WBB: Some News from the Recruiting Trail

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Raoul
‏@Raoul_000
WBB: Masseny Kaba, 6-3 F, Cathedral HS (Boston, MA–2017), announced her top 5 schools
UCF
Georgetown
George Washington
Minnesota
Providence

Raoul lists Masseny Kaba' top five schools.

Here's an interview with Kaba from last January:


And a blurb from the Boston Globe:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2016/03/14/girls/aRVnMuHRlbBp6115IgdkwJ/story.html

Pitted against one of the best centers in Division 4 in 6-foot-2-inch New Mission senior Denia Davis-Stewart, Cathedral junior Masseny Kaba had her work cut out for her in the Division 4 Eastern Mass. final Monday at the TD Garden.

The 6-3 Kaba rose to the occasion, forcing the Merrimack-bound Davis-Stewart to the bench with early foul trouble while dropping a game-high 28 points to send Cathedral to the Division 4 state title game with a 54-41 win.

“I just knew that my teammates had my back and, if they went to the hole I would be open, or if they gave me the ball I would try my hardest to post up and get the basket or get the and-one,” Kaba said
 

http://www.espn.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/210715/masseny-kaba

ESPN recruiting notes on Masseny Kaba:

USJN-July 2016: Agile face up-4 prospect brings quick 1st-step attack, quick-leaper, attacks off the bounce; nimble footwork, quick in paint, pounds glass, garbage point producer; emerging offensive arsenal; high ceiling prospect. (Olson)

Northeast Elite Showcase-April 2015: Long and agile insider with off-the-charts potential; emerging offensive threat, active on glass, superb in uptempo game. (Olson
 

Kinda sounds like a Shae Kelley type player.

also I never realized how many offers Stollings had out there for class of 2017. seems like a "go big or go home" kind of class to her.


Ignatius L Hoops said:
http://www.espn.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/210715/masseny-kaba

ESPN recruiting notes on Masseny Kaba:

USJN-July 2016: Agile face up-4 prospect brings quick 1st-step attack, quick-leaper, attacks off the bounce; nimble footwork, quick in paint, pounds glass, garbage point producer; emerging offensive arsenal; high ceiling prospect. (Olson)

Northeast Elite Showcase-April 2015: Long and agile insider with off-the-charts potential; emerging offensive threat, active on glass, superb in uptempo game. (Olson
Click to expand...
 

bball_craz_26 said:
Kinda sounds like a Shae Kelley type player.

also I never realized how many offers Stollings had out there for class of 2017. seems like a "go big or go home" kind of class to her.
Click to expand...

During the July recruiting period Stollings tweeted a map showing where the coaches were headed: Las Vegas, NV; North Augusta, SC; Indian Trail, NC; and Washington, DC.
 

Based on what we know about the offered recruits, gotta wonder if the SC, NC and Washington DC trips for for class of 2018/2019. cause to my knowledge the kids offered and still have gophers on list are as follows:

-Samantha Thomas 6'0 Wing from NV
-Estella Moschkau 6'2 Wing from WI
-Kierra Fletcher 5'9 Guard from MI
-Gabrielle Connally 5'7 Point Guard from TX
-Masseny Kaba 6'3 Power Forward from MA
-Deja Church 5'8 Guard from MI

Now not saying there are not kids with offers that we don't know but this is the current (known) list of class of 2017 offers. While I am overall happy with quality of players, little disappointing not see a kid from MN on there. However I don't want her to offer MN kids that are not D1 quality talent just because they are from MN


Ignatius L Hoops said:
During the July recruiting period Stollings tweeted a map showing where the coaches were headed: Las Vegas, NV; North Augusta, SC; Indian Trail, NC; and Washington, DC.
Click to expand...
 


Raoul tweeted yesterday that Samantha Thomas has narrowed her 4 schools down to Arizona, Michigan, Northwestern and UNLV. Also Deja Church took another official visit, this time to Oklahoma St. I think that is 4 official visits for her which have been Minnesota, Oklahoma St, DePaul, and Kentucky. My guess is she will use her 5th on Stanford. While I wouldn't say I'm overly optimistic that gophers can out recruit those schools, pretty impressed be listed with those as a kids top 5 IMO

bball_craz_26 said:
Based on what we know about the offered recruits, gotta wonder if the SC, NC and Washington DC trips for for class of 2018/2019. cause to my knowledge the kids offered and still have gophers on list are as follows:

-Samantha Thomas 6'0 Wing from NV
-Estella Moschkau 6'2 Wing from WI
-Kierra Fletcher 5'9 Guard from MI
-Gabrielle Connally 5'7 Point Guard from TX
-Masseny Kaba 6'3 Power Forward from MA
-Deja Church 5'8 Guard from MI

Now not saying there are not kids with offers that we don't know but this is the current (known) list of class of 2017 offers. While I am overall happy with quality of players, little disappointing not see a kid from MN on there. However I don't want her to offer MN kids that are not D1 quality talent just because they are from MN
Click to expand...
 

WBB: Jordan Horston, 5-11 PG, Columbus Africentric HS (OH-2019), has picked up offers from Minnesota—Big Ten offer #5—and Marquette.


