guys couldn't score 20. They could. My point is that Nick R has a skill that most of them did not. THAT may be what separates him from the others in regards to college recruiters. Pure speculation on my part as I do not have the ear of any recruiters. I know that some are not enamored with his style of play. Others think he has skills that can help them IF he minimizes his negatives.

 

Again, it only takes one school to like you. One is definitely interested.

I would argue you haven't watched him enough if you say he needs to show "more commitment on the defensive side of the ball." He's one of the top on-ball defenders in the 9th.

As to the Smith/Gabbard comparison, I'd say he's a much better shooter than those two and has a better handle than Gabbard. Gabbard was really good(I'm a big fan of his) and was good at using his broad shoulders to penetrate.

 

Smith's handle is better (slightly). Smith is more of a pure PG than Nick has been at CCH.

 

I see home about 10 times a season and saw him quite a bit on the summer circuit. In my opinion gives up way too many straight line drives to the basket when guarding other top guards. I feel he gambles a little too much and against better guards which he will face at the next level that puts your teammates at a disadvantage. He rarely goes against that type of guard in the 9th.

 

I think Northern Kentucky is underrecruited so I root for kids like Ruthsatz to get that next D1 opportunity. That helps that next group of kids coming up thru the system like Bolden and the other sophs in this thread.

 

It also helps when kids like Smith, Gabbard and Thelen have the type of success they are having at the next level

I see home about 10 times a season and saw him quite a bit on the summer circuit. In my opinion gives up way too many straight line drives to the basket when guarding other top guards. l

 

I haven't seen that much in 9th games but I could see that being an issue at the D1 level. It's the biggest issue with Hatton.