Re: 2015 Recruiting

by **PilotNut** Thu Nov 13, 2014 11:00 pm

LINK

Russell 'Pilots' with Reveno

Kevin McCarthy
NorCalPreps.com

Everything fell into place for Folsom High's Colin Russell when he was visiting the University of Portland last weekend. Heck, even the weather was glorious, with highs in the mid-80s. So when the question of him becoming a Pilot was put to him, he answered affirmatively.

"I liked the players and the coaches, the facilities are good, the emphasis is on trying to get better and everything is run uptempo," he explained. Plus there was one other important element for Russell -- "I'm Catholic and Portland is a Catholic school."

Academically, Portland can boast of a 100% graduation rate since Coach Eric Reveno took over in 2006.

It's also a resident of the West Coast Conference so most of the competition will be formidable and with four teams within driving distance of the Folsom area: Pacific, St. Mary's, San Francisco and Santa Clara.

Russell is ranked 11th in the NorCalPreps.com 2015 Boys Basketball Top 40.

For the Pilot fans, here's what the 6-foot-8 Russell will be providing to the program: "I'll bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm and a willingness to work hard. I really like the aspect of playing as a team and getting up and down the floor."

Russell knew of Bryce Pressley (now a Portland junior but out of Jesuit High) and met him on his trip. "He's a good guy."

Reveno loses 6-foot-11 Thomas van der Mars, 6-foot-10 Riley Barker and 6-foot-10 Volodymyr Gerun after this fast approaching season so the opportunity will be available to earn time on the floor. Asked if Reveno's 6-foot-8 height and his success playing at Stanford came up during recruitment, Russell said, "It wasn't a huge sales pitch but it was definitely mentioned to me."

Russell is thinking of entering the firefighting field after college but he's currently not sure what his major will be. "Maybe business administration," he offered.

What is especially exhilarating to Russell is the opportunity to play college basketball and have his education paid for is something relatively new. "It was only about a year ago that I found out there was interest in me. That gave me the motivation to train even harder than before."

But first comes his senior season at Folsom, a team coming off a close to the end 63-54 loss to St. John Bosco in the state title game. After averaging 9.1 points and 7.2 rebounds as a junior including 11 points in that final matchup, Russell recalls 2013-14 fondly, noting one of his best basketball moments as "the whole playoff run."

Some interesting nuggets in there... first about the Rev/big man thing not being a big selling point, and that academics and religion appeared to be bigger selling points. It looks like his only other visit (per yahoo!) was NAU, with interest from Pacific, Pepp, Sac St & UC Davis. UP was the only Catholic school....

Welcome Colin!

by Guest Sun Nov 16, 2014 11:06 pm

Back-to-back big games for Jarrel Marshall now. 16 pts, 17 reb in a big OT win over Santa Fe College that avenged their only loss of the season. And yesterday, 27 pts & 6 reb in a win over FSC Jacksonville.

Palm Beach State now 5-1 on the year.

by wrv Tue Nov 18, 2014 4:26 am

In response to a question regarding recruiting for next year, Reveno indicated he is pursuing a post. He stated that the Pilots are looking at some junior college posts.

One local sage, a neighbor in fact, presaged Reveno’s comment of last night, writing here:

"If Gerun doesn't come back for '15-'16, that leaves only one player on the roster taller than 6'8". And that guy, Hartwich, will be a sophomore who probably won't have played much his freshman year. Similar to our situation in '11-'12 after Barker was injured early in the year. VDM was the only guy tall enough to play center, and he was a true freshman. And we had a terrible season.

Depth at the center position should be the top recruiting priority. I'm surprised we haven't heard of any scholarship offers to big guys in the post-Eubanks recruiting era.”

And another wrote: "Well looks like Reveno or one of his staff, I'm assuming its Reveno since he is in SoCal, went to visit Connor Clifford, a 7 foot center formally of UCI, and now with a Junior College. “

Updates on who a JC center recruit might be?

by DTLegend Tue Nov 18, 2014 8:50 am

There has been some mention of Conor Clifford earlier in this thread so I would guess him but really I think this staff is keeping their options open. I would think that while they have set their sights on two guys primarily, there are back-up plans, and they are continually searching for that next guy who could help this team. Problem is they are probably looking for guys who can contribute immediately which can limit your search a bit.

by Guest Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:01 am

Just in the last two weeks...

