2018 Recruiting Class Could Be The Best Yet

[Savannah Jay]

And love how every single time you bring it back to the AAC. You and all the folks here always want to bring the recruitng back to the AAC, but then when the season starts, you want no comparisons with the AAC. WTF.

Again, Stever, you are the only constantly comparing the Big East to the American Athletic.

The reason comparing the Big East to the American doesn't make sense during the season - is the conferences are on two completely different levels.

You have one conference that finishes in the Top 3 in RPI consistently, gets up to 70% of its teams in the NCAA tourney, national champion and multiple Sweet 16 and Elite 8 runs.
Another conference that finishes 7th or 8th in RPI and closer to conferences like the Colonial and Sun Belt and MAC than the Big East in RPI, gets 2 maybe 3 teams in the tournament who rarely make any sort of run.

That's why you shouldn't compare the Big East and your American Athletic Conference during the season (or obviously during recruiting).

Said another way...we actually aren't comparing anything to the AAC. We "contrasting" the difference in recruiting levels between our conference and yours. You do understand the difference between "compare" and "contrast," right? We are contrasting, not comparing.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

Xavier Musketeers Recruiting News and 7-Year Basketball Recruiting Scholarship Chart - VerbalCommits.com – updated September 16, 2017

HS Class of 2018
Commits: 1
Spots Left: 4
Open Offers: 16

Xavier 2018 Basketball Targets - 247 Sports – updated September 15, 2017

TOP TARGET (4): # 71 Noah Locke, # 88 Jaxson Hayes, # 127 Eric Hunter, # 317 Jake Walter (committed August 18, 2017)

HIGH CHOICE (1): # 42 David McCormack

INTERESTED (10): # 81 Saddiq Bey, # 83 Luther Muhammad, # 184 Justin Ahrens, and 7 others.

SCOUT LOOK (11)

Key weekend visitors, Sept. 15-17 - Corey Evans, Basketball Analyst, Rivals.com – September 14, 2017 (free article)

BIG EAST: XAVIER

Unlike last year when it struck early and often, Xavier has just one commitment in hand, from local center Jake Walter. That is due to change within the coming weeks and hopefully for Xavier fans, it will happen this weekend.

Three key targets hit their campus, the most important being Luther Muhammad. A 6-foot-2 scoring guard and member of the Rivals150, Muhammad is the epitome of tough. He has the chance to evolve into an all-league defender, though the competition for his commitment is fierce - Ohio State, West Virginia, St. John’s and Virginia remain heavily in the mix.

Saddiq Bey, another Rivals150 prospect, will also head to the 513 to check in on what Chris Mack’s program has to offer. Finally, local big man Jaxson Hayes will stay close to home this weekend and join the duo at Xavier. He may be the likeliest of visitors to commit to the Musketeers.

Rivals 150: 2018 Prospect Rankings - Rivals.com

Present Rivals.com Rankings: # 71 Luther Muhammad (4-Star), # 101 Saddiq Bey (4-Star), and Jaxson Hayes (3-Star, not ranked)

[AlexJesswein]

Five-star Quentin Grimes has visits set for his final four:
• Texas - Sept 22
• Kentucky - Sept 29
• Kansas - Oct 13
• Marquette - Oct 20

[MullinMayhem]

Rumors circulating that 4 star guard Luther Muhammad (long said to be a near lock for St. John's) is now almost a sure thing for Ohio State after his visit. If we don't get this kid it will be extremely painful. It just always seems major talents in other states tend to stay home much more than our local players in the NYC metro area. If we don't get him and have a bad season with LoVett likely leaving after this year and Ponds on his way out soon, it can get brutal fast. Lavin's ultimate downfall was underperforming with very talented teams and inconsistent recruiting (1 great cycle then a few awful ones won't cut it). If we lose Muhammad and we have a rough season, I fear I will get that vibe from the Lavin era again. Hope I'm wrong.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

You gotta wonder what's up with 247 Sports this morning.

Xavier 2018 Basketball Targets - 247 Sports – updated September 15, 2017

TOP TARGET (4): # 71 Noah Locke, # 88 Jaxson Hayes, # 127 Eric Hunter, # 317 Jake Walter (committed August 18, 2017)

HIGH CHOICE (1): # 42 David McCormack

INTERESTED (10): # 81 Saddiq Bey, # 83 Luther Muhammad, # 184 Justin Ahrens, and 7 others.

SCOUT LOOK (11)

Blessed to have received a scholarship from The University of Kentucky – Jaxson Hayes – Twitter - September 19, 2017

Xavier 2018 Basketball Targets - 247 Sports – updated September 20, 2017

TOP TARGET (4): # 72 Noah Locke, # 134 Eric Hunter, # 230 Jaxson Hayes, # 316 Jake Walter (committed August 18, 2017)

HIGH CHOICE (1): # 45 David McCormack

INTERESTED (10): # 76 Luther Muhammad, # 93 Saddiq Bey,, # 168 Justin Ahrens, and 7 others.

