Ricardo Gathers, PF - BAYLOR
- Thread starter Moose
- Start date
redstorm80
Well-known member
He's a cool dude, he wont panic. He probably knew this before it was announced. Worst case we dont get the other 2, then other names will pop up
cavalier86
Member
I hate to say this but I am becoming more and more disinterested in college athletics by the second and Gathers picking Baylor kind of ads to it. Not that the kid picked Baylor over us tht is his right, but it just seems that there is less and less loyality by schools and players. It seems if the grass is greener you just jump ship and go somewhere else instead of honoring your original commitment. I have been a st john's fan since I went to my first game back in the early 70's. And 40 years later, i am still sju biggest supporter. But what used to be a great sport to watch has now become more and more of a business where loyality be schools and players is an afterthought.
I know that Coach Lavin will bring st johns back to where it belongs. You don't know how much i want to go to the Canyon of Heroes and cheer for my alma mater winning a championship. But I guess we will have to live through commitments-de-commitments until that time comes.
I know that Coach Lavin will bring st johns back to where it belongs. You don't know how much i want to go to the Canyon of Heroes and cheer for my alma mater winning a championship. But I guess we will have to live through commitments-de-commitments until that time comes.
Class of 72
Active member
Problem is Sampson is not a power forward.
Regardless of the talent of a player my personal opinion is when a player decommits you write them off. To spend the time and resources all over again on a recruit that was a half-hearted commit is counterproductive.
Obekpa becomes the most important recruit now and Tony Chiles and Lav better be at every game he plays.
In place of Sampson I would focus on Sanchez to strengthen our chances at landing a commitment from Galan.
There are two Findley Prep players that are more important than Sampson IMO.
Hopefully the wasted time and effort on players like Gathers, Pelle, Lindsey and Sampson have been a learning experience for Chiles and Lavin and they refocus their efforts on players that want to be here.
queensbridge
Member
Rumors are Sampson down to Providence and Kansas. Obekpa alone won't be enough. Lav is going to have to pull something out of his ass
cavalier86
Member
I guess the best case scenario right now would be Sampson, Obekpa, Sanchez and Sheppard and one shooter, maybe the JC from out west. That would still make us a very very dangerous team.
Class of 72
Active member
Ever since the decommitment from SG Wood I have asked why hasn't Lavin pursued my peasano Amadeo Della Valle.
He is uncommitted and not taken any trips yet. Gonzaga is hard after him as is Zona and UCLA. The only Big East school that is offering is Uconn.
Someone very close to me has seen him play in Italy and he says he is one of the top ten players under 21 in the country. He is a 6'6 PG/SG that can pass and hit from anywhere on the court. With a player like Amadeo SJ could easily play a 3 guard offense IMO. He supposedly is that good and uncommitted.
WTF are we doing going after a Mexican-American kid from a California JC when we can offer NYC and the Garden to this Italian kid?? Maybe you can get an answer from the coaches because I cannot.
By Davide Bortoluzzi / Draftology
Amedeo Della Valle is one of the most talented European prospects of his generation, and with Alessandro Gentile he'll probably be the future of Italian national team. He's now in his senior year at Findlay prep., but next year he'll be playing for a national college basketball powerhouse, with high chances to play the hoop summit.
Over the last few years you have become one of the most interesting prospects in Italian basketball, as you proved in the last Under-18 EuroCup. What led you to choose the USA and the NCAA as your path toward professional basketball?
Amedeo Della Valle: It was my passion and my love for the US. I had been here several times beforer to work on my game, in places like Chicago and Miami. And every time I was really well impressed and happy about the experience. Eventually I decided to come here because I think that, at the current state of things, it's easier to emerge in the US than it is back in Italy. Here you just practice in a different fashion.
And why did you choose Findlay Prep?
Amedeo Della Valle: Simply because here there have been some great players who now are in the NBA, such as Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph ; besides, this year's team was engineered to win the championship. And plus, for me to be able to practice everyday with some of the best players of my age is a great stimulus and a once in a lifetime opportunity.
You had scholarship offers from Div. I universities such as California, Georgetown, UConn, Utah, Arizona, Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and Portland. Talk about the recruiting process: what does it look like from the inside?
Amedeo Della Valle: I was first contacted during the EuroCup. Coaches e-mailed me and talked about the potentialities of their programs as well as their intention of offering me a scholarship. Up to this point, most of the contacts between me and the coaches have taken place through mail and e-mail: every day I would get at least five letters from different universities in which they tell me about all the great things they can offer me...Plus, twice a week the coaches have the opportunity of calling me and speaking to me directly. Sometimes we would even have college scouts at our games.
When are you going to make your decision? Do you have any scheduled visit?
Amedeo Della Valle: I am not going to make a decision anytime soon. In the meantime, I already got three more scholarship offers from UCLA, USC and UConn, after I talked to Jim Clahoun. I will really have to ponder my decision: I will choose according to what college will give me the best opportunity to play, since that is what I am here for. But any university I will choose, they will have to be aware that I could potentially go back to Europe at any time if my process of adjustment didn't go well. Therefore, it'll be important for them to understand that a good part of my decision will be affected by this: the opportunity to play and grow as a basketball player.
In Europe you have proved you can play all three positions in the backcourt: what do you think you'll end up playing in the NCAA?
Amedeo Della Valle: Here in the US I can't play small forward. I think I am a little undersized for that. I believe that eventually I'll end up playing point guard.
Mo isnt a PF either. When was the last time we had a player who played that position as well as Mo. Look at his PPG and RBG and he is only a FR. Sampson is a combo foward with the same talent level as Mo. I ll take him playing alongside mo anyday of the week. If he and Obejba come here we would have a hell of a team and both would get plenty of PT and exposure.
redstorm80
Well-known member
Why you gotta bring up race? It's irrelevant if we are recruiting mexican or Italian players. Were gonna target the players that Lavin thinks are the best fit for this program. If he thinks that is the guy from Cali then so be it
I think Polee liked SJU. The fact remains he was recruited over. He didnt know 3 players would not qualify. Unlike Nuri I dont blame him for transferring. Lavin has to go after the best talent available,regardless of where the are from. D LO, Phil, Amir,Gift and Dom dont seem homesick.
Class of 72
Active member
Polee's pops made a mistake. Polee was getting better. It was a slow process, but his NCAA game was his best. He showed flashes of greatness even though he was certainly raw. He would have gotten tons of run on this team ts year and building a fantastic career here instead of toiling. When kids are lead around by their parents who make these rash decisions, it rarely turns out well. Polee would have been in a great situation sticking it out, whether or not we brought in every kid we sought to bring in. If your kid is a talent, he will rise and scouts from everywhere will see that. The best programs have kids on the bench that are excellent and will get looks in the NBA. It's a mistake to assume that just because a kid doesn't play 40 minutes a game, that he's not getting enough exposure for scouts to figure out that he's good.
Moose
Well-known member
Interesting quote sheds some light on maybe why Gathers didn't come back.
http://stjohns.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1328368
"Ricardo has always had to play the five," said Gathers. "With Isaiah there, he will get to play the four."
http://stjohns.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1328368
"Ricardo has always had to play the five," said Gathers. "With Isaiah there, he will get to play the four."