2015 PG Bakari Evelyn -> Nebraska -> Valparaiso -> Iowa

[HuskerFever]

It may not be a Rosenthal tweet, but here's the article he wrote stating that Evelyn will sign to Nebraska on signing day:

 

http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/life-in-the-red/huskers-to-sign-point-guard-evelyn/article_57416fce-e2bf-11e4-bd61-d79384474fdb.html

[extremehoops]

Havent heard much about this kid.  I watched the highlight tapes and did not see much when it looked like neither team wanted to play basketball.

 

I guess we beat out some mid-major programs like UTEP Loyola and Oakland.  So a Arizona St or Northern Arizona or any other PAC12 teams didnt have any interest?

 

I hope I am proved wrong, but I just don't see him as a high major player we should be looking for

[Handy Johnson]

Looks like we signed another Point Guard, 6'2" 175. Sounds like he was real Gunner at his High School back in Detroit. Don't know much more than what I read in the OWH. Now about those BIGS...

[AuroranHusker]

He'll make a B1G All-Name Team from the get-go!

[GATA]

It may not be a Rosenthal tweet, but here's the article he wrote stating that Evelyn will sign to Nebraska on signing day:

 

http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/life-in-the-red/huskers-to-sign-point-guard-evelyn/article_57416fce-e2bf-11e4-bd61-d79384474fdb.html

An excerpt:

“They just said they need people who can contribute right away and help the team in any way,” Evelyn said. “They like my feel for the game, my ability to score or pass to find the right guy and just make the right plays. I’m about winning.”

[colhusker]

 

It may not be a Rosenthal tweet, but here's the article he wrote stating that Evelyn will sign to Nebraska on signing day:

 

http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/life-in-the-red/huskers-to-sign-point-guard-evelyn/article_57416fce-e2bf-11e4-bd61-d79384474fdb.html

An excerpt:

“They just said they need people who can contribute right away and help the team in any way,” Evelyn said. “They like my feel for the game, my ability to score or pass to find the right guy and just make the right plays. I’m about winning.”

 

Wish he was about to grow 7 inches.

[hhcmatt]

To me it seems like we replaced a Tarin Smith type player with a Tarin Smith type player, a guy most of us were disappointed to see go. 

 

Can anyone shed some light on the competition level of Class D Detroit Metro basketball?

[TheKamdyMan]

Havent heard much about this kid.  I watched the highlight tapes and did not see much when it looked like neither team wanted to play basketball.

 

I guess we beat out some mid-major programs like UTEP Loyola and Oakland.  So a Arizona St or Northern Arizona or any other PAC12 teams didnt have any interest?

 

I hope I am proved wrong, but I just don't see him as a high major player we should be looking for

 

And we beat teams like Quinnipiac, Holy Cross, etc for Tarin Smith who played at one of the best HS's in the country for a HOF coach that puts out top 150 talent yearly.  This guy also missed the majority of his senior year at a major school, to gain more exposure, due to transfer regulations and had to settle playing for a small school for 9 games after spending 3 years at a small unknown school in Detroit.  If I'm comparing the two Evelyn seemed to achieve more in getting offers with limited visibility compared to Smith that was on a very large stage.

[hhcmatt]

Can anyone shed some light on the competition level of Class D Detroit Metro basketball?

 

[MichHusker]

 

Can anyone shed some light on the competition level of Class D Detroit Metro basketball?

 

 

There are some very talented Class D teams in michigan, but the majority of the teams arent very good. I would say 70-80 percent of the teams he would have played during the regular season would be pretty low talent. Luckily since his team was consistently in the state championship, he would have the opportunity to play the top teams in the class. Also i think he played travel basketball for The Family, which has typically been one of the better AAU teams in the state

[MichHusker]

Looking at the schedule his HS team in Michigan played when he was there, he was very fortunate. His coach scheduled a lot of good nonconference games. Alot of coaches will schedule cupcakes

 

http://southfieldchristianeagles.com/basketball/boys/varsity/schedule?season=2013%2F2014

[Swan88]

Thanks for this website, MichHusker!

