ADVERTISEMENT

Vader Recruiting: Top Targets and Next Years Team

Vader_Storm

Sophomore
Dec 16, 2018
2,241
4,326
113
A few early thoughts on next year before getting into recruiting

Defense


Pitt’s defense finished 70th in the country in total efficiency last year. I expect Pitt’s defense to push for Top 30 in the country this coming year, perhaps better. Frame, Ellison, and Chukwuka were by far the 3 worst defensive players on the team this past year on defense and they are getting replaced with 2 high impact defensive players with Gerald Drumgoole and Karim Coulibaly. These 2 new freshmen anchored their teams on defense this past year.

Drumgoole is a large 6’6 wing pushing a huge 6’11 wingspan for a guard / wing and Coulibaly is a big 6’8-6’9 pushing a 7’0+ wingspan. Drumgoole’s high school team held their opposition to under 30% shooting for the entire season suffocating 4 and 5 star players constantly on defense. Coulibaly’s team stuffed opposing teams on defense too at Scotland Red Prep and he did it again as the anchor on defense with Mali. I am expecting these 2 players to play significant minutes this coming year with Drumgoole primarily at the 3 and Coulibaly primarily at the 4. Wingspan, not height, is why it will be a major difference maker.


Coulibaly

I like this kid… a lot. My very first post I made on this board last December I said this kid was significantly underrated and to dial up the recruiting pressure in which Capel did ( Coulibaly was once a 4 Star Top 60 player Nationally). And bam, here we are. Not only was Mali’s run in the U19 World Cup basketball Tournament magical as they made it to the finals, it was fueled by Coulibaly and Mali’s defense.

Let’s step aside from the fact Coulibaly finished strong in the entire tournament at 18th in total points, 13th in rebounds, 8th in blocks, 11th in steals, and 50th in assists with a top 30 overall efficiency ranking against a loaded field of 4 and 5 star ranked players heading to schools like Duke, Kentucky, Virginia, Gonzaga, etc... And that is indeed some stat sheet stuffing at 13.1ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.1 stl pg, and 1.7 blk pg. Lets also not forget he was the prep school player of the year at Scotland Red for the #1 team in Prep school basketball before losing in the National Title game. And his efficiency stats last summer were also very high.

He severely outperformed other Pitt targets like 4 Star Tyrese Samuel in every single facet of the basketball game this tournament and his team beat Samuels in the tournament. And he outperformed other 4 and 5 star ranked players in this tournament in every single facet of the basketball game. But again, where Mali and Coulibaly shined was they held teams to the following shooting percentages in this tournament:

43%, 37%, 39%, 27%, 34%, 38%, and finally 42% against team USA that featured roughly 10 players that will be in the NBA all of which are 5 star Nationally Ranked players. The best defense in college basketball last year, Texas Tech who lost in the National Title game, held opponents to 37% shooting. Its no wonder Mali went to the finals at the world cup tournament and beat the opposition. Team USA struggled shooting too against them and Coulibaly.


Large Wingspan, Toughness, and Tenacity... I love these traits in basketball players and Coulibaly and Drumgoole both have these traits. And its why our defense its going to ramp up and be much better because they suffocate on defense and force turnovers.



I am also repeating what I previously said. Pitt’s 2019 recruiting class is underrated and it will be proven starting next year. And I didn’t mention Champagnie who was strong at IS8 and a former Top 100 recruit himself that still didn’t turn 18 years old yet.


The ACC


I am also going to repeat another thing I said previously. The ACC is going to be a potential mess next year outside 3 teams in Duke, Louisville, and North Carolina. Virginia Tech has 1 player over 6’5 in height entering next season and lost everyone including their coach. Clemson has now lost 8 players from this past seasons team and now Clyde Trapp, their projected starting SG from what crumbs was left on their returning team, is now out all of next season too with acl / mcl injuries. That’s the tip of the iceberg for how bad most of the ACC league is looking as Virginia Tech and Clemson will be the 2 worst teams in all of Power 6 basketball next year and with Wake Forest losing Jaylen Hoard, their best player to the NBA as a 1 and done, that’s 3 teams that are at the bottom of the all of P6.

The ACC lost a record 10 1st round NBA Draft Picks including 6 of the top 11 overall picks to the NBA draft, another record. Not only is college basketball going to be way down. The ACC as a whole is going to be way down and way worse next year as opposed to what we saw this year. Most teams in the ACC lost 4 or more starters / players with some teams getting hit even worse.


Ithiel Horton


I like this kids game a lot on offense. Lights out shooter, decent athleticism, and good potential. It will take some time for him to adjust on defense but he has the potential to be a major weapon on offense. Think Gibbs potential on offense with the 3’s with way better athletic ability to drive in the paint. He made 79 3’s as a freshmen at 41%. He was lights out in his conference Tournament. And he faced 3 NCAA Tournament teams and was good in all 3 of those games last year, including a nice performance in almost beating Maryland on the road.

Recruiting News and Notes


Earl Timberlake- I reported on him last December that Pitt was a major factor. He is extremely high on Pitt still and will be visiting Pitt a 3rd time in the near future for an official visit. He likes everything about Pitt and has strong relationships with current Pitt players. Alabama is a major player to get him along with South and North Carolina. I reported Pitt was the leader for him previously. I think Pitt is still in the Top 2-3 for him right now and “may” lead. Sports medicine and early playing time are still major factors in his recruitment. I reported that first before anyone.


John Hugley IV- Another player I reported on early that likes Pitt a lot that I said was very underrated 7 months ago. He has been to Pitt 3 times and has over 25 Division 1 offers since then from Florida, Florida State, Louisville, West Virginia and a boatload of others. Louisville will be a major factor to get him as he is visiting there again and he already visited Kansas unofficially. His coach / handler, who I mentioned 8 months ago, really likes Pitt and Jeff Capel and has also visited Pitt and Jeff Capel. Early playing time is a major factor. Michigan State could be a factor too.


RJ Davis- A player I called extremely underrated in my winter writeup 7 months ago before he blew up. Making the All Tournament team at Peach Jam and monster performances in each EYBL session, with offers pouring in from everyone including Kansas and North Carolina coming in hard, his stock has exploded and will continue to do so. This is a player that missed a lot of time because of former injury. Capel and Cronin have been on him longer than most. The two leaders for Davis are Pitt and Marquette as of right now. Georgetown is now trailing who I would say round out his Top 3.

This is a player that commands and wants attention and wants being recruited hard including his family. Its why Capel followed him around all spring and summer while also recruiting his mother. Marquette is a major player because they are selling him on being the next Markus Howard. Davis is extremely high on both schools. Georgetown lost ground because of their failure to not be at more of his games, but he is still considering them.


Jalen Bridges- A player I have not talked about much in the past, Pitt and Bridges are both very, very high on each other and Bridges is attending Scotland Red Prep, the same school as Karim Coulibaly. Ive heard Pitt “could” lead for Bridges from whispers. He has offers from Indiana, Ohio State, Marquette, Miami, West Virginia, and a ton of others when he exploded this summer and is now a 4 star Top 100 player everywhere. He is a 3 /4 combo type player with a shot in development but impact ready on defense.


