2019 Recruiting

OK, reluctantly, here it is....

As mentioned before, but now made "official" by his coach (and picked up by Verbal Commits), 6-4 9th grader Majok Deng  has apparently been offered by "Portland University."

A shooting guard, Deng has been described by many as the best player in his class in the state of Arizona.

https://twitter.com/CoachThomas84/status/657023927642750977

@CoachThomas84 wrote:Congrats to @AZPowerTucson player Majok Deng on his second offer from Portland University @J_Becker1 @AzPowerBball

Portland University. Guess it's better than being called the University of Portland State.

@CConstan3 wrote:#SalpointeCatholic freshman wing Majok Deng has received his second official offer from @BigSkyConf's University of Portland. #azhs

Oh come on now...let's get real.

Still swinging for the fences, UP has offered South Sudan native and rising junior at the Gilbert School in Arizona, 7-3/220 Chol Marial.

Already holding offers from West Virginia, Iowa, St. John's, Florida St., Georgetown, SMU, and more, Marial's recruiting will no doubt heat up even more during his final two years in high school.

(BTW, UP's original first 2019 recruit, Majok Deng, is no longer being recruited by UP and the "new" staff.)

Although Verbal Commits gives Marial a "2," he is considered by some to be the eventual #1 recruit in America for the Class of 2019.

This is from a year ago in L.A.:

Wait.

It took 47 minutes from he's our first 2019 recruit to he's no longer being recruited?

We should just change the name to University of Portland State University.

Geezaldinho wrote:It took 47 minutes from he's our first 2019 recruit to he's no longer being recruited?

Last posts were from October 2015?

Geezaldinho wrote:Wait.

It took 47 minutes from he's our first 2019 recruit to he's no longer being recruited?

Usually we can follow your train-of-thought, Geez....but this time you're gonna have to explain it to us.  

Deng was recruited by Coach Reveno and his staff, and Rev is still recruiting him to Georgia Tech, but TP's staff decided to go in a different direction.  Interesting though that both Deng and Marial are prepping in Arizona.

I got no explanation. Just looked a time, and since the other posts were today and I didn't recall the original, I thought this was a new thread.

You gotta remember, when you are retired, there are no days of the week or school years to ground you.

It all runs together.

Geezaldinho wrote:I got no explanation. Just looked a time, and since the other posts were today and I didn't recall the original, I thought this was a new thread.

You gotta remember, when you are retired, there are no days of the week or school years to ground you.

It all runs together.

As it turns out, your math on the minutes was right on!  We should have seen that and come to our own conclusion.  

You win again, Geez....your math skills are still the best!

Dean Murdoch wrote:

@CoachThomas84 wrote:Congrats to @AZPowerTucson player Majok Deng on his second offer from Portland University @J_Becker1 @AzPowerBball

Portland University. Guess it's better than being called the University of Portland State.

@CConstan3 wrote:#SalpointeCatholic freshman wing Majok Deng has received his second official offer from @BigSkyConf's University of Portland. #azhs

Oh come on now...let's get real.

Geezaldinho wrote:We should just change the name to University of Portland State University

I think this just topped the cake.




https://www.reddit.com/r/CollegeBasketball/comments/6ceni0/number_of_division_1_colleges_per_state/dhuafgn/

Redditors are pretty informed so that surprised me. What does not surprise me is the quick response from people to educate the OP. You can't be wrong on Reddit. Thanks for your response (outside the picture).

Didn't take long to figure out who the "really tall" guy on campus yesterday for an "unofficial" visit was.

It was 7-4 or 7-5/200 or 220 Matthew Van Komen from Utah.  Apparently he's a "very raw talent with ton's of upside potential," and has offers from Gonzaga and Baylor and now UP.  Being from Utah, you have to figure he'll be getting plenty of offers from the Mountain States schools....

Just doing some updates after a summer of not paying much attention to UP recruiting:

With only RJ and Austin expected to depart after the 2018-19 season, the staff is again looking for a "BIG" and at this point in the process, it would appear the only kid they are recruiting is Matthew Van Komen (pictured above), who as reported by StudentPilot, took an unofficial visit to campus last month.

Van Komen may be from Utah, but his mom lives in Portland and he is not LDS.

From what I can tell after searching various sites, and as reported earlier, UP is no longer recruiting Majok Deng, and they are also no longer recruitng Chol Marial.

@jakeweingarten wrote:Portland HC Terry Porter has offered 2019 G Nick Blake, per his AAU coach.

