If roundball is your blood, this is the place to discuss the Flames as they move into the Ritchie McKay era for the 2nd time.

Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke

By olldflame
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#604676
flameshaw wrote: July 23rd, 2020, 3:41 pm Long way until 2022. Hope we can sign him. RMK is a great coach. Love the guy.
Ditto. Can't imagine a better man to lead our program.

I'm not worried about Moore signing. Ritchie has a 100% record of signing his commits since he returned, but beyond that, this is a kid who already had 2 other D1 offers and was expected to get significant mid and high major action in the next year, yet he committed to Liberty less than 24 hours after we offered. He knows it's where he belongs.
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By Sly Fox
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#604685
We've pulled a few kids to LU over the years from Wort[media][/media]hington Christian. Scar and some of the old school guys might remember Freddie from back in the 80s.
By olldflame
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#604857
We have offered 6'8" F Braeden Moore from Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville. If the school sounds familiar, that is where former Flames recruit Braxton Bonds and current UVA F Braxton key played under coach Drew Maddox. Highly successful HS program, and Moore has been a varsity starter since the 8th grade.



https://www.verbalcommits.com/players/braeden-moore

https://www.hudl.com/profile/10396593/Braeden-Moore

https://new.berecruited.com/athletes/40 ... ine%20made.

After watching his video, all I can say is "more Moore please. MORE MOORE!"
#604860
As @olldflame mentioned, McKay and co. have made another 2022 offer to a kid with a lot of promise.

LIBERTY OFFERS 2022 F BRAEDEN MOORE

Coach McKay and his staff have clearly made the class of 2022 a priority this summer as the Flames have offered a couple of prospects in the class of rising juniors including Braeden Moore.

Moore picked up an offer from Liberty on Monday, coming just on the heels of Liberty’s first verbal commit in the class of 2022 from DJ Moore (no relation).
By olldflame
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#604875
With the commitment from DJ Moore, we have just one scholarship open for 22. Looking at who we have in the pipeline, I suspect we will be focusing on Braeden and probably won't be pursuing the other player we have offered in this class, 6'4" G Isaac McKneely, going forward. At some point, you have to bring in some size.
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By A Sea of Red
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#604886
olldflame wrote: July 28th, 2020, 10:28 am With the commitment from DJ Moore, we have just one scholarship open for 22. Looking at who we have in the pipeline, I suspect we will be focusing on Braeden and probably won't be pursuing the other player we have offered in this class, 6'4" G Isaac McKneely, going forward. At some point, you have to bring in some size.
We would certainly take McKneely if he was interested, but since we offered (and he took an unofficial visit) his recruitment has blown up. He's now a consensus 4-star and ranked as a top 50 prospect nationally.
By olldflame
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#604887
A Sea of Red wrote: July 28th, 2020, 11:22 am
olldflame wrote: July 28th, 2020, 10:28 am With the commitment from DJ Moore, we have just one scholarship open for 22. Looking at who we have in the pipeline, I suspect we will be focusing on Braeden and probably won't be pursuing the other player we have offered in this class, 6'4" G Isaac McKneely, going forward. At some point, you have to bring in some size.
We would certainly take McKneely if he was interested, but since we offered (and he took an unofficial visit) his recruitment has blown up. He's now a consensus 4-star and ranked as a top 50 prospect nationally.
I understand that McKneely has become at best a very long shot for us, and suspect that is a big part of the reason we offered Moore (DJ). If Isaac suddenly and surprisingly decided he wants to come to Liberty, we would be faced with the choice of either withdrawing the offer to Moore or going another year without signing any size at all.
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By cruzan_flame13
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#604888
olldflame wrote: July 28th, 2020, 11:40 am
A Sea of Red wrote: July 28th, 2020, 11:22 am
olldflame wrote: July 28th, 2020, 10:28 am With the commitment from DJ Moore, we have just one scholarship open for 22. Looking at who we have in the pipeline, I suspect we will be focusing on Braeden and probably won't be pursuing the other player we have offered in this class, 6'4" G Isaac McKneely, going forward. At some point, you have to bring in some size.
We would certainly take McKneely if he was interested, but since we offered (and he took an unofficial visit) his recruitment has blown up. He's now a consensus 4-star and ranked as a top 50 prospect nationally.
I understand that McKneely has become at best a very long shot for us, and suspect that is a big part of the reason we offered Moore (DJ). If Isaac suddenly and surprisingly decided he wants to come to Liberty, we would be faced with the choice of either withdrawing the offer to Moore or going another year without signing any size at all.
They should keep both offers open even if we may not get McKneely. At this point next year, we could have someone enter the transfer portal because they didn't receive enough minutes of play or no minutes at all.
By olldflame
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#604890
cruzan_flame13 wrote: July 28th, 2020, 1:32 pm
olldflame wrote: July 28th, 2020, 11:40 am
A Sea of Red wrote: July 28th, 2020, 11:22 am

