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Look back/ahead to the Top 100 College Basketball recruits in the SEC

Started by jbcarol, June 05, 2012, 04:17:05 pm

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jbcarol

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/837424671918276609

QuoteA graduate transfer guard, Barry joined Florida this season after playing for College of Charleston. He is second on the team with 12.3 points per game and third with 37 3-pointers.

Barry started Wednesday as Florida honored its 4 seniors. Otherwise, Barry comes off the bench while embracing his sixth-man role.

"He's exemplified sacrifice. He's been a perfect example. He's the poster child," White said. " ... I mean, the guy's been incredible. He's a starter who's coming off the bench and you don't hear a peep from him. He just wants to win. He could have chosen some other schools where maybe the coach promises he's going to start or maybe he plays 38 minutes a game and gets 25 (points) a game. But he decided to become part of something special. He's as unselfish as you get."

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jbcarol

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/838251338135977984

QuoteMonk is the fourth freshman to win the honor and first freshman to lead the league in scoring since LSU's Chris Jackson in 1989.

The Leplanto, Ark., native scored in double digits every game except his last — a 6-point outing Saturday at Texas A&M.

Monk averaged 21.161 while South Carolina's Sindarius Thornwell averaged 21.160.

Monk is the first Kentucky player to lead the SEC in scoring since Jodie Meeks in 2009.

Fellow freshman De'Aaron Fox led the league with five assists per game.
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jbcarol

Jerry Tipton: With some hesitation, I voted for Georgia guard J.J. Frazier as the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year

QuoteThe belief that a Player of the Year should play for the championship team compels a vote for Malik Monk. His spectacular scoring sprees sparked Kentucky's first-place finish and made for must-see TV. But UK's latest league title seemed the product of multiple options overcoming individual inconsistencies.

Georgia did not finish among the top four in the regular-season race. However, a review of history made voting for Frazier easier. In the 52 years the SEC has had a Player of the Year, he came from a team that did not win the championship 25 times. Most conspicuously, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope won it in 2013 even though Georgia finished tied for eighth. Johnny Neumann won it in 1971 when Ole Miss finished eighth. Pete Maravich (1969) and Reggie King (1978) won it playing for LSU and Tennessee teams that finished seventh in those seasons.

And in 2014-15, when Kentucky was undefeated champion of the league's regular season and tournament, the media and SEC coaches each voted Bobby Portis of second-place Arkansas the Player of the Year.

If you base a vote on who was his team's most indispensable player, Sindarius Thornwell of South Carolina would be a worthy choice.

But, Frazier, who is listed at 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds, was arguably just as indispensable, plus he embodied a hard-to-resist David-and-Goliath element. And like last year's SEC Player of the Year, Tyler Ulis of Kentucky, he inspired better play from teammates and usually was a thought ahead of everyone else on the court.

Two weekends ago, Kentucky saw first-hand how Frazier became Georgia's go-to guy and glue-guy. Leading scorer Yante Maten suffered a serious knee sprain 95 seconds into the Feb. 18 game against UK. Frazier filled the vacuum. His 36 points were the most scored against UK this season.

"J.J. was ridiculous," UK Coach John Calipari said afterward, "and controlled the whole game."

Late in the game, Calipari paid Frazier the ultimate compliment. He ordered a double-team near mid-court in order to get the ball out of Frazier's hands. Calipari was not the only SEC coach to take that step.
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jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Recruiting Ratings for the 2017 Consensus (AP and Coaches) All-SEC First Team

G Malik Monk – Kentucky, 6-3, 200, Freshman, Lepanto, Ark.                     9 in '16

G Sindarius Thornwell – South Carolina, 6-5, 211, Senior, Lancaster, S.C.   41 in '13

G J.J. Frazier – Georgia, 5-10, 155, Senior, Glennville, Ga.      2-star, #68 PG  in '13

G De'Aaron Fox – Kentucky, 6-3, 187, Freshman, Houston, Texas               6 in '16

F Sebastian Saiz – Mississippi, 6-9, 240, Senior, Madrid, Spain   2-star, #41 C in '12
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jbcarol

https://twitter.com/johnclayiv/status/840362205887516673

QuoteNashville

For the 13th straight game, Kentucky freshman Sacha Killeya-Jones did not play in Friday's Southeastern Conference Tournament victory over Georgia.