SCOUT LOOK (11)

Jaxson Hayes gets an offer from Kentucky, immediately collects 4 Crystal Balls from 247 Sports, who then drops his National Ranking from # 88 to # 230.

There is serious volatility in these 247 Sports rankings, and in the specific case of case of Jaxson Hayes, make no sense whatsoever.

[JohnW22]

Rumors circulating that 4 star guard Luther Muhammad (long said to be a near lock for St. John's) is now almost a sure thing for Ohio State after his visit. If we don't get this kid it will be extremely painful. It just always seems major talents in other states tend to stay home much more than our local players in the NYC metro area. If we don't get him and have a bad season with LoVett likely leaving after this year and Ponds on his way out soon, it can get brutal fast. Lavin's ultimate downfall was underperforming with very talented teams and inconsistent recruiting (1 great cycle then a few awful ones won't cut it). If we lose Muhammad and we have a rough season, I fear I will get that vibe from the Lavin era again. Hope I'm wrong.

Whys Ponds and LoVett ready to leave??

[GumbyDamnit!]

Rumors circulating that 4 star guard Luther Muhammad (long said to be a near lock for St. John's) is now almost a sure thing for Ohio State after his visit. If we don't get this kid it will be extremely painful. It just always seems major talents in other states tend to stay home much more than our local players in the NYC metro area. If we don't get him and have a bad season with LoVett likely leaving after this year and Ponds on his way out soon, it can get brutal fast. Lavin's ultimate downfall was underperforming with very talented teams and inconsistent recruiting (1 great cycle then a few awful ones won't cut it). If we lose Muhammad and we have a rough season, I fear I will get that vibe from the Lavin era again. Hope I'm wrong.

I think at some point St. John's needs to reevaluate the types of players that they are recruiting. Just looking at the roster SJU always seems to have so much turnover. It constantly seems they are "a year away," and then someone leaves early or transfers out, and the timeline gets pushed out another year. I think Mullin could be better served chasing high character 3* guys that will stay four years. Get some veteran leadership and build a foundation for a program. Or as with Simon and Clark, maybe the transfer route is the way to go for those 4* kids who leave NY and want to return after a year out west, south or midwest. Creighton seems to be doing quite well with transfers. There are far worse options, for kids wanting to move up in class or return home, than playing in the BE at MSG.

[GoldenWarrior11]

There is a lot of quiet and hopeful optimism for Grimes. Apparently, the coaching staff has developed a very strong connection with him, and they have made it known that he is their only target right now. If MU gets both Grimes and Hauser in that class... wow.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

Georgetown Hoyas Recruiting News and 7-Year Basketball Recruiting Scholarship Chart - VerbalCommits.com – updated September 19, 2017

HS Class of 2018
Commits: 1: Grayson Carter, SF, 6’-8”, 200 lbs.
Spots Left: 4
Open Offers: 14

Georgetown 2018 Basketball Targets - 247 Sports – updated September 21, 2017

TOP TARGET (0):

HIGH CHOICE (1): #16 Keldon Johnson

INTERESTED (10): #206 Grayson Carter (committed September 9, 2017) and 9 others.

SCOUT LOOK (17)

WOW, this schedule is putrid.....

See that Georgetown delayed the release of the OOC schedule until the BE conference schedule came out. Here's a link and the schedule with KenPom ranks.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2017/9/12/16296230/georgetown-basketball-schedule-2017-cupcake-city-baby

Nov. 12: Jacksonville (275)
Nov. 15: Mount St. Mary’s (209)
Nov. 18: Maryland Eastern Shore (321)
Nov. 25: at Richmond (92)
Nov. 28: Maine (337)
Dec. 3: Coppin State (343)
Dec. 7: Howard (338)
Dec. 9: North Carolina A&T (349)
Dec. 16: Syracuse (55)
Dec. 20: North Texas (320)
Dec. 23: Alabama A&M (351)

Georgetown’s 2017-18 non-conference basketball schedule may not have a beneficial effect on Coach Ewing’s recruiting efforts, but we’ll see.

[GumbyDamnit!]

Not sure how a team's OOC schedule really matters to a recruit in a league like the BE. No offense Flyer dude but OOC means a whole lot more when the teams you are playing are St. Bonnie's, LaSalle and Fordham. Jimmy B. wouldn't leave upstate NY in OOC and he never had any problems selling the Cuse. Ewing is going to say: "how'd you like to play against Nova, X, PC, SJU, Butler, Creighton, Marq, SHU, etc. twice a year and at MSG in March?" Do you think playing Vandy, Alabama and Nebraska moves the needle more for recruits considering Dayton over G'town?