Matthew Atewe -> Auburn -> Washington

[hhcmatt]

Here is a Q & A with Atewe from 10 days ago that I don't think has been posted.

 

http://www.givengobasketball.com/matthew-atewe-article

I am happy, I am worried, I am sad...I guess I have no clue what to think...

 

Do you have any favorites yet?

 

I have no favorites, but Nebraska has kept in contact with me the most.

 

At this point you have to like our chances.  Atewe has enough general interest where he doesn't have to worry about not having a school on signing day so it's not surprising he hasn't committed anywhere yet so he can travel the US for free.

[trickey]

Here is a Q & A with Atewe from 10 days ago that I don't think has been posted.

 

http://www.givengobasketball.com/matthew-atewe-article

I am happy, I am worried, I am sad...I guess I have no clue what to think...

 

Do you have any favorites yet?

 

I have no favorites, but Nebraska has kept in contact with me the most.

And when he is asked who is on his list...NU is the first school he names.(see below quote) I suspect these are none to subtle subliminal hints!

 

"I don't have a list, but I have over thirty offers including Nebraska, Auburn, Georgia Tech, Charlotte, Memphis, Marquette, etc."

[Norm Peterson]

Trickey, that's what poker players call a "tell."  It's a subconscious thing someone does that reveals something about what they're thinking.  You just have to sit back and observe.  And that's a good observation.

[Silverbacked1]

Can we get to 20 pages, boys and girls?

 

Can we?

[Norm Peterson]

Silver, I think we can.  I'll do my part, anyway. 

[Silverbacked1]

We need long rants I think.

 

That seems to take up more page space.

[FredsSlacks]

New Atewe video. He is #12 on the white and does not check in until around 12 minutes into the first video.

[TheKamdyMan]

His running style is so, unique, as I dont know how to describe. As for his game its just like everyone has hashed out before.  Big, physical, athletic, and strong on the defensive end of the court.  His game reminds me of the style Reggie Evans has in the NBA.  Defensive stalwart off the bench with high energy.  Will always get you boards, play hard, and will have an occasional game that he puts up some points.  I think he would be a nice spark off the bench to start his career to spell Pitchford, Rivers, etc.

[Swan88]

A few interesting Atewe moments in the videos above include the following.

First video: (i) around the 18:00 mark, he does an impressive job of positioning and then using his athletecism to get an offensive rebound, is stuffed/fouled going back up for the shot, then makes one of two free throws; (ii) around the 20:40 mark, he gets a block, and (iii) despite having a very tall / thick post guy, the other team rarely takes the ball inside against Matthew--instead, around 21:30, the post guy settles for a three-pointed that misses badly. 

Second video: (i) around 12:20 Matthew gets a lay-in, (ii) at 13:45 he gets the ball on the block and is mugged by three players--no foul called, and (iii) at 13:55 gets a block.

[uneblinstu]

His running style is so, unique, as I dont know how to describe

He runs like a runner.  Watch videos of professional marathon runners, even sprinters, run similarly.

[hhcmatt]

His running style is so, unique, as I dont know how to describe

He runs like a runner.  Watch videos of professional marathon runners, even sprinters, run similarly.

 

He looks pretty raw from the little bit of the video I watched up there but runs the floor like a deer.

You can definitely run an uptempo offense/defense with this guy.

[Husker4Life]