He has not played since logging two minutes against South Carolina on Jan. 21. He has not scored since making two free throws against Arkansas on Jan. 7.

Killeya-Jones said he was not sure why he has not played in so long.

"I've just got to, I guess, stick with my practice and everything," he said. "Probably (in need of) more consistency. Keep working on that."

Killeya-Jones said he had improved as a player.

"Definitely, hands down," he said. "I'm a whole different player.

"Like I said, I'm working. I'm trying to get better. And I'm ready for my chance whenever it presents itself."

Killeya-Jones acknowledged the difficulty in not playing.

"It's frustrating, obviously," he said. "I love basketball. I want to be on the court."

When asked about whispers that he might transfer, Killeya-Jones said, "I don't know where you heard that. But, no, I came here for a reason, and I'm doing that. I came here to get better. I came here to learn. I came here to be around the best. And that's what I'm going to do."
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jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/841720255143632896

QuoteSacha Killeya-Jones is the odd McDonald's All-American out.

6-foot-10, 230-pound forward with a former 5-star label would find playing time at most places, but Killeya-Jones has become an afterthought for John Calipari's Wildcats.

"It's frustrating not playing because I love basketball," Killeya-Jones said. "I want to be on the court helping any way I can."

Killeya-Jones said he is content as long as Kentucky is winning games and as long as he's getting better in practice.

"I feel like I'm a whole new player since I got here," he said. "Just physically better, more aggressive. Mentally, just more mature. I'm just seeing the game differently."

While Killeya-Jones would be expected to take on a larger role next season, there's no guarantee. Adebayo is expected to enter the NBA draft but that would leave Killeya-Jones in a position battle with sophomore Isaac Humphries, who's ahead of him now, and redshirt freshman Tai Wynyard.

Kentucky's incoming class includes 5-star big men P.J. Washington and Nick Richards to add even more competition.

And somewhere in the middle of it will be Killeya-Jones. There's just no telling where.
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jbcarol

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/842348161049985024

QuoteSexton hasn't arrived at Alabama yet, but he's already heralded as a program-changing talent.

Alabama coach Avery Johnson has compared Sexton to NBA all-star Kyrie Irving. NBA guard Mo Williams said Sexton, a 5-star guard from Pebblebrook High in Mableton, Georgia, can immediately make Alabama "a top-10 team."

So how do Sexton's future teammates describe him? Alabama signees Alex Reese and Herb Jones reported Wednesday for the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic basketball game...

"Almost like Russell Westbrook scoring guard," said Jones, a 6-foot-7 guard who led Hale County to the 2017 Class 4A state title. "He gets to the rack whenever he wants to, and he can really shoot it."

"He's really aggressive to the rim," said Reese, a 6-foot-9 forward from Pelham. "He attacks the rim really hard. He can pull up. He's really and all-around offensive player, and he'll lock you down, too."

https://twitter.com/EvilADByrne/status/841406581258489858

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jbcarol

https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_SEC/status/844624861083451393

QuoteLEXINGTON, Ky. — Remember when Duke had assembled one of the greatest recruiting classes of all-time? The Blue Devils signed four of the top 15 players in the Class of 2016, good for the No. 1-ranked haul in the country. And yet ... they didn't advance out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

Remember when Michigan State had assembled the greatest recruiting class of Tom Izzo's career? The Spartans signed two McDonald's All-Americans and four top-50 prospects in the Class of 2016, good for the No. 3 class nationally. And yet ... they didn't advance out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

Remember when N.C. State and Texas combined to sign three 5-stars and seven top-100 prospects, giving the Wolfpack and Longhorns the No. 4 and 5 classes in the country? And yet ... they both went 4-14 in their respective conferences.

Remember when Washington somehow snagged Markelle Fultz and LSU landed Ben Simmons, who might soon share the distinction of being No. 1 overall picks in the NBA Draft? And yet ... both programs missed the NCAA Tournament and fired their coach.

Indeed, among the top 10 recruiting classes of 2016 (per the 247Sports Composite), only Kentucky and Arizona are still playing. Five of those programs didn't even make the NCAA Tournament.

Every remaining NCAA Tournament team has at least one former top-100 recruit on the roster, 13 schools have at least three of those and seven have at least six. Half the Sweet 16 field has at least one former 5-star recruit and six teams have multiple 5-stars.

