Nebrasketballer

Here are some more of Thurman's highlights from Omaha Central's game vs Eagle Landing, GA in the City of Palms Tournament in Fort Meyers, FL. Omaha Central won the game 62-37. http://www.maxpreps.com/video/watch.aspx#!videoid=0e16738f-7bf2-8175-f4c3-f3cab8ea3c2f

Are you guys kidding? Have you watched any of Thurman's videos? It doesn't matter how many guys Nebraska currently has that are at the same position and physical build, you go after him for a number of reasons. If he came to Nebraska, he would instantly be the most athletic long player on the team. Thurman is 6'7", 205 lbs at the beginning of his Jr season and he can leap out of the gym and regularly finishes above the rim with authority. Thurman can also shoot the ball well from outside. As far as Central being thee feeder program in Nebraska...they are. They are the only team with the athletes that can go toe-to-toe with nationally highly ranked teams. One of the teams that Central went toe-to-toe with was Whitney Young (Chicago, IL), which is the team with multiple players that Nebrasketball fans were drooling over when they visited (including 2014 prospect Jahlil Okafor). Central only lost to Whitney Young 60-57. Thurman had 13 points in the game and Agau had 14 points. Central crushes other "good" teams in Nebraska, while going on their 40 game win streak. They are the feeder. Also, it doesn't matter how many scholarships Nebraska has for the 2014 class, they have to go after Thurman. People always talk about "Nebraska has to keep the few in-state D1 prospects from leaving the state", because they are so few and far between. That doesn't just happen on its own. It happens by building relationships with players, coaches, and schools, which happens by recruiting in-state D1 talent when it comes along. I'm not saying that Nebraska is screwed if they don't get Thurman, or that he will be the savior that will take Nebraska to the sweet16, but I am saying that Miles has to recruit this kid as hard as he recruited Agau. As far as the number of offers that he currently has, he just started his Jr season. I can assure you that his offer list will be much more impressive than Atewe's offer list was going into his senior year (who alot of people on this board seem to think Nebraska needs to get locked up), especially after Central played so well in a national tournament infront of multiple D1 coaches. Here is one video of Thurman. The intro of the video lists him as a Jr (which he currently is), but all of the highlights are actually from his So year. http://www.hudl.com/...hlights/9749383

I agree with this 100%. Keep the spot open for Agau until he officially signs. That way the thought will always be in the back of his mind. No matter how slim the chances are that he flips, I think the reward far out weighs the risk. Knowing there is a spot is open for him will make Agau repeatedly keep deciding that he doesn't want to be a Husker. This is why I like that Miles hasn't given up on recruiting him. Make him say 'no' over and over until he signs.

They're only ugly if you haven't drank enough yet...

I, like Norm, would much rather go after a higher caliber player. The only way Nebraska is going to reach a higher level than they have been at over the last 15 years, is to get higher quality players. Players on the same level as Agau. That said, if Miles has to grab a few guys to get through the next year or two that are on a lower level, then I think it is better to get a juco player, because they are probably a little more physically mature than kids coming right out of highschool and they will only fill a spot for 2 years, instead of 4 years. That way Miles can hit the 2015 class hard.

Yeah I saw that yesterday when I drove by. It looks sharp and is really starting to come together.

Awesome! I'll give you half if I win.

Psychic?

"Enjoy your cigar outside the stadium and become an "actual" fan and not a "socialite" fan." Haha.