DJ Gordon- Obviously the relationship is there and Pitt and Gordon are both high on each other. The potential issue for Gordon is the other competition from players looking at Pitt or at Pitt currently. He has a strong relationship with multiple Pitt players. He also had a really strong spring and summer and received a lot of offers. He is also close with John Hugley. If one of Gordon / Hugley commit to Pitt, the other could soon follow.


Puff Johnson- It’s a 4 team race for Puff Johnson between Pitt, Arizona, North Carolina, and Notre Dame as of now. A number of others have reported Arizona “could” lead.


Cam Thomas- With the investigation going on with NC State, the door is now open on his short list which Pitt is still on. This is another lethal scorer and 5 star talent that commands the ball. 2 of his Top 5 schools are under heavy investigation by the NCAA. Thomas is heavily interested in joining the ACC because of the competition and wants a fast paced college. Miami, Uconn, and Oregon are also high on the list. He is being recruited as a 1 and done.

These are only “some” of Pitt’s biggest targets I just talked about but Pitt is in strong contention for these players.


Im excited for the coming months up until the season starts and looking forward to the season starting. Ill also put out boldly that Pitt is going to challenge to win 20+ or more games next year. Its payback time and we have the talent to beat a lot of teams next year. Mark it down.
 
A few early thoughts on next year before getting into recruiting

Defense


Pitt’s defense finished 70th in the country in total efficiency last year. I expect Pitt’s defense to push for Top 30 in the country this coming year, perhaps better. Frame, Ellison, and Chukwuka were by far the 3 worst defensive players on the team this past year on defense and they are getting replaced with 2 high impact defensive players with Gerald Drumgoole and Karim Coulibaly. These 2 new freshmen anchored their teams on defense this past year.

Drumgoole is a large 6’6 wing pushing a huge 6’11 wingspan for a guard / wing and Coulibaly is a big 6’8-6’9 pushing a 7’0+ wingspan. Drumgoole’s high school team held their opposition to under 30% shooting for the entire season suffocating 4 and 5 star players constantly on defense. Coulibaly’s team stuffed opposing teams on defense too at Scotland Red Prep and he did it again as the anchor on defense with Mali. I am expecting these 2 players to play significant minutes this coming year with Drumgoole primarily at the 3 and Coulibaly primarily at the 4. Wingspan, not height, is why it will be a major difference maker.


Coulibaly

I like this kid… a lot. My very first post I made on this board last December I said this kid was significantly underrated and to dial up the recruiting pressure in which Capel did ( Coulibaly was once a 4 Star Top 60 player Nationally). And bam, here we are. Not only was Mali’s run in the U19 World Cup basketball Tournament magical as they made it to the finals, it was fueled by Coulibaly and Mali’s defense.

Let’s step aside from the fact Coulibaly finished strong in the entire tournament at 18th in total points, 13th in rebounds, 8th in blocks, 11th in steals, and 50th in assists with a top 30 overall efficiency ranking against a loaded field of 4 and 5 star ranked players heading to schools like Duke, Kentucky, Virginia, Gonzaga, etc... And that is indeed some stat sheet stuffing at 13.1ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.1 stl pg, and 1.7 blk pg. Lets also not forget he was the prep school player of the year at Scotland Red for the #1 team in Prep school basketball before losing in the National Title game. And his efficiency stats last summer were also very high.

He severely outperformed other Pitt targets like 4 Star Tyrese Samuel in every single facet of the basketball game this tournament and his team beat Samuels in the tournament. And he outperformed other 4 and 5 star ranked players in this tournament in every single facet of the basketball game. But again, where Mali and Coulibaly shined was they held teams to the following shooting percentages in this tournament:

43%, 37%, 39%, 27%, 34%, 38%, and finally 42% against team USA that featured roughly 10 players that will be in the NBA all of which are 5 star Nationally Ranked players. The best defense in college basketball last year, Texas Tech who lost in the National Title game, held opponents to 37% shooting. Its no wonder Mali went to the finals at the world cup tournament and beat the opposition. Team USA struggled shooting too against them and Coulibaly.


Large Wingspan, Toughness, and Tenacity... I love these traits in basketball players and Coulibaly and Drumgoole both have these traits. And its why our defense its going to ramp up and be much better because they suffocate on defense and force turnovers.
Everything is cool but Cam Thomas should just go to the NBA.



I am also repeating what I previously said. Pitt’s 2019 recruiting class is underrated and it will be proven starting next year. And I didn’t mention Champagnie who was strong at IS8 and a former Top 100 recruit himself that still didn’t turn 18 years old yet.


The ACC


I am also going to repeat another thing I said previously. The ACC is going to be a potential mess next year outside 3 teams in Duke, Louisville, and North Carolina. Virginia Tech has 1 player over 6’5 in height entering next season and lost everyone including their coach. Clemson has now lost 8 players from this past seasons team and now Clyde Trapp, their projected starting SG from what crumbs was left on their returning team, is now out all of next season too with acl / mcl injuries. That’s the tip of the iceberg for how bad most of the ACC league is looking as Virginia Tech and Clemson will be the 2 worst teams in all of Power 6 basketball next year and with Wake Forest losing Jaylen Hoard, their best player to the NBA as a 1 and done, that’s 3 teams that are at the bottom of the all of P6.

The ACC lost a record 10 1st round NBA Draft Picks including 6 of the top 11 overall picks to the NBA draft, another record. Not only is college basketball going to be way down. The ACC as a whole is going to be way down and way worse next year as opposed to what we saw this year. Most teams in the ACC lost 4 or more starters / players with some teams getting hit even worse.


Ithiel Horton


I like this kids game a lot on offense. Lights out shooter, decent athleticism, and good potential. It will take some time for him to adjust on defense but he has the potential to be a major weapon on offense. Think Gibbs potential on offense with the 3’s with way better athletic ability to drive in the paint. He made 79 3’s as a freshmen at 41%. He was lights out in his conference Tournament. And he faced 3 NCAA Tournament teams and was good in all 3 of those games last year, including a nice performance in almost beating Maryland on the road.

Recruiting News and Notes


Earl Timberlake- I reported on him last December that Pitt was a major factor. He is extremely high on Pitt still and will be visiting Pitt a 3rd time in the near future for an official visit. He likes everything about Pitt and has strong relationships with current Pitt players. Alabama is a major player to get him along with South and North Carolina. I reported Pitt was the leader for him previously. I think Pitt is still in the Top 2-3 for him right now and “may” lead. Sports medicine and early playing time are still major factors in his recruitment. I reported that first before anyone.


John Hugley IV- Another player I reported on early that likes Pitt a lot that I said was very underrated 7 months ago. He has been to Pitt 3 times and has over 25 Division 1 offers since then from Florida, Florida State, Louisville, West Virginia and a boatload of others. Louisville will be a major factor to get him as he is visiting there again and he already visited Kansas unofficially. His coach / handler, who I mentioned 8 months ago, really likes Pitt and Jeff Capel and has also visited Pitt and Jeff Capel. Early playing time is a major factor. Michigan State could be a factor too.