Kentucky has the most former 5-stars (six), while North Carolina has the most former top-100 recruits (nine). Arizona, UCLA and Kansas have the next-most high-end talent. Not shockingly, those programs have the best odds in Las Vegas to win the national title.

NORTH CAROLINA (four 5-star, nine top-100) — 2016: Tony Bradley, Seventh Woods, Brandon Robinson. 2015: Kenny Williams. 2014: Justin Jackson, Theo Pinson, Joel Berry. 2013: Isaiah Hicks, Kennedy Meeks.

KENTUCKY (six 5-star, eight top-100) — 2016: De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo, Wenyen Gabriel, Sacha Killeya-Jones. 2015: Isaiah Briscoe, Isaac Humphries, Tai Wynyard.

ARIZONA (four 5-star, eight top-100) — 2016: Lauri Markkanen, Rawle Alkins, Kobi Simmons. 2015: Alonzo Trier, Ray Smith, Chance Comanche. 2014: Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Kadeem Allen.

ULCA (three 5-star, seven top-100) — 2016: Lonzo Ball, T.J. Leaf, Ike Anigbogu. 2015: Pricne Ali, Aaron Holiday. 2014: Thomas Welsh. 2013: Isaac Hamilton.

KANSAS (two 5-star, six top-100) — 2016: Josh Jackson, Udoka Azubuike, Mitch Lightfoot. 2015: Carlton Bragg, Lagerald Vick. 2014: Devonte' Graham.

FLORIDA (two 5-star, six top-100) — 2016: KeVaughn Allen, Keith Stone. 2015: Devin Robinson, Chris Chiozza. 2013: Kasey Hill, John Egbunu (South Florida transfer).
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jbcarol

 Wes Rucker‏ @wesrucker247 2h2 hours ago

Let's not sit here and call Isaac Humphries some underdog legend here. He was the nation's No. 50 overall prospect in the 2015 class.
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jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

 

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/852649917038428166

Briscoe was asked if he would've given up his seat in that situation.

"There's no way. Absolutely not," Briscoe said. "I don't know what would've happened, but I would not have been dragged off that plane."
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_SEC/status/854718738356203520

21 top-100 recruits committed to or signed with SEC schools. Eleven programs have gotten at least one such coveted prospect.

1. Michael Porter (MU)

6. Colin Sexton (Bama)

No. 24 Nick Weatherspoon (Mississippi State)
No. 30 Daniel Gafford (Arkansas)
No. 41 Chuma Okeke (Auburn)
No. 44 Davion Mitchell (Auburn)
No. 45 John Petty (Alabama)
No. 51 Jamarko Pickett (Ole Miss)
No. 52 Rayshaun Hammonds (Georgia)
No. 56 Savion Flagg (Texas A&M)
No. 59 Alex Reese (Alabama)
No. 75 Chase Johnson (Florida)
No. 77 Saben Lee (Vanderbilt)
No. 97 Devontae Shuler (Ole Miss)

UK Wildcats already have No. 10 Hamidou Diallo (shooting guard), No. 11 Jarred Vanderbilt (power forward), No. 14 P.J. Washington (power forward), No. 16 Nick Richards (center), No. 22 Quade Green (point guard), No. 39 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (combo guard) and No. 85 Jemarl Baker (shooting guard).

They also remain in the mix for No. 2 Mohamed Bamba (center), No. 9 Kevin Knox (small forward) and No. 76 Mark Smith (point guard).
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jbcarol

Recruiting Ratings for 2017's All-SEC Selections

Consensus (AP and Coaches) All-SEC First Team

G Malik Monk – Kentucky, 6-3, 200, Freshman, Lepanto, Ark.                     9 in '16

G Sindarius Thornwell – South Carolina, 6-5, 211, Senior, Lancaster, S.C.   41 in '13

G J.J. Frazier – Georgia, 5-10, 155, Senior, Glennville, Ga.      2-star, #68 PG  in '13

G De'Aaron Fox – Kentucky, 6-3, 187, Freshman, Houston, Texas               6 in '16

F Sebastian Saiz – Mississippi, 6-9, 240, Senior, Madrid, Spain   2-star, #41 C in '12

