ChiefsPlanet

ChiefsPlanet (https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/index.php)
-   Nzoner's Game Room (https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/forumdisplay.php?f=1)
-   -   MU ****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread**** (https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=306817)

Sure-Oz 04-05-2017 05:54 PM

Stupid to get on these kids. Makes the media types look childish

KChiefs1 04-05-2017 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut (Post 12811196)
So YOU'RE the assholes....



That was a spot in section 7; sold out literally minutes before we called in.


Sorry dude. I didn't have much to do with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-05-2017 07:06 PM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
http://scouthoops.scout.com/story/17...ith-kevin-knox


Hoop Summit: 1 on 1 with five-star forward Kevin Knox
EVAN DANIELS
6:35 PM

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Five-star forward Kevin Knox is among the participants at the Nike Hoop Summit. Knox discussed his recruitment, adding a new schools to his list (Missouri) and setting up potential in-home visits.


Kevin Knox
6'8" / 205 lbs


Analysis:
Kevin Knox emerged in the summer prior to his junior year at the USA Basketball U16 trials and not only made the team, but was a factor. By the following spring, Knox was recognized as an elite level talent and he's continued to improve. A 6-foot-8 long, lean forward, Knox is a gifted athlete that has impressive leaping ability and is quick off his feet. Knox is versatile and able to play as a wing or in a face up four role. With his size, length, athleticism and instincts, Knox is a good rebounder and he consistently looks to take defensive rebounds and start the break. Offensively he has a versatile and much improved attack. He's impressive in transition, does a good job of finishing off plays at the rim off drives and cuts to the basket and he's also a much improved shooter from mid-range out to three. Although he's not a consistent shooter from distance, his shot mechanics are very good and he's on track to be a good shooter from three-point range in time.

https://youtu.be/kbTIGN3Eu8M



https://youtu.be/4cTiq_d0E2Y







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-05-2017 08:28 PM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
I know Mizzou is relevant again when North Carolina fans are talking about you.

http://www.scout.com/college/north-c...-tilmon?page=1

http://www.scout.com/college/north-c...ew-nike-summit





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pasta Little Brioni 04-05-2017 08:37 PM

Those fans can't stand the thought of another school getting elite talent ROFL

Chiefspants 04-05-2017 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball (Post 12811529)
Those fans can't stand the thought of another school getting elite talent ROFL

Admit it, you're a tad excited for hoops next year.

Pasta Little Brioni 04-05-2017 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiefspants (Post 12811562)
Admit it, you're a tad excited for hoops next year.

Will that change the sport as a whole from being a shell of it's former self? Kind of like the NFL...the ****s being given drop a bit each year.

Pepe Silvia 04-05-2017 10:50 PM

Illinois fans want out of the Braggin rights' series. lol They may as well, they did it in Football when they couldn't win.....once.

Best22 04-05-2017 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball (Post 12811529)
Those fans can't stand the thought of another school getting elite talent ROFL

It makes me feel funny down there...

Swanman 04-06-2017 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PackerinMo (Post 12811655)
Illinois fans want out of the Braggin rights' series. lol They may as well, they did it in Football when they couldn't win.....once.

This fan doesn't. I am glad that both teams will potentially be better. It makes for an amazing atmosphere.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

OmahaChief 04-06-2017 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KChiefs1 (Post 12811508)
I know Mizzou is relevant again when North Carolina fans are talking about you.

http://www.scout.com/college/north-c...-tilmon?page=1

http://www.scout.com/college/north-c...ew-nike-summit





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

UNC complaining or saying some fishy is going on at Mizzou is rich. This coming from the home of academic scandals and their athletic teams. I hope they get nuked by the NCAA.

KChiefs1 04-06-2017 08:26 AM

Great read;

https://missouri.rivals.com/news/mar...set-the-course





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

raybec 4 04-06-2017 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OmahaChief (Post 12811793)
UNC complaining or saying some fishy is going on at Mizzou is rich. This coming from the home of academic scandals and their athletic teams. I hope they get nuked by the NCAA.

Yep, the NCAA has been dragging the fake class thing ot forever in hopes people will forget about it.

Pasta Little Brioni 04-06-2017 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raybec 4 (Post 12811947)
Yep, the NCAA has been dragging the fake class thing ot forever in hopes people will forget about it.

They swept that and the Larryville stuff under the rug quite quickly. Sad.

DJ's left nut 04-06-2017 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raybec 4 (Post 12811947)
Yep, the NCAA has been dragging the fake class thing ot forever in hopes people will forget about it.

Good.

Anything that makes Jayhawk fans sad makes me happy. And man, do they have some jilted ex-girlfriend shit going on with Roy Williams or what? It chaps their ass something awful that he left for NC and has done better than Self has at Kansas.

"That's okay...we're too good for him"

{watches him have more success there than at Lawrence....eats a tub of ice cream}

Oh sure, they'll rationalize it - "ROY CHEATS!!!" - as the women's basketball team has to suspend another player for getting attacked by one of the men's teams high profile recruits.

I love seeing North Carolina do well and apart from any team that's playing Kansas, there's nobody I pull for more than Roy and his heels.

raybec 4 04-06-2017 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut (Post 12811957)
Good.

Anything that makes Jayhawk fans sad makes me happy. And man, do they have some jilted ex-girlfriend shit going on with Roy Williams or what? It chaps their ass something awful that he left for NC and has done better than Self has at Kansas.

"That's okay...we're too good for him"

{watches him have more success there than at Lawrence....eats a tub of ice cream}

Oh sure, they'll rationalize it - "ROY CHEATS!!!" - as the women's basketball team has to suspend another player for getting attacked by one of the men's teams high profile recruits.

I love seeing North Carolina do well and apart from any team that's playing Kansas, there's nobody I pull for more than Roy and his heels.

That's rich - "Well young lady, if you hadn't been near him he wouldn't have raped you!"

Chiefspants 04-06-2017 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut (Post 12811957)
Good.

Anything that makes Jayhawk fans sad makes me happy. And man, do they have some jilted ex-girlfriend shit going on with Roy Williams or what? It chaps their ass something awful that he left for NC and has done better than Self has at Kansas.

"That's okay...we're too good for him"

{watches him have more success there than at Lawrence....eats a tub of ice cream}

Oh sure, they'll rationalize it - "ROY CHEATS!!!" - as the women's basketball team has to suspend another player for getting attacked by one of the men's teams high profile recruits.

I love seeing North Carolina do well and apart from any team that's playing Kansas, there's nobody I pull for more than Roy and his heels.

The NCAA will never penalize a championship team (they have to maintain their spotless record) and frankly, KU fans should be thankful that they're hesitant to go after successful teams (even when they cracked down on Syracuse, they didn't strip away their championship).

Otherwise, issues brought by players like Cliff Alexander could easily fall back on KU with an overzealous NCAA.

bowener 04-06-2017 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blake5676 (Post 12810837)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jeremiah Tilmon has asked for his release from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Illinois?src=hash">#Illinois</a>. Assuming the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Illini?src=hash">#Illini</a> give it to him, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mizzou?src=hash">#Mizzou</a> likely to be considered favorite</p>&mdash; Eric Bossi (@ebosshoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/ebosshoops/status/849679125426180096">April 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Here's our big. Let's hope.

If we get Tilmon and play him at Center, MPJ at PF, and Knox (if we got him) at SF, what do we do with Jontay Porter?

What an incredibly tall and athletic lineup. Phillips already had some crazy assist numbers for MU, I can easily see him blowing up Pressey's record of 117. Or do you see him losing starting time to Roberts?