RJ Davis- A player I called extremely underrated in my winter writeup 7 months ago before he blew up. Making the All Tournament team at Peach Jam and monster performances in each EYBL session, with offers pouring in from everyone including Kansas and North Carolina coming in hard, his stock has exploded and will continue to do so. This is a player that missed a lot of time because of former injury. Capel and Cronin have been on him longer than most. The two leaders for Davis are Pitt and Marquette as of right now. Georgetown is now trailing who I would say round out his Top 3.

This is a player that commands and wants attention and wants being recruited hard including his family. Its why Capel followed him around all spring and summer while also recruiting his mother. Marquette is a major player because they are selling him on being the next Markus Howard. Davis is extremely high on both schools. Georgetown lost ground because of their failure to not be at more of his games, but he is still considering them.


Jalen Bridges- A player I have not talked about much in the past, Pitt and Bridges are both very, very high on each other and Bridges is attending Scotland Red Prep, the same school as Karim Coulibaly. Ive heard Pitt “could” lead for Bridges from whispers. He has offers from Indiana, Ohio State, Marquette, Miami, West Virginia, and a ton of others when he exploded this summer and is now a 4 star Top 100 player everywhere. He is a 3 /4 combo type player with a shot in development but impact ready on defense.


DJ Gordon- Obviously the relationship is there and Pitt and Gordon are both high on each other. The potential issue for Gordon is the other competition from players looking at Pitt or at Pitt currently. He has a strong relationship with multiple Pitt players. He also had a really strong spring and summer and received a lot of offers. He is also close with John Hugley. If one of Gordon / Hugley commit to Pitt, the other could soon follow.


Puff Johnson- It’s a 4 team race for Puff Johnson between Pitt, Arizona, North Carolina, and Notre Dame as of now. A number of others have reported Arizona “could” lead.


Cam Thomas- With the investigation going on with NC State, the door is now open on his short list which Pitt is still on. This is another lethal scorer and 5 star talent that commands the ball. 2 of his Top 5 schools are under heavy investigation by the NCAA. Thomas is heavily interested in joining the ACC because of the competition and wants a fast paced college. Miami, Uconn, and Oregon are also high on the list. He is being recruited as a 1 and done.

These are only “some” of Pitt’s biggest targets I just talked about but Pitt is in strong contention for these players.


Im excited for the coming months up until the season starts and looking forward to the season starting. Ill also put out boldly that Pitt is going to challenge to win 20+ or more games next year. Its payback time and we have the talent to beat a lot of teams next year. Mark it down.
 
A few early thoughts on next year before getting into recruiting

Defense


Pitt’s defense finished 70th in the country in total efficiency last year. I expect Pitt’s defense to push for Top 30 in the country this coming year, perhaps better. Frame, Ellison, and Chukwuka were by far the 3 worst defensive players on the team this past year on defense and they are getting replaced with 2 high impact defensive players with Gerald Drumgoole and Karim Coulibaly. These 2 new freshmen anchored their teams on defense this past year.

Drumgoole is a large 6’6 wing pushing a huge 6’11 wingspan for a guard / wing and Coulibaly is a big 6’8-6’9 pushing a 7’0+ wingspan. Drumgoole’s high school team held their opposition to under 30% shooting for the entire season suffocating 4 and 5 star players constantly on defense. Coulibaly’s team stuffed opposing teams on defense too at Scotland Red Prep and he did it again as the anchor on defense with Mali. I am expecting these 2 players to play significant minutes this coming year with Drumgoole primarily at the 3 and Coulibaly primarily at the 4. Wingspan, not height, is why it will be a major difference maker.


Coulibaly

I like this kid… a lot. My very first post I made on this board last December I said this kid was significantly underrated and to dial up the recruiting pressure in which Capel did ( Coulibaly was once a 4 Star Top 60 player Nationally). And bam, here we are. Not only was Mali’s run in the U19 World Cup basketball Tournament magical as they made it to the finals, it was fueled by Coulibaly and Mali’s defense.

Let’s step aside from the fact Coulibaly finished strong in the entire tournament at 18th in total points, 13th in rebounds, 8th in blocks, 11th in steals, and 50th in assists with a top 30 overall efficiency ranking against a loaded field of 4 and 5 star ranked players heading to schools like Duke, Kentucky, Virginia, Gonzaga, etc... And that is indeed some stat sheet stuffing at 13.1ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.1 stl pg, and 1.7 blk pg. Lets also not forget he was the prep school player of the year at Scotland Red for the #1 team in Prep school basketball before losing in the National Title game. And his efficiency stats last summer were also very high.

He severely outperformed other Pitt targets like 4 Star Tyrese Samuel in every single facet of the basketball game this tournament and his team beat Samuels in the tournament. And he outperformed other 4 and 5 star ranked players in this tournament in every single facet of the basketball game. But again, where Mali and Coulibaly shined was they held teams to the following shooting percentages in this tournament:

43%, 37%, 39%, 27%, 34%, 38%, and finally 42% against team USA that featured roughly 10 players that will be in the NBA all of which are 5 star Nationally Ranked players. The best defense in college basketball last year, Texas Tech who lost in the National Title game, held opponents to 37% shooting. Its no wonder Mali went to the finals at the world cup tournament and beat the opposition. Team USA struggled shooting too against them and Coulibaly.


Large Wingspan, Toughness, and Tenacity... I love these traits in basketball players and Coulibaly and Drumgoole both have these traits. And its why our defense its going to ramp up and be much better because they suffocate on defense and force turnovers.



I am also repeating what I previously said. Pitt’s 2019 recruiting class is underrated and it will be proven starting next year. And I didn’t mention Champagnie who was strong at IS8 and a former Top 100 recruit himself that still didn’t turn 18 years old yet.


The ACC


I am also going to repeat another thing I said previously. The ACC is going to be a potential mess next year outside 3 teams in Duke, Louisville, and North Carolina. Virginia Tech has 1 player over 6’5 in height entering next season and lost everyone including their coach. Clemson has now lost 8 players from this past seasons team and now Clyde Trapp, their projected starting SG from what crumbs was left on their returning team, is now out all of next season too with acl / mcl injuries. That’s the tip of the iceberg for how bad most of the ACC league is looking as Virginia Tech and Clemson will be the 2 worst teams in all of Power 6 basketball next year and with Wake Forest losing Jaylen Hoard, their best player to the NBA as a 1 and done, that’s 3 teams that are at the bottom of the all of P6.

The ACC lost a record 10 1st round NBA Draft Picks including 6 of the top 11 overall picks to the NBA draft, another record. Not only is college basketball going to be way down. The ACC as a whole is going to be way down and way worse next year as opposed to what we saw this year. Most teams in the ACC lost 4 or more starters / players with some teams getting hit even worse.


Ithiel Horton


I like this kids game a lot on offense. Lights out shooter, decent athleticism, and good potential. It will take some time for him to adjust on defense but he has the potential to be a major weapon on offense. Think Gibbs potential on offense with the 3’s with way better athletic ability to drive in the paint. He made 79 3’s as a freshmen at 41%. He was lights out in his conference Tournament. And he faced 3 NCAA Tournament teams and was good in all 3 of those games last year, including a nice performance in almost beating Maryland on the road.

