wheelhouse

So, um, I'm sensing that CCH does not qualify as a sleeper.

Given current NoKY rumors, I reckon this to be a pretty big "if." Then again, I could have the wrong player in mind so I'll just let Walter handle it.

Just so -- and the dad in me hopes some parents read that statement and take it to heart.

Point well taken -- even if the kid expresses frustration, kids rarely are the ones who ultimately move an entire family. I am only marginally familiar with the school situation but my son and this young man played part of one AAU season together; without suggesting who the driving force was, I will say that the "grass is greener" approach was in evidence. According to more than one player and/or coach, he was pulled from the team in mid-tournament; one person has said it was actually mid-game. Later I spoke to one of the coaches who claimed the departure was so abrupt that the player did not remove or return his team jersey. As always, I'm open to correction if any (or all) of this is off-base, but there does seem to be a pattern that resonates with Yo Mama's observation.

No love for D3 ballers?

Just read the article and it seems like the young man knows what he's doing. It would have been nice if either he, a school official, or the article's author could have supplied at least one quote about academics but, as the kids say, it is what it is.

I know zero about the CCH-NCC situation here but I believe I saw this young man play AAU ball this past summer. A lot of physical tools are there but skill-wise he's still in the "project" stage, which makes it tough if he only gets to play one year of school ball. I feel for the kid -- I imagine he's under significant pressure and it's hard to tell how much (or little) control he has over his situation.

I may be wrong but I thought Ricardo's twin brother Jeremiah was also on that team, in which case I assume there was more than one 6'4" guard in the region.

Craft's profile on the Santa Cruz Warriors' website lists him at 6'2" and 192 lbs.

....and I obviously missed the verb "scouted" in gametime's post. So someone clearly did see Craft in HS. I'd be interested in hearing from others who may also have had that privilege.

I agree that CVH is an excellent player, but I also get gametime's point. Let's just say that unless someone on this thread actually had an opportunity to see Craft during his HS career, we should be cautious with this comparison.

I understand and respect what you're saying; different people have different ideas about what makes a good conversation. Some recent research on rhetoric suggests that your second approach -- known as the "friendly" or "inclusive" approach -- actually stimulates a broader dialogue with more potential participants, which is what I prefer in a live or online forum. Your initial approach -- traditionally known as the "disputational" approach -- typically initiates a more intense dialogue between fewer parties, and it's your right to enjoy that. BGPers have been known to use both approaches and the results, in my humble opinion, are rarely boring. Sorry for the thread diversion, everyone. All done!

So many BGP threads about individual players move in this direction; I can't speak for anyone else but I find it frustrating. It typically begins with a statement like "there's no question" or "it's not even close" and then descends into a limited-participation argument about Player 1 vs. Player 2 with an occasional Player 3 thrown in. I think everyone's entitled to an informed opinion and I'll admit I don't follow all these kids as closely as other BGPers do, but I find it hard to believe that any state has only one standout hoopster at any given time. Okay, maybe Rhode Island.

My kid was at Toledo's elite camp last year, and it seemed as though several attendees had been tagged beforehand for close attention and potential offers. So I'd assume someone already noticed this young man before the camp and liked what they saw -- unless this was a big showcase rather than Toledo's own camp, in which case I have no idea how the process works.

Who shot and edited this video? The format and continuity are really nice.

I believe Dixie beat Grant in this one.

Good post overall and good point about most AAU teams' pay-to-play arrangements. However, it's worth pointing out that some of the true "all star" AAU organizations, like EYBL outfits, are involved with big money -- typically from certain sports apparel companies -- and do not require players to chip in beyond some travel expenses.

I need some clarification on the guardian issue. I absolutely understand why a goodhearted individual or family would agree to care for a youngster from a distant region who also may have athletic potential. What I don't understand is the other side of the coin. How does a "shady" guardian benefit from this sort of situation? High schools don't offer finder's fees, and I can't imagine these players' home communities having any funds to subsidize the kid while he's in the U.S. I'm sure there's an explanation so I am ready for some collective BGP wisdom.

For the record, I own my ignorance on this one. No public school employee, supporter, band member, or mascot fed me any information. One of the reasons I get on BGP is to have my misconceptions straightened out; many thanks to the folks who have done so on this occasion.

Yup, I thought my reasoning might be faulty. Right again!

I see your point. My reasoning, which I'll admit may be faulty, is that a player can theoretically live anywhere in the state and attend the private school of the family's choice. Though I know there are exceptions and bent rules, on paper that is not the case with public schools -- if a student wishes to play ball at CCH or NewCath he certainly doesn't have to move specifically to Park Hills or Newport. If he moves to Boone County, my understanding is the only public schools he could attend would be in Boone County though his private school options would still be open. From a raw-numbers perspective, that appears to give private schools a statistical advantage in drawing players from a regional talent pool. As Mexitucky wisely points out, it doesn't necessarily pan out in terms of championships, but I don't know if that necessarily disproves the theory.

Apologies up front if I seem to be stereotyping or just plain griping, but isn't this type of story the reason some of us feel that private high schools have a built-in edge over the publics?

Aha -- makes perfect sense. Thanks for the straighten-out on that.

At least we're not the only ones who get (and give) drastically different stories about the same player. At Verbal Commits | Basketball Recruiting, Offers, Commits, Rankings they claim UTC was his only D1 offer. No matter -- good school, good program, nice town. Best of luck to the young man!

When I saw Jake at a couple of tournaments last summer the word was that he planned on playing baseball in college. However, that's also what I typically heard about Zach Pangallo, so....