'17 NY SG Keith Williams (Commit)

[#BearcatNation]

Gotcha. Well the good news is we can be very flexible and we will certainly be looking for a PF to be ready to play come 2018-19.

For now, we can be pumped that we have a pretty full roster of guys who look like they'll be able to contribute to the 2017-18 team.

No doubt. A lot of depth for 2017. A lot of unknown depth, i.e. I expect three guys that haven't played a minute here yet to start (Broome, Cumberland, Washington), but some will most definitely shine. Can't wait to see who.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Gotcha. Well the good news is we can be very flexible and we will certainly be looking for a PF to be ready to play come 2018-19.

For now, we can be pumped that we have a pretty full roster of guys who look like they'll be able to contribute to the 2017-18 team.

Jake I'm with you very excited about what we are putting together. On the wings we have Moore, Cumberland, Evans and Williams. Brome and JJ at the PG. Washington, Brooks, Nsoseme Clark and Tre Scott who I am very anxious to see play.

After next year I really think we will be in a position to land a PG and a big with who we he graduating.

Would love to see us fill a hole with a transfer for a year but unless we get the exact guy we want with our last scholly I hold it until the following year.

 

[AZ BEARCAT]

right on

If he picks us it will be those things you mentioned as the reason

When he decided to pick Cincinnati he already knew it was a great spot. Coach Cronin did a great job just being himself and being honest. He made Keith feel comfortable and when we were flying back from the visit he said coach reminded him of me a lot so I guess that was something that made him comfortable making his decision.”

 

[AZ BEARCAT]

I made the commit story with quotes free if anyone is interested.

http://cincinnati.247sports.com/Article/Williams-Selects-Cincinnati-48010212

nice!! thank you

 

[Bearcat513]

No doubt. A lot of depth for 2017. A lot of unknown depth, i.e. I expect three guys that haven't played a minute here yet to start (Broome, Cumberland, Washington), but some will most definitely shine. Can't wait to see who.

I think it says a lot about the staff right now that I am beyond excited for our potential lineup for the 2017-2018 season before the 2016-2017 season even starts.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I think it says a lot about the staff right now that I am beyond excited for our potential lineup for the 2017-2018 season before the 2016-2017 season even starts.

Everyone is always excited about the on paper team in 2 years lol. I do like that we will have a full roster though and lots of experience.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Everyone is always excited about the on paper team in 2 years lol. I do like that we will have a full roster though and lots of experience.

Part of the rational for me in always looking ahead Jake is that we generally land 4 year players with a occasional transfer. The players we get are guys with upside who need time to develop. We do not get one and doners.

What excites me more about this group is we have players who should be reaching their peaks. Clark, Washington, Evans and Broome. In the wings we have Brooks, Cumberland and Scott. We are experienced and have the good talent waiting on the bench behind them.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Part of the rational for me in always looking ahead Jake is that we generally land 4 year players with a occasional transfer. The players we get are guys with upside who need time to develop. We do not get one and doners.

What excites me more about this group is we have players who should be reaching their peaks. Clark, Washington, Evans and Broome. In the wings we have Brooks, Cumberland and Scott. We are experienced and have the good talent waiting on the bench behind them.

Coach has to press the right buttons and get the most out of them so the team can be at the highest possible level.

 

[waterhead]

I am liking the height we are bringing at the wing. We played last year with a 6'0" Cobb and 6'3" KJ. All our new players will be around 6'5". If Scott can develop on the perimeter...we could have very legit size out there. Should be easier to get shots off and finish at the rim...not to mention shooting over us.

 

[JasonS]

I am liking the height we are bringing at the wing. We played last year with a 6'0" Cobb and 6'3" KJ. All our new players will be around 6'5". If Scott can develop on the perimeter...we could have very legit size out there. Should be easier to get shots off and finish at the rim...not to mention shooting over us.

Yeah, think about the match-up zone we play and how difficult it will be for people to get shots off over that length. That was always one of Syracuse's strength with their zone. They had guys on the wing that were 6-5 to 6-8 with long arms and it made the zone look huge and tough to shoot over. Hoping we see a similar effect.

 

[L-T]

I sure wish I had the same enthusiasm as everyone else about our three recruits, one of which is unrated, and the other two with our typical 3 stars. Then I look at UCONN with two 4-stars and a 3-star, Memphis with a 4-star and 3-star, and many others just as good, or a little better than ours.

