Re: 2024 Recruiting

by DoubleDipper Thu Jun 23, 2022 9:20 am

A 6-7/235 bruiser from Idaho Falls, Davis has known offers from WSU, Southern Utah, Idaho St., and Utah St.

by DoubleDipper Thu Sep 15, 2022 11:03 pm

In March:

DoubleDipper wrote:There's a little more to the story on Carmichael.

His high school team, Summit, is from Bend, Oregon, and I think they came into today's OSAA 6A Championship game in the Chiles Center with a 27-0 record, a 36-game winning streak going back to last year, and were ranked #2 in the state before losing to Tualatin in the Championship game today.

I watched Carmichael yesterday (Friday), and he definitely has some potential, but I find it difficult to accurately judge a skinny 6-6 kid with little muscle definition who might not even by driving yet.

I do not know how Carmichael did today, but yesterday he came off the bench to score 12 points in 15 minutes including 2-5 from 3-pt., with 4 boards, and his team was 12-24 from behind the arc.

An hour ago:
From Bend, so his visit was probably unofficial...

by DoubleDipper Mon Feb 27, 2023 10:39 pm

Associate Head Coach Bobby Suarez traveled back to his native Florida to offer 6-2 guard Lorenzo Cason.

Among Cason's known offers:
Presbyterian
New Mexico St.
VCU
Siena
Murray St.
Seton Hall

by up7587 Fri Mar 10, 2023 3:44 pm

StudentPilot wrote:6-10 or 6-11 (depends on the source) center Austin Maurer from Medford tells us he's received his first D1 offer from UP.

On another thread, players from smaller schools were mentioned. Austin Maurer led Cascade Christian to the Oregon 3A championship. I am guessing he is the tall player in the back.

by DoubleDipper Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:20 pm

Yes, that is the 6-11 Maurer at the back. He finished with 26 points and 16 rebounds, scoring 12 in the 4th quarter for the win.

Coming into the OSAA Class 3A quarterfinals, No. 6 Cascade Christian faced a huge task. The Challengers needed to overcome No. 3 Dayton in the quarterfinals, No. 2 De La Salle North Catholic in the semi, and No. 1 Westside Christian in order to win a state championship.

They did that. And they finished the state tournament with a dominant 76-54 win over the Eagles in the championship game last Saturday night after being the runner-up the last two seasons.

With only one senior on the team, Maurer's final year next year should be a chance to defend.

by Sound Voltex Tue Mar 28, 2023 8:38 pm

S'G Mikah Ballew commits to Portland.

https://twitter.com/MikahBallew/status/1640903085982892032
https://verbalcommits.com/players/mikah-ballew
https://www.hudl.com/profile/13966372/Mikah-Ballew

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 29, 2023 9:01 am

Sound Voltex wrote:S'G Mikah Ballew commits to Portland.

Ballew came out of the blue, for PilotNation!

I don't believe he's been mentioned in any previous threads here, but after asking around, he's apparently been on UP's radar for a while, and was first offered almost a year ago. Shocked

At 6-6/215 (from his high school roster) with another 18 months before he suits up on The Bluff, the kid has great size for a shooting guard, and his athleticism should allow him to play multiple positions at UP.

Ballew's high school team, Valencia, won the California Division IV title a after winning only five games the previous season.

https://www.maxpreps.com/news/MpT50Wls_EOdGpkDI_1ucw/california-high-school-boys-basketball-valencia-wins-division-iv-title-a-year-after-winning-five-games.htm

This from AAU ball last summer:

by Dean Murdoch Wed Mar 29, 2023 11:08 am

DoubleDipper wrote:Ballew came out of the blue, for PilotNation!I don't believe he's been mentioned in any previous threads here, but after asking around, he's apparently been on UP's radar for a while, and was first offered almost a year ago.

You had him in the 2023 thread! Mikah reclassified to 2024 at some point and will do a prep year at SoCal Academy.

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 29, 2023 11:20 am

Dean Murdoch wrote:You had him in the 2023 thread! Mikah reclassified to 2024 at some point and will do a prep year at SoCal Academy.

Thanks, I wondered why I recognized his name.