Raoul tweets that Minnesota has offered Jordan Horston.
 

top 5 schools for Deja Church are

Gophers, Stanford, DePaul, Michigan and Oklahoma St.

She has taken visits to gophers and Oklahoma St. and plans to take visit to the other 3. Overall not a bad list for gophers to be included on IMO


Ignatius L Hoops said:
https://stanford.rivals.com/news/2017-introduction-deja-church

Minnesota is in the mix for Deja Church, former Bello teammate at South Lathrup. Stanford got interested in February (this is a Stanford Rivals write-up).

Many programs are recruiting Church, but she singled out Minnesota, Oklahoma State, DePaul, Michigan, Iowa, Kentucky, Penn State and Northwestern along with the Cardinal among the schools she is considering.

Church is currently working through Stanford's admissions process, which is a key component to every Cardinal recruitment.

"My timeline pretty much resolves around Stanford," Church said. "Yes, I have officials set up, but I'm in no rush to make a decision. It's a very big decision in my life and I'm in no rush for things. I want to make a decision before school starts."

"I would describe my style as up tempo," Church said. "I like to run the floor, love to play defense. I bring energy to the floor along with getting my teammates involved."
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ESPN Hoopgurlz has done their yearly expansions and frankly, it makes me even more excited for the gopher WBB recruiting!

Expanded Top 100 Class of 2017 for gopher recruits include

-Committed Destiny Pitts now #62 of top 100. 4-star recruit.
-Estella Moschkau is now listed as #44 of top 100. 5-star recruit-offered by gophers
-Gabby Connally is now #46 of top 100. 5-star recruit-has gophers on final five list
-Kierra Fletcher is now #51 of top 100. 5-star recruit-offered by gophers
-Deja Church and Masseny Kaba are still listed at 3-star recruits and both have gophers on final five list.

Expanded 2018 top 60

-Chrissy Carr (formally of Minnetonka MN) is now #23 of top 60-offered by gophers-4 star recruit
-Carmen Backes is from Chisago Lake HS-listed #45 of top 60-no idea if gophers have offered but she is the only MN kid on top 60 list-4 star recruit

Expanded 2019 top 25

-Jordan Horston-#24 of top 25-offered by gophers-4 star recruit

Seeing that gophers are in the mix for 3 5-star recruits as well as offering kids on the top 60/top 25 lists really is exciting. I truly do like the direction Stollings recruiting is going.
 



http://www.bcsn.tv/news_article/show/700134

Minnesota among the schools planning a trek to Toledo for Sophomore Zia Cooke.

A revolving door is needed for all the major Division I college women’s basketball coaches entering and leaving the Rogers High School gym.

Coaches from national power programs are finding their way to the gym to take a good look at Rams sophomore sensation guard Zia Cooke during open gym sessions.

Defending national champion Connecticut and Top-10 power DePaul were represented by assistant coaches during Tuesday evening’s open gym. Cooke, regarded as one of the top talents in Ohio, is being heavily recruited by some of the nation’s top programs. She’s drawing enough attention to cause representatives from those schools to make pit stops at Rogers.

Louisville head coach Jeff Walz flew into town on Monday. Coaches from Ohio State, Penn State, and Florida visited last week...

...Smith, who lost four members of last season’s team to graduation — all of whom are now at Division I colleges — said South Carolina, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Furman have expressed plans to have someone make a trip to Toledo next week.
 

Deja Church has committed to the Gophers!


bball_craz_26 said:
top 5 schools for Deja Church are

Gophers, Stanford, DePaul, Michigan and Oklahoma St.

She has taken visits to gophers and Oklahoma St. and plans to take visit to the other 3. Overall not a bad list for gophers to be included on IMO
Click to expand...
 


http://www.startribune.com/michigan-all-state-guard-deja-church-commits-to-gophers/394479231/


For the second time in her 2017 recruiting class, Gophers women's basketball coach Marlene Stollings landed one of the top players in Michigan with a commitment from three-star guard Deja Church on Thursday.

Church, a 5-foot-10 senior at Lathrup High School in Southfield, Mich., joins four-star wing Destiny Pitts from Detroit Country Day High School in Minnesota's class...

...At Lathrup, Church averaged 19 points a game as a junior, while earning all-state honors. She also shared the state's Class A Player of the Year award with Michigan State-bound Mardrekia Cook.
 



Great news! Here's hoping we can nab some highly rated frontcourt players to go along with Pitts and Church!

And thanks as always Ignatius!
 

I hope these guards can also play D. Agreed we need a few PF 's and Centers in this mix.
 

Brief update on class of 2017...

Committed:
-Destiny Pitts and Deja Church

Still considering Gophers (to our knowledge)

-Gabby Connally is now #46 of top 100. 5-star recruit-has gophers on final five list
-Kierra Fletcher is now #51 of top 100. 5-star recruit-offered by gophers
-Masseny Kaba 6'3 Power Forward from MA-3 star recruit-has gophers on final five list

I wouldn't mind seeing Connally and Kaba to make a pretty good 4 player class


bball_craz_26 said:
ESPN Hoopgurlz has done their yearly expansions and frankly, it makes me even more excited for the gopher WBB recruiting!

