Quote:
Originally Posted by Young Drachma
You ever consider the JUCO route to keep things kinda stocked?
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Considered it? Yeah, but that's not my style. Then I only get two seasons of TC molding, even if they're at higher initial ratings. I'd rather go the transfer route.
Speaking of which,
Damion Morgan is so salty, he transfers, opening up a scholarship for our own transfer. As for recruiting, we snagged those two guys we got in late on.
SF Wesley Kern - 6'8, 235 - Madison HS - San Antonio, TX - 1*
#1219 overall. Can't play defense, but he's a disruptor for sure, with solid potential to block shots and steal the ball. Passing and handling are great for a forward, and if he could rebound better, he might be a hybrid forward. Seems limited to SF though. One of the better all-around shooters as well. We'll see how he looks after TC, but he could start at the 3, pushing our prized recruit last year to SG.
C Abel Perrott - 6'8, 205 - Okehampton, UK - 1*
The strongest player on the team right now, with decent shotblocking from the get-go and tremendous upside. Also a good passer in the paint. Rebounding is not great right now, though, and while he's a decent inside shot, we're just bad there overall. How much PT he gets will depend on TC. #1127 overall, and our first overseas recruit.
In-Conference Recruiting Wins
Sam Houston State: 1-0
In-Conference Recruiting Losses
Nicholls State: 0-1
Stephen F. Austin: 0-1
Recruiting By Location
GA: 1
IL: 2
MS: 1
TX: 2
UK: 1
Our prestige tanked to 20, but the AD is still okay with me.
Code:
2012 Recruiting Rankings
# Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1*
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102. Texas-San Antonio Southland C Aubrey Bickerstaff *** 0 0 2 2 0
134. Southeastern Louisiana Southland PG Quinton Crump *** 0 0 1 1 1
142. Texas A&M-CC Southland PG Jorge Nemeth *** 0 0 4 0 0
143. Stephen F. Austin Southland PG Augustus Soileau *** 0 0 1 3 0
154. Nicholls State Southland C David Schrader *** 0 0 2 1 0
168. Sam Houston State Southland PG Jonathan Ramirez *** 0 0 1 2 1
191. Lamar Southland PG David Gravitt *** 0 0 1 0 2
221. Texas State Southland PF Barton Macdougall *** 0 0 1 0 3
225. Northwestern State Southland PG David Starkey ** 0 0 0 3 1
298. Central Arkansas Southland SG Jeffrey Sigmon ** 0 0 0 1 3
308. Texas-Arlington Southland C Pancho Jimenez * 0 0 0 0 4
319. McNeese State Southland SF Chester Villarreal * 0 0 0 0 3
Higher ranked class than last year, which is a bit surprising.
Texas-San Antonio has done an amazing job - two borderline Top 100 classes, including last year's Southland Freshman of the Year
Robert Larochelle, the only blue potential recruit to come through the conference in the first two years. In fact, there's only one other blue potential guy in the Southland period - Sam Houston State's
Ruben Dulaney.
How have the Roadrunners done it? By convincing local talent to stay home - Both Larochelle and
Aubrey Bickerstaff are San Antonio natives, as is
Marcelo Iglesias - all three from different high schools. Larochelle - #236 and a 3*; Bickerstaff - #254 and a 3*; Iglesias (also a freshman) - #257 and 3*. So they've done a phenomenal job at tapping into the deep local high school talent in the Alamo City.
Of course, with that recruiting success comes added pressure. The Roadrunners are expected to make the NCAA tournament this year. Admittedly, a handful of ADs all have those demands, given how much parity is in the conference. Thankfully, we're just expected to again finish with a .500 conference record.
Coaching Changes - Season 1 I missed
So the head coach at Pittsburgh retires after a Sweet 16 season. This kickstarts a domino effect - San Diego State coach goes to Pittsburgh (netting a Final Four and Top 10 recruiting class in his first season), Fresno State coach heads to San Diego State, UC-Santa Barbara coach moves to Fresno, and
Sam Houston State's head coach parlays the NIT run to the gig at UC-Santa Barbara, where he has a second straight 20 win season, but isn't invited to the postseason and has the worst recruiting class in the Big West.
Meanwhile, Sam Houston State tapped Texas' recruiting assistant after the Longhorns' NCAA second round exit. As you can see, the Bearkats didn't make the best hire here from early returns. Drop to a .500 record, though I think the class is better than he's gotten credit for.
Conference Movement
Winthrop earns promotion to the Atlantic Sun after two postseason appearances
Florida Gulf Coast gets punted down to the Big South
Coach Changes
Northwestern State's coach retires after two ho-hum seasons, and the Demons make a homerun hire, grabbing the recruiting coordinator from the NIT Champion Vanderbilt Commodores. Although he was in charge of recruiting, the 28 year old is great at coaching up offense, and that's his strongest attribute. Not happy to see that kind of talent come in.