Mike in SW-MO 04-06-2017 09:55 AM

I love that when I see the Mizzou logo now, my response is:
"Oh good, what has happened now?"

Instead of:
"Oh no. What has happened now?"

Spott 04-06-2017 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OmahaChief (Post 12811793)
UNC complaining or saying some fishy is going on at Mizzou is rich. This coming from the home of academic scandals and their athletic teams. I hope they get nuked by the NCAA.

Seems pretty silly for people to be criticizing where someone decides to go to college. But they are from the south where getting a college education is generally frowned upon.

Sure-Oz 04-06-2017 10:32 AM

@bschaeffer12: .@Frank_Cusumano: Mizzou says Tilmon won't visit Columbia w/ Knox this weekend. He also says SLU will not get involved in recruiting Tilmon.

dlphg9 04-06-2017 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz (Post 12812095)
@bschaeffer12: .@Frank_Cusumano: Mizzou says Tilmon won't visit Columbia w/ Knox this weekend. He also says SLU will not get involved in recruiting Tilmon.

Is this good or bad?

DJ's left nut 04-06-2017 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlphg9 (Post 12812101)
Is this good or bad?

Probably neither.

Rumors are that Illinois wasn't going to give him his release before this weekend precisely because they didn't want him down here with Porter, Knox and Harris this weekend.

Illinois still thinks they can stay in this because of Walker so they'll play nice...but not TOO nice. They know that they'd get blown out of the water if he came down this weekend so they're going to stall a little.

With a kid that's been a pretty notorious flake to this point in his recruitment, that's probably wise.

Dartgod 04-06-2017 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut (Post 12812105)
Probably neither.

Rumors are that Illinois wasn't going to give him his release before this weekend precisely because they didn't want him down here with Porter, Knox and Harris this weekend.

Illinois still thinks they can stay in this because of Walker so they'll play nice...but not TOO nice. They know that they'd get blown out of the water if he came down this weekend so they're going to stall a little.

With a kid that's been a pretty notorious flake to this point in his recruitment, that's probably wise.

I was just going to ask if he could even visit until he is released from his LOI. I would assume not.

Prison Bitch 04-06-2017 10:44 AM

Carlton Bragg is now available.

raybec 4 04-06-2017 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch (Post 12812116)
Carlton Bragg is now available.

Oh good, an under achieving shithead. Maybe he can turn it around somewhere else.

Titty Meat 04-06-2017 11:18 AM

Just think all Pete Bell would have to do is offer a blue chip kids dad a job and he wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble and we could have had a Blue Chips II!

O.city 04-06-2017 11:22 AM

Wonder where the guys will go this weekend. Is eyeofthetiger still there? Big 12 closed downtown IIRC, Harps is still there. Trops etc.

Prison Bitch 04-06-2017 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigMeatballBillay (Post 12812184)
Just think all Pete Bell would have to do is offer a blue chip kids dad a job and he wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble and we could have had a Blue Chips II!

Nope. Can't win with only 1 stud and a garbage coach, as Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz proved last 2 years. Pete Bell needed Neon PLUS

Titty Meat 04-06-2017 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch (Post 12812205)
Nope. Can't win with only 1 stud and a garbage coach, as Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz proved last 2 years. Pete Bell needed Neon PLUS

Mizzou is going to get at least 1 more 5* and maybe a few more after that. They'll be a talented team next year.

O.city 04-06-2017 11:28 AM

It was McCray that ****ed the whole thing up. His mom had to have all that shit and it ****ed with coach Bells mind.

Swanman 04-06-2017 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut (Post 12812105)
Probably neither.

Rumors are that Illinois wasn't going to give him his release before this weekend precisely because they didn't want him down here with Porter, Knox and Harris this weekend.

Illinois still thinks they can stay in this because of Walker so they'll play nice...but not TOO nice. They know that they'd get blown out of the water if he came down this weekend so they're going to stall a little.

With a kid that's been a pretty notorious flake to this point in his recruitment, that's probably wise.

Illinois won't do it, but they could use the reason of Mizzou being on the schedule every year as a reason to release him, but not let him go to Mizzou.

It's been a strange several days with him. He reconfirmed his commitment over Twitter over the weekend and then 2 days later he requested his release.

Pitt Gorilla 04-06-2017 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swanman (Post 12812262)
Illinois won't do it, but they could use the reason of Mizzou being on the schedule every year as a reason to release him, but not let him go to Mizzou.

It's been a strange several days with him. He reconfirmed his commitment over Twitter over the weekend and then 2 days later he requested his release.

literally not possible. They either release him or they don't. There are no caveats.

DJ's left nut 04-06-2017 12:19 PM

Pretty good article on some fallback options; transfer guys (a few grad transfers that would help the frontcourt a lot)

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals....ransfer-market

Pasta Little Brioni 04-06-2017 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch (Post 12812116)
Carlton Bragg is now available.

Trash just like the turd bringing his name to the thread

KChiefs1 04-06-2017 07:44 PM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
Getting this guy just got harder.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ccdf352833.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a53e2f299b.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-06-2017 07:45 PM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...233ccb9c88.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...142ee7d397.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-06-2017 09:04 PM

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ind..._tv_watch.html





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch (Post 12812116)
Carlton Bragg is now available.


Heard KU wants Tilmon too.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pasta Little Brioni 04-07-2017 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KChiefs1 (Post 12813838)
Heard KU wants Tilmon too.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They will offer him a ton of coin

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 07:11 AM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2e5fe276e8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0ff9a5457a.jpg

https://youtu.be/RIk7FIqKzVw
https://youtu.be/LNVsSP_Dbsw



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 09:46 AM

http://imgur.com/BEe0Rb4.gif


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 10:25 AM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colum...179e16c4b.html

High-end college basketball recruiting has never been more treacherous, as Missouri and Illinois fans are seeing first hand.

Summer teams hold great sway over the elite players. Kids often jump from high school to high school. Many of the top private school programs are just basketball mills, set up to develop blue-chip players.

Kids are antsy. They commit and pull back. They sign and want out. They play and then transfer or, if all goes well, jump early to the NBA. College rosters remain in constant flux and coaches just have to make the best of it.

Failed Mizzou coach Kim Anderson had little taste for all of this drama. His replacement, Cuonzo Martin, embraces the challenge.

Failed Illinois coach John Groce made headway on the recruiting trail, but couldn't convert that success to progress on the court. Now replacement Brad Underwood is going "all in" to move the program forward.

That brings us to the case of East St. Louis center Jeremiah Tilmon, who recently asked out of his letter of intent with Illinois. Champaign News-Gazette columnist Loren Tate picks up the story:

Groce and assistant coach Jamall Walker spent three years romancing Tilmon and his mother, with whom he lived. It was an expensive, time-consuming task, marked by trips and frequent evening calls, and it was working right through Tilmon’s re-confirmation of his commitment earlier this week.

But Cuonzo Martin, an East St. Louis product who has a sister, Valencia, teaching in the school, made Tilmon a priority as soon as he took the Missouri job. Concurrent with his move from California was the new involvement of Tilmon’s father as the broker in the case.

Mizzou now has Tilmon’s ear *— with full support of the father — and the family split is such that Tilmon is reportedly no longer residing with his mother. Tilmon mentioned Walker’s name in his request for a release from Illinois, a gesture of friendship. But barring another reversal, his deal with Missouri is completed.

If you question what might be happening outside NCAA rules, consider that this back-and-forth movement occurred during an impermissible contact week called the “dead period.”

Look, I know what happened. You know what happened. That’s college basketball in 2017.

The Illini, fast becoming a habitual loser in these dealings, is on the verge of being snookered out of the best-ever trio to emerge from Metro East in a single season.