And the rest

KeVaughn Allen  UF   North Little Rock '15  #56

Yante Maten       UG  Bloomfield Hills '14    #39 PF

Luke Kornet       VU   Argyle '13                 #36 PF (VU legacy)

Moses Kingsley  Ark  Huntington Prep '13   #43

Kasey Hill          UF   Montverde Acad '13   #10

Bam Adebayo    UK   High Point Christ '16  #5

Antonio Blakeney LS Orlando Oak Ridge '15 #15  (UofL recruit)

Q Weatherspoon MS  Velma Jackson '15    #33 SG

Robert Hubbs III UF  Dyer County '13       #29

Tyler Davis       A&M  Plano West '15         #27

Robert Williams A&M North Caddo '15       #50

Note: Coaches honored underachieving seniors via the second team

All-SEC Freshman (not included as 1st nor 2nd Team)

Braxton Key       UA  Oak Hill Academy '16  #33

Mustapha Heron AU  Sacred Heart '16         #25

Lamar Peters     MS  NOLA LB Landry '16    #23 PG

Grant Williams   UT  Char Providence Day '16  #26 PF

Note:  The SEC All-Defensive Team were all named to an All-SEC Team
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jbcarol

Some of those Top 100* 2017 commits to SEC schools

  1. Michael Porter, Jr., 6-10, SF, Mixxou

  6. Collin Sexton, 6-2, PG, Alabama

11. PJ Washington, 6-8, PF, Kentucky

16. Nick Richards, 6-10, C, Kentucky

18. Jarred Vanderbilt, 6-8, PF, Kentucky

21. John Petty, 6-5, SG, Alabama

23. Quade Green, 6-1, PG, Kentucky

33. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 6-5, PG, Florida Kentucky

34. Nick Weatherspoon, 6-2, PG, Mississippi State

38. Rayshaun Hammonds, 6-7, SF, Georgia

44. Daniel Gafford, 6-10, C, Arkansas

47. Chuma Okeke, 6-7, SF, Auburn

55. Khalil Garland, 6-6, SF, Arkansas

59. Isaiah Stokes, 6-8, C, Florida

60. Davion Mitchell, 6-1, PG, Auburn

62. DeAundre Ballard, 6-6, SG, Florida

76. Galen Alexander, 6-7, SF, LSU

78. Savion Flagg, 6-6, SF, Texas A&M

92. JaMarko Pickett, 6-7, PF, DC Massanutten Military, Ole Miss

95. Chase Johnson, 6-8, PF, Huntington Prep, Florida

96. Blake Harris, 6-3, PG, Word of God, Mizzou

Former Top 100

Alex Reese, 6-9, PF, Pelham, Alabama [#24 PF]

Saben Lee, 6-1, PG, Tempe Corona Del Sol, Vanderbilt [#40 PG]

Devontae Shuler, 6-1, SG, Oak Hill, Ole Miss [#28 SG]

* 2017 Player Rankings
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jbcarol

Hamidou Diallo would hardly be UK's first 'none-and-done'

Kentucky guard Hamidou Diallo is entering his name in the NBA Draft — but leaving himself the option to return to college by not retaining an agent —


Quote(I am defining "none-and-done" as players who actually made it to the UK campus but did not end up playing. That eliminated Bill "Poodles" Willoughby, who signed with UK for 1975-76 but instead turned pro out of high school)

A homesick 7-foot-4 German, Gunther Behnke came to Lexington to start school for the 1984-85 season, he lasted only five days.

"(Behnke) wouldn't leave his high school girlfriend," Hall told me in 2015. "When we recruited him, his father promised me he would stay (at UK), that he wouldn't let him leave. But Gunther called his Dad every day for five days. On the fifth day, the father called me and said, 'I know what I said, but I'm going to let him come home.'"

Until Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns, many considered Shawn Kemp the most talented player ever to choose UK.

When Kemp, an athletically explosive 6-foot-11 power forward from Elkhart, Ind., signed with Kentucky and Eddie Sutton for the 1988-89 season, he had to sit out the year after failing to qualify under NCAA freshman eligibility requirements.

Some two months into Kemp's first semester at UK, someone stole some gold chains belonging to Cats point guard Sean Sutton. Kemp subsequently tried to pawn the chains.

"I'm not a thief," Kemp later told Sports Illustrated...