Recruiting News and Notes


Earl Timberlake- I reported on him last December that Pitt was a major factor. He is extremely high on Pitt still and will be visiting Pitt a 3rd time in the near future for an official visit. He likes everything about Pitt and has strong relationships with current Pitt players. Alabama is a major player to get him along with South and North Carolina. I reported Pitt was the leader for him previously. I think Pitt is still in the Top 2-3 for him right now and “may” lead. Sports medicine and early playing time are still major factors in his recruitment. I reported that first before anyone.


John Hugley IV- Another player I reported on early that likes Pitt a lot that I said was very underrated 7 months ago. He has been to Pitt 3 times and has over 25 Division 1 offers since then from Florida, Florida State, Louisville, West Virginia and a boatload of others. Louisville will be a major factor to get him as he is visiting there again and he already visited Kansas unofficially. His coach / handler, who I mentioned 8 months ago, really likes Pitt and Jeff Capel and has also visited Pitt and Jeff Capel. Early playing time is a major factor. Michigan State could be a factor too.


RJ Davis- A player I called extremely underrated in my winter writeup 7 months ago before he blew up. Making the All Tournament team at Peach Jam and monster performances in each EYBL session, with offers pouring in from everyone including Kansas and North Carolina coming in hard, his stock has exploded and will continue to do so. This is a player that missed a lot of time because of former injury. Capel and Cronin have been on him longer than most. The two leaders for Davis are Pitt and Marquette as of right now. Georgetown is now trailing who I would say round out his Top 3.

This is a player that commands and wants attention and wants being recruited hard including his family. Its why Capel followed him around all spring and summer while also recruiting his mother. Marquette is a major player because they are selling him on being the next Markus Howard. Davis is extremely high on both schools. Georgetown lost ground because of their failure to not be at more of his games, but he is still considering them.


Jalen Bridges- A player I have not talked about much in the past, Pitt and Bridges are both very, very high on each other and Bridges is attending Scotland Red Prep, the same school as Karim Coulibaly. Ive heard Pitt “could” lead for Bridges from whispers. He has offers from Indiana, Ohio State, Marquette, Miami, West Virginia, and a ton of others when he exploded this summer and is now a 4 star Top 100 player everywhere. He is a 3 /4 combo type player with a shot in development but impact ready on defense.


DJ Gordon- Obviously the relationship is there and Pitt and Gordon are both high on each other. The potential issue for Gordon is the other competition from players looking at Pitt or at Pitt currently. He has a strong relationship with multiple Pitt players. He also had a really strong spring and summer and received a lot of offers. He is also close with John Hugley. If one of Gordon / Hugley commit to Pitt, the other could soon follow.


Puff Johnson- It’s a 4 team race for Puff Johnson between Pitt, Arizona, North Carolina, and Notre Dame as of now. A number of others have reported Arizona “could” lead.


Cam Thomas- With the investigation going on with NC State, the door is now open on his short list which Pitt is still on. This is another lethal scorer and 5 star talent that commands the ball. 2 of his Top 5 schools are under heavy investigation by the NCAA. Thomas is heavily interested in joining the ACC because of the competition and wants a fast paced college. Miami, Uconn, and Oregon are also high on the list. He is being recruited as a 1 and done.

These are only “some” of Pitt’s biggest targets I just talked about but Pitt is in strong contention for these players.


Im excited for the coming months up until the season starts and looking forward to the season starting. Ill also put out boldly that Pitt is going to challenge to win 20+ or more games next year. Its payback time and we have the talent to beat a lot of teams next year. Mark it down.
Entertaining article. Very very optimistic. Let’s get Hughley and Gordon and Davis. And I hope Couilbay is half of what you think.
 
4 Star Jalen Bridges has 18 schools interested in him, 16 offers and Pitt isn't one of them! However 3 Star Noah Collier does have an offer from Pitt and a number of other Power 5 schools as well. No one seems to be talking about Noah compared to Bridges.
 
4 Star Jalen Bridges has 18 schools interested in him, 16 offers and Pitt isn't one of them! However 3 Star Noah Collier does have an offer from Pitt and a number of other Power 5 schools as well. No one seems to be talking about Noah compared to Bridges.
He has a Pitt offer.
 
I’m also very high on Coulibaly and think he’s a 15-20 minute guy next year both because of need and his ability to contribute. To be honest, I think a lot of fans would look at Coulibaly differently had we landed Wahab as well in 2019. Rightly or wrongly, fans see that we missed on the higher-ranked (at that time) Wahab and believe that we settled on Coulibaly, versus a situation where Coulibaly could have been a complimentary 4-dominant post player to Wahab’s 5-dominant post game. I know it’s not good to focus on the kids we missed, but Wahab was the biggest miss of the 2019 cycle - and really the biggest miss of Capel’s short tenure.

To the rest, I’ll slightly disagree about Ellison - I think his athleticism made him a slightly above replacement level defender. I think Champagnie will replace his defensive production pretty well, but I would have rated him as a plus defender (albeit with a small plus sign) whose dreadful year shooting the ball made him overall below average. I do agree that the overall defensive production team-wide will see a step upwards, though I’m in wait and see mode about Murphy covering ACC level athletes at the 2 a la McGowens.

Good news regarding the 2020 class. I’ve said it before, but I think a class of Davis, Gordon, Bridges and Hugley would be tremendous, with Timberlake either in addition or instead of Bridges or Gordon (who I prefer between the two) being a massive bonus. I’d also be curious if you’ve heard anything about Elijah Taylor, the post player from Imhotep in Philadelphia. That’s a tough city to crack into, and I’m not sure what our staff’s connections are like there.
 
I’d also be curious if you’ve heard anything about Elijah Taylor, the post player from Imhotep in Philadelphia. That’s a tough city to crack into, and I’m not sure what our staff’s connections are like there.

Interested by him too. Schools seem to be joining in watching/offering him. Totally agree on getting into Philly, as it's only 5 hours away from Pitt. Tons of players from there. Not all can go to PSU or Villanova haha.
 
Interested by him too. Schools seem to be joining in watching/offering him. Totally agree on getting into Philly, as it's only 5 hours away from Pitt. Tons of players from there. Not all can go to PSU or Villanova haha.
Yeah, I think it’s actually a sneaky good time to try to make a move into the Philly sphere. It’s tough with 5 D1 programs in the city, plus PSU, Rutgers, and the other high-majors nationally that make a move with certain targets they like; it also seems like a pretty tight basketball community that can be a tough one to get into.

That said, Pat Chambers spent a half-decade trying to get himself in there, but everyone in the city knows that he’s probably gone unless they make the tournament this season; they’ve had a 2020 Philly kid decommit already, they really screwed it up by taking another kid over Donta Taylor, and they’re going to struggle to land 2020 kids while the only reason why any of those kids would consider PSU (Chambers) is on the hottest of hot seats. Unlike 2015-2017, they just don’t have any juice there right now, though that could change.

To add to it, Villanova is recruiting nationally (though they’ll be an automatic favorite for the high 4s and the 5 stars from the area) and Temple is breaking in a new coach and seems a little unsettled. The window of opportunity just feels right to try and establish something there with the big catholic schools.
 