Mikah is probably going to have to work on his vocabulary at bit while at prep school and before enrolling at UP...

by DoubleDipper Thu Apr 06, 2023 10:03 pm

Stefan Cicic is a 6-11 Center at Riverside Brookfield HS in Riverside, Illinois...a suburb just west of Chicago.

By the looks of the flag in his twitter account, his family must be from Serbia.

There is a possibility he will reclassify to 2025 after prep school...but I get conflicting information when checking.

by DoubleDipper Fri Apr 07, 2023 4:34 pm

Dean Murdoch wrote:
DoubleDipper wrote:Ballew came out of the blue, for PilotNation!I don't believe he's been mentioned in any previous threads here, but after asking around, he's apparently been on UP's radar for a while, and was first offered almost a year ago.

You had him in the 2023 thread! Mikah reclassified to 2024 at some point and will do a prep year at SoCal Academy.

California Division IV Player of the Year...

calhisports.com wrote:DIVISION IV
Mikah Ballew (Valencia) 6-4 Sr.

Last year’s winner was Johny Dan of Valley Torah and this year we stay in the greater San Fernando Valley to honor a CIF state champion.

Valencia is actually in the Santa Clarita Valley and Ballew’s game is fast-growing just as is that region of Southern California. After transferring over from Alemany of Mission Hills, where he was already a terrific scorer, Ballew continued to punish defenders with his frame and physical play, but added so much more for a championship team.

The big wing guard improved his overall defense and was locked in on both ends of the floor for a team that captured the CIF Southern Section D4AA title with a 30-point, 3-rebound, 3-assist performance in a 65-62 victory over St. Bonaventure of Ventura. The Vikings defeated the Seraphs once again on their way to capturing the CIF D4 state crown, and even though he didn’t have as big an outing in the second contest, his play was instrumental in Valencia’s state title run.

Ballew had 26 points in the regional semifinal win over Long Beach Jordan and 25 points in the state title game win over Half Moon Bay. On the season, the strongman averaged 20 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.5 apg and 2.1 spg for a 27-10 club that actually finished No. 37 in the overall state rankings despite being in D4 for the regional. Ballew also was named CIFSS D4AA Player of the Year and scored over 1,500 points in his high school career (counting his years at Alemany). He is the first ever choice from the Santa Clarita Valley in D4 and the 13th choice from the Southern Section since 2000. Micah has been unsigned, but just committed to the University of Portland.

https://www.calhisports.com/2023/04/07/boys-bb-more-state-players-of-the-year-3/

by DoubleDipper Thu Apr 27, 2023 10:40 am

DoubleDipper wrote:
Dean Murdoch wrote:You had him in the 2023 thread! Mikah reclassified to 2024 at some point and will do a prep year at SoCal Academy.
Thanks, I wondered why I recognized his name.

More on Mikah Ballew:

CIF Player of the Year and University of Portland commit Mikah Ballew was scoring at all 3 levels in St. Louis this past weekend!

https://twitter.com/JeremyJauregui/status/1651330421538582530

by DoubleDipper Mon May 01, 2023 12:05 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:

A 6-7/235 bruiser from Idaho Falls, Davis has known offers from WSU, Southern Utah, Idaho St., and Utah St.

Davis committed to BYU over the weekend...

by DoubleDipper Fri Jun 02, 2023 12:55 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:
Taj DeGourville wrote:Blessed to receive a Division 1 offer from the University of Portland
Continuing to begin relationships with student-athletes early in their high school careers, UP has offered Taj DeGourville a 6-4 SG from Las Vegas.

In early 2021 UP offered Taj DeGourville when he was a 9th grader...

Today DeGourville (Class of 2024) narrowed his list, and UP is NOT on it.

Oklahoma
UNLV
Iowa
San Diego State
USC
VCU
Loyola-Marymount
Harvard

by DoubleDipper Thu Nov 02, 2023 12:29 pm

We are only 6 days away from the early NLI signing period, and unlike previous years, I am hearing nothing!

UP did get a commit from SG Mikah Ballew last spring, he is apparently now in prep school, and it would appear that commitment still holds.

