ElDuque wrote:

Unless Kellon Taylor has a basketball scholarship, we started this past season with only 12 scholarship players. We had five scholarships to give (Lewis, Abrahamson, Blackman, Steele, and 13th open). We signed Wheeler, Banks, Walker & Djonkam. Wheeler, Banks & Walker de-committed. Dunn-Martin announced his transfer to Duquesne. Scholarships have opened with the transfers of I. Mike & N. Sanders. We currently have five open scholarships, with the current roster consisting of:
1 C/PF - Jordan Robinson
​2 SF - Eric James, Kellon Taylor (non-scholarship?)
​1 PG - Tarin Smith
​3 SG - Mike Lewis II, Rene Castro, Spencer Littleson

2 committed:
​2* PG - Tavian Dunn-Martin 5-8 (So transfer from Akron)
2* PF - Lewis Djonkam 6-7 (Ferry commit)

Recruits/offers:
​3* PG - Jermaine Jackson 5-10
3* PG - Jamari Wheeler 6-1 (Ferry commit/de-committed)
2* PG - Torrey Patton 6-4
​2* SG - Jordan Wright 6-5
2* SG - Justin Minaya 6-6
3* SG - Darius Banks 6-5 (Ferry commit/de-committed)
2* SF - Jalen Cameron 6-5
​2* SF - John Walker 6-9 (Ferry commit/de-committed)
​2* PF - Jack Ballantyne 6-9
3* PF Alexis Yetna 6-8
2* C - Isaac Kante

​Presuming Banks, Walker & Wheeler are out of play, I'm GUESSING (based on roster "need") that Ballantyne, Jackson, Cameron, Minaya and Wright are all top targets, barring transfers/JUCOs/international players who may be under consideration.

That was the one thing I was going to mention, I don't think anyone could be considered a "top target" yet. I'm sure there will be another flurry of offers before the spring signing period is over. You also have the JUCO guys and grad transfers, not to mention any regular transfers that may get released in the coming weeks.

Point I'm trying to make is the situation remains very fluid at the moment and I'm sure more names will surface well before recruiting for next year is wrapped up. Of the above list I like Jermaine Jackson and Nick Washington.

Based on your current roster list I would try to get size with the other three openings. The only real size we have now is Robinson and Djonkam? Man that's my pretty scary.

4 and 5 are the positions I would likely try to go the JUCO or grad transfer route to stop gap the positions while Dambrot can backfill during next season by recruiting 4 year guys for those spots.

I remember having small teams in the past but can't remember one where we had two 6'7-9" guys and the rest of the team was smaller.

Biggest position to address with Lewis coming back IMO. The good thing is that if Robinson steps up in Dambrots inside out offensive system we would only need to find some depth guys for next year. Gonna be very interesting.

ElDuque wrote:

Just basing this on what I know. These were the first guys offered by Coach Dambrot. There's really no other way to approach this. For now. 

 
Oh no I totally agree we have to start with what we have, just excited to see how the list develops.

ElDuque, thanks for pulling this together.  Missing on your recruit list are 2 players having campus visits this weekend - Nick Washington and Josh Colon.  I believe both of these guys grew up in Puerto Rico; playing now at US Prep Schools (South Kent and Blue Ridge).

Excellent summaries El D and CLK, keep up the good work!  These are exciting times for DU Men's BBall and recruiting talk is the most fun to talk about, speculate and report on.  What is interesting is that before KD puts his first DU team on the Court he will have a 2017 Fall recruiting class under LOI's as well.  Again, exciting times on the Bluff!

Mulder wrote:

CLK wrote:

ElDuque, I have modified the 2017 list below to exclude those offers that were by Ferry as there is no indication that the current staff is recruiting them at this time. I have also added Collins, Washington and Colon.  I am sure there are some names at this point that we have not heard as well.  The "Quiet Period" ends tomorrow 4/6 and coaches will be allowed talk directly to recruits so I would not be surprised to hear more names then.

