Chris Monter Q&A: Tubby Smith Sees CA JC Guard Julian Welch Shine

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Julian Welch, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound sophomore guard from Yuba (Calif.) Community College, is the latest player to get on the Minnesota Golden Gopher recruiting radar. Minnesota head coach Tubby Smith watched Welch go for 30 points and ten assists Friday night. GoperHole.com recently caught up with Yuba head coach Doug Cornelius to learn the latest on his recruitment.

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1337
 

Native Of Elk Grove CA

One of many Calif HS players (overlooked in HS) who develop into good players in college.
 

GH: Also since he had already redshirted, if he transferred to a Division I school, he would have to sit out another whole year?
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So we're looking at him for 2012 or is this the year he's sitting out.

Up since 0300, not comprehending, sorry.
 

Blizzard said:
So we're looking at him for 2012 or is this the year he's sitting out.

Up since 0300, not comprehending, sorry.
Click to expand...

He sat out 2009. He played at UC Davis in 2010 and now at Yuba JC in 2011.

He'll have 2 years left - 2012 and 2013 seasons.
 

I was wondering about SS's post here a day or two ago. Not only is he the Selection Sunday Guru - now he's also going after Johnny as inside info guy. Kudos to Chris Monter for a good interview with his coach (and to SS - for the first time I saw Julian Welch name).
 


PG with size (6'3+, 205pounds) and has a pretty impressive offensive game. Putting up those kind of numbers in front of Tubby will most likely get him an offer, if he hasn't got one already. The best part IMO is the fact that he has experience playing at the D1 level. I know it was in the Big West, but he put up 8 ppg as a RS freshman, shot 35% from 3pt range, and is able to finish at the basket/get to the line (where he shoots 90%). Don't know how well he defends but having someone who could provide offense is really valuable to this team. Sounds like a steal. Wouldn't mind seeing Welch and Hollins splitting time at the point next season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXKhgg5opeo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGqL0_tA5E0&feature=related
 


Lots of red flags here:
Started out at UC Davis, meaning no major offers out of high school
REDSHIRTED at that level
Gophers are by far the best program showing interest

I am very skeptical.
 

EG#9 said:
Lots of red flags here:
Started out at UC Davis, meaning no major offers out of high school
REDSHIRTED at that level
Gophers are by far the best program showing interest

I am very skeptical.
Click to expand...

Both Utah St and St Mary's are Top 25 ranked teams at the moment.

UNLV (mentioned in the Monter article) has a basketball history >>> Minnesota.
 



Friend Of Tubby said:
UNLV (mentioned in the Monter article) has a basketball history >>> Minnesota.
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I disagree. Not only that, but history doesn't mean jack. Hamline University has a rich basketball history (played in the first collegiate basketball ever) and yet they are low level DIII program. So history doesn't mean anything. It's all about what have you done lately. Either way, the kid looks good and I trust Tubby's judgment.
 


The kid can stroke it from the arc and it money at the line. He'll definitely have a place on this roster. Sign him up.
 

gopherfan3 said:
I know it was in the Big West, but he put up 8 ppg as a RS freshman, shot 35% from 3pt range, and is able to finish at the basket/get to the line (where he shoots 90%).
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Sounds kind of like Lawrence Westbrook. I loved that man's ability to score, be it consistantly making awkward layups or getting to the line and consistantly hitting his free throws. He does sound good.
 



NO i refuse. i want deandre daniels or nobody. wishful thinking is always fun. :)
 

Offers?

So Tubby watched but did not offer?

Anyone know how many offers we have out there for the 2011 scholarship?

I am getting lost amongst Daniels, Brooks, Nash, Colvin and now Welch.

:confused:
 

Really if Trevor comes back....

and yes it's a big if....then a point guard is what they need. You pair this kid with either Hollins and you've got some guys who can penetrate and score or find the bigs.

Even if Trevor leaves....we have Colt/Ralph/Mo and EE up front.

Speed on the lead, is the phrase that pays!!
 

leftyslefty said:
and yes it's a big if....then a point guard is what they need. You pair this kid with either Hollins and you've got some guys who can penetrate and score or find the bigs.

Even if Trevor leaves....we have Colt/Ralph/Mo and EE up front.

Speed on the lead, is the phrase that pays!!
Click to expand...

I think he has to red-shirt next year?
 


To clarify that point in the interview, which confused me also, I think the point between Monter and Welch's juco coach was that after he left UCSC, if he had went directly to another D-1 school he would have had to sit us this year, so instead he chose the juco route, allowing him to play this season and immediately having eligibility at whichever institution he attends next year.

After reading over it a couple times, that's what I arrived at as my conclusion.
 

Friend Of Tubby said:
Both Utah St and St Mary's are Top 25 ranked teams at the moment.

UNLV (mentioned in the Monter article) has a basketball history >>> Minnesota.
Click to expand...

Utah St and St Mary's do not play in the Big Ten and your UNLV comment is funny...Dan Monson outrecruited UNLV. UNLV was a great program under Jerry Tarkanian. I think there are major questions about this kid being the G Minnesota needs to start competing in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
 

eg

EG#9 said:
Utah St and St Mary's do not play in the Big Ten and your UNLV comment is funny...Dan Monson outrecruited UNLV. UNLV was a great program under Jerry Tarkanian. I think there are major questions about this kid being the G Minnesota needs to start competing in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
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OK. I have two questions for you.