I guess I am of the minority but I was not overly impressed.  If I had to pick between Andre Sands and him I would pick Sands.  They are built the same but I see Sands as being more aggressive.  I believe Sands plays on a superior team and has better guards to get him the ball.  Sands is a better scorer also.  Sunrise just won their 24th straight game and play Monday night again.  They beat a team from Tulsa Ok. 106-62.  Andre had 9 points again playing only half the game.  Maybe I should not make a judgement from watching a single video but I personally believe Sands is the better player.  I was the one that brought up Buddy Hield and thought Nebraska should go after him. Andre plays on the same Sunrise team that Buddy did. He turned out pretty well.  Sands is a different kind of player than Buddy but for what Nebraska needs I believe he would meet the need. He runs the floor well, rebounds, and plays good defense.  He is a smart kid as well.  I also noticed he  is a good leader.  He takes it upon himself to communicate with his team mates.  I talked to him before the game and was very impressed by the young man.  His coach told me that Andre is very coachable and wants to get better in all aspects of the game.  I wish Coach Miles would come down and watch this Sunrise team.  There are so many players that are athletic.  Mississippi has found out about Sunrise and has two of the starters signed up for next year and look what Mississippi is doing this year.  They must know something about the sport. 

[MandRHusker]

Have you emailed Coach Miles regarding Andre? You can find his email address on Huskers.com under contacts. I suggest you do this as I would guess they will respond to your recommendation and perhaps take a look at Andre!

I guess I am of the minority but I was not overly impressed.  If I had to pick between Andre Sands and him I would pick Sands.  They are built the same but I see Sands as being more aggressive.  I believe Sands plays on a superior team and has better guards to get him the ball.  Sands is a better scorer also.  Sunrise just won their 24th straight game and play Monday night again.  They beat a team from Tulsa Ok. 106-62.  Andre had 9 points again playing only half the game.  Maybe I should not make a judgement from watching a single video but I personally believe Sands is the better player.  I was the one that brought up Buddy Hield and thought Nebraska should go after him. Andre plays on the same Sunrise team that Buddy did. He turned out pretty well.  Sands is a different kind of player than Buddy but for what Nebraska needs I believe he would meet the need. He runs the floor well, rebounds, and plays good defense.  He is a smart kid as well.  I also noticed he  is a good leader.  He takes it upon himself to communicate with his team mates.  I talked to him before the game and was very impressed by the young man.  His coach told me that Andre is very coachable and wants to get better in all aspects of the game.  I wish Coach Miles would come down and watch this Sunrise team.  There are so many players that are athletic.  Mississippi has found out about Sunrise and has two of the starters signed up for next year and look what Mississippi is doing this year.  They must know something about the sport.

[FredsSlacks]

Have you emailed Coach Miles regarding Andre? You can find his email address on Huskers.com under contacts. I suggest you do this as I would guess they will respond to your recommendation and perhaps take a look at Andre!

I guess I am of the minority but I was not overly impressed.  If I had to pick between Andre Sands and him I would pick Sands.  They are built the same but I see Sands as being more aggressive.  I believe Sands plays on a superior team and has better guards to get him the ball.  Sands is a better scorer also.  Sunrise just won their 24th straight game and play Monday night again.  They beat a team from Tulsa Ok. 106-62.  Andre had 9 points again playing only half the game.  Maybe I should not make a judgement from watching a single video but I personally believe Sands is the better player.  I was the one that brought up Buddy Hield and thought Nebraska should go after him. Andre plays on the same Sunrise team that Buddy did. He turned out pretty well.  Sands is a different kind of player than Buddy but for what Nebraska needs I believe he would meet the need. He runs the floor well, rebounds, and plays good defense.  He is a smart kid as well.  I also noticed he  is a good leader.  He takes it upon himself to communicate with his team mates.  I talked to him before the game and was very impressed by the young man.  His coach told me that Andre is very coachable and wants to get better in all aspects of the game.  I wish Coach Miles would come down and watch this Sunrise team.  There are so many players that are athletic.  Mississippi has found out about Sunrise and has two of the starters signed up for next year and look what Mississippi is doing this year.  They must know something about the sport.

Atewe: 30+ D1 offers. Sands: none that I know of. Atewe is being brought strictly as a defensive presence with the hope of developing some kind of offensive game. Atewe has the size to guard B1G centers.

 

Kevin Thomas is the big man we want to help us out all around. He can do it all and is 6'9.

 

If we don't get Atewe or Thomas, then NU will look for transfers at the end of the year.