Transfer Period
There's two undersized PFs who are interested in joining our school that look a cut above the usual chaff, so I pick the one I like best and offer him. He refuses, going to shitlord
Howard instead.
We only have 3 scholarship seniors this year, so we'll pass on the rest of the junk ass players.
We whiff spectacularly on most of our initial recruiting targets, so we're probably not going to bring in any 3* players this season.
2013 Lamar Perimeter Players
David Gravitt - 6'1, 175 - Okolona HS - Okolona, MS - 3*
Made huge booms in his handling and stealing in training camp, and did just enough in passing to claim the starting spot as a true freshman. Ball secure AF with stealing ability. Could be a four year starter, depending on how his shot and perimeter defense develop, both of which could use refinement.
Chris Lehman - RS Junior
Code:
Height: 6-1
Weight: 205
High School: Psja High School
Hometown: Pharr, TX
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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2011 28 28 25.8 6.8 0.8 2.2 2.1 1.8 1.20 0.7 0.0 2.1
2012 29 29 27.0 8.0 1.0 2.4 2.0 1.7 1.19 0.7 0.0 2.6
Career 57 57 26.4 7.4 0.9 2.3 2.1 1.7 1.19 0.7 0.0 2.4
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
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2011 2.8 6.7 .410 1.1 2.3 .469 0.2 1.1 .194 1.01 -2.75
2012 3.3 8.0 .409 1.3 2.7 .500 0.1 1.0 .138 1.00 -1.03
Career 3.0 7.4 .410 1.2 2.5 .486 0.2 1.1 .167 1.01 -1.88
Two year starter has finally been pushed out of the lineup, as even the staff wanted
William Kelly over him. Third string PG/SG who is the quickest player on our roster, but more and more looks like a kid who will never realize potential, despite being the most highly acclaimed on the initial roster.
Larry Mebane - Senior
Code:
Height: 5-10
Weight: 178
High School: Rivercrest High School
Hometown: Bogata, TX
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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2011 29 1 14.5 4.0 0.6 2.1 0.6 1.0 0.61 0.5 0.0 1.3
2012 29 0 3.1 0.7 0.2 0.7 0.2 0.2 1.20 0.1 0.0 0.3
Career 58 1 8.8 2.4 0.4 1.4 0.4 0.6 1.20 0.3 0.0 0.8
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
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2011 1.3 3.5 .386 1.1 2.2 .524 0.2 1.1 .156 1.15 -0.90
2012 0.2 0.6 .438 0.2 0.3 .500 0.1 0.2 .333 1.31 -0.21
Career 0.8 2.0 .393 0.7 1.3 .521 0.1 0.7 .184 1.17 -0.55
Probably deserves more PT than he's gotten, but I just don't see him as being quite good enough to finish his college career as anything more than a scrub minutes guy.
William Kelly - RS Senior
Code:
Height: 6-3
Weight: 216
High School: Vernon High School
Hometown: Vernon, TX
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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2011 29 29 28.8 8.4 1.5 4.2 1.6 2.4 0.65 1.0 0.3 2.2
2012 29 2 15.6 4.2 0.6 1.8 1.0 1.2 0.83 0.5 0.0 1.4
Career 58 31 22.2 6.3 1.1 3.0 1.3 1.8 0.83 0.7 0.2 1.8
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
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2011 3.0 7.6 .395 2.2 3.1 .692 0.2 1.7 .143 1.11 -3.52
2012 1.3 3.8 .358 1.4 1.9 .745 0.1 0.7 .158 1.12 -3.55
Career 2.2 5.7 .383 1.8 2.5 .712 0.2 1.2 .147 1.11 -3.53
With appropriate TC (I only customize my recruits and transfers), he might have blossomed into somebody truly worthwhile. But he took a big step back his junior year, not even showing the flashes of brilliance from his sophomore season. He'll still get playing time as the first guard off the bench, but he's been clearly surpassed.
John Hallett (Sophomore)
Code:
Height: 6-0
Weight: 192
High School: Winder-Barrow High School
Hometown: Winder, GA
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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2012 29 27 32.1 7.4 1.5 3.0 2.2 2.3 0.98 1.2 0.0 2.6
Career 29 27 32.1 7.4 1.5 3.0 2.2 2.3 0.98 1.2 0.0 2.6
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
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2012 2.2 7.6 .286 2.7 3.8 .716 0.4 2.9 .131 0.98 -1.59
Career 2.2 7.6 .286 2.7 3.8 .716 0.4 2.9 .131 0.98 -1.59
He was due to get demoted to the bench this year, but he worked his ass off in camp, making huge strides in his awful shooting, and he's stepped up as a good ballthief. That, along with someone else's disappointing game, was enough to win his starting job back. I have a feeling he's going to be fighting his whole college career for his spot. Ratings wise, he should be much better this season, but we'll see.