A few early thoughts on next year before getting into recruiting

Defense


Pitt’s defense finished 70th in the country in total efficiency last year. I expect Pitt’s defense to push for Top 30 in the country this coming year, perhaps better. Frame, Ellison, and Chukwuka were by far the 3 worst defensive players on the team this past year on defense and they are getting replaced with 2 high impact defensive players with Gerald Drumgoole and Karim Coulibaly. These 2 new freshmen anchored their teams on defense this past year.

Drumgoole is a large 6’6 wing pushing a huge 6’11 wingspan for a guard / wing and Coulibaly is a big 6’8-6’9 pushing a 7’0+ wingspan. Drumgoole’s high school team held their opposition to under 30% shooting for the entire season suffocating 4 and 5 star players constantly on defense. Coulibaly’s team stuffed opposing teams on defense too at Scotland Red Prep and he did it again as the anchor on defense with Mali. I am expecting these 2 players to play significant minutes this coming year with Drumgoole primarily at the 3 and Coulibaly primarily at the 4. Wingspan, not height, is why it will be a major difference maker.


Coulibaly

I like this kid… a lot. My very first post I made on this board last December I said this kid was significantly underrated and to dial up the recruiting pressure in which Capel did ( Coulibaly was once a 4 Star Top 60 player Nationally). And bam, here we are. Not only was Mali’s run in the U19 World Cup basketball Tournament magical as they made it to the finals, it was fueled by Coulibaly and Mali’s defense.

Let’s step aside from the fact Coulibaly finished strong in the entire tournament at 18th in total points, 13th in rebounds, 8th in blocks, 11th in steals, and 50th in assists with a top 30 overall efficiency ranking against a loaded field of 4 and 5 star ranked players heading to schools like Duke, Kentucky, Virginia, Gonzaga, etc... And that is indeed some stat sheet stuffing at 13.1ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.1 stl pg, and 1.7 blk pg. Lets also not forget he was the prep school player of the year at Scotland Red for the #1 team in Prep school basketball before losing in the National Title game. And his efficiency stats last summer were also very high.

He severely outperformed other Pitt targets like 4 Star Tyrese Samuel in every single facet of the basketball game this tournament and his team beat Samuels in the tournament. And he outperformed other 4 and 5 star ranked players in this tournament in every single facet of the basketball game. But again, where Mali and Coulibaly shined was they held teams to the following shooting percentages in this tournament:

43%, 37%, 39%, 27%, 34%, 38%, and finally 42% against team USA that featured roughly 10 players that will be in the NBA all of which are 5 star Nationally Ranked players. The best defense in college basketball last year, Texas Tech who lost in the National Title game, held opponents to 37% shooting. Its no wonder Mali went to the finals at the world cup tournament and beat the opposition. Team USA struggled shooting too against them and Coulibaly.


Large Wingspan, Toughness, and Tenacity... I love these traits in basketball players and Coulibaly and Drumgoole both have these traits. And its why our defense its going to ramp up and be much better because they suffocate on defense and force turnovers.



I am also repeating what I previously said. Pitt’s 2019 recruiting class is underrated and it will be proven starting next year. And I didn’t mention Champagnie who was strong at IS8 and a former Top 100 recruit himself that still didn’t turn 18 years old yet.


The ACC


I am also going to repeat another thing I said previously. The ACC is going to be a potential mess next year outside 3 teams in Duke, Louisville, and North Carolina. Virginia Tech has 1 player over 6’5 in height entering next season and lost everyone including their coach. Clemson has now lost 8 players from this past seasons team and now Clyde Trapp, their projected starting SG from what crumbs was left on their returning team, is now out all of next season too with acl / mcl injuries. That’s the tip of the iceberg for how bad most of the ACC league is looking as Virginia Tech and Clemson will be the 2 worst teams in all of Power 6 basketball next year and with Wake Forest losing Jaylen Hoard, their best player to the NBA as a 1 and done, that’s 3 teams that are at the bottom of the all of P6.

The ACC lost a record 10 1st round NBA Draft Picks including 6 of the top 11 overall picks to the NBA draft, another record. Not only is college basketball going to be way down. The ACC as a whole is going to be way down and way worse next year as opposed to what we saw this year. Most teams in the ACC lost 4 or more starters / players with some teams getting hit even worse.


Ithiel Horton


I like this kids game a lot on offense. Lights out shooter, decent athleticism, and good potential. It will take some time for him to adjust on defense but he has the potential to be a major weapon on offense. Think Gibbs potential on offense with the 3’s with way better athletic ability to drive in the paint. He made 79 3’s as a freshmen at 41%. He was lights out in his conference Tournament. And he faced 3 NCAA Tournament teams and was good in all 3 of those games last year, including a nice performance in almost beating Maryland on the road.

Recruiting News and Notes


Earl Timberlake- I reported on him last December that Pitt was a major factor. He is extremely high on Pitt still and will be visiting Pitt a 3rd time in the near future for an official visit. He likes everything about Pitt and has strong relationships with current Pitt players. Alabama is a major player to get him along with South and North Carolina. I reported Pitt was the leader for him previously. I think Pitt is still in the Top 2-3 for him right now and “may” lead. Sports medicine and early playing time are still major factors in his recruitment. I reported that first before anyone.


John Hugley IV- Another player I reported on early that likes Pitt a lot that I said was very underrated 7 months ago. He has been to Pitt 3 times and has over 25 Division 1 offers since then from Florida, Florida State, Louisville, West Virginia and a boatload of others. Louisville will be a major factor to get him as he is visiting there again and he already visited Kansas unofficially. His coach / handler, who I mentioned 8 months ago, really likes Pitt and Jeff Capel and has also visited Pitt and Jeff Capel. Early playing time is a major factor. Michigan State could be a factor too.


RJ Davis- A player I called extremely underrated in my winter writeup 7 months ago before he blew up. Making the All Tournament team at Peach Jam and monster performances in each EYBL session, with offers pouring in from everyone including Kansas and North Carolina coming in hard, his stock has exploded and will continue to do so. This is a player that missed a lot of time because of former injury. Capel and Cronin have been on him longer than most. The two leaders for Davis are Pitt and Marquette as of right now. Georgetown is now trailing who I would say round out his Top 3.

This is a player that commands and wants attention and wants being recruited hard including his family. Its why Capel followed him around all spring and summer while also recruiting his mother. Marquette is a major player because they are selling him on being the next Markus Howard. Davis is extremely high on both schools. Georgetown lost ground because of their failure to not be at more of his games, but he is still considering them.


Jalen Bridges- A player I have not talked about much in the past, Pitt and Bridges are both very, very high on each other and Bridges is attending Scotland Red Prep, the same school as Karim Coulibaly. Ive heard Pitt “could” lead for Bridges from whispers. He has offers from Indiana, Ohio State, Marquette, Miami, West Virginia, and a ton of others when he exploded this summer and is now a 4 star Top 100 player everywhere. He is a 3 /4 combo type player with a shot in development but impact ready on defense.