BIG shoes to fill at UP with the departure of T-Rob, Ali, and Noah (I think Chris will get another year if he wants it) at the end of the 2023-24 season, so it's difficult to say who the coaches are going after beyond what we have seen on PilotNation.

Anyone hearing anything? scratch

by DoubleDipper Wed Nov 08, 2023 9:27 am

DoubleDipper wrote:We are only 6 days away from the early NLI signing period, and unlike previous years, I am hearing nothing!

UP did get a commit from SG Mikah Ballew last spring, he is apparently now in prep school, and it would appear that commitment still holds.

BIG shoes to fill at UP with the departure of T-Rob, Ali, and Noah (I think Chris will get another year if he wants it) at the end of the 2023-24 season, so it's difficult to say who the coaches are going after beyond what we have seen on PilotNation.

Anyone hearing anything?

Obviously, a lot can happen between now and next season, but I am guessing only two of the three open scholarships will be available for the NLI signing period that begins today.

It looks like guard Mikah Ballew, now at Southern California Academy, will sign, and perhaps one other high school baller who may now be playing so well he's thinking of turning pro.

After watching a couple of practices, I believe the third scholarship that will be open after the graduation of UP's seniors will go to current walk-on Kelson Gebbers.

by DoubleDipper Sat Nov 11, 2023 5:26 pm

A happy day in the High Desert for Mikah Ballew and his family...

by up7587 Sat Nov 11, 2023 5:32 pm

@MikahBallew wrote:Just want to thank everyone on my journey!! Signed sealed delivered. University of Portland Pilot!
@CoachLegans @SeanFarnham @GrayNyame33 @TaylorBallew1 @CoachLip23 @BigShotBob90 @PortlandMBB

by DoubleDipper Fri Nov 17, 2023 9:06 am

The early signing period for both WBB and MBB ended Wednesday, and we have yet to hear anything official from UP, but two signees, Brynn Eshoo – WBB, and Mikah Ballew – MBB, have shared their signings on social media.

Hopefully, there was at least on other signing that has not yet been announced…probably WBB.

The spring (regular) signing period for 2024 is April 17–May 15, 2024.

The window for student-athletes to inform their schools they are going into the transfer portal for both WBB and MBB is March 18–May 1...although, recent history has shown some wait until August to select a school.

by DoubleDipper Fri Nov 17, 2023 9:54 am

DoubleDipper wrote:Hopefully, there was at least on other signing that has not yet been announced…probably WBB.

Thanks to wrv doing some digging on social media, we've learned the second to apparently sign is 6-4 Ella Zimmerman from Redondo Beach, California.

by Sound Voltex Sun Jan 21, 2024 10:42 pm

by DoubleDipper Mon Jan 22, 2024 7:14 pm

While in Hawaii last month I happened to be seated near an athletic looking and likeable young man from Australia whose brother played on the U. of Hawaii team after transferring from WSU.

During a casual conversation, he commented he was being recruited by Portland.

At that point and knowing "boosters" are not allowed to talk to recruits, I excused myself and moved to another section in the arena.

Well, Austin Rapp, self-described as "5-10, chubby, and terrible at basketball," just a couple of years ago, is now about 6-10/220 and has committed to UP for 2024.

Austin graduated from high school just before Christmas but will continue to play on a Melbourne professional team until coming to Portland this summer.

by Dean Murdoch Mon Jan 22, 2024 11:30 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:At that point and knowing "boosters" are not allowed to talk to recruits, I excused myself and moved to another section in the arena.

So Moses Wood can get $400,000 to transfer to UW, but DoubleDipper can't have a friendly chat with a PSA in Hawaii?

What a ridiculous time we're in right now.

by brooke_PPFan@proton.me Tue Jan 23, 2024 5:16 am

Rapp played with Bol in Australia and knows the Robertson family. Perfect fit for WCC and the bigs we see.

by Sound Voltex Thu Feb 01, 2024 2:13 pm

Is this our first 4-star recruit????

https://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/news/_/id/247676/todd-jones
https://247sports.com/player/todd-jones-46128636/
https://www.on3.com/db/todd-jones-158754/recruiting/