Althoff’s Jordan Goodwin, the state’s premier player before shoulder surgery, was swayed to Saint Louis when his AAU coach became an assistant there. We now see Martin swooping up Tilmon for Missouri. And Michigan State’s Tom Izzo is high on the list of throngs seeking Mr. Basketball, Mark Smith of Edwardsville.

Martin is making a big push for Smith, too, but he is playing catch-up. He is hoping that the lure of playing with top NBA prospect Michael Porter Jr. -- who came to Mizzou after his father returned to the school as the top-paid assistant on the staff -- will attract Smith and other blue-chip players to Columbia.

Meanwhile, Underwood has hired and unleashed Orlando Antigua, one of the sports elite recruiters. So what if Antigua drew the attention of the NCAA for some academic malfeasance on his watch as South Florida head coach?

Chicago Tribune columnist David Haugh had this to say about that:

Illini sympathizers argue that the affable Antigua spent six years on coach John Calipari's staff at Kentucky, recruiting future NBA stars such as Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Karl-Anthony Towns and John Wall. The names speak for themselves. But so do the letters from the NCAA, which are likely to follow Antigua from Tampa to Champaign.

Like Tipsheet said yesterday, it's on.

IT'S JUST BUSINESS
Why do coaches go through all of this? Well, for one thing it pays well.

When Groce hired on with Illinois in 2012, his contract called for $400,000 salary in base pay, $1 million per year for media/marketing work plus various assorted incentives. In 2014 he earned an extension that bumped his compensation up to $1.7 million per year, plus bonuses.

When he got canned this year, he collected a $1.7 million buyout for the final two years of his contract.

His replacement at Illinois, Underwood, got a six-year deal worth $18 million.

When Groce landed on his feet at Akron this week, his six-year contract called for compensation of $350,000 per year in the first two years. Power conference jobs pay a multiple of mid-level jobs.

Which is why the power conference guys are willing to play the recruiting game.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

DJ's left nut 04-07-2017 10:28 AM

Quote:

Failed Mizzou coach Kim Anderson had little taste for all of this drama.
No shit - he'd just go get Cullen VanLeer and call it a day. No worry about him flipping commits if all he has to fall back on is D2 offers. Way to outthink the competition, Kim. They're spending all that time/energy recruiting kids that may not play for them afterall while you're just plucking off all that sweet, sweet low hanging fruit and then taking a nap.

Naps are important, Kim. Getting your rest is a big deal for guys your age. I'm glad to see you had your priorities in line.

Pitt Gorilla 04-07-2017 11:16 AM

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RIk7FIqKzVw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 01:41 PM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colle...ng-in-columbia

Mizzou Five for Friday: Knox Landing in Columbia?

COLUMBIA, MO. • It's Five for Friday, Mizzou Edition. We can’t promise this will return as a regular weekly item, but it’s here today, so read away.



First, a recap of the Mizzou week that was in links …

C.J. Roberts sticks with pledge to Mizzou
Walton, Hughes plan to leave Mizzou
Cuonzo Martin’s dreams come true
Martin hires Mizzou coaching staff
East St. Louis’ Tilmon opens recruiting options
Howard resurfaces on a mission along Mizzou D-line
Will 5-star recruit Kevin Knox follow Porter to Mizzou?




1. Knox Landing?

Unlike a lot of blue chip recruits, Kevin Knox spent his entire high school career at the same school and wasn’t a nationwide vagabond hopping from school to school. He arrived at Tampa Catholic High as a 6-3 guard with raw skills and boundless energy. He made the varsity as a freshman but didn’t start. On the AAU circuit he was overshadowed some by teammates Tony Bradley, now at North Carolina, and Jonathan Issac, now at Florida State. His sophomore year, Knox became a starter for Don Dziagwa and started to grow and develop into a star.

“He was just this 6-3 skinny ninth grader that had a great work ethic,” Dziagwa said.

At Tampa Catholic, classes start at 8. Dziagwa’s son, Thomas Dziagwa, was a star player on the team, a year older than Knox. (Dziagwa now plays for Oklahoma State).

“One year my son said, ‘Dad, I want to get to school early so we can work out for an hour before class,'” Dziagwa said. “So we started getting there at 7. Kevin stated coming to those morning workouts. Then he grew from 6-3 to 6-5 to 6-6 and now he’s 6-9. But his work ethic is a great story for me to tell people. We always knew he’d be a pretty good player, but as a ninth grader he shot just 48 percent from the free throw line and averaged about six points a game. He was OK, a good high school player and maybe he’d play college ball. But he kept getting better and better.”

After his sophomore year, Knox earned one of the last invitations to the USA 16-and-under national tryouts and made the team. The next summer, he made the 17-and-under team.

“It’s been a neat meteoric rise to be honest with you,” Dziagwa said.

As a 6-3 guard, Knox began his high school career working with the guards in practice in ball-handling and shooting drills. “It was never like we stuck him down in the post,” his coach said. “We didn’t know he was going to be 6-9. But the way the game has changed if I had a 6-9 freshman I’d probably have him do all of our guard drills.”

When Knox pulled down a rebound, Dziagwa let him run the floor and bring the ball up the court. He developed a reliable 3-point shot, too.

Any of this sound familiar? It should. From a 2016 P-D story on Michael Porter Jr.:
Orthopedic specialists took a look at his growth plate and indicated he’d one day tower over his 6-4 parents. But Michael Sr. left nothing to chance. If youth coaches tried making Porter a post player, Michael Sr. yanked him off the team. Eventually, he started training him ball-handling and shooting skills. “Even though the orthopedic doctor said that, there was no guarantee,” Michael Sr. said. “I didn’t want him to get to high school and be a 6-4 post player.”

Dziagwa usually prefers players sign their letter of intent in November so they can focus on their senior season, but even though Knox delayed his decision until the spring, he had no trouble putting aside his college choice during the season.

“For us, he was all about winning,” Dziagwa said. “It wasn’t about Kevin Knox. It was all about Tampa Catholic. If he ends up being a one-and-done that one year (in college) wherever he’s at he’s going to devote himself totally to help the team get into the NCAA Tournament and do well in their conference.”

Knox was recently Florida Dairy Farmers' Mr. Basketball, the state's player of the year honor. Past winners include Vernon Maxwell, Vince Carter, Teddy Dupay, Amar'e Stoudamire, Brandon Knight, Austin Rivers, Joel Berry and Antonio Blakeney.



2. Book of Jeremiah

What’s the latest on East St. Louis center Jeremiah Tilmon? A source said Friday that Illinois has not granted Tilmon’s request to be released from his letter of intent, but he’s expected to be released soon. “It could be any day or moment,” the source said. Should that happen Missouri figures to have a strong chance to land the 6-10 center — though his recruitment has been mysterious at times.

“I would be shocked if he doesn’t end up at Missouri,” Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Corey Evans said. “One of the big things Illinois had going for them was keeping (assistant coach) Jamall Walker. I guess some things happened behind closed doors.”

There are mixed reviews about Tilmon’s skill level after a senior season that saw him average 16 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. But Missouri desperately needs a functional big man — and not necessarily a prolific scorer. If Tilmon can rebound, play post defense and protect the rim to some degree, he’d be an immediate impact for the Tigers.