@ASlater247 wrote:#UCLA watched 7' Conor Clifford'15 of Saddleback College (CA) tonight.

@JucoRecruiting wrote:Arizona was in today to see Connor Clifford (7'0/C/2015) of Saddleback College (CA).

And literally half the WCC has been out to see this guy according to @JucoRecruiting. USF, Portland, Saint Mary's, Pacific, San Diego.

No offers, though... ?

by DoubleDipper Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:29 am

I'm hearing that Clifford wants to stay in California and play relatively close to home.

The other recruit that we've heard of here is the young man with the bad knees from down under in bucolic Warrnambool, 6-7 Curtis Ryan (his name has not been mentioned in this forum prior to this).

Here's a month old story about Ryan's attempt at a comeback from patellar tendonitis in both knees:
LINK

One player tells me Ryan has a "freakish" body and is an excellent player, but his knees just don't look like they'll support his body. I don't know if UP is still considering him and is waiting for him to play another year in Australia to see if his knees hold up, or not, but last I heard his knees were the issue.

by Guest Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:34 am

DoubleDipper wrote:The other recruit that we've heard of here is the young man with the bad knees from down under in bucolic Warrnambool, 6-7 Curtis Ryan (his name has not been mentioned in this forum prior to this).

Signed with Alaska Anchorage yesterday...so the Pilots will see him at the Great Alaskan Shootout!

by Geezaldinho Tue Nov 18, 2014 9:37 am

That will be a transition for him...

by NoPoNeighbor Tue Nov 18, 2014 10:18 am

DeanMurdoch wrote:
DoubleDipper wrote:The other recruit that we've heard of here is the young man with the bad knees from down under in bucolic Warrnambool, 6-7 Curtis Ryan (his name has not been mentioned in this forum prior to this).

Signed with Alaska Anchorage yesterday...so the Pilots will see him at the Great Alaskan Shootout!

That's okay. 6-7 is not what we need anyway. We need taller guys than that to replace VDM, Barker and Voldy.

by DoubleDipper Tue Nov 18, 2014 10:22 am

DeanMurdoch wrote:Signed with Alaska Anchorage yesterday...so the Pilots will see him at the Great Alaskan Shootout!

Good follow-up, Deaner! Did I get the assist? tongue

It turns out he's grown a little....I see he's now listed at 6-9, but apparently out grew his knees. I look forward to following his progress....and seeing him next year at the Shootout.

by wrv Fri Nov 28, 2014 11:32 am

Given that the story is dated in October, I assume there is some confusion regarding whether this young man was even offered, but even of this I am uncertain.

Comments welcome.

Filipovics to Portland
Steve Hu

Filipovics' skills set reminds many of the European style player
Before even stepping on the court to play a regular season high school game in America, Marko Filipovics made the decision to play for the Portland Pilots next year. The 6-foot-9 and 200 pound Hungarian import made the move to United States at the end of summer. After playing for the Hungarian U18 national team, he decided to join up the Prolific Prep program in Napa.

Filipovics says about the decision to come to the Bay Area, "I came to the Bay Area because Coach Doherty and Coach Russotti are professionals and that was the perfect opportunity for me to develop my game." He adds about the Portland decision, "I chose Portland because Coach Michael Wolf saw me play on film and at the European championship and then contacted my Hungarian coach."

The current Pilot roster has Northern California alums in Jesuit's Bryce Pressley and Cardinal Newman's Bobby Sharp. But more telling is that the roster has five international transplants including four from the European continent. Hence, Filipovics' Northern California and European pedigree makes him a natural fit for the Portland program.

The 2015 prospect with his size and skills set will remind many of the European style of play for larger players. His signature skill is his shooting but he can also slash to the basket. He is not the traditional a post player as he plays more of a wing position. Filipovics can stretch defenses with his outside shooting.