An offensively-skilled 6-11 center from Turkey, Enes Kanter had originally committed to Washington but signed with Kentucky before the 2010-11 season.

However, Kanter's status as an amateur basketball player — and therefore his college eligibility —
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jbcarol

Who should UK fans blame for Adebayo's departure? UK Coach John Calipari

Calipari convinced him to enter this year's NBA Draft, Adebayo said


Quote"He felt like I was doubting my potential," Adebayo said of Calipari's reaction. "It was, like, 'What's wrong with you?'"

When Adebayo assured the UK coach that he did not have doubts, Calipari replied, "Then go!"

Although mock drafts have Adebayo being drafted late in the first round or early in the second round, Calipari suggested a much earlier selection was not only likely, but all but inevitable.

"I'll be stunned if he's not a lottery pick," Calipari said Thursday.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

 

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_SEC/status/865922157402091520

QuoteWho scored 40 total points and didn't play in Kentucky's final 19 games last season?

A: 6-foot-10 former McDonald's All-American Sacha Killeya-Jones

"We've been in the gym every day the last two weeks since he's been home," said Gilbert Abraham, a North Carolina-based personal trainer who worked with Killeya-Jones since he was in ninth grade. "He's focused, he's driven, he understands what he has to do now and he has a plan. I'm really excited for him."

Killeya-Jones fell behind his talented teammates as a freshman last season and, to many fans' surprise, was banished to the bench by late January. He played in just 15 games, a total of 96 minutes. So what happened and why will next season be different?

"He was the youngest guy on that team last year; he's younger than several of the freshmen coming in this year," Abraham said. "Some of the other guys were more prepared, and I don't know how prepared from a maturity standpoint he was. When he started to get acclimated, he started to get better. That's how he's been since high school. Once he gets comfortable, he gets better and better and better."

Sources close to the Kentucky program told SEC Country that, while he didn't play, Killeya-Jones turned a corner in practice over the final month of the season and began to turn heads. He carried that momentum into the offseason, motivated by an opportunity for playing time.

That prospect improved when Bamba picked the Longhorns. Now it'll be Killeya-Jones or 5-star freshman 7-footer Nick Richards — or a combination of both — in the 5 spot for the Wildcats next season. No longer crippled by the enormous expectations of playing for Kentucky, Killeya-Jones is instead energized by the challenge.

"You get to a point where you stop putting the wrong kind of pressure on yourself and you just go out and prepare," Abraham said. "You just have to make sure you stay ready, and when the opportunity presents itself, you strike. He doesn't have any control over when Coach [John Calipari] may call his name, but he does control over how he prepares. That's what I've been preaching to him.

"Some people get that chance and they lack the talent to capitalize. He does not lack the talent. Actually, he has a pretty complete skillset offensively. There's not much he can't do."
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

 Jon Rothstein‏Verified account @JonRothstein 24h24 hours ago

The SEC will be loaded with quality freshmen in 17-18. One key one that is slightly off-the-radar? A&M's J.J. Caldwell. Game changer at PG.
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jbcarol

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/868935403318988804

QuoteThe odd man out yet again in his second season for the Kentucky Wildcats, struggled to earn consistent rotation minutes in the front court while playing alongside the likes of Skal Labissiere, Marcus Lee, Bam Adebayo and others.

After averaging just over eight minutes per game this season, the lowest among prospects in our top 100, Humphries made the decision to forego his final two years of eligibility and pursue a professional career.

Measured at 7'0 at the 2016 Kentucky team combine, Humphries has good height for a big man, to go along with a strong 260 pound frame, but his 7'0 wingspan and 8'11 standing reach are closer to those of a power forward than an NBA center ideally. His lack of length and reach hurts his ability to protect the rim from the center position and he does not make up for that with tremendous athleticism to compensate, often struggling with the quickness of more dynamic collegiate big men. His best case to carve out a role looks to be to trim down his frame and try to improve his explosiveness while increasing his ability to move laterally in space to be able to play away from the rim.

While Humphries didn't display a high level of athleticism the past two seasons, he was able to hold his own at times while playing for the Australian national team in the past, and he has a solid motor -

Had a big game in his last game when Dadgum Roy apparently did not have him on the scouting report but still got the win.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Briefly a Top 100 recruit, Willis played in the same region as Mekale McKay.

https://twitter.com/Michael_Carvell/status/870075266974003201

Quote"I held myself back," Willis said.