Here’s a Tilmon scouting report courtesy ESPN.com:
He's broadly built with wide shoulders, a naturally strong frame and good agility and athleticism for his size. He runs the floor well, has good use of both hands and plays with a ton of sheer force around the rim. He's a powerful finisher who can leap through contact and loves to get on the offensive glass. Right now, his biggest impact is on the defensive end of the floor. He's an excellent rim protector who both blocks shots and challenges just about everything at the rim. ... His defense is ahead of his offense right now and so while he shoots a very high percentage from the floor, he's not a signature piece on the offensive end. He'll show you flashes around the paint with agile footwork and dexterity but he doesn't have a go-to move with his back to the basket and so he's not a guy you can play off of yet in a half-court game. Because he's such an aggressive shot-blocker he also tends to be foul prone and a much better rebounder on the offensive end than the defensive end. … He's a top national prospect with a ton of physical upside but right now his game is based off blocking shots, running the floor, finishing inside and providing a physical presence inside the paint on both ends.



3. Better late than never

Back to Knox. Common sense tells you Mizzou would have considerable ground to make on the programs that have recruited Knox for more than a year. The coaches at his other four choices have built relationships with the player, his family and coaches. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and North Carolina’s Roy Williams are regulars at Tampa Catholic, Dziagwa said. Knox knows Florida State well with both parents, Kevin and Michelle, having played football and volleyball, respectively, at the state school.

But here’s a case where a latecomer like Mizzou can get into the mix quickly: Elite five-star recruits like Knox might spend only a year on campus—and realistically, about nine months — which changes the criteria for the player during the selection process. Possible one-and-done recruits are less invested in factors outside of the basketball program.

“When I interview some kids that are fringe top 100 guys, I ask them what they really want in a school,” Evans said. “It’s the system, the fit, the school environment, the academics. When you talk to top 25 kids, it’s skill development, the coach’s ability to get guys in the NBA and marketability. For these higher-level one-and-done prospects it’s more about the fastest route to the NBA.”

For Knox, there already figures to be a national spotlight on Mizzou this season because of Porter’s presence, but he’ll also have the chance for more minutes, touches and shots compared to, say, Kentucky, where John Calipari has signed another top-rated class stocked with readymade NBA talent.

“I think Missouri certainly is a very interesting, different type school than the other (finalists),” Dziagwa said. “Not that Missouri can’t be good … but Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky have already signed so many players.”



4. Where will Martin’s first class rank?

Knox is visiting Mizzou this weekend, along with three-star guard Blake Harris from Raleigh, N.C. Martin is also heavily pursuing Edwardsville guard Mark Smith.

As of now, 247Sports.com’s composite class rankings has Mizzou’s class of two (Porter and C.J. Roberts) at No. 47. The 247 composite rankings average all the class rankings by national recruiting outlets. The site has a fun class calculator tool that allows you to plug other recruits into team’s classes to get a projection of where the class will ultimately rank. Mind you, there are a lot of uncommitted recruits still out there, so other team’s rankings will change eventually, too.

Here’s where Mizzou would rank under a few different scenarios:

Porter, Roberts, Knox, Harris, Tilmon, Smith: 69.66 points, No. 2

Porter, Roberts, Knox, Harris, Tilmon: 69.21, No. 2

Porter, Roberts, Knox, Harris: 65.72, No. 5

Porter, Roberts, Harris, Tilmon: 65.04 , No. 5

Porter, Roberts, Tilmon, Smith: 65.94, No. 5

Porter, Roberts, Harris: 56.28, No. 16

Porter, Roberts, Tilmon: 61.27, No. 11

If Missouri ends up with a top 20 class, it would mark the sixth time in 15 years. Here’s where Mizzou’s best classes have ranked in the modern age of recruiting class rankings, as rated by 247’s composite rankings:

2016: No. 64

2015: No. 48

2014: No. 11

2013: No. 16

2012: No. 58

2011: No. 215

2010: No. 14

2009: No. 53

2008: No. 43

2007: No. 243

2006: No. 48

2005: No. 37

2004: No. 11



5. Chemistry class

One quick note on Mizzou football. Second-year defensive coordinator DeMontie Cross gave a very interesting answer to a simple question after Thursday’s practice. Asked why he’s more confident with this year’s defense compared to last, Cross said this:

“Chemistry. It works wonders. When you have guys on the same page and nobody’s really worried about who gets the accolades, that’s the makings of something really special. Right now we’ve got a group guys who are all happy about being part of something. Nobody’s complaining about the scheme, about their opportunities to do things. From that standpoint it’s refreshing to see guys pulling for each other, whether they’re one or two or three (on the depth chart). Everybody’s pulling for each other whether it’s the front or the back end. We’ve got walk-ons making plays and the guys are going nuts on the sidelines. Last year’s team we dealt with a lot of adversities on and off the field and we could never really get it going quite well enough. When you have success it breeds confidence. We didn’t have enough success really, so that confidence didn’t come until later. Right now I don’t think that’ll be a problem coming up.”

Some veteran Missouri players openly grumbled about last year’s scheme change. Barry Odom made the switch back to Mizzou’s previous defense midway through the season, but the complaining clearly touched a nerve with Cross.



Extra Points

Martin continues to finalize his staff: Paul Rorvig will stay on Mizzou’s staff as director of operations. Marco Harris, Martin’s former high school teammate and staffer at Cal and Tennessee, will be MU’s director of player development. Nicodemus Christopher, Martin’s strength coach at Cal, will have the same role at Mizzou, the director of athletic performance. Christopher endeared himself to The Antlers student fan group with this quote in MU’s press release: “I’ve quickly noticed the excitement that is in the air in Columbia. It’s an amazing feeling. The support for Mizzou’s program is everywhere, from the students, to those Antlers, to local business owners. You can tell everyone wants Mizzou Basketball to succeed.” … Question left to ponder this weekend: If Martin lands his next prized recruit, does Mizzou Arena transform into Fort Knox or the Porter House for 2017-18? … Mark Smith was once a Mizzou baseball commitment but has blown up as a national basketball recruit. Kentucky offered him a scholarship Thursday. Michigan State has recruited him heavily, too. ... Odom's staff has offered scholarships to multiple 2018 quarterbacks in recent days: Cammon Cooper (Lehi, Utah), Tyler Shough (Chandler, Ariz.) and Chase Wolf (Cincinnati, Ohio), but it appears the Tigers are still locked in on James Foster (Montgomery, Ala.) as its top QB option for 2018. As for the current team, coordinator Josh Heupel has been high on redshirt freshman Micah Wilson's campaign to become Drew Lock's backup this fall. "He’s starting to see defenses a lot better," Heupel said Thursday. "The game is still fast but it slows down for him every single day. He’s done a really good job. One of the things we talk about is not making the same mistake twice. If you learn from the mistake you’ve got a chance. He’s done a good job of when he’s made a mistake learning from it.






Will 5-star forward Knox follow Porter to Mizzou?

COLUMBIA, MO. • The fortunes of Missouri’s basketball program swung wildly from one extreme to another on March 24, the day Michael Porter Jr. announced he’d make Mizzou his stopover to the NBA.

Not only did the Tigers and new coach Cuonzo Martin land the No. 1 high school prospect in the country, Porter hopes to bring along some friends, including a player who never would have imagined calling Mizzou Arena home, even for just a season.

Last summer, five-star recruit Kevin Knox of Tampa, Fla., trimmed his list of schools to the bluest of blue bloods: Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and now national champion North Carolina, plus local option Florida State, where both his parents were athletes.

He’s since added a new choice. Knox plans to be at Mizzou this weekend on an official recruiting visit, flanked by Porter, his fellow five-star recruit who’s now the most valuable asset and recruiter for Martin’s program.

“Two weeks ago Kevin Knox probably had no idea where the University of Missouri was,” Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Corey Evans said. “But now Michael Porter’s there and Knox is a day away from being in Columbia for 48 hours.”