The Hungarian is from Kaposvar, which is a city in the southwestern part of the country. He last attended Munkacsy Mihaly Gimnazium as the school won their league championship. Despite the proliferation of European players being drafted in the NBA, the only NBA player ever from Hungary was Kornel David who played in the league in the late 1990s.

Filipovics will be attending Vintage High while he plays his first and final year of high school basketball. Fittingly, he will be doing so at the newly formed Prolific Prep program. Watch for this Hungarian import to shine in Napa, Calif.

by Guest Fri Nov 28, 2014 1:50 pm

Interesting find, wrv. And a strange one, given there's a few things about it that don't seem to add up.

scratch

by DoubleDipper Fri Nov 28, 2014 2:18 pm

Good find, wrv. The writer that you quote writes for NorCalPreps.....and they generally know what's happening!

scratch

Up until a few months ago Coach Wolf was the evaluator and recruiter of European prospects. It is my understanding UP had a European player lined-up and the coaches would no longer have go to Europe to evaluate and recruit said player. Because the prospect would no longer need recruiting in Europe, it was determined that it would not hinder the current recruiting plan if Coach Wolf became Special Assistant to the Head Coach Wolf....a position that does not allow him to recruit.

Looking at tape of Flipovics, he's definitely a wing with his skills and current body, but he could morph into a post player at some point down the line. Is it possible that either Flibovics or UP had a change of mind? Who knows. But as UP has only one, or possibly two scholarships available, and the need is for a post player....as Deaner writes, "there's a few things about it that don't seem to add up."

It will be interesting to see how this plays out....

by DoubleDipper Sat Dec 27, 2014 9:30 pm

Lake Oswego beat Peninsula this morning in the Les Schwab Invitational at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.

UP commit and L.O. point guard Jazz Johnson had a pretty good line from the game, including 38 points in 28 minutes.

Oh, and he hit 3-point buzzer beaters at the end of the 2nd and 3rd quarters. cheers

by DoubleDipper Sun Dec 28, 2014 12:53 am

This evening (Sunday) at 8:30 PM, future Pilots point guard, Jazz Johnson, will be going up against the #1 high school team in the nation, Montverde (Florida) Academy, and the nation's top ranked player, Ben Simmons, who's committed to LSU.

It is the quarterfinal in the Les Schwab Invitational at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.

On Saturday Montverde beat Westview HS, 71-39, after resting some of the starters in the 4th quarter. Should be quite a test for young Jazz and Lake Oswego High.

by DoubleDipper Sun Dec 28, 2014 11:11 pm

OregonLIve...Nick Daschel wrote:The procession to the Les Schwab Invitational championship game continued Sunday night for No. 1 Montverde Academy, but Lake Oswego's Jazz Johnson tried to make the Eagles sweat a little.

In the end, the two-time national champions had far too much firepower for Lake Oswego, as Montverde rolled to a 92-63 win in the LSI quarterfinals. Louisiana State-bound Ben Simmons, considered by many as the nation's No. 1 recruit for the Class of 2015, put on a show with an array of dunks and inside moves on the way to a 37-point performance.

But the sideshow was Johnson, who had a hot hand throughout the game on the way to a 44-point night, two points off the LSI record. Johnson hit 14 of 25 shots, including 7 of 14 from 3-point range. The University of Portland-bound guard also had four assists, meaning he had a hand in all but three of Lake Oswego's baskets.

"To watch that kid compete, the University of Portland ought to be dying to have him play," Lake Oswego coach Mark Shoff said.

Full Story

by wrv Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:20 am

Turnovers were not pretty, at least against this opponent. Glad to welcome Jazz, who I think will be a productive player. His ability to score is not in doubt, but his ball handling skills against a press appear to need some polishing.

This observation is based on a limited sample and I could be wrong about that.

by DoubleDipper Mon Dec 29, 2014 11:00 am

Good observation, wrv....the couple of times I've seen Jazz he's turned it over a little too often and has not distributed the ball....BUT that's not really that unusual when you consider he's is the one relied upon to SCORE for his team.

I believe UP's coaches will say they can't really coach scoring except through repetition, but they can coach ball handling, distributing the ball, and TEAM! And he really needs to work on his defense....like so many high school scorers, he tends to stand around on defense while waiting for his team to get the ball back.