Willis was a constant on the floor for the Wildcats during the last two seasons, averaging 18.6 minutes per game in 2015-16 and then 21.9 this past season. His practice method, though, is what kept him from reaching his peak as a collegiate player.

"I had the wrong approach about it. [When practice ended] I'd just pretty much leave the gym and go with friends and do whatever. I could have spent another hour and worked on really anything. I had the wrong mental approach about it, and I think that's what held me back."

Willis' best year came as a junior, when he averaged 7.7 points per game and shot 48 percent from the floor. His three point shooting was impressive that season as well, as he averaged 44 percent from beyond the arc.

With the new approach, Willis is hoping to continue his career wherever he is wanted.

This article was replayed with minor changes after each Willis season and sometimes mid-season.
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jbcarol

https://twitter.com/usatodayhss/status/870701557976895488

QuoteGames will be moved to a rotation of cities beginning in 2018; no future cities have been finalized at this time.

"We're going to try to get back to the roots," Lewicki told Chicago Business. "We learned a lot on how to run it more efficiently, but it also became a little stale. We need to get that freshness back, we need to make sure the game keeps the luster of what it is as a premiere game, and part of that is moving it."

Before its stint in Chicago, the Games had always rotated to different cities.

Games had successful years in the Windy City from 2011-14 with local stars like Anthony Davis...
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jbcarol

Evan Daniels‏Verified account @EvanDaniels 14h14 hours ago

I'll never understand the desire for players to be listed as PG's, but then have the desire to shoot/score it EVERY time they bring it up.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Jerry Tipton: UK bench warmers rate higher as NBA prospects than all-SEC players

QuoteAny collection of mind-blowing topics of conversation — must include DraftExpress.com's list of the top NBA prospects from the Southeastern Conference.

Kentucky's Sacha Killeya-Jones, who did not play after Jan. 21, rates higher than Georgia's Yante Maten, an all-SEC first-team selection who averaged 18.2 points and 6.8 rebounds.

Kentucky's Tai Wynyard, who did not play after Feb. 7 and scored one basket after Nov. 28, rated higher than Ole Miss forward Sebastian Saiz, who averaged a double-double (15.1 ppg, 11.4 rpg).

Fran Fraschilla, a NBA Draft analyst for ESPN: "Teams have determined over the course of time that you'd better get your hands on young developing talent with a high chance of upside as opposed to an occasional veteran who played all four (college) years who they see as having the potential to be a good NBA player. But not great."

Del Harris said. "They can see them on that practice floor. Cal gets so many (players), they can't play."

As an example, Harris cited Isaac Humphries, who rates ahead of Quinndary Weatherspoon (all-SEC second team), Saiz and Maten on the DraftExpress.com list.

"People have seen him in practice, and they know, hey, this guy ain't that bad," Harris said. "He's big and can do some things."

When told that Saiz averaged a double-double in games, Harris laughed and said, "I guess (NBA) people, they don't go down to Mississippi as much as they do to Lexington."
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net


jbcarol

https://twitter.com/jbeanpoll/status/877915782281183232

6-foot-11 Wiley joins Kentucky's Hamidou Diallo and P.J. Washington, as well as five-star prep standouts Louis King, Romeo Langford, Immanuel Quickley and Cameron Reddish on the final roster.

Auburn freshman forward Chuma Okeke, who made Tuesday's preliminary cuts, did not make the final roster after sustaining a knee injury that cut his tryout short. Okeke is returning to Auburn on Thursday to undergo further evaluations on his left knee.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/michaelniziolek/status/879518471222120448

Quote"Austin was the most physical player at the U19 trials and the fact that his motor always runs were two things that jumped out at Coach (John) Calipari and that coaching staff," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said on a teleconference call Monday. "I think the adjustments Austin would have made from last year to this year, he's much quicker, and he's much more explosive.  He's always been fast, but now he's utilizing that speed to his advantage."

Pearl likes to call the Olympics a "family tradition" for Wiley — his mother Vickie Orr won a bronze medal as a member of the 1992 USA Olympic basketball team —

"It means an awful lot to him," Pearl said.