DJ Gordon- Obviously the relationship is there and Pitt and Gordon are both high on each other. The potential issue for Gordon is the other competition from players looking at Pitt or at Pitt currently. He has a strong relationship with multiple Pitt players. He also had a really strong spring and summer and received a lot of offers. He is also close with John Hugley. If one of Gordon / Hugley commit to Pitt, the other could soon follow.


Puff Johnson- It’s a 4 team race for Puff Johnson between Pitt, Arizona, North Carolina, and Notre Dame as of now. A number of others have reported Arizona “could” lead.


Cam Thomas- With the investigation going on with NC State, the door is now open on his short list which Pitt is still on. This is another lethal scorer and 5 star talent that commands the ball. 2 of his Top 5 schools are under heavy investigation by the NCAA. Thomas is heavily interested in joining the ACC because of the competition and wants a fast paced college. Miami, Uconn, and Oregon are also high on the list. He is being recruited as a 1 and done.
Always enjoy your over optimism. A couple of minor criticisms. From what seems reliable sources (Mali roster height in centimeters and Pitt roster height) Coulibaly is right at 6-8. So, unless still growing he is unlikely to be 6-9. Also, Pitt roster has Drumgoole at 6-5 not 6-6 and I expect that may also be closer to the truth.
 
Yeah, I think it’s actually a sneaky good time to try to make a move into the Philly sphere. It’s tough with 5 D1 programs in the city, plus PSU, Rutgers, and the other high-majors nationally that make a move with certain targets they like; it also seems like a pretty tight basketball community that can be a tough one to get into.

That said, Pat Chambers spent a half-decade trying to get himself in there, but everyone in the city knows that he’s probably gone unless they make the tournament this season; they’ve had a 2020 Philly kid decommit already, they really screwed it up by taking another kid over Donta Taylor, and they’re going to struggle to land 2020 kids while the only reason why any of those kids would consider PSU (Chambers) is on the hottest of hot seats. Unlike 2015-2017, they just don’t have any juice there right now, though that could change.

To add to it, Villanova is recruiting nationally (though they’ll be an automatic favorite for the high 4s and the 5 stars from the area) and Temple is breaking in a new coach and seems a little unsettled. The window of opportunity just feels right to try and establish something there with the big catholic schools.

If you cant beat out PSU and Rutgers for Philly kids, you got problems.

As for Chambers, he caught a huge break when Watkins and Steven's announced they were coming back. Those are 2 very good players and they will again have NCAAT talent. I wouldn't be surprised if they made it. But that might not be the best thing for them because then you have an Ed DeChellis tournament where it takes a decade to get to the NCAAT and it takes a senior-laden team with nothing behind them to do it.
 
A few early thoughts on next year before getting into recruiting

Defense


Pitt’s defense finished 70th in the country in total efficiency last year. I expect Pitt’s defense to push for Top 30 in the country this coming year, perhaps better. Frame, Ellison, and Chukwuka were by far the 3 worst defensive players on the team this past year on defense and they are getting replaced with 2 high impact defensive players with Gerald Drumgoole and Karim Coulibaly. These 2 new freshmen anchored their teams on defense this past year.

Drumgoole is a large 6’6 wing pushing a huge 6’11 wingspan for a guard / wing and Coulibaly is a big 6’8-6’9 pushing a 7’0+ wingspan. Drumgoole’s high school team held their opposition to under 30% shooting for the entire season suffocating 4 and 5 star players constantly on defense. Coulibaly’s team stuffed opposing teams on defense too at Scotland Red Prep and he did it again as the anchor on defense with Mali. I am expecting these 2 players to play significant minutes this coming year with Drumgoole primarily at the 3 and Coulibaly primarily at the 4. Wingspan, not height, is why it will be a major difference maker.


Coulibaly

I like this kid… a lot. My very first post I made on this board last December I said this kid was significantly underrated and to dial up the recruiting pressure in which Capel did ( Coulibaly was once a 4 Star Top 60 player Nationally). And bam, here we are. Not only was Mali’s run in the U19 World Cup basketball Tournament magical as they made it to the finals, it was fueled by Coulibaly and Mali’s defense.

Let’s step aside from the fact Coulibaly finished strong in the entire tournament at 18th in total points, 13th in rebounds, 8th in blocks, 11th in steals, and 50th in assists with a top 30 overall efficiency ranking against a loaded field of 4 and 5 star ranked players heading to schools like Duke, Kentucky, Virginia, Gonzaga, etc... And that is indeed some stat sheet stuffing at 13.1ppg, 6.9rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.1 stl pg, and 1.7 blk pg. Lets also not forget he was the prep school player of the year at Scotland Red for the #1 team in Prep school basketball before losing in the National Title game. And his efficiency stats last summer were also very high.

He severely outperformed other Pitt targets like 4 Star Tyrese Samuel in every single facet of the basketball game this tournament and his team beat Samuels in the tournament. And he outperformed other 4 and 5 star ranked players in this tournament in every single facet of the basketball game. But again, where Mali and Coulibaly shined was they held teams to the following shooting percentages in this tournament:

43%, 37%, 39%, 27%, 34%, 38%, and finally 42% against team USA that featured roughly 10 players that will be in the NBA all of which are 5 star Nationally Ranked players. The best defense in college basketball last year, Texas Tech who lost in the National Title game, held opponents to 37% shooting. Its no wonder Mali went to the finals at the world cup tournament and beat the opposition. Team USA struggled shooting too against them and Coulibaly.


Large Wingspan, Toughness, and Tenacity... I love these traits in basketball players and Coulibaly and Drumgoole both have these traits. And its why our defense its going to ramp up and be much better because they suffocate on defense and force turnovers.



I am also repeating what I previously said. Pitt’s 2019 recruiting class is underrated and it will be proven starting next year. And I didn’t mention Champagnie who was strong at IS8 and a former Top 100 recruit himself that still didn’t turn 18 years old yet.


The ACC


I am also going to repeat another thing I said previously. The ACC is going to be a potential mess next year outside 3 teams in Duke, Louisville, and North Carolina. Virginia Tech has 1 player over 6’5 in height entering next season and lost everyone including their coach. Clemson has now lost 8 players from this past seasons team and now Clyde Trapp, their projected starting SG from what crumbs was left on their returning team, is now out all of next season too with acl / mcl injuries. That’s the tip of the iceberg for how bad most of the ACC league is looking as Virginia Tech and Clemson will be the 2 worst teams in all of Power 6 basketball next year and with Wake Forest losing Jaylen Hoard, their best player to the NBA as a 1 and done, that’s 3 teams that are at the bottom of the all of P6.

The ACC lost a record 10 1st round NBA Draft Picks including 6 of the top 11 overall picks to the NBA draft, another record. Not only is college basketball going to be way down. The ACC as a whole is going to be way down and way worse next year as opposed to what we saw this year. Most teams in the ACC lost 4 or more starters / players with some teams getting hit even worse.


Ithiel Horton


I like this kids game a lot on offense. Lights out shooter, decent athleticism, and good potential. It will take some time for him to adjust on defense but he has the potential to be a major weapon on offense. Think Gibbs potential on offense with the 3’s with way better athletic ability to drive in the paint. He made 79 3’s as a freshmen at 41%. He was lights out in his conference Tournament. And he faced 3 NCAA Tournament teams and was good in all 3 of those games last year, including a nice performance in almost beating Maryland on the road.