I read all these posts and certainly see optimism out the wazooo, but I've also watched 10 years of actual underwhelming results with rosters full of 3-star players with great potential who somehow never reach that potential, or maybe only reach it very late in their career. When I read that Williams played with higher rated players on one of his teams, and because of that, was relegated to a lesser role of doing the dirty work for the team, that doesn't inspire confidence in me that he will help lead us higher than what we've been accustomed to for the last five years.

I'm excited about this year's team, and I guess the fact that I am excited means that Mick deserves credit for providing us with these players that excite me....so I will give him that credit. For the record, I was incredibly excited about last year's team as well, and we all know how that played out.

To summarize, I'm looking forward for this season to start, and hoping that we finally begin to set the bar higher than the level of recent years. The recruiting absolutely still does not excite me, so I have a low expectation that if Mick does produce a great season (finally), that he will be able to sustain it by continuing to sign 3-star and unrated recruits. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

As always....Go Cats!

 

[coverley]

No doubt. A lot of depth for 2017. A lot of unknown depth, i.e. I expect three guys that haven't played a minute here yet to start (Broome, Cumberland, Washington), but some will most definitely shine. Can't wait to see who.

i agree, will be interesting to see who makes the greatest and earliest impact.

 

[coverley]

Yeah, think about the match-up zone we play and how difficult it will be for people to get shots off over that length. That was always one of Syracuse's strength with their zone. They had guys on the wing that were 6-5 to 6-8 with long arms and it made the zone look huge and tough to shoot over. Hoping we see a similar effect.

I agree here as well. Love the way most folks are looking at the bright side!!!

 

[GarradJ21]

I agree with what you're saying LT especially for the first 2 recruits. We are putting the most positive spin on 3 star recruits as possible. If we were sitting in Xavier's shoes I think it wouldn't be a question on whose class is better.

If you look at Williams though and just see his style of play from his highlight tape you have to be happy how athletic he looks. I get it, it's a highlight tape so of course it's going to look good, but I feel you can really get a good grasp on someone to see how they play. To me I expect big things out this kid.

Never mind what the experts grade. If he's at #169 or a #113 is there really a difference? Yeah he's not a McDonald All-American but is there really much separation from a 4 star recruit to a 3 star recruit if they are all ranked in top 200 lets say. Obviously easy for us to say now that we don't have 4 stars and only have 3 stars but it really is true.

T. Moore we get what we have always wanted just a dude to come off the bench a be a 3 point specialist. You have sg covered for the next 5 years in Cumberland and Williams, if you can get a guy like T. Moore to come in for 12-15 mins a game. hit 3 or 4 3s then that is great. I feel like I have spoke to many people being UC fans how we have always wanted a 3 point specialist. It looks like we finally have him.

Nsoseme for me is the recruit that we probably have the most questions about. Been hearing a lot of positive things about the kid, but seems like a project. If he's high energy like a Justin Jackson or Tre Scott then that's awesome and of course can contribute.

I think how the roster is set now we know who has potential to start and who will most likely be solid role players off the bench for us in the future. I think 2018 needs to have the big name player commits for PG and PF. Can really sell them starting rolls for 3 out of the 4 years they will be here. Playing time promises for 2017 was impossible for what we have on the team right now. SG was the biggest question for this year but then we got Cumberland. He is that 4 close to 5 star recruit that we signed and counting on him to be the guy at that spot. All other positions are hard to sell playing time right now.

 

[waterhead]

I sure wish I had the same enthusiasm as everyone else about our three recruits, one of which is unrated, and the other two with our typical 3 stars. Then I look at UCONN with two 4-stars and a 3-star, Memphis with a 4-star and 3-star, and many others just as good, or a little better than ours.

I read all these posts and certainly see optimism out the wazooo, but I've also watched 10 years of actual underwhelming results with rosters full of 3-star players with great potential who somehow never reach that potential, or maybe only reach it very late in their career. When I read that Williams played with higher rated players on one of his teams, and because of that, was relegated to a lesser role of doing the dirty work for the team, that doesn't inspire confidence in me that he will help lead us higher than what we've been accustomed to for the last five years.

I'm excited about this year's team, and I guess the fact that I am excited means that Mick deserves credit for providing us with these players that excite me....so I will give him that credit. For the record, I was incredibly excited about last year's team as well, and we all know how that played out.

To summarize, I'm looking forward for this season to start, and hoping that we finally begin to set the bar higher than the level of recent years. The recruiting absolutely still does not excite me, so I have a low expectation that if Mick does produce a great season (finally), that he will be able to sustain it by continuing to sign 3-star and unrated recruits. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

As always....Go Cats!