Knox and Porter are playing in the Nike Summit Friday night in Portland, Ore., then taking a late flight to Missouri to be in Columbia on Saturday for their weekend visit. Blake Harris, a three-star guard from Raleigh, N.C., is also visiting Mizzou this weekend. Like Porter, Harris signed with Washington in the fall but was released from his letter of intent after the school fired coach Lorenzo Romar. C.J. Roberts, a four-star guard from Dallas who signed with MU last fall, is making travel plans to be in Columbia, too, his father, Craig Roberts, confirmed Thursday.

If all things align the Tigers’ way and Martin lands his top targets, including five-star East St. Louis center Jeremiah Tilmon, who asked out of his letter of intent with Illinois this week, Mizzou’s overnight roster turnaround could be unprecedented, Evans said.

“It’s kind of like LeBron James,” Evans said. “I don’t want to compare Porter to LeBron James, but guys want to play with the tip-top guys. It’s like when LeBron went to Cleveland and guys wanted to follow him.”

Knox had been set on his top choices since the start of his senior year at Tampa Catholic High School. In the fall, Kansas dropped off his list as he focused on Duke, Florida State, Kentucky and North Carolina. He’s taken an official visit to each school.

But Knox is serious about listening to Missouri’s sales pitch during his visit, Tampa Catholic coach Don Dziagwa said.

“If Michael Porter wasn’t going to Missouri then Missouri would not be one of Kevin’s choices,” Dziagwa said. “But he and Michael Porter have played in all-star games and AAU tournaments together, so they obviously have a good relationship going. … This weekend will really tell him something whether Missouri will be one of his final considerations. They’ve done a really great job of recruiting him.”

“I know Missouri came on pretty late, but I’m still listening to what Mike has to say,” Knox told Scout.com earlier this week. “I like that me and him could be on the wings. We’d basically be unstoppable. It would definitely be a good duo. They definitely have a chance.”

Knox arrived at Tampa Catholic as a raw 6-3 freshman who came off the bench as a spark of energy for Dziagwa’s team. He’s since grown six inches and developed a more polished game on the perimeter. Knox averaged 28.9 points per game this season and is rated the nation’s No. 8 player by 247Sports.com’s composite rankings. The only small forward ranked higher? Porter.

Together they’d be the most celebrated newcomers Mizzou has seen since Steve Stipanovich and Jon Sundvold arrived from opposite ends of the state in 1979.

“The college coaches and the pro scouts who are watching these all-star games and projecting down the line I think they would really love that (Knox) can handle the ball and pass the ball,” Dziagwa said. “From a defensive standpoint, for us, at 6-9, he’s going to guard other post players. … What really has attracted a lot of interest for him is he’s so versatile. He’s not a one-dimensional player at all. He can take the ball and dunk with the best of them, but he also has a really nice 3-point shot and pull-up jump shot.”

Pitt Gorilla 04-07-2017 01:57 PM

I think having Tilmon at Mizzou this weekend would have been huge. Of course, I think having Roberts at Mizzou to help with Tilmon and Knox would have been great as well.

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 02:04 PM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e6f9c05e53.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6c0ce5d564.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c8bed2f599.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...140a017835.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2efe98ad23.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2390dca17d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...f1199a0766.jpg

DJ's left nut 04-07-2017 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla (Post 12814518)
I think having Tilmon at Mizzou this weekend would have been huge. Of course, I think having Roberts at Mizzou to help with Tilmon and Knox would have been great as well.

I'd be pretty surprised if MPJ wasn't in Columbia on the weekend that Tilmon's visit eventually comes.

Knox and Harris would've been nice, but Porter and Roberts will be pretty damn strong in its own right and if Knox has said anything positive regarding his visit, that would have to weigh heavily in Tilmon's mind as well.

It's not the end of the world; Mizzou can snag him without Knox (and should just operate under the assumption that it will take exactly that. Knox should still be seen as a long shot).

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 05:21 PM

https://theundefeated.com/features/m...ael-porter-jr/


BY MARC J. SPEARS
ESPN
@MARCJSPEARSESPN
April 7, 2017

Heralded University of Missouri basketball signee Michael Porter Jr. believes the “soft” label has been put on him at times because he is a light-skinned player with a black father and a white mother.

The No. 1-ranked high school basketball player on the ESPN 100 has changed that thinking with his well-rounded hoop game. And if Porter ascends to NBA stardom, as expected, he hopes that he can use basketball as a platform to aid race relations in the United States.

“Sometimes people relate to you different,” Porter Jr. told The Undefeated after practice Wednesday in preparation for the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon. “Based on race, they’ve got a perception of you. People think that light-skinned [black males] are the pretty boys. I’ve got to go out here every night and show them that it’s not true. We can get after it.”

Porter headlines Team USA’s talented roster that plays the World Team in the Hoop Summit tonight, pitting the top American prep seniors against the top international teens.

The 6-foot-10, 215-pounder talked to The Undefeated about race, switching from Washington to Missouri for college, his new hobby and more.




Have you dealt with racism personally?

I’ve been called the N-word a couple times on social media with people commenting. Those people have nothing better to do. It’s crazy. They’re just looking for attention. I try not to feed into any of it. It’s a real issue. I think racism is an issue.

I hear a lot of stories from my dad. He grew up in a neighborhood in Mississippi where there weren’t too many white people. My mom grew up in Iowa, where it was weird to see a black person. They met and they would go to Mississippi together to visit my grandparents, and he wouldn’t hold her hand in public because they were a mixed couple [in the South]. He told me stories like that.”

How proud are you of being black and white?

I like it. I consider myself black because my dad is black. It’s just crazy seeing my mom and dad interact. They’re different. The way they talk is different. I kind of get some of them both. My mom doesn’t want me to talk a certain way. And then my dad … it’s funny. I can relate to both.

You were living in Columbia, Missouri, when the shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer occurred on Aug. 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri. You were 16 years old at the time. Did it have an effect on you?

St. Louis is an hour and a half down the road. That was all everyone was talking about in Missouri. It definitely hit home. Not all police are bad. I don’t like when people say, ‘All police are bad.’ There are a lot of nice ones out there.

But I think the perception of black people needs to change. … You can’t just shoot a black person because he ‘looks intimidating.’

What did you think about the Missouri football team boycotting football activities after racism on campus in 2015? (A group of black players stopped participating in football activities until university system president Tim Wolfe resigned. Wolfe, who was under fire for how he handled the racial incidents, resigned on Nov. 9, 2015.)

I heard about it … I didn’t hear everything, but I know a ton of racist things were happening. There were death threats to black people. The football team wouldn’t practice until it got fixed. I agree with them. You can’t have that on a college campus. We’re all human beings. We should be able to interact and coexist together.

Do you hope in time that you could use your celebrity as a platform to fight against racism?

I think so. I have a lot of white friends and a lot of black friends. Like Steph Curry and Drake, both races can relate to them. If I could be one of those people, that would be real cool.

How are you dealing with all the media and societal attention as a young basketball star?

I just try to stay grounded, stay humble. I was blessed with a lot, so if I can give back in any way … I try to care about other people more than I care about myself. Basketball to me is a platform where I can reach a lot of people. If I could make a change in how people view race, that would be amazing. That would be a dream come true.


Nathan Hale’s Michael Porter Jr. (No. 1) shoots a jumper against Oak Hill Academy during a high school basketball game at the 2017 Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.
AP PHOTO/GREGORY PAYAN
Do you think your generation can bring a change in this country on race relations?

I think we could. It would take a lot. It takes young people. … Just the perception of how you’re supposed to be, I think the media has a lot to do with it. But the media also has the power to change how people act. I hope we can, man, for sure.

