BRIAN AUSTIN ON BASKETBALL RECRUITING
Going to start with my thoughts on Keanau Post from my trip to SWIC the other night. Hopefully everyone has had a chance to watch the video and come to their own conclusions. My first thought when watching Post was that he looked pretty light on his feet and moved well for a guy his size, especially on defense. I also thought he had pretty good hands. I know he fumbled away a pass into the post early and he let himself get stripped in the block while trying to make a move, but what I noticed how he caught the ball cutting to the hoop and then took it up and finished in one smooth motion. Post also did a nice job of gaining control of loose ball rebounds in traffic. Last thing that caught my attention was Post's willingness to pass out of the post. He tried hitting a cutter once and also had a few nice kick outs to shooters around the perimeter, which got him some assists. Post will need to work on his strength and conditioning, but from my untrained eye he seemed like a very solid prospect.
Now on to recruits who haven't committed to Mizzou yet. I spoke with Kendal Yancy-Harris's uncle yesterday to see if there had been anymore contact between Yancy-Harris and Mizzou and found out that Frank Haith and Tim Fuller had spoken with him the day before. According to the uncle the talk went well, but Yancy-Harris is really focused on finishing his season strong with a deep run in the playoffs. So far, he has just visited Texas, but the plan is to finish the season then narrow his list to three or four and then visit those schools. His uncle added that Yancy-Harris wants to wrap this up quickly because the process is starting to wear him out. A list of possible schools wasn't given, but Mizzou is in the picture.
I also spoke with Team Thad coach Norton Hurd. First thing we talked about was Chris Chiozza. Hurd said Missouri is in such good shape with all these players because of Tim Fuller and the job he's done building relationships. I'm going to be getting a schedule of Team Thad's summer tournaments and plan on making it to see them play at least once.
An additional note on the visit Frank Haith and Tim Fuller took to see Devin Booker. According to Booker the main reason the coaches came to see him is because he won't be able to make a trip to Columbia this season. Before anyone takes this as a sign that Booker is starting to lose interest in Mizzou let me say that he said that is not the case. He told me it had to do with scheduling and the fact that he's already been to Columbia so many times.
Lastly, I spoke with Dwayne Morgan's AAU coach Dwayne Wise again this week and it seems that things have now changed with Morgan and Mizzou. Morgan's mom has decided that for now they will not be visiting Columbia and are not considering the Tigers. It has to do with the investigation and what they see as uncertainties around the program. Wise added that the situation might change, but right now it looks like Mizzou is out of the running for Morgan.
GABE DeARMOND ON TIGER HOOPS
Figured this was as good a place as any to give my thoughts on where things are with the basketball team. Tomorrow is really a game that, to me, means a whole lot.
Three games ago, I said Missouri had five games that would determine their season. Thus far, the Tigers are 2-1 in that stretch and, to be fair, they should probably be 3-0. For the first time all year, it feels like this team has a little bit of momentum. They're healthy, they've got Bell playing well, Bowers bouncing back, Ross playing well and Pressey being, well, Pressey (sometimes great, sometimes maddening, but never boring).
Barring a complete collapse, we're pretty sure Missouri is in the tournament. If they win two of their last five, they're probably in. Three of their last five and they're in for sure. But just getting in isn't really the goal. This is a team that should have goals of doing some damage...of at least playing on the second weekend. And Saturday could go a long way toward determining just how likely that is.
Kentucky is not what Kentucky has been the last few years. But they're not a bad team. Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein are ultra-talented freshmen. Kyle Wiltjer is one of the more underrated players in the country. They've got talent, but honestly, they haven't done much that would impress anyone this year. This is a game I think Missouri will be favored in (or at least about a pick em).
IF the Tigers can pull out a win, they could run the table in the regular season. They ought to win the next three. South Carolina on the road should be a win. LSU and Arkansas at home should be wins. And if Missouri goes into the regular season finale at Tennessee on a five-game winning streak, it won't be a surprise if they beat an average Volunteer team in Knoxville. I'm not predicting 5-0, I'm just saying it's possible. 3-2 is also possible and, honestly, given this team's performance on the road this year, you can't ignore the possibility of 2-3.
In other words, there is a lot to be determined. But everybody wants to talk about seeding. I think the Tigers' ceiling is a three (VERY unlikely) and the floor (assuming 2-3 in the next 5) is a nine. If I'm a betting man, I'm thinking they'll be around a 5 or 6. But there's not much point in wasting a lot of time typing about all those scenarios because there is so much still to be determined. At this point, Missouri needs to get into the top four and get a double bye in the NCAA Tournament. Beating Kentucky would be a major step in that direction.
PETE SCANTLEBURY ON FOOTBALL RECRUITING
Missouri is a week away from its junior day, and in this Chamber we're taking a look at some of the bigger names that we know are planning on attending. Things can change in a week, but as of Friday, here's where Missouri stands.