 

I can assure you the staff has looked at Sands, but I don't think NU will offer.

[Huskerpapa]

 

Have you emailed Coach Miles regarding Andre? You can find his email address on Huskers.com under contacts. I suggest you do this as I would guess they will respond to your recommendation and perhaps take a look at Andre!

I guess I am of the minority but I was not overly impressed.  If I had to pick between Andre Sands and him I would pick Sands.  They are built the same but I see Sands as being more aggressive.  I believe Sands plays on a superior team and has better guards to get him the ball.  Sands is a better scorer also.  Sunrise just won their 24th straight game and play Monday night again.  They beat a team from Tulsa Ok. 106-62.  Andre had 9 points again playing only half the game.  Maybe I should not make a judgement from watching a single video but I personally believe Sands is the better player.  I was the one that brought up Buddy Hield and thought Nebraska should go after him. Andre plays on the same Sunrise team that Buddy did. He turned out pretty well.  Sands is a different kind of player than Buddy but for what Nebraska needs I believe he would meet the need. He runs the floor well, rebounds, and plays good defense.  He is a smart kid as well.  I also noticed he  is a good leader.  He takes it upon himself to communicate with his team mates.  I talked to him before the game and was very impressed by the young man.  His coach told me that Andre is very coachable and wants to get better in all aspects of the game.  I wish Coach Miles would come down and watch this Sunrise team.  There are so many players that are athletic.  Mississippi has found out about Sunrise and has two of the starters signed up for next year and look what Mississippi is doing this year.  They must know something about the sport.

Atewe: 30+ D1 offers. Sands: none that I know of. Atewe is being brought strictly as a defensive presence with the hope of developing some kind of offensive game. Atewe has the size to guard B1G centers.

 

Kevin Thomas is the big man we want to help us out all around. He can do it all and is 6'9.

 

If we don't get Atewe or Thomas, then NU will look for transfers at the end of the year.

 

I can assure you the staff has looked at Sands, but I don't think NU will offer.

We may look at transfers regardless...much depends on the status of current players...

[FredsSlacks]

 I think it's 50/50 whether Sergej hangs around. 25% chance Parker leaves. 20% with Rivers.

 

Probably about a 60% chance one player leaves.

[hskr4life]

 I think it's 50/50 whether Sergej hangs around. 25% chance Parker leaves. 20% with Rivers.

 

Probably about a 60% chance one player leaves.

 

I think its 50/50 either way... they either leave or they dont right? .  In all seriousness thoughI think there is an 80 percent chance that one player leaves.  Sergej is probably as you said 50/50.  Parker and Rivers IMO are less than 20.  Menke or someone like Kye I feel will be the ones who transfer.

[MandRHusker]

 

I think its 50/50 either way... they either leave or they dont right? .  In all seriousness thoughI think there is an 80 percent chance that one player leaves.  Sergej is probably as you said 50/50.  Parker and Rivers IMO are less than 20.  Menke or someone like Kye I feel will be the ones who transfer.

Neither Menke nor Kye have any impact on scholarship numbers.

[hskr4life]

 

I think its 50/50 either way... they either leave or they dont right? .  In all seriousness thoughI think there is an 80 percent chance that one player leaves.  Sergej is probably as you said 50/50.  Parker and Rivers IMO are less than 20.  Menke or someone like Kye I feel will be the ones who transfer.

Neither Menke nor Kye have any impact on scholarship numbers.

 

Actually if I remember right, Menke does have a scholarship...

[MandRHusker]

 

I think its 50/50 either way... they either leave or they dont right? .  In all seriousness thoughI think there is an 80 percent chance that one player leaves.  Sergej is probably as you said 50/50.  Parker and Rivers IMO are less than 20.  Menke or someone like Kye I feel will be the ones who transfer.

Neither Menke nor Kye have any impact on scholarship numbers.

 

Actually if I remember right, Menke does have a scholarship...