What is it like being a member of such a rich basketball family with parents who played college basketball, two sisters (Bri and Cierra) who play at Missouri, yourself and five younger siblings who play basketball as well?

I feel like I was made for basketball. My mom played basketball. She’s 6-4. My dad played basketball. He’s 6-4. They’re basically breeding basketball players, and from top to bottom we play basketball.

How good was your mom?

She averaged 45 points in high school, if that tells you anything. [The former Lisa Becker] is one of the all-time leading scorers at Iowa. She was on Team USA. She went overseas to play. That was back when there was no WNBA. She was legit.

What does it mean for you to represent USA in the Hoop Summit?

It’s amazing to represent your country. Every time I put this on, I feel like I have a responsibility to represent how great our country is. I want to prove that USA has the best basketball players in the world.

When everything was unfolding at Washington, with the firing of Lorenzo Romar as coach, was that stressful for you? (Porter’s father was an assistant coach on Washington’s staff and is now an assistant coach at Missouri.)

Yeah. It was all of the sudden. One day they were thinking that there was no way Coach Romar would be fired. The next day I was there [at Washington] shooting and I felt some tension there. I was like, ‘What is going on?’ Ten minutes later, it was done. All the coaches were crying and giving me hugs. It was real sad. It was crazy.

How did you personally take it? It seemed like the next day you switched your commitment to Missouri.

It was a life-changing thing. It was crazy. After Coach Romar got fired, [Columbia, Missouri] is where my family has lived forever. I’m real comfortable with the program, and that is where my sisters play basketball. I know it felt like it was short, but every night we were sitting down talking about it. That was my second choice anyways.

I met with [new Missouri] coach Cuonzo [Martin]. I didn’t just jump into it without knowing the coach. He was real cool. I trust my dad. I just decided that it was the best thing for me.

How much did your sisters recruit you to Missouri?

A lot. They really wanted to bring the family together. We’re big family people. I’m excited.

What does it say about your family that they have three kids on athletic basketball scholarship at one school?

Three, and maybe four, playing at one school. Actually, my oldest sister [Bri] tore her ACL for the fifth time last year, so she is sitting out. She was the most freak athlete in the family. In the seventh grade she was dunking a tennis ball. She was going to be special, but she had the knee problems.

She was playing Division I basketball after four ACL tears. And then the fifth one, I think she’s done.

So you recently started taking piano lessons. Can you explain why?

Basketball is only going to take me so far. Plus, if you have a bad game and basketball is all you got, then you’re going to be down in the dumps until the next game. And so, for me I always try to remember that basketball is a fun game. And if we play bad, I’ve got other things I like to do. I try to be well-rounded. I love basketball with all my heart, but I try to do other things as well.

Porter said he was living in Seattle during the Missouri football boycott. He did not move to Seattle until 2016.




Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for The Undefeated. He used to be able to dunk on you, but he hasn’t been able to in years and his knees still hurt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mizzou_8541 04-07-2017 07:33 PM

ANyone care to weigh in on where they think our three visitors this weekend will ultimately land? My thoughts:

Knox: Duke. Difficult to beat out Coach K.
Tilmon: Mizzou's to lose but lands at kU. Read from a few people on PM that he may really like them.
Harris: Mizzou.

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 07:33 PM

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ind..._tv_watch.html

Nike Hoop Summit 2017: Time, TV channel, rosters, how to watch live stream online.


The 2017 Nike Hoop Summit tips off this evening at the Moda Center in Portland and features a team comprised of the best high school basketball stars from across the United States taking on a team of U19 international stars from countries across the globe.

Team USA will be led by the No. 1 player in the Class of 2017, Michael Porter Jr., who will be taking his game to the college level at Missouri next fall.

For the World Team, keep an eye on Isaiah Hartenstein during the game. The 7-foot forward is already playing professionally in Lithuania and is currently projected to be a first-round NBA draft pick in June.

In case you can't make it to the game, here's everything you need to know in order to watch the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit basketball game:

What: Nike Hoop Summit Basketball Game - Team USA vs. World Team

When (date/time): Friday, April 7. Tipoff at 7 p.m. PT/9 p.m. CT/10 p.m. ET.

Where: Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

TV Channel: ESPN 2

Watch Live Stream Online:
Use WatchESPN, or the WatchESPN app.






Complete Rosters:

Nike Hoop Summit 2017: Meet the players

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ind..._meet_the.html

In case you need a refresher on who to watch, which players might be breakout stars or any other information about the game, watch the video above for a Team USA practice breakdown.

Take a look at our complete coverage of the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit below:

Nike Hoop Summit preview: 8 things to watch at this year's event:
http://www.oregonlive.com/recruiting...iew_10_th.html

Ducks pledge Troy Brown Jr. to help lead Team USA:
http://www.oregonlive.com/recruiting...roy_brown.html

John Wall, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and others who hold Nike Hoop Summit records:
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ind...rds_and_t.html



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-07-2017 09:52 PM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7b7bcd2a56.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e5af09fdae.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...176f8c65f1.jpg
http://www.ksdk.com/mb/news/scott-ha...fans/429721576

Pasta Little Brioni 04-07-2017 10:14 PM

Amazing just how horrible Kermit was

Sure-Oz 04-07-2017 11:44 PM

@blizzyblake55_: Finally in Missouri

Pitt Gorilla 04-08-2017 03:10 PM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C85gPiyXkAM7e41.jpg

Pitt Gorilla 04-08-2017 03:19 PM

http://www.ksdk.com/sports/mizzou-fa...mith/429729132

KChiefs1 04-08-2017 04:59 PM

****Official 2017-2018 Missouri Tigers Basketball Thread****
 
https://twitter.com/mizzousports/sta...28508125425664

https://twitter.com/mizzouhoops/stat...66817786175489
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pitt Gorilla 04-08-2017 07:54 PM

<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We practice what we preach! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Culture?src=hash">#Culture</a>🏋🏾💪🏾🏃🏾🐯 <a href="https://twitter.com/CuonzoMartin">@CuonzoMartin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/8mileCorn">@8mileCorn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachHollender">@CoachHollender</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/coachporter8">@coachporter8</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MizzouHoops">@MizzouHoops</a> <a href="https://t.co/mvcL8BXOuZ">pic.twitter.com/mvcL8BXOuZ</a></p>&mdash; Nicodemus C. (@nicodemus_c) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicodemus_c/status/850877666001653761">April 9, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Captain Obvious 04-08-2017 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla (Post 12815976)
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We practice what we preach! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Culture?src=hash">#Culture</a>🏋🏾💪🏾🏃🏾🐯 <a href="https://twitter.com/CuonzoMartin">@CuonzoMartin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/8mileCorn">@8mileCorn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachHollender">@CoachHollender</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/coachporter8">@coachporter8</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MizzouHoops">@MizzouHoops</a> <a href="https://t.co/mvcL8BXOuZ">pic.twitter.com/mvcL8BXOuZ</a></p>&mdash; Nicodemus C. (@nicodemus_c) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicodemus_c/status/850877666001653761">April 9, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That's pretty awesome.

duncan_idaho 04-08-2017 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mizzou_8541 (Post 12814951)
ANyone care to weigh in on where they think our three visitors this weekend will ultimately land? My thoughts:

Knox: Duke. Difficult to beat out Coach K.
Tilmon: Mizzou's to lose but lands at kU. Read from a few people on PM that he may really like them.
Harris: Mizzou.


I think they're getting all three and am pretty sure they get Tilmon and Harris.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-08-2017 09:58 PM

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/colum...-guide-mizzou/


Hochman: Martin looks to his past to guide Mizzou
By Benjamin Hochman St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Cuonzo and LaPhonso.

