Twitter Tuesday: Ashton Hagans, Syracuse, Penn State
RANKINGS: 2018 Rivals150 | 2019 Rivals150 | 2020 Rivals150 | 2018 Team
This week's Twitter Tuesday examines the recruitment of Ashton Hagans, Syracuse's 2019 recruiting efforts, the coaching situation at Penn State and more.
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I guess much of this depends on whether or not Ashton Hagans ends up staying in the class of 2019 or if he’s able to move to 2018. Here’s why: Roy Williams is going to be more apt to look at point guards in 2019 than he is in 2018 where getting a big man - like five-star E.J. Montgomery - may trump landing another guard.
Losing Jalek Felton wasn’t something that the Tar Heels planned on, but when push comes to shove they feel like they are okay at the point guard position. Five-star Coby White is going to arrive with big expectations and is likely going to be expected to play more as a point. Incoming four-star Rechon Black can play some point and Seventh Woods will be back as a junior.
Now, if another scholarship opens up, then the Heels would be all in on landing another point guard in 2018. If that’s the case, then they could make a move on the recently opened up Brandon Williams. Williams is certainly good enough to step right in and log minutes for the Heels. Obviously Montgomery’s decision or other players becoming available could change things, but as far as things go in 2018, North Carolina prefers a big before they do a guard with their remaining scholarship. - Bossi
In a word, no. Tyler Harris is not waiting for Iowa State to free up a scholarship. Yes, the Cyclones are still in contention but Harris is also taking hard looks at others like Baylor and Tennessee who should both be getting official visits. Memphis may have eliminated themselves by taking Myreon Jones over the weekend.
As far as Harris and Iowa State go, he’s a guy the Cylones would love to have if their scholarship situation allows it but he’s not a make-or-break guy. From what I hear, they are pretty high on the long-term potential of Rivals150 guard Tyrese Haliburton as a big point guard and we also have to take into account the playmaker that Talen Horton-Tucker should be when he arrives in Ames. You can never have too many guards in college basketball, and while Steve Prohm and his staff would love to have Harris, it shouldn't be the end of things if they miss on him. - Bossi
This is obviously a tough thing to project because Syracuse has not even finished its 2018 efforts yet, but we will do our best to project out what will happen with the junior class.
Two weeks ago, the Orange offered guard Joseph Girard III, already the state’s scoring record holder. He visited the campus this weekend for its game against Clemson and the Orange should be seen as a top contender, even though Michigan and Duke will be difficult to beat.
Khalil Whitney is a 6-foot-5 wing out of New Jersey that Syracuse remains high on. He brings tremendous toughness and athleticism to the floor and would be a nice piece in Jim Boeheim’s vaunted 2-3 defense.
A big man that can rebound, finish and alter shots in the lane is a must, which is where Isaiah Stewart and Kofi Cockburn come to mind. The former is a Rochester native that visited Duke this weekend, though the Orange remains in catch-up mode for the local product. Cockburn is a product out of the New York City metro area that has St. John’s, Seton Hall and a slew of others in pursuit.
Khalif Battle, the younger brother of current Orange star Tyus Battle, Precious Achiuwa and Aidan Igiehon are also high on Syracuse’s 2019 board, too. However, the ultimate class for the Orange would be Girard, Whitney and Stewart, thrown in with already committed guard Brycen Goodine. - Evans
Bob, I get that you’re becoming impatient with things in Happy Valley, but Pat Chambers has patiently instilled the proper culture and steadily upgraded the program's talent since taking over in 2011.
It is going to be difficult for Penn State to ever consistently defeat other Big Ten rivals such as Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State, but where were the Nittany Lions this week? In the final four of the Big Ten tournament alongside league stalwarts in Purdue, Michigan State and Michigan.
It’s true that Chambers has not yet gotten Penn State to the NCAA tournament, but he has won more games each year that he has been on campus. He has also shown the ability to become involved with better prospects and much earlier in the process, which helped him land a nationally ranked class in 2016, one that boasted Rivals150 prospects Tony Carr and Lamar Stevens.
Who is to say Penn State won’t make the NCAA tournament this year? The Nittany Lions have three wins over likely top-five seed Ohio State. Next year, assuming that Carr returns, Penn State should be even better.
Together, all of the pieces are in line for an even better team next season, which gives no reason for the ouster of Chambers in State College. - Evans
With Mark Smith already out the door after one season and rumors that more players could be looking to leave Illinois after this season, replenishing talent is a major focus for Brad Underwood and his staff. This weekend, they’ll have one of the two highest rated targets they have left - the other is top 50 point guard Courtney Ramey - on campus when four-star wing Tevian Jones makes his visit. There’s no doubt that that Illini have been working him hard since getting involved back in December.
Jones is unlikely to commit after just one visit, but Underwood and his staff really have a great shot to set a high bar in his recruitment. Jones is a big-time athlete with an improving jumper who has the length and quickness to also excel as a pressure defender. The Illini have made a good impression on him and I don’t think all of the uncertainty at Arizona hurts them either. But, I’d be surprised to see a commitment after just one visit and would still consider some others like Xavier and California to be threats in his recruitment. - Bossi