-- San Antonio (Texas) DT Trey Lealeimatafao: More offers have come in for Lealeimatafao since Missouri offered first, but he's still planning on visiting Missouri next weekend.
-- Lee's Summit West (Mo.) OT Logan Cheadlehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Logan-Cheadle-146346: Pendleton told me he's sure Harrison and Williams are making the trip with him, and Cheadle at this point is ?a maybe. Pendleton also said there may be more players from West going to Columbia.
-- O'Fallon (Ill.) DE Dewayne Hendrix: Last week, Hendrix said he was going to Mizzou's Junior Day, but yesterday he told me he isn't 100 percent sure. Still, he said he's trying to make it.
-- Jacksonville (Ill.) OL Blake Hancehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Blake-Hance-140971: Remember, Missouri is recruiting Hance as an OT, not a TE. It seems like most schools are doing the same.
-- Florissant (Mo.) OT Roderick Johnsonhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Roderick-Johnson-131994: Johnson is a maybe at this point, but if he comes, it could be with a group of teammates. Name to watch for are WR Matt Quarrells and DT Tonnie White.
-- Lincoln (Neb.) OG DJ Fosterhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-D.J.-Foster-133903: Foster said he's planning on it but isn't 100-percent sure yet.
Missouri has also made a big push with most of the big Kansas names. I know Traevohn
Wrenchhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Traevohn-Wrench-136297, Andre Maloneyhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Andre-Maloney-147327 and Henry McGrew all received invitations to Missouri's junior day. However, those guys may be considering going to Kansas State's junior day instead. The Wildcats reportedly scheduled another junior day on March 2, and a lot of the Kansas recruits will have to decide between Manhattan or Columbia for junior day.
Another "maybe attending" is Hiawatha (Kan.) DE Peyton Newellhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Peyton-Newell-117958. Newell's father told me Missouri is being considered for a visit that weekend, but no final decision has been made.
Likewise, Broken Arrow (Okla.) four-star linebacker Gyasi Akem told me he's considering Missouri for a junior-day visit, but will make a final decision in a few days.
Two guys that won't be attending are Craig Jameshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Craig-James-147662, who has a track meet that day.
-- This weekend, Missouri is hosting Indianapolis four-star receiver Dominique Booth. This will be his fifth visit to Columbia since last summer, and Booth is narrowing in on his decision. That will likely come in April. Booth told me he hasn't narrowed his decision down past a top seven, but it's looking more and more like Missouri, Tennessee and Michigan are the biggest players at this point.
I'll have more from Booth after his visit.
Going to start with my thoughts on Keanau Post from my trip to SWIC the other night. Hopefully everyone has had a chance to watch the video and come to their own conclusions. My first thought when watching Post was that he looked pretty light on his feet and moved well for a guy his size, especially on defense. I also thought he had pretty good hands. I know he fumbled away a pass into the post early and he let himself get stripped in the block while trying to make a move, but what I noticed how he caught the ball cutting to the hoop and then took it up and finished in one smooth motion. Post also did a nice job of gaining control of loose ball rebounds in traffic. Last thing that caught my attention was Post's willingness to pass out of the post. He tried hitting a cutter once and also had a few nice kick outs to shooters around the perimeter, which got him some assists. Post will need to work on his strength and conditioning, but from my untrained eye he seemed like a very solid prospect.
Now on to recruits who haven't committed to Mizzou yet. I spoke with Kendal Yancy-Harris's uncle yesterday to see if there had been anymore contact between Yancy-Harris and Mizzou and found out that Frank Haith and Tim Fuller had spoken with him the day before. According to the uncle the talk went well, but Yancy-Harris is really focused on finishing his season strong with a deep run in the playoffs. So far, he has just visited Texas, but the plan is to finish the season then narrow his list to three or four and then visit those schools. His uncle added that Yancy-Harris wants to wrap this up quickly because the process is starting to wear him out. A list of possible schools wasn't given, but Mizzou is in the picture.
I also spoke with Team Thad coach Norton Hurd. First thing we talked about was Chris Chiozza. Hurd said Missouri is in such good shape with all these players because of Tim Fuller and the job he's done building relationships. I'm going to be getting a schedule of Team Thad's summer tournaments and plan on making it to see them play at least once.
An additional note on the visit Frank Haith and Tim Fuller took to see Devin Booker. According to Booker the main reason the coaches came to see him is because he won't be able to make a trip to Columbia this season. Before anyone takes this as a sign that Booker is starting to lose interest in Mizzou let me say that he said that is not the case. He told me it had to do with scheduling and the fact that he's already been to Columbia so many times.
Lastly, I spoke with Dwayne Morgan's AAU coach Dwayne Wise again this week and it seems that things have now changed with Morgan and Mizzou. Morgan's mom has decided that for now they will not be visiting Columbia and are not considering the Tigers. It has to do with the investigation and what they see as uncertainties around the program. Wise added that the situation might change, but right now it looks like Mizzou is out of the running for Morgan.