Two of the greatest players our area has ever seen ... and from the same school? At the same time?

Winter sweltered. It was the 1987-88 season, and the hottest hoops team in the area (in the nation?) was Lincoln High School in East St. Louis. There was spunky sophomore Cuonzo Martin, now the coach at Mizzou. And senior LaPhonso Ellis, a future fifth pick in the NBA draft, “The Phonz” as cool as “The Fonz.” He hit a 3-pointer to seal the ’88 state title game, proclaiming “That 3-pointer was kind of live, wasn’t it?” to the Post-Dispatch, while slapping high-fives with whomever was in close range. “This is my senior year. That’s two (titles) in a row, and all I can say is, I’m happy as can be.”

And now, nearly three decades later, Martin is recruiting the next Ellis.

Figuratively: Recruit Jeremiah Tilmon, Class of 2017, is the best player to come out of East St. Louis in years.

And literally: Over in Indiana, senior-to-be Walter Ellis was offered a scholarship by Martin at Cal … and now LaPhonso’s son is a possibility for Mizzou.

“Cuonzo’s really good at finding those kids who maybe are late bloomers who have a chance to be really, really good players,” LaPhonso Ellis said. “And that happens to be our kid.”

Martin’s arrival at Mizzou has been more like a hoops revival. Michael Porter Jr., the No. 1 player in the land, is coming to Columbia, so you’ve heard. And Kevin Knox, the No. 7 player per ESPN.com, visited Columbia on Saturday. And then there’s Tilmon. Mizzou, for all of its abrupt aplomb, doesn’t have a stud big man. Tilmon is tall, man. Six-foot-10. And after asking out of his signing with Illinois, Tilmon could be a Tiger. Yes, there have been murmurs that Tilmon dropped-off a little as a senior. But he’s still 41st nationally on the ESPN.com list. And he probably could’ve logged some minutes for Mizzou even last year.

And so, Tilmon has Martin back in East St. Louis, recruiting a young man with talent like LaPhonso. Or himself. Or a poor-man’s Darius Miles. Martin is connecting to his past to bring the future to Mizzou — by making the future look like his prep past. Because Cuonzo and LaPhonso were so good. That 1987-88 season, Martin led the area in steals, and after Ellis graduated, he became the thumping heart of Lincoln, winning the school’s third consecutive state title in 1988-89. And LaPhonso is in the conversation for best player ever from the St. Louis area, considering his prep dominance and ascension through college — and then 12 years in the NBA. In the ’88 state title game, Ellis flirted with a creative triple-double — a game-high 26 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocked shots.

“They were a great team,” said Digger Phelps, now 75, Ellis’ college coach at Notre Dame. “When I saw him going into his junior year of high school, I said, ‘God, this guy’s a player.’”

“LaPhonso was the star, but Cuonzo was the quiet assassin, as he always was in his career,” said SLU basketball radio broadcaster Earl Austin Jr., a local hoops authority. “And Cuonzo was a monster at the top of Lincoln’s 1-2-2 zone press.”


This spring, The Chicago Tribune released an exhaustive list of the top high school players, boys and girls, in Illinois history. You can imagine how good this list is. The list had the top 50 players, featuring only one from East St. Louis: LaPhonso Ellis. In the 50-100 list, the only East St. Louis player was Miles, who went from high school straight to the pros. And then, in honorable mention, the only ESL product was, yup, Cuonzo Martin.

“When I think of him, I always think ‘steady and disciplined,’” Ellis said of Martin, who went on to star at Purdue. “One of those guys you can always count on. Even in high school on our state championship team, everyone knew how good he was, but he was always the steadying influence. Most of the shine went to, typically, a combination of myself and Vincent Jackson. Vincent Jackson was a highlight kind of guy, mega-hops, could shoot the basketball. Not very many games when Vincent wasn’t dunking the ball in transition. But you always needed that guy who was steady — skilled, but steady. And that guy was always Cuonzo.”

Ellis turns 47 in May. He does on-air work for ESPN now. Used to own a Jamba Juice franchise in South Bend, Ind., where he still lives (and Phelps lives). LaPhonso remains in touch with Martin, all these years later.

“It’s not unusual that we go even two months without either texting or a phone call,” Ellis said, “whether it be checking in on each other’s families or just talking about hoops and how he’s doing at Cal and obviously we’ll be talking quite a bit with Missouri, as well. …

“It’s nice that the whole thing has been brought back around, full circle.”

So who is LaPhonso’s kid? His name is Walter Ellis. He’s a 6-5 shooting guard for John Adams High School in Indiana. He’s “new to our sport,” LaPhonso explained: He played goalie in hockey since the age of 5 and then dabbled with football, as a wide receiver, starting at age 9. But Walter picked up his dad’s sport rather quickly, and had a huge summer on the circuit, prior to his junior year. Per LaPhonso, Walter has offers from schools including Xavier, Ole Miss, Belmont and California, where Martin coached until this March.

“Will he be re-offered by Cuonzo at Missouri?” LaPhonso asked aloud. “We don’t know. We don’t have that expectation, because you never want to compromise the integrity of friendships and relationships. So just because he was a good fit for Cuonzo at Cal doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily be one for him at Missouri. And nor are we expecting anything. I always say to young people, and as it was for us growing up in East St. Louis, we like everything to be merit-based. If Cuonzo deems that Walter can help him at Missouri, that’s great. If not? Great still. We just want the best for Cuonzo, his family and his program.”

Regardless, the reconnection of Cuonzo and LaPhonso is, if anything, just fun — two of the best our area will ever see, united again by the next generation.

As if he was on air, ESPN’s Ellis broke down Martin the coach over the phone. He did so by comparing him to the legendary Bennie Lewis, their coach at Lincoln.

“The culture of self-sacrifice, respect, being polite, that culture was established by Coach Lewis far before we ever got there,” Ellis said. “So when we got there, there was an expectation how we would be on the floor and off the floor. All of those characteristics, Cuonzo has carried with him. All of those things have influenced his success. And I think that’s part of the reason kids like to play for him. He’s a player’s coach, he’s fun and light-hearted — yet he expects so much from you. And he has an uncanny way of communicating — ‘Yes, it’s about the team, but if you have the ability to play at the next level, I’ll help you achieve your dream.’ He’s got that great balance of being authoritarian but allowing the kids to know he genuinely cares about them — and their futures.”




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-09-2017 12:31 PM

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c323b80327.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sure-Oz 04-09-2017 01:10 PM

@blizzyblake55_: I am officially a tiger 🐯 #MU https://twitter.com/blizzyblake55_/s...732545/photo/1

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-09-2017 01:10 PM

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5b0f7a646f.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sure-Oz 04-09-2017 01:11 PM

This is nuts. Wow

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Sure-Oz 04-09-2017 01:13 PM

@RobertONeill31: Mizzou's legit gonna get Kevin Knox and Jeremiah Tilmon to round out their class. What a world.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Jerm 04-09-2017 02:14 PM

If we land Knox and Tilmon, it'd be interesting to see where we landed in pre season polls...

What a difference a few months make....

KChiefs1 04-09-2017 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz (Post 12816593)
@blizzyblake55_: I am officially a tiger [emoji197] #MU https://twitter.com/blizzyblake55_/s...732545/photo/1

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


https://youtu.be/zjy0963E-kI






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pitt Gorilla 04-09-2017 02:58 PM

Blake Harris dunks on some dildo and breaks his hand.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vkHYWO2XujE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

dlphg9 04-09-2017 05:02 PM

Could any coach besides Martin pull off this class in such a short time? I mean he's doing it at Mizzou. It's not like he's at Duke.

