Recruit update from Katzowitz

[GoBearcats31]

http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/cincybearcats/2007/05/lets-look-ahead_11.asp#links

[Thegreatone]

This is really good reporting, I have high hope for Xavier Gibson, he is a stud! This kid would not be a filling a huge need at PF, but he is a great talent that I believe would be a great 6th man early and eventually starter. We all understand we need a PG, but have the size is awfully nice. THe idea of McClain, Wilks, Gates, and maybe Gibson is enough to make my mouth water! Hopefully he talks to his uncle and follows his footsteps and plays on a UC team that goes to the Final 4!

[waterhead]

So as of right now it looks like:

Gates
Wilks
Mitchell
Walker/Bost
Juco center

I can deal with that. Of course I have faith in Mick to pull at least one more rabbit from the hat. Let's hope that rabbit plays the C position (Morgan/Woods/Juco) or at least a big PF (gibson). You don't have to have two centers if you have good size at PF. Heck, you don't even have to have one center if you look at some of UC's rosters over the last few years:)

[Mick's Da Man]

If Mick can nab the '07 class he got in short work...........certainly we should acknowledge that it's early on and he has plenty of time to surprise us, not to mention get in with some other diamonds in the rough.

'08

Wilks
Gates
Bost
Mitchell
????? - Morgan, Gibson, ???????

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

This is really good reporting, I have high hope for Xavier Gibson, he is a stud! This kid would not be a filling a huge need at PF, but he is a great talent that I believe would be a great 6th man early and eventually starter. We all understand we need a PG, but have the size is awfully nice. THe idea of McClain, Wilks, Gates, and maybe Gibson is enough to make my mouth water! Hopefully he talks to his uncle and follows his footsteps and plays on a UC team that goes to the Final 4!

I think it's likely that Gibson will stay in the South near Dothan AL.

[Bearcat98]

I think it's likely that Gibson will stay in the South near Dothan AL.

Agreed... the debate is more of what center will Mick land?

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

Agreed... the debate is more of what center will Mick land?

Gates can play C in college.

[UCbball21]

Gates doesn't want to play C in college though. Mick should find a good player between now and the end of next spring...remember Mick has got in late on both Thabeet and McClain, I'm sure he can do the same with a Juco center or a player with questionable grades down in the stretch...

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

Clipped from Gopher Hole link to Howard Pulley (AAU) website:

Brett Thompson, 6'11, 265 Center Rivals #108, Vienna, IL, has offers from Purdue (leader), Northwestern, Iowa State, Indiana, Cincinnati.

[Thegreatone]

Thats a big boy

[james jr]

So as of right now it looks like:

Gates
Wilks
Mitchell
Walker/Bost
Juco center

I can deal with that. Of course I have faith in Mick to pull at least one more rabbit from the hat. Let's hope that rabbit plays the C position (Morgan/Woods/Juco) or at least a big PF (gibson). You don't have to have two centers if you have good size at PF. Heck, you don't even have to have one center if you look at some of UC's rosters over the last few years:)

I agree with this assessment. Gibson would be a great get in lieu of a C. Does anyone have any knowledge of top available Juco centers???

[shaunsimpson]

I don't know why everyone is so quick to count out Mick on most of these kids. He has gotten many of talented kids out of the south and i think he can again. I am hoping for a shooter 2 or swing, a Center (I think McClain can move to PF if needed due to foul trouble), and a PG. I wouldn't count out many on that list as Mick seemed to be in there early on a lot of players and still has a lot of playing time to offer.

[SLMadiCat]

Gates can play C in college.

He probably can, but man do I hate when UC has PF's playing C. I loved Maxiell and Hicks and only wish they didn't ever have to play C. I don't remember how much Maxiell had to play with D. Little, but Hicks had to play it way too much.

[bcatwilly]

He probably can, but man do I hate when UC has PF's playing C. I loved Maxiell and Hicks and only wish they didn't ever have to play C. I don't remember how much Maxiell had to play with D. Little, but Hicks had to play it way too much.