What are those major concerns?

Who among possible 2011 point guards do you prefer?

:)
 

Section201 said:
OK. I have two questions for you.

What are those major concerns?

Who among possible 2011 point guards do you prefer?

:)
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1. Went to UC Davis out of high school
2. Was redshirted at UC Davis
3. 4th leading scorer on his own team at under 10 ppg at the UC Davis level

Maverick Ahanmisi was going to be redshirted at Boise State last year...
 

eg

EG#9 said:
1. Went to UC Davis out of high school
2. Was redshirted at UC Davis
3. 4th leading scorer on his own team at under 10 ppg at the UC Davis level

Maverick Ahanmisi was going to be redshirted at Boise State last year...
Click to expand...

Not sure why #1 and #2 are a "major concern".

As to #3, you seemed to have missed the part surrounding the 7.8 points a game...

He was named the Big West Conference Freshman of the Year last season after he finished fourth on the team with 7.8 points per game. Welch scored 10 or more points in 10 games, including a career-high 25 at Cal Poly. Welch had a strong finish to the season, averaging 15.3 points in the team's final three games. He scored in double figures in each of the team's two Big West Tournament games.

Welch was named to the 20-member CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-America Team.


You did not answer my second question.
 

I know nothing about Welch's game, so I'm not here to say that he is the answer to the Gophers' needs at PG next year, but I do think to downplay that his experience at the low D-1 level as insignificant could be unfair. College basketball, currrent and historically, is full of players who first excelled at smaller D-1 schools before transferring up to a major program and being at least a solid contributor. A small sampling of current standouts at major schools who came from small schools:

Georgia's Gerald Robinson (Tennessee State)
Duke's Seth Curry (Liberty)
USC's Jio Fontan (Fordham)
San Diego State's James Rahon (Santa Clara)

I will acknowledge that each of these players had a more established track record than Welch at their smaller schools, but nonetheless, it seems that Welch finished strong during his freshman campaign and is turning heads during his sophomore season. As stated earlier, Utah State, St. Mary's, and UNLV all are very solid, established programs and we are talking a juco recruit, so we won't necessarily see the usual suspects when pursuing Welch.
 

EG#9 said:
Utah St and St Mary's do not play in the Big Ten and your UNLV comment is funny...Dan Monson outrecruited UNLV. UNLV was a great program under Jerry Tarkanian. I think there are major questions about this kid being the G Minnesota needs to start competing in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
Click to expand...

Regardless UNLV >>> Minnesota in basketball.
 

coolhandgopher said:
To clarify that point in the interview, which confused me also...... allowing him to play this season and immediately having eligibility at whichever institution he attends next year.

After reading over it a couple times, that's what I arrived at as my conclusion.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification, CoolHand. Yeah, it didn't make sense to me that he would need to red-shirt again next year.

Carry on.
 

EG#9 said:
1. Went to UC Davis out of high school
2. Was redshirted at UC Davis
3. 4th leading scorer on his own team at under 10 ppg at the UC Davis level

Maverick Ahanmisi was going to be redshirted at Boise State last year...
Click to expand...

Both his parents were UCD graduates. Perhaps a reason he chose that school.

Redshirted but had excellent frosh year in 2010 at UCD.

Ahanmisi would only have RS-ed at Boise to to NCAA Clearinghouse reasons.
 

Maybe he chose UCD because UC Davis is awesome (well, maybe not in D1 hoops).. As a UCD Alum I gotta represent!
 

coolhandgopher said:
I know nothing about Welch's game, so I'm not here to say that he is the answer to the Gophers' needs at PG next year, but I do think to downplay that his experience at the low D-1 level as insignificant could be unfair. College basketball, currrent and historically, is full of players who first excelled at smaller D-1 schools before transferring up to a major program and being at least a solid contributor. A small sampling of current standouts at major schools who came from small schools:

Georgia's Gerald Robinson (Tennessee State)
Duke's Seth Curry (Liberty)
USC's Jio Fontan (Fordham)
San Diego State's James Rahon (Santa Clara)

I will acknowledge that each of these players had a more established track record than Welch at their smaller schools, but nonetheless, it seems that Welch finished strong during his freshman campaign and is turning heads during his sophomore season. As stated earlier, Utah State, St. Mary's, and UNLV all are very solid, established programs and we are talking a juco recruit, so we won't necessarily see the usual suspects when pursuing Welch.
Click to expand...

In the case of Curry he averaged 20 points as a freshman at Liberty and did not redshirt. Gerald Robinson averaged 15 as a frosh at Tennessee State and close to 18 as a soph and did not redshirt. Jio Fontan averaged 15 a game as freshman and sophomore at Fordham and did not redshirt. Welch's 2 years at UC Davis were significantly less productive than the other players years at lower level D1 programs. I am not saying a lower level D1 player cannot move to a high major and be successful, just that I find it unlikely that one who had to redshirt and then scored 7.8 ppg is going to come to a high major and be successful.
 

Vincent Grier did not red-shirt but took semi similar route here IIRC. If he is 1/3 of Vincent - Julian will be OK with me.
 

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