Sassy Squatch 04-09-2017 05:03 PM

So what about Jontay Porter? Haven't heard anything.

Sassy Squatch 04-09-2017 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlphg9 (Post 12817006)
Could any coach besides Martin pull off this class in such a short time? I mean he's doing it at Mizzou. It's not like he's at Duke.

It's more the hiring of Michael Porter Sr. than anything else this year. Cautiously optimistic about next year's recruiting though.

KChiefs1 04-09-2017 05:06 PM

https://missouri.rivals.com/news/tig...d-blake-harris






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-09-2017 05:15 PM

http://www.flohoops.com/article/5444...x#.WOrAJDQ8KnN

Missouri Students Go All Out To Recruit Flo40 No. 6 Kevin Knox



It has only been a week since Kevin Knox announced he would be taking an official visit to Missouri this weekend, but it was more than enough time for the student body to come up with a plan. Nothing was going to stop these college kids from making one of the best players in the country feel at home.

Fresh off of a Nike Hoop Summit win for Team USA in Portland on Friday, the Tampa Catholic (FL) wing ranked No. 6 for 2017 made the highly anticipated trip to Columbia to check things out.

He didn't make the cross-country journey alone, either. Flo40 No. 1 Michael Porter Jr. and former Washington commit and point guard Blake Harris went, too.

What was waiting for them was something else.









Then, after being at Mizzou Arena, the trio went to campus to see it all.











It's safe to say Missouri is rather passionate about having a dream team next season, which would also include Flo40 big man Jeremiah Tilmon. The entire student body went all out to make that known.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

KChiefs1 04-09-2017 05:16 PM

http://www.flohoops.com/article/5438...n#.WOrAlzQ8KnN



Where The Top Uncommitted Flo40 Prospects Should Play Next Season




An uncommitted prospect getting asked about his future plans is all part of the process, but, man, it probably gets a little annoying. It's like a slightly tolerable song on the radio that's constantly on repeat. Could be better. Could be worse.

This is the life of six 2017 Flo40 prospects -- Trevon Duval, Mohamed Bamba, Kevin Knox, Brandon McCoy, Brian Bowen, and M.J. Walker -- as they exit their successful prep careers. Each of them is still undecided and has several fan bases on the edge of their seats, just waiting for a sign or answer.

So, as four of these big-time players get ready to play at the Nike Hoop Summit game on Friday in Portland, here is where each of them should go next season, because a lot is still up in the air.

TREVON DUVAL (Flo40 No. 3)


The Suitors: Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Kansas, Seton Hall

The Skinny: Duval is a 6-foot-3 firecracker competitor who will cross defenders up and dunk on anybody who dares to jump. Toss this IMG Academy (FL) floor general the keys to a program, and let him take it for an incredible spin.

The Selection: Duke. The Delaware native could go closer to home and play for Seton Hall, which would be fun and all, but let's get real: Duval just needs to go to Durham, NC. It's the perfect fit. Even if Grayson Allen and Frank Jackson stay, there's enough room in the inn. It's Coach K. He will find room, even with fellow 2017 Flo40 guard Gary Trent Jr. signed. Baylor has its point guard Manu Lecomte. Kansas has Malik Newman eligible to play. Arizona has a point guard signed in Alex O'Connell. Duval would straight wreak havoc in the ACC, and who wouldn't want to see that?

MOHAMED BAMBA (Flo40 No. 4)


The Suitors: Duke, Kentucky, Michigan, Texas

The Skinny: He's a 7-foot force in the paint who will toss out whatever weak noise gets put up, dunk hard, knock down jumpers, and provide the occasional comic-relief airball from 3-point range (*cough* McDonald's All American Game *cough*). This Westtown School (PA) big man won't be in college long but will definitely alter the landscape of a program next season.

The Selection: Duke. Yes, AAU teammates Quade Green and Hamidou Diallo will be at Kentucky next season. Yes, UK head coach John Calipari will get him ready in one year to go pro. Yes, the Wildcats are probably the front-runners here. But no. How many big dudes does Kentucky really need next season? Bamba would likely be better than all of them so it doesn't really matter, but let's spread the love. So, Duke would be out of the equation, right? Wrong. He should go play for the Blue Devils because it would be a lot of fun. That's probably a rather terrible reason, but just go with it.

KEVIN KNOX (Flo40 No. 6)


The Suitors: Duke, Florida State, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina

The Skinny: A 6-foot-9 walking bucket with as much length as he has range, Knox will shame defenders with their hands down. This Tampa Catholic (FL) will be a gem in any system at the college level.

The Selection: Missouri. Sorry, Duke, you've won the lottery in this article already. Sorry, Florida State, although it would be amazing to see a legacy tear it up. Sorry, Kentucky, you have enough firepower at this position. Sorry, North Carolina, you have the national championship. This recruiting battle belongs to Missouri. Yes, Missouri. Why? Well, because it would be incredible to see the college version of the Splash Brothers with Knox and Flo40 No. 1 Michael Porter Jr. roaming the wings. That's why. This would just be the ultimate problem for defenses, and the scenario is too good not to enjoy it.

BRANDON MCCOY (Flo40 No. 8)


The Suitors: Arizona, Michigan State, Oregon, San Diego State, UNLV

The Skinny: A near 7-footer who will guard the paint better than your watch dog, this Cathedral Catholic (CA) big man will be an amazing luxury to secure late in the process.

The Selection: Oregon. Although it might be considered the trendy thing to do, OU is the move here. It isn't just about the flashy uniforms or Final Four run, which are pretty cool perks in and of itself. It makes the most sense. Let's roll with that.

BRIAN BOWEN (Flo40 No. 15)


The Suitors: Arizona, Creighton, DePaul, Michigan State

The Skinny: Bowen is a 6-foot-7 wing who will school opponents with great patience and hair. The La Lumiere School (IN) product has the tools to make plenty of noise after his undetermined announcement.

The Selection: Michigan State. He played with Jaren Jackson Jr. this past season. He played well with Jackson. He seemed to get along great with Jackson. See where this is going? If it's not broke, don't fix it, and the Flo40 teammates would bring some big-time chemistry and game to the Spartans. Plus, he's originally from Saginaw, MI, and some guy from there named Draymond Green had a little success in East Lansing not long ago.

M.J. WALKER (Flo40 No. 22)


The Suitors: Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Maryland, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, UNLV

The Skinny: A 6-foot-5 scoring machine, Walker will drop a shot on anyone in his way. This Jonesboro (GA) shooting guard will make a coach ecstatic to draw up plays.

The Selection: Florida State. The recruitment process hasn't exactly gone like many of his peers, but who cares? This is a once-in-a-lifetime decision, and Walker, and anyone else for that matter, has free reign to go at his own pace. With that said, however, and with only one official visit in the books to FSU, let's not delay the inevitable. The Seminoles were obviously a favorite or else he wouldn't have checked that place out in the fall. All of the other potentials would be fine, too, but there's something to be said about a gut feeling.

THE FINAL 2017 FLO40 RANKINGS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Brent Williams 04-09-2017 08:54 PM

Tillman is supposed to get released from his LOI tomorrow from what I've seen. Won't be long and he will be on Mizzou's campus.

raybec 4 04-09-2017 09:49 PM

My god, Zo Martin has been on a tear and they haven't played one minute of basketball.

Pasta Little Brioni 04-09-2017 11:02 PM

This is hilarious

KChiefs1 04-09-2017 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball (Post 12817294)
This is hilarious


I'm enjoying it too!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:59 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.