Sydney Roby announces final 5 and ND is not on it.
by Fighting_Artichoke (2018-09-16 23:39:08)
Edited on 2018-09-16 23:41:56
Post Reply Return to McGraw's Bench

I am somewhat conflicted, but adding this information to the Malu decision can also be interpreted in a positive way. Perhaps Notre Dame is confident that they have a very good chance at getting their primary post target. If Amihere is heading to Louisville or South Carolina (based on a Louisville source), then that suggests Notre Dame is all in on Boston (or a future 2020-21 target). Of course Boston is considered a big UConn lean and UConn also believes they have a silent verbal amongst their top three prospects (Jones, Boston and Horston) and the most likely silent verbal would be Boston.

Horston seems to be legitimately searching for a university, Jones seems equally uncommitted, and Amihere is off the UConn radar (based on a good UConn source) so is Boston the silent verbal? Unless ND has already moved on to 2020 posts, it appears ND seems optimistic about Boston or that the Amihere rumor that she would be canceling her visit to Notre Dame in 2 weeks is inaccurate. I wish Notre Dame were more open about their recruiting interests, but maybe there is a method to this madness (playing their cards close to the vest).



Response on Roby's Choices
by dillon77  (2018-09-17 16:26:31)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Yeah, I know she isn't bothering with ND (or maybe ND wasn't bothering with her any longer), but when you've been listing her for as long as I/we have, you start paying attention to little things.

I've looked at the five finalists, as well as ND, and here's a little bit on each situation. This is only from a basketball perspective:

- California: The very gifted Kristine Anigwe is in her senior year and will be unleashed on WNBA. Great situation to walk into for a bruiser like Roby. California plays uptempo and presses on defense.

- Michigan State: Jenna Allen is a senior and there will be an opening there, too, in 2019. Plus star forward Sidney Cooks is from Kenosha, WI, and I'll be these two know each other. They'd get to play together for two years.

- Marquette: Most of you remember that this team is ostensibly a team of very determined, athletic guards who just come at you all the time. Tori McCoy is still contending with her serious illness, so there is very much an opening (need) at center and the hometown girl could fill it.

- Miami (of Florida). Remember 6'4" Beatrice Mompremier, the transfer from Baylor? Well, she's eligible this year and would have one more year to go in 2019-2020. Nice way to segue into Miami's rotation.

- Texas A&M. Remember Ciera Johnson, the 6'4" Texan center who went to Louisville and then ran into the numbers game that is known as Coach Who Must Not Ben Mentioned's recruiting strategy. Well now she's back in Texas and will get a chance to hopefully get a pass from Chennedy Carter.
Roby would be with Johnson for two years and they're very similar players.

- ND. In 2019, ND will have Mik Vaughn at the low post for sure and maybe Danielle Cosgrove. We'll have to see where Danielle ends up. Is she low? high? A Jess Shepard combo?

And, of course, it's apparent that MM wants to get at least one more big down low (Boston, Amihere). If either one of these comes, I can understand why Ms. Roby might look elsewhere.

If Ms. Roby wants her family to see her, think Marquette or Michigan State. If she likes Cal and the campus vibes, the Bears sound great.
And Miami is awfully well coached. Plus, if want the opposite of Milwaukee weather....

Having said all this, watch her choose A&M.

Stay tuned.

Possibilities
by Orangutan  (2018-09-17 00:26:47)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I'm sure Muffet & co. have a plan and I doubt that plan is to only have 9 scholarship players on the roster next year.

So here are the possibilities as I see them:

- the staff has a really good feeling about landing one of Amihere/Boston/Jones

- there is some contingency we are unaware of, that is, some player that hasn't been linked to ND who will pop up on campus for a visit.

- we're all in on Amihere/Boston/Jones and if we strike out we'll fill in the gaps with a grad transfer or a maybe an April signee of a late rising prospect.

I don't know about this "silent verbal" business. Right now, it's just one poster over on the Boneyard that is saying this. They've been swearing that Boston is a lock for a while now. I don't think it's based on anything more than guesswork. Perhaps she is a lock and this is a situation like Lauren Cox where she takes all her visits and on the last commits to the most likely suspect all along. But I don't think anyone really *knows*.

Here's a thought - what if the Louisville rumors re Amihere are bogus? Maybe she is giving ND really encouraging feedback but she wants to visit before making her commitment.

Boom - there's a rumor I just created from whole cloth. Probably as credible as some of things people on these message boards "hear" from "sources".
One way or another, ND needs another forward for 2019. As
by MPG  (2018-09-17 14:05:43)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

you mentioned, a grad transfer is another option. Would ND consider the international option?
A Post And/Or Forward Seems The Way To Go ...
by dillon77  (2018-09-18 11:40:16)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

... for the early signing period. Then again, that's who is taking the OVs to ND: Boston and Maul Tshitenge-Mutombo (posts); Amihere (forward) and Jones (wing/small forward).

- I agree with one of the points Orangutan made in that the Irish coaching staff are concentrating their efforts (for now) on these three, now that T-M has committed to North Carolina.

- And my gut says the order is: Jones (because she's Haley Jones); Boston and Amihere. But how you can go wrong with any of them when you combine them with Brunelle and Peoples?

HOW MANY?

- As stated, ND currently will have 9 scholarship players in Fall 2019 (and Kaitlin Cole, who will be on the roster as a senior whether she has some aid or not).
- Some combination of two of Jones, Boston and Amihere would bring the count to 11 (12 if you count Cole), which is a number MM likes. Plus those players would fit in well with the roster.
- And in 2020, when Young and Cole moves on, that brings the count to 10. So count on MM to go after one more player in addition to the verbally committed Alli Campbell. My guess is that's a sole point guard.

If the staff gets less than 2, all bets off.


CONTINGENCY PLANS

- Depends on who commits, what ND coaching staff thinks of other possible players that are left and/or verbally uncommitted.
E.g., do they like Roby enough to drop a dime if the Irish don't bet Boston or they think they really need a post? Just because Roby announced a five does not mean she's beholden to them. Katelynn Satterfield had a five, then just took an OV to Oregon, which was not one of them.

- Don't expect this search to go internationally, unless there's been a marked shift in approach. Southern Ontario seems to be as far as the Irish want to go!

- If you get a wing and no more, hold off until 2020 and try again. May be someone we like there. And the staff may think Mik and the Danielle's can hold the fort down low.

Stay tuned.



The "Possibilities" are great.
by BabaGhanouj  (2018-09-17 17:36:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

- I do think "the staff has a really good feeling about landing one of Amihere/Boston/Jones "
- Jones seems a stretch for the same reasons that everyone else is thinking.
- Both Boston and Jones (I don't know much about Amihere other than she made 1st team on the All-Name Team.) appear to have personalities that would dovetail well with ND and ND Basketball culture.
- If there is a "silent verbal" to UConn (a great oxymoron), it is not Boston, in my humble opinion.