Yes, but I assume he was offered a schollie for only one year. He will not be on scholarship next year.

[Norm Peterson]

A few interesting Atewe moments in the videos above include the following.

First video: (i) around the 18:00 mark, he does an impressive job of positioning and then using his athletecism to get an offensive rebound, is stuffed/fouled going back up for the shot, then makes one of two free throws; (ii) around the 20:40 mark, he gets a block, and (iii) despite having a very tall / thick post guy, the other team rarely takes the ball inside against Matthew--instead, around 21:30, the post guy settles for a three-pointed that misses badly. 

Second video: (i) around 12:20 Matthew gets a lay-in, (ii) at 13:45 he gets the ball on the block and is mugged by three players--no foul called, and (iii) at 13:55 gets a block.

Swan, I luv ya, buddy, but you're really reaching for something positive to report.

 

His "impressive job of positioning."  I mean, it was certainly decent.  Showed some quicks.  But "impressive"?  He couldn't gather the ball and then, once he does get ahold of it and goes up, he gets swatted.  I thought it was a clean block, too.  Didn't see where the foul was.  But he goes to the line and bricks his first freebie by hitting the backboard first.

 

When he goes into the game at the 12:00 mark (8 minutes into the game) his team leads 9-7.  They've been getting a lot of their offensive looks by entering the ball to the high post.  Once Atewe comes in, they don't even try to enter it to Atewe.  Completely changes their offense.  Over the next 7+ minutes of game time, with Atewe in the game, the other team goes on an 18-6 run.  By the time Atewe checks out with just under 5 minutes left in the half, his team trails 25-15.  And, during that stretch, Atewe gets beaten badly twice, giving the other team 4 easy points.  He also picks up at least two fouls.  And he's supposed to be recruited as a defensive presence?  M'kay.  

[Swan88]

A few interesting Atewe moments in the videos above include the following.

First video: (i) around the 18:00 mark, he does an impressive job of positioning and then using his athletecism to get an offensive rebound, is stuffed/fouled going back up for the shot, then makes one of two free throws; (ii) around the 20:40 mark, he gets a block, and (iii) despite having a very tall / thick post guy, the other team rarely takes the ball inside against Matthew--instead, around 21:30, the post guy settles for a three-pointed that misses badly. 

Second video: (i) around 12:20 Matthew gets a lay-in, (ii) at 13:45 he gets the ball on the block and is mugged by three players--no foul called, and (iii) at 13:55 gets a block.

Swan, I luv ya, buddy, but you're really reaching for something positive to report.

 

His "impressive job of positioning."  I mean, it was certainly decent.  Showed some quicks.  But "impressive"?  He couldn't gather the ball and then, once he does get ahold of it and goes up, he gets swatted.  I thought it was a clean block, too.  Didn't see where the foul was.  But he goes to the line and bricks his first freebie by hitting the backboard first.

 

When he goes into the game at the 12:00 mark (8 minutes into the game) his team leads 9-7.  They've been getting a lot of their offensive looks by entering the ball to the high post.  Once Atewe comes in, they don't even try to enter it to Atewe.  Completely changes their offense.  Over the next 7+ minutes of game time, with Atewe in the game, the other team goes on an 18-6 run.  By the time Atewe checks out with just under 5 minutes left in the half, his team trails 25-15.  And, during that stretch, Atewe gets beaten badly twice, giving the other team 4 easy points.  He also picks up at least two fouls.  And he's supposed to be recruited as a defensive presence?  M'kay.  

Ok, Norm.  I give.  I'm tweeting Miles tonight with a demand that he leave this loser alone and go after some other poor schmuck that is more polished and then throw in something derogatory about how he shoulda either signed Agau or gone harder after someone else instead.

Oh, and then, tomorrow afternoon we'll all be throwing frustrated epithets around wondering why it is that our bigs don't have the athleticism to keep up with the Illini and Gophers and Buckeyes of this world and suggest that Miles needs to go after someone who has actual offers from the likes of UConn and Georgetown and Duke (instead of mere sniffs from them) and also suggest that if his recruits can't get better offers than the ones held by this loser, then Miles needs to find a profession he's better suited to handle.

