Anderson rethinking how Missouri approaches recruiting

[jbcarol]

 Steve Walentik @Steve_Walentik  ·  Apr 12

From today's Tribune: Anderson rethinking how Missouri approaches recruiting http://www.columbiatribune.com/sports/mu_basketball/anderson-rethinking-how-missouri-approaches-recruiting/article_07547f6e-bd2c-54f1-b33a-b66c93953274.html ...

There was an outpouring of excitement among Missouri basketball fans in October when Isaiah Briscoe, Antonio Blakeney and Thomas Bryant — three eventual McDonald's All Americans — made official visits to Columbia on the same weekend.

Now, the hype rings hollow. All three decided to go elsewhere.

Kim Anderson said Wednesday he is examining every aspect of his program after a 9-23 season.

"What we have to do at Missouri — and every school has to do this — I think they have to know who they can recruit, who fits the University of Missouri," Anderson said. "I think you have to know who you can successfully recruit and then recruit those people. I think that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to recruit guys that fit into our program, guys that hopefully want to be here and guys that we can develop into good players.

"I'm not saying that we don't want the five-star guy. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying we have to know who we can recruit."


The Tigers won a school-record 31 games in 2009, captured the Big 12 Tournament title and reached the Elite Eight with a roster that did not have a single player ranked among the top 100 prospects in his recruiting class. In fact, only DeMarre Carroll (No. 148), Leo Lyons (112), J.T. Tiller (136), Kim English (111) and Marcus Denmon (150) appeared on Rivals.com's list of the top 150 prospects their senior years of high school.

Missouri was similarly constructed in 2012, when it won 30 games, another Big 12 Tournament title and landed a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament with Phil Pressey — No. 42 in ESPN's rankings — the only top-50 prospect among the seven-man rotation.

[jbcarol]

 Blake Toppmeyer @btoppmeyer  ·  Apr 13

Porter Sr. turns down Washington offer, remains on #Mizzou women's basketball coaching staff http://www.columbiatribune.com/sports/mu/porter-sr-turns-down-washington-offer-stays-at-mu/article_6cb50545-73f0-5871-8580-347a0c7be1cc.html ...

Courtside Films @CourtsideFilms  ·  11h 11 hours ago

Michael Porter Single Game Highlights @ EYBL Session 1 (VIDEO) http://www.courtsidefilms.com/news_article/show/503732-michael-porter-single-game-highlights-eybl-session-1 ...

[jbcarol]

Dave Matter @Dave_Matter  ·  19h 19 hours ago

Oak Hill Academy PG Terrence Phillips signs his LOI with Missouri.

Kim Anderson on Terrence Phillips: "He's a true point guard who has proven to be a winner during his career so far."

[jbcarol]

Steve Walentik @Steve_Walentik  ·  6m 6 minutes ago
I'm told John A. Logan SG Martavian Payne has also committed to #Mizzou, leaving Tigers with one scholarship available for 2015-16.

[jbcarol]

Evan Daniels @EvanDaniels  ·  3h 3 hours ago
Russell Woods just commited to Missouri, per a source.

[jbcarol]

 Steve Walentik @Steve_Walentik  ·  21h 21 hours ago

Payne, Woods sign with Missouri basketball program - Columbia Daily Tribune | Columbia Missouri: MU Basketball http://www.columbiatribune.com/sports/mu_basketball/payne-woods-sign-with-missouri-basketball-program/article_e744c34b-b26c-58f0-8220-96b75c60f3bc.html ...

Junior college transfers Martavian Payne and Russell Woods are officially part of the Missouri men's basketball program. The teammates at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill. — who committed to play for Kim Anderson's team during a weekend visit to Columbia — have signed the paperwork to finalize that decision, the school announced Tuesday.

"We are excited to have Martavian and Russell join the Mizzou Basketball family," Anderson said in a statement. "Both are proven winners, and we look forward to the experience they will bring to our team."

Payne, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, averaged a team-high 15.7 points as a sophomore this season while teaming with Woods to lead John A. Logan to an appearance in the NJCAA Division I tournament.

"Martavian is a young man who can play both the point and the off guard," Anderson said. "He is a strong three-point shooter and handles the ball well. He should make an immediate impact for our program."

The Tigers are hoping Woods, a 6-8 forward, can provide interior production as the team looks to make up for the loss Johnathan Williams III, the team's top scorer and rebounder. Woods averaged 14.1 points and 7.2 rebounds as a sophomore.

"Russell is a long, athletic forward who can rebound and score around the basket and out to 15-17 feet," Anderson said in the statement. "He has the ability to immediately impact the game. Both are solid defenders having played in a championship program at Logan under Coach Kyle Smithpeters."

Payne, a St. Louis native who played at Marquette, Imagine College Prep and Madison Prep before heading to junior college, will be one of four in-state players on the 2015-16 roster along with rising senior Ryan Rosburg and incoming freshmen Kevin Puryear and Cullen VanLeer. Missouri hasn't had more than one in-state player on its roster since 2011-12.