Just more
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/880665785454264320

QuoteAuburn sophomore Austin Wiley helped lift the USA U19 team to an exhibition win against France on Thursday as the team prepares for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup this weekend.

Wiley finished with nine and seven: "We played a tough France team. They were pretty good. We just played hard and were more physical, and we came out with a good W."

"We rebounded well," Team USA coach John Calipari said. "I think our big guys, (including) Wiley are playing well."
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

 Jeff Borzello‏Verified account @jeffborzello 5h5 hours ago

Three ESPN 100 prospects set to make their announcements today: Taeshon Cherry (No. 20), Cole Swider (No. 48) and Marcus Bingham (No. 97).
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/883803550542946304

QuoteTeam USA fell to Canada, 99-87, in the semifinals of the FIBA U19 World Cup tourney.

Auburn's Austin Wiley had another double-double for Team USA, his third of the tournament and his second in as many games. The rising sophomore finished with 13 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.

P.J. Washington led Team USA with 17 points and 11 rebounds...
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

Jerry Tipton: A&M star veers from UK course as one-and-not-done

QuoteCounting this year's NBA Draft, Kentucky has had 31 players picked since John Calipari became coach. That's almost twice as many players as the school with the second most selected: Duke with 17.

The NBA Draft's Big Blue tint beginning in 2010 includes as many first-round selections from Kentucky (24) as from Duke (14) and Kansas combined (10). The same is true of lottery picks: UK 17, Duke eight, Kansas nine.

So Kentucky's path to the NBA is well worn. But, of course, it's not the only way to try to reach the summit of pro basketball fame and fortune.

This year saw Robert Williams of Texas A&M veer wildly off the course taken annually by multiple UK players, several of whom were significantly less accomplished as college freshmen.

Williams was voted second-team All-Southeastern Conference, the league's Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-Freshman Team for 2016-17.

Yet, he chose to return to A&M next season.

Huh?

"Robert is a unique kid," A&M assistant coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said recently. "Very smart, very focused kid. . . . He's able to do something a lot of kids have a tough time doing, and that is self-evaluate."
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

 Jeff Goodman‏Verified account @GoodmanESPN 12h12 hours ago

Ben Simmons said he has learned how to write out a check in the past year, but admitted he still doesn't know how to do the laundry.


#1-n-done
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jbcarol

https://twitter.com/EvanDaniels/status/886229123659595777

...the same schools and are recruiting me harder.

Florida State, Mississippi State, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia Tech
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jbcarol

 Jeff Borzello‏Verified account @jeffborzello 16h16 hours ago

ESPN 100 guard Noah Locke picked up an offer from NC State today. Added one from West Virginia on Friday.


Florida and Mizzou are on the radar
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/886985654206386176

Jon Rothstein‏Verified account @JonRothstein 1h1 hour ago

Recruiting in the SEC has become like shaving. If you take a day off, somebody notices.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

 Jeff Borzello‏Verified account @jeffborzello 2h2 hours ago

At @UAassociation All-American Camp for next few days - around 20 college players also here. Texas A&M's Robert Williams the main attraction

Jay Wright, Chris Holtmann and Mike White among the head coaches watching ESPN 100 guard Elijah Weaver.

Darius Days' stock continues to rise. Louisville, Virginia Tech, Xavier, Florida State, USC, Texas A&M all represented for him today.

All eight on Devon Dotson's school list watching him this morning, including Bill Self, Andy Enfield, Mike White and Jim Larranaga.

A&M's Robert Williams looks far more confident in his face-up game than last season. Comfortable shooting mid-range/baseline jumpers.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

https://twitter.com/RobDauster/status/888058175756357633

QuoteAUGUSTA, Ga. — Kamaka Hepa's pursuit of becoming the first Inupiaq (Eskimo) to play in the NBA took him to Nike's Peach Invitational last week, where he stepped on the court as a top 50 prospect being pursued by Shaka Smart, Mark Few and a dozen other coaches 3,700 miles from his hometown of Barrow, Alaska.
Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net

jbcarol

2018 ESPN 100

10. Jontay Porter  Mizzou

17. Reggie Perry     State

27. Javonte Smart   LSU

30. EJ Montgomery   AU

87. Ethan Henderson  Ark

Curated SEC Infotainment and aggregated college sports updates where it just means more on Hogville.net