BleedGopher
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per these updates from Marcus' blog:
The Howard Pulley Panthers were a much different team last spring when it featured future Gopher recruits Royce White and Rodney Williams, along with Notre Dame-bound Mike Broghammer.
Juniors Jacob Thomas, Chad Calcaterra and Seantrel Henderson led this year's team to a strong 3-0 start in pool play of the Sabes Invitational, but Howard Pulley lost in the semifinals again. This time the St. Louis Eagles made the title game against Houston Hoops by avenging an earlier loss to Howard Pulley behind Bradley Beal's 21 points.
No matter how much opposing defenses attempt to shut him down, Thomas, who scored 21 points on five three-pointers against the Eagles on Sunday, continues to knock down three-pointers at will and as well as anyone from Minnesota on the AAU scene.
The 6-foot-3 Columbia Heights guard is also waiting to hear back from the Gophers on a scholarship offer after they view his transcripts. Meanwhile, Thomas seems to be following the same recruiting path as another great high school shooter from the state. Former Hopkins star and current Gopher Blake Hoffarber saw his stock sky rocket after proving he was one of the best shooters in the country. Thomas will have that chance this summer, especially in the Paul Pierce Skills Academy.
Calcaterra, a near 7-foot big man from Cloquet, Minn., has difficulty scoring consistently in the paint against more athletic interiors, but his improved strength (up to 230 pounds) and aggressiveness as a shot blocker makes him a perfect prospect for a mid-major Division I program.
He doesn't seem to be as interested in Minnesota as he once was when he first received an offer as a sophomore. And the same goes for the Gophers pursuit of him. Part of the reason is because Calcaterra hasn't shown yet he can be an impact post player in the physical Big Ten Conference.
-- All-Iowa Attack wing Harrison Barnes' team didn't make it to Sunday. It lost the first two games in the Sabes tournament, but it wasn't Barnes' fault. The nation's top rated prospect by Scout. com scored 31 points in an exciting overtime loss to the Illinois Warriors on Friday. He also had 26 points in a loss to the Houston Hoops, which was hard to swallow since his team had a 13-point lead in the second half. Barnes has a complete game with the ability to take his man off the dribble, pull-up for a mid-range or three-point jumper and finish strong inside. He was also an excellent free-throw shooter. His areas that need work are on defense, rebounding and passing, but he certainly was a joy to watch when he had his mind set on scoring. He would be the best offensive player for the Gophers right now as a high school junior -- no question. I also heard a rumor that his hometown team Iowa State might not have a legit shot at landing the Ames High School standout while the Gophers do.
-- There were current and future Gophers in attendance on Saturday. Incoming recruits Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams were there to check out the action. I also ran into current Gophers wing Devron Bostick. Mbakwe actually was playing a joke on fans by wearing a Marquette hooded sweatshirt at the games. "I didn't have anything else to wear," he said. Yeah right
The junior college All-American power forward said he is back in the Twin Cities for good and is in the process of sending his transcripts over from Miami Dade College. He expects to enroll in summer school in mid-June.
-- Where were the Gopher football fans when Brewster needed you? Henderson, the top high school football player in the nation, is obviously playing at Sabes this weekend. But the No. 3-ranked gridiron prospect in the country was also competing. Bishop Miege athlete Justin McCay was playing with Kansas City Pump N Run. The 6-3, 200-pound McCay is listed as the top outside linebacker recruit in the nation by Scout.com.
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2009/05/host-team-howard-pulley-advanc.html
Go Gophers!!
The Howard Pulley Panthers were a much different team last spring when it featured future Gopher recruits Royce White and Rodney Williams, along with Notre Dame-bound Mike Broghammer.
Juniors Jacob Thomas, Chad Calcaterra and Seantrel Henderson led this year's team to a strong 3-0 start in pool play of the Sabes Invitational, but Howard Pulley lost in the semifinals again. This time the St. Louis Eagles made the title game against Houston Hoops by avenging an earlier loss to Howard Pulley behind Bradley Beal's 21 points.
No matter how much opposing defenses attempt to shut him down, Thomas, who scored 21 points on five three-pointers against the Eagles on Sunday, continues to knock down three-pointers at will and as well as anyone from Minnesota on the AAU scene.
The 6-foot-3 Columbia Heights guard is also waiting to hear back from the Gophers on a scholarship offer after they view his transcripts. Meanwhile, Thomas seems to be following the same recruiting path as another great high school shooter from the state. Former Hopkins star and current Gopher Blake Hoffarber saw his stock sky rocket after proving he was one of the best shooters in the country. Thomas will have that chance this summer, especially in the Paul Pierce Skills Academy.
Calcaterra, a near 7-foot big man from Cloquet, Minn., has difficulty scoring consistently in the paint against more athletic interiors, but his improved strength (up to 230 pounds) and aggressiveness as a shot blocker makes him a perfect prospect for a mid-major Division I program.
He doesn't seem to be as interested in Minnesota as he once was when he first received an offer as a sophomore. And the same goes for the Gophers pursuit of him. Part of the reason is because Calcaterra hasn't shown yet he can be an impact post player in the physical Big Ten Conference.
-- All-Iowa Attack wing Harrison Barnes' team didn't make it to Sunday. It lost the first two games in the Sabes tournament, but it wasn't Barnes' fault. The nation's top rated prospect by Scout. com scored 31 points in an exciting overtime loss to the Illinois Warriors on Friday. He also had 26 points in a loss to the Houston Hoops, which was hard to swallow since his team had a 13-point lead in the second half. Barnes has a complete game with the ability to take his man off the dribble, pull-up for a mid-range or three-point jumper and finish strong inside. He was also an excellent free-throw shooter. His areas that need work are on defense, rebounding and passing, but he certainly was a joy to watch when he had his mind set on scoring. He would be the best offensive player for the Gophers right now as a high school junior -- no question. I also heard a rumor that his hometown team Iowa State might not have a legit shot at landing the Ames High School standout while the Gophers do.
-- There were current and future Gophers in attendance on Saturday. Incoming recruits Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams were there to check out the action. I also ran into current Gophers wing Devron Bostick. Mbakwe actually was playing a joke on fans by wearing a Marquette hooded sweatshirt at the games. "I didn't have anything else to wear," he said. Yeah right
The junior college All-American power forward said he is back in the Twin Cities for good and is in the process of sending his transcripts over from Miami Dade College. He expects to enroll in summer school in mid-June.-- Where were the Gopher football fans when Brewster needed you? Henderson, the top high school football player in the nation, is obviously playing at Sabes this weekend. But the No. 3-ranked gridiron prospect in the country was also competing. Bishop Miege athlete Justin McCay was playing with Kansas City Pump N Run. The 6-3, 200-pound McCay is listed as the top outside linebacker recruit in the nation by Scout.com.
http://blogs.twincities.com/gophers/2009/05/host-team-howard-pulley-advanc.html
Go Gophers!!