Mark Akers - RS Junior
Scrubadub.
Aubrey Spring - Senior
Scrub #2
Wesley Kern - 6'8, 235 - Madison HS - San Antonio, TX
Had a chance to win the starting SF spot in camp and kinda did not great. Excellent passer/handler for a 3, and really improved his shotblocking in camp, but that's the only area he wowed in. Will be the backup SF and I'm still hoping he can eventually improve to starter-level status.
Benton Dixon - Sophomore
Academically suspended. The staff wanted him to start at PF and I was like um, no. As far as I care, despite some authentic talent, he can rot on the bench.
Ryan Farley - Sophomore
Code:
Height: 6-6
Weight: 225
High School: Temple High School
Hometown: Temple, TX
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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2012 29 29 28.2 7.6 1.2 4.7 1.7 2.5 0.67 0.8 0.1 3.0
Career 29 29 28.2 7.6 1.2 4.7 1.7 2.5 0.67 0.8 0.1 3.0
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
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2012 2.4 6.6 .370 2.0 2.9 .690 0.7 2.5 .274 1.15 0.10
Career 2.4 6.6 .370 2.0 2.9 .690 0.7 2.5 .274 1.15 0.10
A bit disappointing freshman year from a shooting perspective, but he put in some work on that side of the ball. I tell you what, though - he's the BEST PERIMETER DEFENDER IN THE SOUTHLAND! Only
Kenneth Kocher of
Sam Houston State comes even in the same ballpark as him, and Farley's a much better thief. He'll be our #1 option this season, and how our year goes depends on how quickly he can get to the star status I think he's capable of.
Daren Taylor (RS Senior)
Scrub #4
Post Players
Chris Wright - Freshman
Walk-on and Scrub #5
Abel Perrott - 6'8, 205 - Okehampton, UK - 1*
Broke out as a shotblocker in camp and is our single strongest player. Our Brit is also our most intelligent guy and he did enough to unexpectedly win the starting PF spot. Respectable blocker, great passer in the paint, and defensive rebound decently. Eventually I'd like him to be a reserve, but because bigs are always #1 targets for the AI in recruiting, we've had an awful time trying to get actual decent players there.
Al Delk - Sophomore
Code:
Height: 6-10
Weight: 237
High School: Edwardsville High School
Hometown: Edwardsville, IL
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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2012 29 21 26.7 4.8 1.3 6.5 1.6 1.7 0.92 0.6 0.5 2.2
Career 29 21 26.7 4.8 1.3 6.5 1.6 1.7 0.92 0.6 0.5 2.2
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
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2012 1.8 4.5 .408 0.9 1.6 .587 0.2 1.2 .194 1.08 -1.17
Career 1.8 4.5 .408 0.9 1.6 .587 0.2 1.2 .194 1.08 -1.17
A second straight strong camp, especially in shotblocking and defensive rebounding has turned him fantastic in those categories, and I'll say it right now - he's the best rebounder we've had since I've been on campus. He's definitely going to take away
Todd Carruth's career rebounding title by the time he's done, and I'm hoping he can wrest the career blocks as well. Still a great passer in the paint, and though I didn't intend to start him at center, he's earned that distinction.
James Horner - Sophomore
Code:
Height: 6-11
Weight: 226
High School: Madison Senior High School
Hometown: Madison, IL
Stat Averages:
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Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF
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2012 14 0 1.6 0.8 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.0 1.00 0.0 0.0 0.1
Career 14 0 1.6 0.8 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.0 1.00 0.0 0.0 0.1
Shooting Averages:
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Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/-
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2012 0.4 0.5 .714 0.1 0.1 1.000 0.0 0.0 .000 1.57 0.29
Career 0.4 0.5 .714 0.1 0.1 1.000 0.0 0.0 .000 1.57 0.29
Very disappointing camp for him, and while he'll see a major boost in minutes due to lack of other options, I think he'll be stuck as a bench player, unlike his fellow Illini state native, who has commanded a starting role.
Overall, I think
Sam Houston State is unquestionably the class of the conference on paper, and I think
Texas State could be the biggest surprise.
Genaro Yoon was a great find last year, and
Jeffrey Groves looks like a 1* diamond, to say nothing of the highly heralded
Barton MacDougall.
We're running a grinding game this year, with more 3 point mentality than we've ever had. Also the most pressure ever too - above average, demonstrating that my recruiting efforts are finally starting to take shape. I do think this is going to be a bad season, however. Our OOC schedule is tough, and I think
Todd Carruth's graduation will hurt us hugely.