Did you guys happen to forget that McClain should be here to play center? It sounds like he is much too limited in his offensive game to be jumping to the NBA anytime soon, so Yancy at least has him manning the center spot for his first several seasons. You make it sound like Mick has to get a center for 2008 or Yancy will be stuck being our center full time or something.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

He probably can, but man do I hate when UC has PF's playing C. I loved Maxiell and Hicks and only wish they didn't ever have to play C. I don't remember how much Maxiell had to play with D. Little, but Hicks had to play it way too much.

Maxiell used his C experience to ease his NBA transition.

[shaunsimpson]

Did you guys happen to forget that McClain should be here to play center?

I think most of us are thinking of a rotation due to foul trouble and a fast paced game. It is easy to say that we have a C and a PF, but I think that getting another true center would be ideal. I do think McClain can play PF if needed and another C would allow a good rotation.

[waterhead]

I think we have good size and talent coming in at the forward position. Power forward is Williams, Sykes, Belton, Gates, McElroy over the next few years. Small forward is Williamson, Henry, Bishop, and Wilks. I don't think we add a forward right now unless he is an absolute stud or unless that recruit or someone else on the roster can switch to the center position. I don't see anyone on the roster above that fits the center position and we know Gates doesn't want to play there.

I don't see a scenario where McClain moves to PF to fill in even if we get another center. For now he's our only natural center (after Adam H. leaves) and doesn't have much of an offensive game which doesn't work well at PF. I also don't see him going pro on defensive skills alone so I expect him to be around a few years until he developes his offensive game. Even if we manage to get Morgan, Woods, or Gibson I don't see him moving to PF because we have plenty at that position. We would just have a starting and backup center based on who's better and/or best case twin towers.

Here's hoping for Woods, Morgan, or Gibson to come in at center position (first to show interest) along with Gates, Wilks, Walker/Bost, and Mitchell/?. I hope Mick can get the point guard and shooter out of the way early so he can concentrate on landing one of these kids above. With all the talent we have in and/or coming in I think Mick and/or one or two of our players could maybe sway a recruit to commit if we can get them on campus.

One more rabbit from the hat...who will it be?

[shaunsimpson]

I don't see a scenario where McClain moves to PF to fill in even if we get another center.


That is where we differ. I think that McClain's athletic ability could lead to a Horford and Noah type situation (can't say it is the same talent level, but still).

[Mick's Da Man]

He probably can, but man do I hate when UC has PF's playing C. I loved Maxiell and Hicks and only wish they didn't ever have to play C. I don't remember how much Maxiell had to play with D. Little, but Hicks had to play it way too much.

I think the day is coming when UC recruits high school centers that are about 6'9" like J'mison Morgan and 6'9" Gibson (Tarrence's nephew) to play PF and UC gets kids like McClain and Woods to play Center. Atleast that's how it should be. And that may be what Mick is telling those 6'9" kids......that they can play PF because he's going to have taller guys for the middle.

[waterhead]

That is where we differ. I think that McClain's athletic ability could lead to a Horford and Noah type situation (can't say it is the same talent level, but still).

I understand your point Shaun. I mentioned a while back that I would love to see twin towers at UC. I hope you're right about McClain having that kind of versatility. This gets back to labeling positions which I don't really care for. Whether he is playing a position labeled C or PF doesn't matter to me. Just as I don't mind whether you call Mitchell a SG or SF. He is going to play the style of game he has developed regardless of what position label he gets tagged with. Now the coach and or the player might decide that they need to change their style of game to help the team or to get to the NBA but that is a different story.

Put the 5 best guys on the court within reason. I don't think it is reasonable to put 5 centers on the court unless one can brign the ball up the court:)

[lt7784]

I haven't seen Biggie play, personally, but from the looks of this short highlight video, it looks like he runs well for a big man.
http://uncutvideo.aol.nl/videos/8b1a5b91bf7a609ea382ed253e8099e1

[Bearcat98]

Clipped from Gopher Hole link to Howard Pulley (AAU) website:

Brett Thompson, 6'11, 265 Center Rivals #108, Vienna, IL, has offers from Purdue (leader), Northwestern, Iowa State, Indiana, Cincinnati.

Thompson committed to St. Louis and Rick Majerus, so cross him off the list of "alternative" options at center behind Woods and Morgan. I still firmly believe that if we don't get Woods or Morgan, it will be a solid JUCO center....