Not the first offer for the 6-5/180 guard from Durango High School in Las Vegas.

Congratulations to 3x time Les Schwab Invitational participant Marcus Tsohonis on receiving a scholarship offer from Head Coach Terry Porter and the Portland Pilots. Tsohonis is averaging 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals competing in the Nike EYBL for Seattle Rotary.

https://twitter.com/LSInvitational/status/991866064907595776

Sound Voltex wrote:

Congratulations to 3x time Les Schwab Invitational participant Marcus Tsohonis on receiving a scholarship offer from Head Coach Terry Porter and the Portland Pilots. Tsohonis is averaging 13 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals competing in the Nike EYBL for Seattle Rotary.

https://twitter.com/LSInvitational/status/991866064907595776

6'4" 170# SG from Jefferson HS.  Offers from UOP, Montana, So. Cal.  http://www.verbalcommits.com/players/marcus-tsohonis

Re: MarcusTsohonis....TP really likes him....and SG Marcus says he wants to go to a college where he has a good relationship with the coach and "know I can come in and play...I want to come in and get some experience my first year..."

Keeping with the low-major and mid-major trend, UP my have a couple of transfers before the 2019-20 season, but for now, only one scholarship should open up for the Class of 2019, SG Rashad Jackson's.

Desmond Williams wrote:Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Portland

Williams, a 6-1 point guard, attends the same Montgomery school as recent UP signee, Theo Akwuba, and apparently sports a 3.6 GPA.

From his video, Williams seems very adept at shooting and dribbling with either hand.

Hard work is paying off 🙏🏽🤴🏽Blessed to receive another offer from the University of Portland. Home of the Pilots ✈️ ✅. @PortlandPilots

https://twitter.com/Kj_ballup16/status/999296524881248257
http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/keshad-johnson/epXfvJ9sEeW-8KA2nzwbTA/awards.htm

Sound Voltex wrote:

Hard work is paying off 🙏🏽🤴🏽Blessed to receive another offer from the University of Portland. Home of the Pilots ✈️ ✅. @PortlandPilots

That tweet from Keshad Johnson from Oakland....it must be fun to get airborne like he can. 

IMO, it could be the start of a very good Oakland/East Bay recruiting pipeline if UP could just land the first one...

Fun to recognize my old gym from the last century in this video...Skyline Titans.

You'll have to let those Oakland fellows know that, despite your personal experience, we are river pilots, not air pilots.    ⛴   ⚓️

up7587 wrote:You'll have to let those Oakland fellows know that, despite your personal experience, we are river pilots, not air pilots.    ⛴   ⚓️

Haha, yeah I saw that in his tweet, but considering the "cool factor" and heritage, thought it would be better to clue him in after he signs.  

Uh, what could be cooler than a river pilot?

@CoachDbrady wrote:2019 @colebajema22 has picked up an offer from Portland. He now holds offers from USF, Eastern Washington, Santa Clara, Pepperdine, San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara

Sorry Mesa, but 6-7 Cole Bajema from Lynden, Washington is another shooting guard, not a post!

All reports indicate Bajema has been one of the bigger breakout performers at the Las Vegas Classic this week.

StudentPilot wrote:Didn't take long to figure out who the "really tall" guy on campus yesterday for an "unofficial" visit was.

It was 7-4 or 7-5/200 or 220 Matthew Van Komen from Utah.  Apparently he's a "very raw talent with ton's of upside potential," and has offers from Gonzaga and Baylor and now UP.  Being from Utah, you have to figure he'll be getting plenty of offers from the Mountain States schools....

Utah made Van Komen their #1 recruiting target, and yesterday he committed to being a "Runnin' Ute."

I'd seen quite a bit of banter among the Utah fans over the last couple of months about the school's battle with Gonzaga and Baylor to land Van Komen....but no mention of Portland.

It was probably a long-shot that UP would sign the 7-5 post, but as he's not a member of the LDS Church, and his mom lives in Portland, at least he took the time to make an unofficial visit to the Bluff and receive an offer from the Pilots.

DoubleDipper wrote:

Desmond Williams wrote:Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Portland

Williams, a 6-1 point guard, attends the same Montgomery school as recent UP signee, Theo Akwuba, and apparently sports a 3.6 GPA.

Williams has decided to stay close to home and attend Troy.

As there are currently zero known openings on UP's roster for 2019 recruits, it is probably no surprise that Williams has decided to stay in Alabama instead of attempting to join his former teammate on the Bluff.