We would certainly take McKneely if he was interested, but since we offered (and he took an unofficial visit) his recruitment has blown up. He's now a consensus 4-star and ranked as a top 50 prospect nationally.
I understand that McKneely has become at best a very long shot for us, and suspect that is a big part of the reason we offered Moore (DJ). If Isaac suddenly and surprisingly decided he wants to come to Liberty, we would be faced with the choice of either withdrawing the offer to Moore or going another year without signing any size at all.
They should keep both offers open even if we may not get McKneely. At this point next year, we could have someone enter the transfer portal because they didn't receive enough minutes of play or no minutes at all.
That is highly likely to happen (not this time next year, but in late March or April). I could probably even tell you who it will be, but it's a little early for that. The thing is, almost certainly they will look to fill that spot in the 2021 class rather than wait til 22. There is a difference between maintaining contact with a player "just in case" and actively pursuing him. These kids know if there is an open scholarship or not, and they will call BS on you if you try to tell them you want them when you don't have a spot for them.

As far as McKneely is concerned, it is quite possible he has already told us he is not interested. In any event, while there are reasons he is so sought after, IMHO he is basically Joseph Venzant with a better jumper (but probably not as good a defender). You could make a good argument that either of the 2 Moores would fill a more pressing need on the roster.
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By ASOR Forums Admin
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#624884
LIBERTY BASKETBALL CLASS OF 2022 TARGETS

Recent attention has been given towards the transfer portal and finalizing the roster for this coming season for Ritchie McKay and his team, but the 12 scholarship players could be who the Flames have as they hold on to that one spot for the class of 2022. With DJ Moore reclassifying and joining the team this summer, Liberty suddenly has no commitments in the class that can sign as soon as this coming November.

If Liberty holds the one available scholarship, the Flames would likely have three scholarships available, possibly more if someone elects to transfer, for the class of 2022. That assumes that rising seniors Darius McGhee and Keegan McDowell do not utilize their COVID-shirt and come back for one final season in 2022-23.

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By olldflame
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#625286
The somewhat unexpected decision to go with 4 FR this year rather than dip into the transfer portal presents an interesting scenario. We will have 2 "Seniors" on the roster next year (McGhee and McDowell) but both will have the option to use their "covid year" and return, which would leave us with no openings for this class. You can be sure our staff will be actively recruiting, as one or both could choose to move on, and of course there is the ever-present possibility that with all our depth, a player or 2 at the bottom of the chart will look to get minutes elsewhere.
By olldflame
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#625996
6'7" F Josh Reed, the only open offer we currently have for our 2 available scholarships in this class, opened eyes at a recent AAU event in ATL. He may be pricing himself out of our market.

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By Cider Jim
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#627271
Isn't that the same hometown where Ergin Caner went to kindergarten? :shock:
By paradox
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#627290
Cider Jim wrote: June 7th, 2021, 10:57 am Isn't that the same hometown where Ergin Caner went to kindergarten? :shock:
Perhaps the greatest combination of raw basketball talent and apologetic prowess ever witnessed on the kindergarten level. Basketball career unfortunately cut short after devastating injury suffered in a very meaningful apologetics debate. The specific debate topic seems to escape my mind.
By olldflame
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#633231
That finishes our 2022 class for now. As always, we could lose someone to transfer in the Spring. We basically got bookend forwards who are versatile, skilled and athletic.
By olldflame
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#633235
Southerland's commit pretty much tells me that Keegan McDowell will not be returning for his "covid year". By this Spring he will have a graduate degree, and have spent 5 years on the mountain. Darius is an interesting situation. He will no doubt have opportunities to play professionally (overseas, if not NBA).
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By stokesjokes
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#633236
Glad Keegan stuck it out as long as he did. Darius is in a tricky spot. I don’t think an extra year really improves his pro prospects at this point. If he comes back, it’s to finish a degree or for some kind of unfinished business, but I don’t expect him back.
By olldflame
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#633242
stokesjokes wrote: October 13th, 2021, 9:01 pm Glad Keegan stuck it out as long as he did. Darius is in a tricky spot. I don’t think an extra year really improves his pro prospects at this point. If he comes back, it’s to finish a degree or for some kind of unfinished business, but I don’t expect him back.
There was more than one person on this board who thought it was a bad idea for Ritchie to take him back, but IMHO it has worked out well. He will also have the option of using that year of eligibility at another school as a grad transfer. Might be a really good move for him if he could find the right fit; a chance to play more and a second graduate degree from another school (which is generally a better thing to have on your resume than 3 degrees from the same place.)
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