[Rant finished!]

[Norm Peterson]

Let's just say I hope that we have the ability to sign far better players in the fall of 2013 (for the 2014 class) than what appears to be available for 2013.  Atewe has impressive athleticism and good size.  But he's really raw.   He's not going to come in next year be a starter let alone be a star.  He isn't going to hang with Minnesota's bigs next year.  Or Illinois' or Ohio State's.  He's raw.  It's going to take some time for him to develop.

 

At this point, we don't appear to have better options for bigs in this class. I hope to hell we have better options for bigs in 2014.  If we're still picking up scraps in next year's class, I would say that doesn't bode well for Miles' tenure here.  I'm hoping that there will be better players still available for next year's class than there are for this year and, with that thought in mind, it's not going to make me lose any sleep if Atewe decides to go to Clemson.  Or whoever else gets in on him before he makes his college choice.

 

The kid doesn't even start for his own prep school.  It's not like he's going to be able to come in here and be the answer for us on the inside from day one.  Assuming he signs with us, I give him better odds of being in the rotation than Vucetic, but not by a long shot.  He's raw.  If we sign him, we do so with the expectation that he's going to be awhile developing.  But don't paint this kid as a player.  He's not.  He's raw.  Splendid athlete.  But raw.

[hskr4life]

 

 

I think its 50/50 either way... they either leave or they dont right? .  In all seriousness thoughI think there is an 80 percent chance that one player leaves.  Sergej is probably as you said 50/50.  Parker and Rivers IMO are less than 20.  Menke or someone like Kye I feel will be the ones who transfer.

Neither Menke nor Kye have any impact on scholarship numbers.

 

Actually if I remember right, Menke does have a scholarship...

Yes, but I assume he was offered a schollie for only one year. He will not be on scholarship next year.

My point in him transfering.

[Swan88]

Let's just say I hope that we have the ability to sign far better players in the fall of 2013 (for the 2014 class) than what appears to be available for 2013.  Atewe has impressive athleticism and good size.  But he's really raw.   He's not going to come in next year be a starter let alone be a star.  He isn't going to hang with Minnesota's bigs next year.  Or Illinois' or Ohio State's.  He's raw.  It's going to take some time for him to develop.

 

At this point, we don't appear to have better options for bigs in this class. I hope to hell we have better options for bigs in 2014.  If we're still picking up scraps in next year's class, I would say that doesn't bode well for Miles' tenure here.  I'm hoping that there will be better players still available for next year's class than there are for this year and, with that thought in mind, it's not going to make me lose any sleep if Atewe decides to go to Clemson.  Or whoever else gets in on him before he makes his college choice.

 

The kid doesn't even start for his own prep school.  It's not like he's going to be able to come in here and be the answer for us on the inside from day one.  Assuming he signs with us, I give him better odds of being in the rotation than Vucetic, but not by a long shot.  He's raw.  If we sign him, we do so with the expectation that he's going to be awhile developing.  But don't paint this kid as a player.  He's not.  He's raw.  Splendid athlete.  But raw.

Raw . . . sure.  Noone's ever said he is good with the ball.  And as to basketball IQ--he's no Ryan Anderson.  But go back, look at every minute of those videos, and find a time on defense when he is bested by a big: there isn't one--or very many.  In fact, there is precious little activity in the paint when he is on the defensive floor--but when he isn't in there, that changes.

Tim Miles said he needs a big, athletic defensive presence in the paint.  Matthew fits that bill.  Granted, without the "Curse of Akoy," Tim Miles might have landed someone better. 

My belief, Norm, is that you are overly harsh on this one--but, then again, you are astute and could be correct.

So . . . you can now have the last word on the subject, and I'll try to bow out of this discussion--hopefully, my resolution on this will hold.