An Article in the Lincoln Journal Star by Nancy Hicks "Arena's pedestrian bridge will be iconic L-I-N-C-O-L-N". It talks about the pedestrian bridge that will be part of the Pinnacle Bank Arena / West Haymarket Development projects. Some Excerpts from the article (which is linked below): The 611-foot pedestrian bridge that will link parking areas near the Haymarket Park baseball stadium to Pinnacle Bank Arena will be an iconic image for Lincoln, with the city’s name visible inside and out, Mayor Chris Beutler said as he unveiled the bridge design Thursday. The letters L-I-N-C-O-L-N will be visible from above and on each side of the pedestrian bridge. The letters will be illuminated by the sun during the day and by lights at night. Pedestrians crossing the bridge -- the length of two football fields -- will be able to stop at each of the seven 15- to 18-foot-high letters to read stories about the "rich history that defines our city,” Beutler said. "When you look at this design more closely, it is truly a piece of art," he said. A map of the area shows the pedestrian bridge leading to the arena from a proposed "festival space" that includes the proposed Breslow Ice Center. The current pedestrian bridge across the railroad yard, linking the baseball stadium to the Haymarket retail district, will remain. The exterior of the new bridge is a big bold statement and the interior is indicative of what is happening on the outside, but in a more subtle way, said Stephen Hopkins of Dimensional Innovations, the Overland Park, Kan.-company paid $90,000 to design it. http://journalstar.com/special-section/arena/arena-s-pedestrian-bridge-will-be-iconic-l-i-n/article_d8369591-6ce9-5a33-8e2d-e9c464aee764.html

I'm sure most Husker Hoops Central members already know about this site, but just in case there are some that haven't seen it yet, I thought I would post the link, so they can check it out. It's a pretty cool site with alot of information about the new arena. http://www.pinnaclebankarena.com/

Haha. Agree

Ok, if that's the case, then go after Coach Walt...

A guy like Mike Irvin of Mac Irvin Fire could have recruiting ties to the Chicago area that reach far beyond the players that he actually coached himself. His father, Mac Irvin, is known as the Godfather. Excerpts from an article in the Chicago Sun-Times (Full article linked below): Irvin is 74 years old, a former Tilden basketball player and Xerox executive. He started working in South Side basketball programs in the early 1970’s and eventually built his club basketball program, the Mac Irvin Fire, into the most dominant in the city. “I’m not sure when they started calling him The Godfather,” said Sonny Parker, a former NBA player who played for and coached with Irvin. “It’s been at least 20 years now.” Wherever it started, the nickname stuck because it fit. Irvin’s influence on the Chicago basketball scene over the past 30 years is unrivaled. He’s mentored two generations of Chicago basketball players, literally inventing summer basketball and as a result, often serving as the gatekeeper to the richest talent pool in the country. Irvin has handed the program over to his son Mike, and it’s experiencing a massive resurgence. Nearly every high-major talent in the city is in the program, from Jabari Parker to Tommy Hamilton Jr. (his father played for Irvin as well). http://highschoolspo...rvins-town.html

Yeah, schools bring in AAU coaches all the time for their recruiting ties. Doug Martin at Villanova...13 coaches from the DC Assault program have become assistant coaches. One of those coaches is Dalonte Hill, who was hired at Kansas State because Bob Huggins knew Michael Beasley would come along with him and is now an assistant at Maryland. David Cox is responsible for three starters at Rutgers. Martin is the fourth Takeover guy to get a Division I coaching job. Kenny Johnson’s hiring at Indiana helped Tom Crean land a commitment from Stanford Robinson. Ben Howland hired Korey McCray of the Atlanta Celtics last June and has two Atlanta natives in this year’s recruiting class, Tony Parker and Jordan Adams.

A few excerpts from the article: Schools across the country are building facilities such as the one Creighton plans, and some are extravagant in what they offer. Rasmussen said his goal is to provide things that might be attractive to potential student-athletes but not at the expense of more practical features. “We've looked at a lot of other facilities,” Rasmussen said. “A lot of the extras you see, the things that provide a ‘wow factor,' aren't necessary for a coach to conduct a practice. But they do set you apart, and we're certainly taking a look at those things. “But we're looking at it from what adds quality. I doubt if we'll have an iPad in every locker, but we're going to make certain the athletic learning center has quality study areas and equipment. In the gym, we'll make sure we do a good job with lighting and video capabilities in addition to recognizing the history of Creighton basketball. “Those are things that can set us apart and make a statement about what we think is important.” In that regard, Rasmussen said, the new facility will provide prospective recruits in all sports a sense that Creighton is committed to their total college experience. The weight room and athletic training areas are important in what he calls prehab and rehab in injury prevention and treatment. The academic learning center will provide for the educational needs. “I would rather put a quarter of a million dollars into an underwater treadmill than that same amount in iPods and flat-screen TVs,” he said. “That would be a statement as to what's important for us.”