I can't say I'm overwhelmed by the level of some of our recruits. That being said I like the quantity now which means there is a higher probability that 1 or two more could pan out. If we can get to 13 scholarship players...it's better than 10 for that reason. It also gives time for the late bloomer to develop.

I would rather do that with 4 star guys but there are certainly 4 star guys in the 3 star ranks. Talent evaluation becomes paramount when recruiting this way. Filling holes with a blue chipper or grad transfer could put us where we want to be.

This year we had a nice opportunity to do that and didn't get it done...must do better on that front

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I sure wish I had the same enthusiasm as everyone else about our three recruits, one of which is unrated, and the other two with our typical 3 stars. Then I look at UCONN with two 4-stars and a 3-star, Memphis with a 4-star and 3-star, and many others just as good, or a little better than ours.

I read all these posts and certainly see optimism out the wazooo, but I've also watched 10 years of actual underwhelming results with rosters full of 3-star players with great potential who somehow never reach that potential, or maybe only reach it very late in their career. When I read that Williams played with higher rated players on one of his teams, and because of that, was relegated to a lesser role of doing the dirty work for the team, that doesn't inspire confidence in me that he will help lead us higher than what we've been accustomed to for the last five years.

I'm excited about this year's team, and I guess the fact that I am excited means that Mick deserves credit for providing us with these players that excite me....so I will give him that credit. For the record, I was incredibly excited about last year's team as well, and we all know how that played out.

To summarize, I'm looking forward for this season to start, and hoping that we finally begin to set the bar higher than the level of recent years. The recruiting absolutely still does not excite me, so I have a low expectation that if Mick does produce a great season (finally), that he will be able to sustain it by continuing to sign 3-star and unrated recruits. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

As always....Go Cats!

One mans junk is another mans treasure

 

[L-T]

I can't say I'm overwhelmed by the level of some of our recruits. That being said I like the quantity now which means there is a higher probability that 1 or two more could pan out. If we can get to 13 scholarship players...it's better than 10 for that reason. It also gives time for the late bloomer to develop.

I would rather do that with 4 star guys but there are certainly 4 star guys in the 3 star ranks. Talent evaluation becomes paramount when recruiting this way. Filling holes with a blue chipper or grad transfer could put us where we want to be.

This year we had a nice opportunity to do that and didn't get it done...must do better on that front

.....and, as we've seen over the last 10 years, there are also some 2-star guys in the 3-star ranks. But, I agree with what you said in your post. I know that you have evolved into a position similar to mine and you want more out of this program and whoever is coaching it. In my opinion, Mick can stay here for life if he can get it done. I could care less who is calling the shots. But, a decade is a more than fair opportunity to get it done. It's time to get it done.

 

[BearcatSpaniard513]

I'm excited with this class so far. Think about it this way- we lose Caupain and KJ after this year. We'll miss Caupain the most for his leadership, experience and all around game. KJ hits some 3s and can play solid D on the other team's best wing player.

We "replace" those 2 with 4 new players in Broome, Moore, Williams and Nsoseme. Broome should step right into the starting role for Caupain with JJ backing him up and we're replacing KJ with Moore and Williams. Nsoseme will 99% most likely redshirt being behind both Washington and Brooks.

We've covered all our needs already and the season hasn't even started. We have 2 options here. Hold on to the additional scholly to land a talented transfer post player after this year. Should be an easy sell to someone with a guaranteed starting spot after they sit out 1 year if they're good enough. OR we put all our recruiting efforts into a handful of highly rated post players for this class and next.

 

[#BearcatNation]

.....and, as we've seen over the last 10 years, there are also some 2-star guys in the 3-star ranks. But, I agree with what you said in your post. I know that you have evolved into a position similar to mine and you want more out of this program and whoever is coaching it. In my opinion, Mick can stay here for life if he can get it done. I could care less who is calling the shots. But, a decade is a more than fair opportunity to get it done. It's time to get it done.

We all want more. Some just choose to not post about it 100% of the time.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

.....and, as we've seen over the last 10 years, there are also some 2-star guys in the 3-star ranks. But, I agree with what you said in your post. I know that you have evolved into a position similar to mine and you want more out of this program and whoever is coaching it. In my opinion, Mick can stay here for life if he can get it done. I could care less who is calling the shots. But, a decade is a more than fair opportunity to get it done. It's time to get it done.

L-T, the reason I'm feeling good about getting Williams is bc he is a player who had options at other very good programs. I am also pleased that we have all 4 year players in this class, and have 12 players already slated for next year's roster. That addresses one of my biggest gripes.