Shaq reax
How’s this for dessert? After Shaquille Stokes‘ signing ceremony in New York, the Lincoln High standout went to a dinner where he was named the New York City Player of the Year by the New York Daily News. He beat out seven other NYC players for the honor.
A nice way to cap the recruiting class for 2011-12 — if indeed he is the last added. UH is out of open scholarships for next year, but in the event that a player (or two) doesn’t get into UH, Gib Arnold will have to plug in substitutes.
But on paper, at least, the six players signed — Ronnie Stevens, Gerry Blakes, Hauns Brereton, DeShawn Mitchell, Dillon Biggs and Stokes — bring an exciting blend of athleticism and potential.
There’s a core in place, with senior-to-be Zane Johnson, center Vander Joaquim, small forwards Joston Thomas and Trevor Wiseman, and half a year of Miah Ostrowski the main returning contributors. Enough of the roster has changed that we won’t know exactly how it’ll all come together until the fall, but Arnold has a few reliables that he can count on.
Let’s hope Shaq is better than Kareem (Nitoto). I’m sure he is.
wow…I’m surprised that Hawaii was able to land Stokes. But then again, Coach Gib never fails to amaze!
Any information on the status of Michael Harvey. He supposedly gave a verbal, but haven’t heard anything since.
Brian, Do you believe that UH is still recruiting the best available talent out there for the 2011 season? And maybe they may not renew some of the current players’ scholarships?
Brian, Do you believe that UH is still recruiting the best available talent out there for the 2011 season? And maybe they may not renew some of the current players’ scholarships? Thanks, Kendall
Well i did NOT hear anyone say it out loud (the stuff below, i’m interpolating)…
BUT i DID Hear Coach Gib say that our current priority is on “locking up Signing Period players” … in other words U.S. High School and College Transfers, etc.
He also said that many foreign players don’t even take the SAT/ACT exams until June, so they end up being late qualifiers; hopefully any such recruits (i won’t call them signees although they can sign scholarship agreements after the LOI sining period) will qualify early enough to get into Summer School AND CLEAR the NCAA Clearinghouse Fast AND Early enough to get onto O.U.R. Asia Trip —
It has been noted (ask MVB Charlie Wade) that for foreign players, when their NCAA and admission papers line up, “they just show up, with or without LOIs & Scholarship agreements” (their commitment is actually bigger than this artificial paper system put in place to help our coaches and boosters behave and many have waited for their papers to clear although this seems to have been streamlines/ sped up;)
As an option, IF a foreign player’s family is wealthy enough, has enough college loans, etc. to make it to the U.S. (this is essentially what men’s volleyball players are doing — the Total MVB TEAM has only 4.5 scholarships to work with — [Aside: Senators Akaka and Inouye please help “FIX” Title IX — TWO Wrongs don’t make-up for a Right…]
Consider THIS: Even IF we don’t get any foreign players this year (and i’m guessing we DO), WE Have FOUR Full-Time Assistant Coaches — Walter Roese – BRAZIL, Central America; Benjy Taylor – AFRICA; Scott Fisher AUSTRALIA; Brandon Akana – ASIA — even if they ALL add up to only One-Fourth of Coach Gib’s efforts (recognizing they ALL help in U.S. of course) .. that could still result in one to two Foreign “Projects” or Even Stars [Example(s)?: Vander Joaquim, Davis Rozitis, in the First Season alone); Coach Gib noted that there are more than 70(!) Seven Footers in China alone — AND they just haven’t released the good ones, yet (so DO NOT judge their abilities by Xi Xiang, think maybe more like more like Yao Ming or even Chinese Acrobats — RE: Chinese athletes ‘dominate’ in all other sports.) Consider This: 300 million Americans versus 5 Billion in the rest of the World and HOW does the Foreign Flavor of The NBA look (only) today versus ten years ago ?
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HOW Exciting is This ? IF we (or YOU) were ever going to ASIA why not NOW WITH the Team – U.H. is putting packages together to travel with the MBB Team and part of the package helps cover the team …
i’m SURE Gib & Co. will work to make it both educational, seeing the important sites AND help set-up Graduate Career Opportunities, etc….
BRIAN ! :: GOT TO Get HSA and local TV/Radio to help get coverage .. documentation, video, daily reports …etc.
Brian —
RE: SUBMITTED #4:
TOO Much INFO ? CONJECTURE ? FACTS ?
MODERATION ?
RE: Michael Harvey — SURE MANY Players WANT to Come including Tyler McDaniels – but that doesn’t mean they make our Top 13…
D.One Womens Summer league @ Radford High School from June 21 – August 9 (Tues and Sat), not sure about the times. Can’t seem to find anything about the Men’s Summer League on the NCAA summer league site. Just wondering when the Mens summer league and the trip to Asia will occur.