Recruiting News and Notes


Earl Timberlake- I reported on him last December that Pitt was a major factor. He is extremely high on Pitt still and will be visiting Pitt a 3rd time in the near future for an official visit. He likes everything about Pitt and has strong relationships with current Pitt players. Alabama is a major player to get him along with South and North Carolina. I reported Pitt was the leader for him previously. I think Pitt is still in the Top 2-3 for him right now and “may” lead. Sports medicine and early playing time are still major factors in his recruitment. I reported that first before anyone.


John Hugley IV- Another player I reported on early that likes Pitt a lot that I said was very underrated 7 months ago. He has been to Pitt 3 times and has over 25 Division 1 offers since then from Florida, Florida State, Louisville, West Virginia and a boatload of others. Louisville will be a major factor to get him as he is visiting there again and he already visited Kansas unofficially. His coach / handler, who I mentioned 8 months ago, really likes Pitt and Jeff Capel and has also visited Pitt and Jeff Capel. Early playing time is a major factor. Michigan State could be a factor too.


RJ Davis- A player I called extremely underrated in my winter writeup 7 months ago before he blew up. Making the All Tournament team at Peach Jam and monster performances in each EYBL session, with offers pouring in from everyone including Kansas and North Carolina coming in hard, his stock has exploded and will continue to do so. This is a player that missed a lot of time because of former injury. Capel and Cronin have been on him longer than most. The two leaders for Davis are Pitt and Marquette as of right now. Georgetown is now trailing who I would say round out his Top 3.

This is a player that commands and wants attention and wants being recruited hard including his family. Its why Capel followed him around all spring and summer while also recruiting his mother. Marquette is a major player because they are selling him on being the next Markus Howard. Davis is extremely high on both schools. Georgetown lost ground because of their failure to not be at more of his games, but he is still considering them.


Jalen Bridges- A player I have not talked about much in the past, Pitt and Bridges are both very, very high on each other and Bridges is attending Scotland Red Prep, the same school as Karim Coulibaly. Ive heard Pitt “could” lead for Bridges from whispers. He has offers from Indiana, Ohio State, Marquette, Miami, West Virginia, and a ton of others when he exploded this summer and is now a 4 star Top 100 player everywhere. He is a 3 /4 combo type player with a shot in development but impact ready on defense.


DJ Gordon- Obviously the relationship is there and Pitt and Gordon are both high on each other. The potential issue for Gordon is the other competition from players looking at Pitt or at Pitt currently. He has a strong relationship with multiple Pitt players. He also had a really strong spring and summer and received a lot of offers. He is also close with John Hugley. If one of Gordon / Hugley commit to Pitt, the other could soon follow.


Puff Johnson- It’s a 4 team race for Puff Johnson between Pitt, Arizona, North Carolina, and Notre Dame as of now. A number of others have reported Arizona “could” lead.


Cam Thomas- With the investigation going on with NC State, the door is now open on his short list which Pitt is still on. This is another lethal scorer and 5 star talent that commands the ball. 2 of his Top 5 schools are under heavy investigation by the NCAA. Thomas is heavily interested in joining the ACC because of the competition and wants a fast paced college. Miami, Uconn, and Oregon are also high on the list. He is being recruited as a 1 and done.

These are only “some” of Pitt’s biggest targets I just talked about but Pitt is in strong contention for these players.


Im excited for the coming months up until the season starts and looking forward to the season starting. Ill also put out boldly that Pitt is going to challenge to win 20+ or more games next year. Its payback time and we have the talent to beat a lot of teams next year. Mark it down.

I expect the newcomers to help close the rebounding margin next season as well.

Improvement in defense and rebounding could mostly offset the lost JWF production itself.
 
They’re not getting Bridges or Cam Thomas so you can kiss those goodbye.

The rest I have no idea about but those two ARENT in play. Why do u guys still fall for this guys schtick
 
  • Like
Reactions: rockypanther
Why would Bridges be out of question?

Look at who he played AAU for. Do you not remember these guys dangling Oscar in front of people? Seems, considering he could go pretty much anywhere this year, they’ll be doing the same thing this year with this kid

Might as well call these guys the new JOTS
 
  • Like
Reactions: Drew1208
Look at who he played AAU for. Do you not remember these guys dangling Oscar in front of people? Seems, considering he could go pretty much anywhere this year, they’ll be doing the same thing this year with this kid

Might as well call these guys the new JOTS
Yeah I was more thinking about Bridges prep school and how we have a good relationship with them.
But I agree Cam Thomas no way.
 
Seems like good player at a need-
But that’s a bit hyperbolic

He reminds me of a high school Jr. Danny Fortson. Compare his skillset to what's was on the roster the last 2 years.

He will be a program changer for Pitt. The key words- for Pitt. This team desperately needs a player of his size with his skillset.
 
What sense would it have made for Bridges to prep a year when he could have come in 19 and played right away. Did he think he really needed that extra year to play at Pitt? All these kids think they are lottery picks.
 
Definitely looks like he would be a force down low and would present match-up difficulties with the league’s other big-men.
 
What sense would it have made for Bridges to prep a year when he could have come in 19 and played right away. Did he think he really needed that extra year to play at Pitt? All these kids think they are lottery picks.

It’s the aau coaches influence. He could get a lot of PT at a lot of different places right now. Trying to use him to get a job like they did with Tshibwe
 
What Vader said that may be most important is that the quality of the ACC overall should be down next year. If we can have an unexpectedly nice season, and win close to 20, it would give us a chance to land a few more of the players he mentioned.

That said, I believe we have legit shots at Hugley and Gordon. Timberlake and Bridges are longshots at best. Puff and Thomas have moved on. In fact, if we don't improve considerably this year, I think we could strike out with all these kids, much the way we did with all our targeted bigs this year. It is easy to get into a player's top 5 or even 3 schools, Pitt has been good at this over the years. Capel needs to show that he can close and be the one these kids choose.

Landing any two of the players above would be huge for Pitt. Three would be monumental, as long as one of them is Hugley.
 
What Vader said that may be most important is that the quality of the ACC overall should be down next year. If we can have an unexpectedly nice season, and win close to 20, it would give us a chance to land a few more of the players he mentioned.

That said, I believe we have legit shots at Hugley and Gordon. Timberlake and Bridges are longshots at best. Puff and Thomas have moved on. In fact, if we don't improve considerably this year, I think we could strike out with all these kids, much the way we did with all our targeted bigs this year. It is easy to get into a player's top 5 or even 3 schools, Pitt has been good at this over the years. Capel needs to show that he can close and be the one these kids choose.

Landing any two of the players above would be huge for Pitt. Three would be monumental, as long as one of them is Hugley.
A lot of these guys will make their decision before we get to the regular season.
 
He reminds me of a high school Jr. Danny Fortson. Compare his skillset to what's was on the roster the last 2 years.

He will be a program changer for Pitt. The key words- for Pitt. This team desperately needs a player of his size with his skillset.

Today Danny Fortson would be one and done. Not saying we shouldn't recruit at that level if we can, and if it even applies here.
 