According to information on the Michigan High School Athletics Association website, it appears that their opponents have the following enrollment numbers:

945 -- Arthur Hill

1,857 -- Pioneer

1,502 -- Walled Lake Western (their only loss)

1,239 -- Southfield

Then, it looks like they went into conference play where schools were much smaller, the largest of which appears to be Detroit Community at 455.

Do these numbers appear to be anywhere near accurate, Mich, or are they way off-base?

[MichHusker]

Swan, those numbers seem to be pretty accurate. Those 4 teams you listed are pretty good. Southfield Lathrup is decent too...and Romulus, even tho it was only a scrimmage, is one of the best teams in Class A

[Swan88]

Swan, those numbers seem to be pretty accurate. Those 4 teams you listed are pretty good. Southfield Lathrup is decent too...and Romulus, even tho it was only a scrimmage, is one of the best teams in Class A

Ha!  Now that's ironic.  Romulus defeated John Glenn (that's Michael Edwards' team) on March 13, 2015, by a score of 71-58.

Looks like Romulus has an enrollment of 950.

By comparison (using NSAA numbers), Nebraska's largest high school enrollment is Omaha Central with 1,889.

[MichHusker]

The thing with Romulus is that they have open enrollment so they take kids from other districts. Poached Justin Moss (current Buffalo stud) and have taken many others

[Swan88]

One further comparison, enrollment at Bakari Evelyn's Michigan high school is listed at 203.  That's about the same as Wahoo.

So, from an enrolment comparison, his team's win over Pioneer would be equivalent to Wahoo beating Omaha Central.

That puts an entirely new perspective on the he-only-played-at-a-small-school tidbit.

[ajb5856]

I don't like looking at the enrollment of a school and considering it the end all be all in terms of how good a player is. Yes, size of school carries some weight because it only makes sense that if you play at a smaller school you have less competition on your own team and you generally play weaker competition. But, believe it or not, there are areas of the country where great ball players can be found at lower enrollment schools. Not every place is like Nebraska where the competition for a D1 player (when they exist) is incredibly weak even at the class A level and then it gets very very weak heading down to the small town levels.

[Silverbacked1]

Ron Baker is that one guy that small school guys can look at and think I can do it.

Scott City has 259 students class 3A

Is he one in a thousand? Yes, but so could be Bakari. Besides after tomorrow he will be a Husker and I will like him even more.

[Navin R. Johnson]

Wasn't Big Country Bryant Reeves from a really small town and school? I think the competition in class A in Nebraska is better than the poster above thinks. Nebraska schools seem to hold their own against some of the top prep schools in the nation when they play them and do well against schools in other states.

[hskr4life]

Its all about how people view sports outside your state.  For example everyone knows Texas is a state with a lot of football talent.  Even if a school from Nebraska beat a Texas school, Texas will be viewed as a state with major football talent. 

 

We just need to change the perception of Nebraska basketball, and playing teams outside of the state only help with that.

[hhcmatt]

http://www.freep.com/article/20140809/HSS/308090119

 

 

 

I agree that Evelyn and his 28 points in the final were a big reason why Southfield Christian captured its third straight Class D title, but the bottom line is that Evelyn is a good player, not a fantastic player, and going to play for Keener because he has college contacts is a joke.

 

An article about the transfer of Michigan players outside of the state to prep schools.

 

Bakari has a legit shot for playing time here as the roster is in flux. However, with Parker established and Watson billed as the real deal it's very possible he doesn't crack the rotation ala Tarin Smith a lot of the year and he gets some chirps in his ear about leaving. You can spin this into a positive or a negative several different ways IMO.

[Red Rum]

 

[AuroranHusker]

[AuroranHusker]

[Norm Peterson]

So, I was thinking now that's he's signed, someone should update the thread title from "VC" to "Signed."

 

Then it dawned on me that, oh yeah, I started this thread ...