Top Freshman

[fjs64]

You will see None wearing the St Bonaventure uniform, you will see only 1 from the A10......but that is the usual formula....some will be "one and done", some will play 2 years, but few will stay 4 years (just my humble opinion).

www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/10/15/top-scoring-freshmen-jahlil-okafor-rashad-vaughn

[class70]

There's a flaw in the logic of putting such a heavy weight on the recruiting stars assigned by the pundits. If the rankings were as reliable as the national media think the A10 would be sending just one or two teams to the NCAA tourney every year. Evidently, the A10 coaches are adept at sniffing out players that fly under the radar, developing them and teaching them how to contribute to a team effort. Our own Coach Schmidt is a shining example.

[gdub2009]

Well the SI article shows the top 50 which usually are some pretty dang good players. Usually though after the top 75 to 100 it becomes a straight crap shoot, which is where the Bonnies shine because they can find under the radar talent. I never really look at what star players the Bonnies get because we never get a top 100 player.

The A10 doesn't usually have the best players in college basketball anyways. The A10 is a senior laden league that produces quality teams not players.

I mean there is a reason Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky are usually at the top. Just look at the top 50 rankings year in and year out and they have a good amount of top 50 recruits on their rosters.

[Pinnum]

The biggest key to getting an NCAA bid is a high RPI. Since the RPI does not weigh the time of the season, a early season win is the same as a late season win. A10 teams are best served to play neutral site games against teams with a lot of these players as early in the season as possible. Playing a Kentucky early in the year when their team is still green will be just as valuable a win as beating them late in the year when they have settled in as strong SEC team. The only difference is that it will be easier to win the early season game. (Though Kentucky went on a summer tour playing some national teams and had their freshmen with them so they will be more polished early in the season than most years.)

[sony]

".. the Bonnies never get a top 100 player.." If I'm not mistaken, the Bonnie who is being inducted into th Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame this evening, Dale Tepas, was a Top 100 ballplayer when he came out of St. Joe's!

[towniegrad]

Don't know if tepas was top 100 ,but it's a reminder...long time since bufflo and wny were a source of bona players.

[firstdev]

Actually the Bonas frosh class of '67 had two All WNYers on the roster. Dale Tepas from St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute (Christian Brothers) and Paul Grys of Bishop Timon (OFM). Both were deadly shooters in high school. As college players they were tweeners - natural and combative forwards, both at 6' 2", both were at a disadvantage playing much bigger forwards in college. Both also played guard for the Brown and White. Both players would have made outstanding D1 football players, possibly at linebacker or tight end for they had the great combination of speed, toughness and touch necessary for success. Outstanding all around athletes.
Both proved their metal when Bonas smashed into Canisius during several wild and wooly games in the UC and Aud. By the way the next year in the frosh class of '68 Bonas had another All WNYer on the roster - Bruce Miller (Fillmore) - the 6'10" center designated to become the backed up center to Big Bob. Unfortunately he transfered to LTech after his frosh year, and missed a trip to the final four the next year. Oh the fates are cruel, when the wind blows south.

[Cat]

John Hayes was best of them all

[sony]

"Teps", & "Friday" were joined n that class by Ed " Klim" Klimkowski and Greg " Bubba" Gary from the "Apple" - all great guys!! You're correct all were undersized but all tough as. nails. Teps was a "Parade Magazine" Top 100 High School Player, which way back then, was the only "reliable" poll at that time. The Bonnies has about 60 + people at the induction dinner, including Bubba, Jimmy Satalin, Paul Hoffman, Jimmy Baron, Mike Kull and Whitey Martin. By the way, the Boonies have three of the five members of the All WNY Team of the Decade for the 60's - Lanier, Carter and Teps!!! As one would expect, there was an extraordinary amount of "nut cracking" that nut!
As to Johnnie Hayes, had he not destroyed his knee, he would have been our next All American after Stith and before Lanier. That's not just my opinion, but most all knowledgable folks of the time would agree. Even on one leg he was magical and tough as nails!

[sony]

Sorry, omitted Coach Wiese from the attendees.

[alhs49]

Tom Stith not a top 100 player out of st francis in bklyn ? Hayes could have been a NBA pro if he didn't injure his knee

[Cat]

john hayes helped recruit lanier also.

[Hermit]

Tom Stith came out of New York City as the best, and highest scoring player in the city. This at a time when NYC players were considered the best in the country. He may have been a top "10" player"...

[az63]

Oct 21, 2014 14:47:49 GMT -5 alhs49 said:

Tom Stith not a top 100 player out of st francis in bklyn ? Hayes could have been a NBA pro if he didn't injure his knee

That doesn't make any sense alhs49. They didn't even have HS player rankings in the day. Tom (& Sam) were both top NYC players and St. Francis was at, or near, the top of all the City teams during their time there and both certainly would have been included in "Top____" list.

[chazzie]

I agree with AZ63 about the Stiths. I also wonder how highly rated the frosh class with Hoffman/Gantt was?