2006-Recruiting

[Copenhagen]

the 2006 class is already making decisions or getting their college choices narrowed down.....

In ScoutHoops today there are 2-articles about prospects in our recruiting backyard while playing positions we will need to address for the long term (reference our JUCO-signings):

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Four Schools "Serious" About Center:

- Jamie Vanderbeken (Quinte SS) Belleville, ON
6-10/225lbs/25.0 ppg

schools - Butler, Central Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Niagara, Oregon State, Pepperdine, Purdue, Syracuse, UCLA, USC
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Makes A Decision:

- Greg Nero (Red Hook SHS) Red Hook, NY
6-8/210

schools - Army, Binghamton, Boston University, Buffalo, Davidson, Fairfield, Florida State, George Washington, Holy Cross, La Salle, Navy, Penn State, Siena, Stanford, UNC-Greensboro, Villanova, Wagner, Yale
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could someone with a subscription post these articles, thanks!

[Copenhagen]

who are our 2006 targets/suspects? Can we build on the momentium of the spring-2005 signings?

here are some names that have been mentioned in scouthoops.com and this forum:

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-Damien Hollis 6-7/200lbs SF Florida

-Dan Evans 6-9/215lbs PF/C Penn

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-Tyler Roche 6-7/195/19.0 SF
(Manchester Central HS) Manchester, NH

Boston College, Colorado, Georgetown, North Carolina State, Providence, St. Bonaventure, Virginia Tech, New Hampshire, Wisconsin-Green Bay

-Tyrone Nash 6-6/200 SF
(Lawrence Woodmere Academy) Woodmere, NY

Columbia, Harvard, Providence, Rider, St. Bonaventure, St. John's, Virginia, Virginia Tech

-Devon McBride 6-4/185 SG
(The Hill School) Pottstown, PA

Buffalo, Duquesne, Georgetown, Penn State, Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure, Toledo
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-Rockwell Moody 6-9/220 C
(Bishop Denis J O'Connell HS) Arlington, VA

George Washington, Maryland, Miami (Fl), Richmond, Villanova, Wake Forest

- Tyrell Lynch 6-8/210 PF
(Niagara Falls HS) Niagara Falls, NY 6-7/210
___________________________________________


Are there others on our 2006-radar? or wishlist....any information or comments to any of the above players?

[B02]

It will be different next year when we only have 3 scholarships open as opposed to 8 new players this year. I would assume we would address some guards in next year's recruiting class as well as add more big men because you can never have enough.

[hnk373431]

Nero committed to Fairfield. Don't have the article from Scout but here is article from Poughkeepsie paper Shttp://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050601/SPORTS010501/506010328/1002/SPORT

[Copenhagen]

A few things that are interesting about this verbal; relationship with player and his family was very important, the campus, etc...sounds like they are selling the same type of things we are....

fyi; Jerry Hobbie played at Fordham....is from NJ and helped develop Al Harrington (Atlanta Hawks) at St. Patrick's in Elizabeth...the same HS that Paul Williams went to.

Also speaking of relationships; A.J. Hawkins's prep school in CT has 2-top100 recruits in the 2006-class, hopefully we can nuture that relationship with the coaching staff for access to other players from that program.

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Wednesday, June 1, 2005

Nero commits to Fairfield
Red Hook center signing in the fall

By Mike Ferraro
Poughkeepsie Journal



Red Hook High School boys basketball star Greg Nero has verbally committed to play college basketball at Fairfield University.

Nero, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs approximately 210 pounds, will join the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference institution for the 2006-07 season. He said he plans to sign a National Letter of Intent during this fall's early signing period.

Nero is coming off a junior season in which he was named Most Valuable Player of the Mid-Hudson Athletic League. He averaged 22 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots per game, helping the Raiders reach the state regional title game for the third consecutive season. Nero has been a first-team Poughkeepsie Journal All-Star each of the last two seasons, and has played four seasons of varsity basketball.

Several factors contributed to his decision to choose Fairfield.

"One of the best things about it was that it was close to home," said Nero, whose older brother Jamie played college basketball at the United States Naval Academy. "It supposedly has the best academics in the MAAC. It's in an awesome area.

"All of those factors swayed me to really lean toward Fairfield."

Joe Nero, Greg's father, said that around 40 schools contacted his son. He was also impressed by Fairfield's campus.

"It's just a clean campus in a beautiful area of Connecticut," Joe Nero said. "We were totally impressed with the place."

Another factor which helped lead Greg Nero to Fairfield was the Stags' coaching staff. Head coach Tim O'Toole will be entering his eighth season at the helm, and he was previously an assistant at Fordham, Army, Iona, Syracuse, Duke and Seton Hall. Associate head coach Jerry Hobbie, according to Joe Nero, is "the type of guy you fall in love with right away."

Coach impresses player

"He's an awesome guy," Greg Nero said of O'Toole. "He's really intense. ... One of the things that really sparked my interest is that he wanted to work with me, he had goals for me."

Nero said the decision to commit prior to his senior year has helped alleviate some pressure and would help him focus more on his game. He said Fairfield plans to use him more on the perimeter than he has played in his scholastic career, and Red Hook coach Rod Chando may ease that transition this coming season.