You may have noticed Jazz' size. I don't mean he's Anthony Ireland or TJ Campbell, but when his body begins to mature and he gets to UP and begins working with Coach Brad Scott, he could end up being one of the most physical point guards in the WCC....and he can score!

by DoubleDipper Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:13 pm

From Jazz Johnson:

“Any time I can put the University of Portland on the map, I’m happy”

This mornings OregonLive article: http://highschoolsports.oregonlive.com/news/article/-3701061488470063159/secret-no-more-lake-oswegos-jazz-johnson-proves-he-belongs-at-les-schwab-invitational/

by wrv Mon Dec 29, 2014 1:24 pm

Nice article. Go Jazz!!!!

by blacksheep Mon Jan 05, 2015 1:56 pm

Looks like Jazz is getting a new coach.

http://highschoolsports.oregonlive.com/news/article/-8757404416467915081/lake-oswego-boys-basketball-coach-mark-shoff-fired-following-incident-at-les-schwab-invitational/

The link contains a video to the alleged incident. There must be more to the story because I didn't really see anything. It is pretty terrible video, so I can't say for sure though.

by DoubleDipper Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:18 pm

blacksheep wrote:Looks like Jazz is getting a new coach.

http://highschoolsports.oregonlive.com/news/article/-8757404416467915081/lake-oswego-boys-basketball-coach-mark-shoff-fired-following-incident-at-les-schwab-invitational/

The link contains a video to the alleged incident. There must be more to the story because I didn't really see anything. It is pretty terrible video, so I can't say for sure though.

Ugh, after watching the lackadaisical play of the Lakers in the video, I can't blame to coach for being upset.

Yeah, the more to the story is it's not the first such incident for the coach, and LO apparently has a new school superintendent with much less tolerance towards such behavior than her predecessor.

Honestly, hits like the coach was giving the player are a normal part of the action in practice, but not normal on the sideline during a game....regardless of how soft the player was playing. I think the "telling" reaction from the assistant at the very end of the video when he puts his hand on Coach Shoff's shoulder might be an indicator he went too far.

The video was sent by a parent...there might be something telling about that as well.

LO has a new interim head coach, Doug Kintzinger....I certainly hope former Pilots DBO, Coach Marshal Cho, throws his hat in the ring when LO opens hiring for a permanent head coach in the spring.

by NoPoNeighbor Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:58 pm

I wonder if UP has been looking at 6'10" Isaiah Robinson... He's just down the street at Jefferson High. And he's the son of Cliff Robinson. Per VerbalCommits, he just picked up his first scholarship offer, from CSU-Bakersfield.

by wrv Wed Jan 07, 2015 11:40 am

I am uncertain why Robinson may not have been mentioned before as a possible recruit. But an interesting description of his play, together with that of his teammate, done in advance of the Les Scwhab Invitational, is an intriguing commentary for a potential recruit:

Isaiah Robinson (C 6-10) and Kadeem Strickland (Point Guard 5-9) Jefferson: The top two players for the Democrats have a unique synergy having lived together as step-brothers for years. The defensive minded Robinson, who is the son of former Trailblazer Cliff Robinson, is one of the best shot blockers on the west coast averaging 9 blocks in the preseason. The offensive minded Strickland can get it going at any time and is a threat to score from anywhere on the court. Both bring a specific skillset to the table making Jefferson a threat to win the 6A State Championship their first year playing in the top classification

by DoubleDipper Wed Jan 07, 2015 12:55 pm

Well, as they say, "You can't teach size," but I haven't heard of a lot of recruiting activity regarding young Isaiah Robinson.

I saw him play last year when he was still on the north side of the Columbia River playing for Union High School in Camas, and as I recall he was a very good shot blocker and much taller than the rest of the players. Rolling Eyes

But as you might remember, the Pilots were eyeing another guy at the time....from Evergreen High School.

I've been told that UW, WSU, and BSU have been in to look at Robinson, but I bet there have been more schools than that.

IMO, with Phillip being the only center returning to the Pilots next year, but with very little D1 experience, Rev and the staff will be looking for a JUCO or a transfer before going the high school senior route.