GABE DeARMOND ON TIGER HOOPS
Figured this was as good a place as any to give my thoughts on where things are with the basketball team. Tomorrow is really a game that, to me, means a whole lot.
Three games ago, I said Missouri had five games that would determine their season. Thus far, the Tigers are 2-1 in that stretch and, to be fair, they should probably be 3-0. For the first time all year, it feels like this team has a little bit of momentum. They're healthy, they've got Bell playing well, Bowers bouncing back, Ross playing well and Pressey being, well, Pressey (sometimes great, sometimes maddening, but never boring).
Barring a complete collapse, we're pretty sure Missouri is in the tournament. If they win two of their last five, they're probably in. Three of their last five and they're in for sure. But just getting in isn't really the goal. This is a team that should have goals of doing some damage...of at least playing on the second weekend. And Saturday could go a long way toward determining just how likely that is.
Kentucky is not what Kentucky has been the last few years. But they're not a bad team. Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein are ultra-talented freshmen. Kyle Wiltjer is one of the more underrated players in the country. They've got talent, but honestly, they haven't done much that would impress anyone this year. This is a game I think Missouri will be favored in (or at least about a pick em).
IF the Tigers can pull out a win, they could run the table in the regular season. They ought to win the next three. South Carolina on the road should be a win. LSU and Arkansas at home should be wins. And if Missouri goes into the regular season finale at Tennessee on a five-game winning streak, it won't be a surprise if they beat an average Volunteer team in Knoxville. I'm not predicting 5-0, I'm just saying it's possible. 3-2 is also possible and, honestly, given this team's performance on the road this year, you can't ignore the possibility of 2-3.
In other words, there is a lot to be determined. But everybody wants to talk about seeding. I think the Tigers' ceiling is a three (VERY unlikely) and the floor (assuming 2-3 in the next 5) is a nine. If I'm a betting man, I'm thinking they'll be around a 5 or 6. But there's not much point in wasting a lot of time typing about all those scenarios because there is so much still to be determined. At this point, Missouri needs to get into the top four and get a double bye in the NCAA Tournament. Beating Kentucky would be a major step in that direction.
PETE SCANTLEBURY ON FOOTBALL RECRUITING
Missouri is a week away from its junior day, and in this Chamber we're taking a look at some of the bigger names that we know are planning on attending. Things can change in a week, but as of Friday, here's where Missouri stands.
-- San Antonio (Texas) DT Trey Lealeimatafao: More offers have come in for Lealeimatafao since Missouri offered first, but he's still planning on visiting Missouri next weekend.
-- Lee's Summit West (Mo.) OT Logan Cheadlehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Logan-Cheadle-146346: Pendleton told me he's sure Harrison and Williams are making the trip with him, and Cheadle at this point is ?a maybe. Pendleton also said there may be more players from West going to Columbia.
-- O'Fallon (Ill.) DE Dewayne Hendrix: Last week, Hendrix said he was going to Mizzou's Junior Day, but yesterday he told me he isn't 100 percent sure. Still, he said he's trying to make it.
-- Jacksonville (Ill.) OL Blake Hancehttp://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Blake-Hance-140971: Remember, Missouri is recruiting Hance as an OT, not a TE. It seems like most schools are doing the same.
-- Florissant (Mo.) OT Roderick Johnsonhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Roderick-Johnson-131994: Johnson is a maybe at this point, but if he comes, it could be with a group of teammates. Name to watch for are WR Matt Quarrells and DT Tonnie White.
-- Lincoln (Neb.) OG DJ Fosterhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-D.J.-Foster-133903: Foster said he's planning on it but isn't 100-percent sure yet.
Missouri has also made a big push with most of the big Kansas names. I know Traevohn
Wrenchhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Traevohn-Wrench-136297, Andre Maloneyhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Andre-Maloney-147327 and Henry McGrew all received invitations to Missouri's junior day. However, those guys may be considering going to Kansas State's junior day instead. The Wildcats reportedly scheduled another junior day on March 2, and a lot of the Kansas recruits will have to decide between Manhattan or Columbia for junior day.
Another "maybe attending" is Hiawatha (Kan.) DE Peyton Newellhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Peyton-Newell-117958. Newell's father told me Missouri is being considered for a visit that weekend, but no final decision has been made.
Likewise, Broken Arrow (Okla.) four-star linebacker Gyasi Akem told me he's considering Missouri for a junior-day visit, but will make a final decision in a few days.
Two guys that won't be attending are Craig Jameshttp://rivals.yahoo.com/missouri/football/recruiting/player-Craig-James-147662, who has a track meet that day.
-- This weekend, Missouri is hosting Indianapolis four-star receiver Dominique Booth. This will be his fifth visit to Columbia since last summer, and Booth is narrowing in on his decision. That will likely come in April. Booth told me he hasn't narrowed his decision down past a top seven, but it's looking more and more like Missouri, Tennessee and Michigan are the biggest players at this point.
I'll have more from Booth after his visit.