"We will possibly run a few things offensively that would help him prepare for his first year at Fairfield," Chando said.

Joe Nero was pleased with his son's decision, and is looking forward to being able to see several of his collegiate games.

"We didn't see anything that would come up that would be any better," he said. "It's not far from home. ... There's a number of venues where we can see him play."

[mangham]

here's another name that's not been mentioned here.

Ishmael Smith- lightning quick point guard from North Carolina that lists us as one of his favorites.

[Deleted]

We are recruiting a player from Fairport in Rochester. I don't know many details, but we are interested.

[Wolfpackfan]

The Fairport player is Corey Magee. He is a 6'7" forward and is currently playing AAU for City Rocks with Paul Harris. In addition to Bonas he is being recruited by Canisius, Niagara, Buffalo, Rider and Binghamton.

[FriendsofAN44]

May 21, 2005
Smith has two on top
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Brian Snow
Musketeerscoop.com

One of the top players in the state of North Carolina is Ishmael Smith. Smith, who plays for Central Cabarrus High School, is a lighting quick point guard. With a good shooting touch and a great ability to handle the basketball, Smith has been attracting numerous college coaches.

Smith is a point guard who loves to push the ball.
Smith, who is 5-foot-11 and 155 pounds, only knows how to play at one speed. When asked to describe his play, Smith simply said, "fast." With his ability to push the ball up the floor combined with his excellent passing skills, Smith has seen his stock soar over the course of his junior season.

During the recent April evaluation period, Smith hosted coaches from Clemson, Xavier, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech. Of those schools, Clemson and Xavier have offered. Other schools that have offered Smith are Charlotte and South Carolina. In fact, Charlotte offered Smith during his sophomore year.

"I am open, but I do have a top two. Xavier and Clemson are the top schools. I also like the other schools who have offered me," Smith said when asked about his favorites.

Though two schools stand out right now in Smith's mind, he is no hurry to make a decision. Even though he has no time frame for his decision, Smith knows exactly what he is looking for in a school. "I want cool coaches who you can relate to both on and off the court. That is real important. Also the school's atmosphere and academics are real important."

"It's college. You want to get away. I mean you do not want to be too close, but you also do not want to be too far away either," Smith said. When asked what his definition of too far away was he responded, "Like the other side of Colorado, Ohio is not too far away."

Smith is currently playing AAU basketball for the Team Heat program. On the AAU circuit he wants to work on his defense. "In high school you can take a play off on defense occasionally, but in college you can not take any plays off defensively," Smith said.

Though Smith has no plans to take any official visits in the near future, he does plan on attending the NIKE All-American Camp in July.

(ps; SBU is listed as "high interest", along with Miami Fl., but neither has offered as of yet)

[Deleted]

What about Damien Hollis? Or the 7'er that visited on midnight madness?

To me a class of:
Damien Hollis 6-6 G/F
Tyrell Lynch 6-8 PF
and this "mystery" 7'er would work!

[fjs64]

Thoughts about Fairfield U & South Kent Prep

My daughter graduated from Fairfield.....a beautiful campus, prime location, tough academically. They have had there basketball problems, but they can sell a good story (for the mid-major).

I was on the campus of South Kent about a month ago. In the boondocks of Northwestern CT, all boys school, very sports oriented with a 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 student teacher ration. Geared to getting kids through school and into Div 1. It is really focusing on being a strong basketball prep consideration. I believe I saw AJ walking on campus, and the big 6'11" European. Andray Blatche another 6'11" player will be drafted in the first round (he hasn't even signed with a college team).

[Deleted]

6-11 Brad Sheehan

Sheehan is a 6-foot-11 center/power forward from Shaker High School in Latham, New York,

- Until recently the list of programs interested in Brad Sheehan were of the low or mid-major variety. That's changed. An unofficial visit to Syracuse within the past couple of weeks brought with it an offer. "I was two or three weeks ago (that I took the visit)," said Sheehan. "Yes, they offered me. They were talking about maybe redshirting me as a freshman because they have a big freshman class coming in," said Sheehan. "That way, I wouldn't have to sit on the bench (early in my career)."

- Beside Syracuse Sheehan lists St. Bonaventure, Columbia, Yale, Fairfield, La Salle, Siena, Brown, and Cornell.

- He admitted that the Big East program was a contender for him, but that he was in no hurry to figure things out. "I'm not sure about certain criteria," said Sheehan. "It will just be what feels right. "I'm going to play the summer out. I don't know yet (what will happen with my recruitment). I'm just keeping everything open."

- Sheehan, a slender and long-limbed post prospect, picked up a couple of buckets on the inside off of putbacks, and during one sequence sank a 13-footer along the baseline. He runs the floor pretty well and sports a lanky frame. He'll have to pack on some more muscle for college play

[sneakers]

Shaker HS had another 6' 11'' player there when I was in high school, by the name of Sam Perkins. Quite a career at NC and in the pros. Can Sheehan follow in his footsteps?

[Copenhagen]

hey Sneakers,

have you seen this recruit play?

any insight into his game or potential?

Also, is he from the class of 2206 or 2007?

thanks!

[sneakers]

I don't know him. I grew up near Albany, but I've lived in Boston the last 15 years.