Awesome video Norm. Just hearing Miles talk makes you believe in him and the future of the program.

Go after Mike Irvin, even if his only reason for being on staff is for recruiting

Awesome that Miles has already started to build a relationship with a young guy like this. Now he just needs to get the Husker train headed in the right direction by the time he is old enough to sign, so he can feel good about that Nebrasketball commit.

Definately out of my comfort zone

Yeah. Hopefully Miles can get a foothold in the Chicago area soon

You got that right!

I guess I was exaggerating the point that I was trying to make. I was trying to point out that since Agau, Brown, and Foster have committed to schools other than Nebraska, if Miles was to go after Atewe, it would be a step down to the #4 PF target on his list for the 2013 class. In my opinion, it is less advantageous for Nebraska to take a PF that is much less decorated than Agau (both with star rankings and offers from other schools), simply for the sake of taking a PF in the 2013 class. It is my opinion that Miles is recruiting a few players in the 2014 class that are on the same level as Agau, so if Miles were to land a commit from one of them, it would not be a step down getting them instead of Agau.

First of all, it is ridiculous to compare Atewe to Webster. Webster made the New Zealand national team at age 17. He started scoring 20 points against teams like Greece and Angola in FIBA Olympic qualifying play. He is the youngest player to ever make the New Zealand national team. He averaged 13.5 points in Olympic qualifying play while shooting 52.5 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent from three-point range. His club team advanced to the Under-19 New Zealand National League championship. Webster scored 42 points in that game. Webster also had guys like ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla (said he watched tapes of all of Webster’s Olympic qualifying games, and has kept tabs on Webster through friends in New Zealand) saying things like: - “This is a definite coup for the Huskers.” - "If Webster was playing in the Unites States he’d be a Top 25 recruit." - “I’d be shocked if there were 25 better 17-year-old players in the States than this kid.” - “I mean, you’re talking about some really great teams. Some high-level, NBA types, European professional players, the young man acquitted himself well. Really well.” As far as getting hung up on star rankings (like its a new concept, or something), let's instead use the criteria that many are suggesting on this thread to be a more accurate method of evaluating and comparing Atewe and Agau. People keep bringing up Atewe's offer list as a better measure of his talent than star rankings from recruiting services, so: Matthew Atewe offer list: Kansas State, Marquette, Memphis, Auburn, Dayton, Clemson, Duquesne, Nevada and UNC-Charlotte. Akoy Agau offer list: Louisville, Baylor, Cincinnati, Clemson, Colorado St, UConn, Creighton, DePaul, Drake, Florida, Georgetown, Georgia, Indiana St, Iowa, Jacksonville, Kansas St, Marquette, Memphis, Minnesota, Mississippi St, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, Oregon, Penn St, Providence, Rice, San Francisco, Tennessee, Tulsa, USC, West Virginia, Western Kentucky, Wichita St, and Xavier. I've never once said that Atewe is worse than every player that has been assigned a star ranking. I never even compared Atewe to every player that has been assigned a star rating. As I stated in a previous post on this thread, I'm not saying that Atewe can't end up being a good player. All I am saying is that I think Atewe is not on the same level as Agau, so going after him (Atewe) would be a step down (from Agau). It is my opinion that Miles is recruiting a few players in the 2014 class that are on the same level as Agau, so if Miles were to land a commit from one of them, it would not be a step down getting them instead of Agau.

Haha