Recruits/offers:
​3* PG - Jermaine Jackson 5-10
2* PG - Torrey Patton 6-4
​2* PF - Jack Ballantyne 6-9
2* SG - David Collins 6-3
2* PG - Josh Colon 5-8
2* PF - Nick Washington 6-8



 

From ED's List - I noted that you left off:  2* PF - Lewis Djonkam 6-7 (Ferry commit)
If he has committed to Duquesne and did not de-commit I assume we still have to  honor that correct?   I'm not asking because I don't want to honor that - I don't know the guy and what is qualifications are like, just curious about the rules.

Also, someone mentioned somewhere that one recruit was having trouble getting approved/qualified.  Is that Djonkam or someone else? 

Finally, which recruits that Coach Dambrot is considering are 2017 and which later?  I've seen that here and there but wasn't sure if that was correct.

Mulder, as I stated above these are the names of the 2017 recruits that Dambrot is recruiting (that have been made public).  As far as I know Djonkam is still bound to DU, and DU is required to honor his LOI (as I understand the rules).  He can request a release, but have not heard that he has done so. I have not heard that he has any qualification issues.  As of right now there are 5 open scholarships for 2017. 
 

ElDuque wrote:

CLK, I'm much obliged for the update!

Mulder, I listed the Djonkam kid and the transfer from Akron as "committed," pending official announcement.

I was told that for now Lewis Djonkam is committed , but he wants another week or so to think about it / discuss further with his parents etc ...

We'll have to be a bit patient and see what the final resolution is.
 

CLK wrote:

Thanks ghost, I had not heard that.  Here is our first reported JUCO prospect.

 JucoRecruiting.com‏ 

Tariiq Jones (6'7, F, 2017) of Schoolcraft is receiving interest from Kent St, Duquesne, Kansas St, Tennessee St, Toledo & Virginia Tech

Here some more info on Jones last season:

http://www.njcaa.org/sports/mbkb/2016-17/div2/players/tariqjones0ti6

Looks like coach tries to recruit teammates on occasion. He had 2 sets of high school teammates on Akrons roster and he's recruiting 2 sets of teammates here plus the 2 who played on the Puerto Rican team. Wish we'd have done that when Billy Knight was in high school.

Last edited by WashPaRick (4/05/2017 8:12 pm)

I don't see why he wouldn't have to sit out next year.  He was only a freshman last season, so unless he has some extenuating circumstances, yes, he would be sitting out.

ElDuque wrote:

Current (5 scholarship players):
1 C/PF - Jordan Robinson Sr.
​2 SF - Eric James Sr., Kellon Taylor So. (non-scholarship)
​1 PG - Tarin Smith Jr.
​2 SG - Mike Lewis II So., Spencer Littleson So.

Committed (4 scholarship players):
​2* PG Tavian Dunn-Martin 5-8 So. in 2018-19 transfer from Akron
2* F Marko Krivacevic 6-9 Jr.
2* C Michael Hughes 6-9 So. in 2018-19 transfer from Akron
3* G Craig Randall 6-4 Jr. in 2018-19 transfer from Memphis

Leaves four open scholarships, with known recruits being:
2* C Usman Haruna 7-0 Jr, JUCO
3* PG Jermaine Jackson 5-10
2* PG Torrey Patton 6-4
​2* PF Jack Ballantyne 6-9
2* SG David Collins 6-3
2* PG Josh Colon 5-8
2* PF Nick Washington 6-8

I think two of the final recruits "have to" be from Haruna/Ballentyne/Collins, or include a fifth year senior transfer.

For the last two, did you mean Washington instead of Collins?  I assume you want size.    

I'm wondering if Josh Colon is being looked at as a preferred walk on. I'm actually surprised he hasn't committed already.

steve19981 wrote:

I'm wondering if Josh Colon is being looked at as a preferred walk on. I'm actually surprised he hasn't committed already.

I do not believe that Dambrot offered him on his visit.  My guess is that either Dambrot feels there are better options or Colon is a fall back if Jackson does not commit (by the way Jackson's dad is the an assistant at Detroit). I don't think Colon would walk on since he has an offer from VMI.


 

Last edited by CLK (4/13/2017 5:03 pm)