Huggins doesn't want Bridges?
Bridges is #1 on Huggins priority list. He would’ve taken him in 19, just like us.

Remember, Oscar was promised to him from the second he came over. Then these aau coaches who are controlling bridges got involved. Shopped him everywhere for jobs. Huggins is gonna get screwed
 
Today Danny Fortson would be one and done. Not saying we shouldn't recruit at that level if we can, and if it even applies here.

I'm not so sure Fortson's game translates to a one and done type in today's game. An undersized C who can only play on blocks isn't a high demand player in the NBA. All of that said, he would dominate in today's 4 out one in college game.

Back to Hugley, he's the same type of low block player. Spread the floor and either feed him in the paint or have him on the weak side getting putbacks.
 
I’m also very high on Coulibaly and think he’s a 15-20 minute guy next year both because of need and his ability to contribute. To be honest, I think a lot of fans would look at Coulibaly differently had we landed Wahab as well in 2019. Rightly or wrongly, fans see that we missed on the higher-ranked (at that time) Wahab and believe that we settled on Coulibaly, versus a situation where Coulibaly could have been a complimentary 4-dominant post player to Wahab’s 5-dominant post game. I know it’s not good to focus on the kids we missed, but Wahab was the biggest miss of the 2019 cycle - and really the biggest miss of Capel’s short tenure.

To the rest, I’ll slightly disagree about Ellison - I think his athleticism made him a slightly above replacement level defender. I think Champagnie will replace his defensive production pretty well, but I would have rated him as a plus defender (albeit with a small plus sign) whose dreadful year shooting the ball made him overall below average. I do agree that the overall defensive production team-wide will see a step upwards, though I’m in wait and see mode about Murphy covering ACC level athletes at the 2 a la McGowens.

Good news regarding the 2020 class. I’ve said it before, but I think a class of Davis, Gordon, Bridges and Hugley would be tremendous, with Timberlake either in addition or instead of Bridges or Gordon (who I prefer between the two) being a massive bonus. I’d also be curious if you’ve heard anything about Elijah Taylor, the post player from Imhotep in Philadelphia. That’s a tough city to crack into, and I’m not sure what our staff’s connections are like there.

Elijah Taylor has slowly and very quietly been adding power offers including UConn, Notre Dame, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida, Virginia Tech, Seton Hall, Tennessee etc... He had a pretty strong EYBL playing with DJ Gordon. Muscular, athletic, huge 7'2 wingspan, plays way bigger than he is at 6'7-6'8. Also was very strong at Phillylive when Pitt offered. He will be visiting Pitt either for an unofficial or an official and it should be coming in the near future. Taylor is easily a Top 100-150 type player. A player under the radar to be excited about. A bruiser that will get physical in the paint. We like him.

Myles Stute also "wants" to visit Pitt along with Florida and a couple others on the short list. He also quietly has good offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Marquette, Georgetown, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Villanova, Clemson, BC, etc... He was a bit inconsistent at the EYBL. Prior teammate of Xavier Johnson. Borderline Top 150 player right now imo despite the good offer sheet. Building a pipeline into Gonzaga DC could be a potential wise move. There is talent getting pumped through there in the coming classes.
 
Pitt made Taylor's Top 6. Besides Hugley, I'm all for taking 2 bigs in this class.
Agreed. With Kene and Hamilton cycling off the roster after this season, and Brown (and George) cycling off after next season, it would be great to get two forwards in here for the 2020 class, and then in 2021 put our energy towards a kid like Nnanna Njoku to fill Brown’s spot on the roster. Reading between the lines, it seems as though things are moving in a very positive direction to get us halfway towards that two forward goal for 2020.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Elsalvador
Agreed. With Kene and Hamilton cycling off the roster after this season, and Brown (and George) cycling off after next season, it would be great to get two forwards in here for the 2020 class, and then in 2021 put our energy towards a kid like Nnanna Njoku to fill Brown’s spot on the roster. Reading between the lines, it seems as though things are moving in a very positive direction to get us halfway towards that two forward goal for 2020.

Absolutely, a couple of bigs has to be THE major recruiting priority for 2020 class this fall and/or next spring given Kene & Hamilton going next year and Brown the year after.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DiehardPanther
Agreed. With Kene and Hamilton cycling off the roster after this season, and Brown (and George) cycling off after next season, it would be great to get two forwards in here for the 2020 class, and then in 2021 put our energy towards a kid like Nnanna Njoku to fill Brown’s spot on the roster. Reading between the lines, it seems as though things are moving in a very positive direction to get us halfway towards that two forward goal for 2020.
The plan seems to be for George to get his degree next Spring and leave the roster then. So, 3 frontcourt scholararships should be open for the '20 class.

Assuming a frontcourt big like Hugley and a PG, ideally Davis, only two more slots seem open, whether wings like Bridges and Gordon or one of those wings and a PF like Taylor or Stute. A 4/5-* like Timberlake or Omoruryi is obviously still a priority but would necessitate rethinking the rest of the class make-up.

Only Brown and Murphy would be slotted to be seniors the next year. There has been plenty of speculation X could leave early and create another opening but I think most of us would rather have a 3rd season of X than a 3rd scholarship opening next year. Recruiting the next couple classes will have to be pretty selective.

Our roster still needs upgrades but has not as many openings in the next few classes. Capel may have to be cautious and selective in filling the slots.
I could foresee a situation where we might already have "recruited over" one or more of our recent transfers by the November signing period.

Over the years, I 've frequently had "what-if?" posts speculating what the staff would be if recruiting went really. right. It never does. But, some year with a Capel, it MIGHT.
 
The plan seems to be for George to get his degree next Spring and leave the roster then. So, 3 frontcourt scholararships should be open for the '20 class.

Assuming a frontcourt big like Hugley and a PG, ideally Davis, only two more slots seem open, whether wings like Bridges and Gordon or one of those wings and a PF like Taylor or Stute. A 4/5-* like Timberlake or Omoruryi is obviously still a priority but would necessitate rethinking the rest of the class make-up.

Only Brown and Murphy would be slotted to be seniors the next year. There has been plenty of speculation X could leave early and create another opening but I think most of us would rather have a 3rd season of X than a 3rd scholarship opening next year. Recruiting the next couple classes will have to be pretty selective.

Our roster still needs upgrades but has not as many openings in the next few classes. Capel may have to be cautious and selective in filling the slots.
I could foresee a situation where we might already have "recruited over" one or more of our recent transfers by the November signing period.

Over the years, I 've frequently had "what-if?" posts speculating what the staff would be if recruiting went really. right. It never does. But, some year with a Capel, it MIGHT.
George is truly an unique player these days , being satisfied to sit with really no chance of seeing the court . My guess is that if any of these recruits see no future at Pitt they’ll be gone . There will always be room for a game changer recruit .
 
George is truly an unique player these days , being satisfied to sit with really no chance of seeing the court . My guess is that if any of these recruits see no future at Pitt they’ll be gone . There will always be room for a game changer recruit .
I thought the issue was George was the coaching staff couldn’t find another place for him to transfer.
 
ADVERTISEMENT