Expanded Top 100 Class of 2017 for gopher recruits include

-Committed Destiny Pitts now #62 of top 100. 4-star recruit.
-Estella Moschkau is now listed as #44 of top 100. 5-star recruit-offered by gophers
-Gabby Connally is now #46 of top 100. 5-star recruit-has gophers on final five list
-Kierra Fletcher is now #51 of top 100. 5-star recruit-offered by gophers
-Deja Church and Masseny Kaba are still listed at 3-star recruits and both have gophers on final five list.

Expanded 2018 top 60

-Chrissy Carr (formally of Minnetonka MN) is now #23 of top 60-offered by gophers-4 star recruit
-Carmen Backes is from Chisago Lake HS-listed #45 of top 60-no idea if gophers have offered but she is the only MN kid on top 60 list-4 star recruit

Expanded 2019 top 25

-Jordan Horston-#24 of top 25-offered by gophers-4 star recruit

Seeing that gophers are in the mix for 3 5-star recruits as well as offering kids on the top 60/top 25 lists really is exciting. I truly do like the direction Stollings recruiting is going.
Click to expand...
 

Thanks again b ball. Really appreciate the updates.
 


Just saw that Deja Church De-committed from the Gophers and Verbally committed to Michigan. Wonder what caused the change.
 

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http://www.miprepzone.com/oakland/print.asp?ID=19945

A little more on Deja Church:

A change of heart doesn’t necessarily mean a change in friendship.

Deja Church said before she was committing to Minnesota not because she knew a bevy of players already committed or signed with the Gophers, but rather because it was the best fit for her.

When that no longer became true, she changed her commitment...

...Behind her at Minnesota are three players who Church has known forever, playing either high school or travel ball with, in Birmingham Detroit Country Day senior Destiny Pitts, as well as former Southfield-Lathrup stars Taiye and Kehinde Bello.

The switch took Pitts by surprise, as she told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

"I am surprised because since we were little, Church and I have been talking about going to college together," Pitts said in a text, "and to see her back out was disappointing. But nonetheless, I'm happy for Church and will support whatever she does despite my opinion. At the end of the day, she has to do what's best for her. And I just hope Michigan appreciates and recognizes how special D. Church is. Go Gophers!"
 

After reading this, my question would be what changed in the last month to make it where it wasn't the best fit anymore? Did the addition of Sue Key (JUCO who would be a SR next season) have any effect? Did gophers coaches back off on a promise or change their tune with her after commit? More questions are can college coaches still "recruit" or contact players after they make a verbal? Did Michigan still go after her and convince her to switch?

And good luck to her at Michigan. wish the kid nothing but the best. Plus personally, I would rather have her end up at the right school for her now instead of coming to gophers for a year and transferring out.

Ignatius L Hoops said:
http://www.miprepzone.com/oakland/print.asp?ID=19945

A little more on Deja Church:

A change of heart doesn’t necessarily mean a change in friendship.

Deja Church said before she was committing to Minnesota not because she knew a bevy of players already committed or signed with the Gophers, but rather because it was the best fit for her.

When that no longer became true, she changed her commitment...

...Behind her at Minnesota are three players who Church has known forever, playing either high school or travel ball with, in Birmingham Detroit Country Day senior Destiny Pitts, as well as former Southfield-Lathrup stars Taiye and Kehinde Bello.

The switch took Pitts by surprise, as she told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

"I am surprised because since we were little, Church and I have been talking about going to college together," Pitts said in a text, "and to see her back out was disappointing. But nonetheless, I'm happy for Church and will support whatever she does despite my opinion. At the end of the day, she has to do what's best for her. And I just hope Michigan appreciates and recognizes how special D. Church is. Go Gophers!"
Click to expand...
 

bball_craz_26 said:
After reading this, my question would be what changed in the last month to make it where it wasn't the best fit anymore? Did the addition of Sue Key (JUCO who would be a SR next season) have any effect? Did gophers coaches back off on a promise or change their tune with her after commit? More questions are can college coaches still "recruit" or contact players after they make a verbal? Did Michigan still go after her and convince her to switch?

And good luck to her at Michigan. wish the kid nothing but the best. Plus personally, I would rather have her end up at the right school for her now instead of coming to gophers for a year and transferring out.
Click to expand...

Maybe Church seriously looked at Minnesota's guards (Bell, Brunson, Hubbard and Pitts to name a few) and decided Michigan needed her more. Even with Boogie Brozoski, The Wolverines seem a little thin at guard.
 

Maybe. but I always thought that Pitts would be more of a 3/4 type player. Probably a back up to Wagner first year and the slide into that starting spot as a Sophomore. but who knows with Stollings system, Pitts could literally end up playing any position 1-5. haha

Ignatius L Hoops said:
Maybe Church seriously looked at Minnesota's guards (Bell, Brunson, Hubbard and Pitts to name a few) and decided Michigan needed her more. Even with Boogie Brozoski, The Wolverines seem a little thin at guard.
Click to expand...
 


I think Key will be a factor as well. I didn't include her or Barnes but they both will contribute.
 


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