[BJWilliams]

Looks like a nice pickup. I think Tomasz can prove invaluable helping him assimilate to the American game coming from Europe as well. the thing that will be most important with this group is how quickly they gel.

[panther1]

Also BJ, The important thing is that leaders are identified and given responsibility for helping run the team on the floor. Something that was missing this year!

[olldflame]

Also BJ, The important thing is that leaders are identified and given responsibility for helping run the team on the floor. Something that was missing this year!

I have a feeling our leadership issues will largely be resolved when Braxton Bonds arrives, but if Retic wins the starting job at PG, or if they split the minutes, we still will have a player on the court at all times who is out there to run the team. You are correct in saying we didn't have that last year and really haven't had it for 2 years.

[jcmanson]

Tomasz and Drew Smith came along way in the leadership role this past season. You could really see them grow up before your eyes.

[kingaling42]

Tough to have a leader who engages in so many technical fouls and emotional reactions.. You just don't think of Rasheed Wallace as a leader for example.. perhaps I'm wrong.

[PAmedic]

I have a feeling our leadership issues will largely be resolved when Braxton Bonds arrives, but if Retic wins the starting job at PG, or if they split the minutes, we still will have a player on the court at all times who is out there to run the team.

thats asking a lot of a frosh. not saying he's not capable but who knows...

secondarily, if we're depending on him to lead these guys we're in bigger trouble than I thought

[olldflame]

Scepticism is understandable about a Freshman taking on that role Medic, but everything I hear about Bonds is that whatever you may do to pick his game apart otherwise, he is a born leader on the court. He was the unquestioned leader of state championship teams as a Sophomore and Junior, and lost this year to the eventual champions on a buzzer beater in the semis largely because he fouled out and was not on the floor the last couple of minutes. His team was 137-12 in his 4 years as starting PG.

And BTW, it's not like we haven't seen a Freshman as our team leader not that long ago. It takes a special kid, but if you find one, I say give him the ball and let him do his thing.

[PAmedic]

good counter-point.

be interesting to see.

and not a huge risk with where this program is right now

[BJWilliams]

Not really. Wasn't Jesse Sanders in a similar position when he came in back in 08?

[olldflame]

I have a feeling the Jesse Sanders comparisons are going to get old pretty quickly for Braxton. Unlike Jesse though, he will have to compete with a talented upperclassman for the starting PG position. Just an example of how silly things get on here at times, early that year we had guys who insisted Johnny Stephene should be our point guard.

[jcmanson]

When Jesse came in though, he was considered to be our 3rd or 4th best recruit in that class. That's not the case with BB.

[olldflame]

When Jesse came in though, he was considered to be our 3rd or 4th best recruit in that class. That's not the case with BB.

Correct. McMasters, Curry, and possibly even Smith were considered better prospects than Jesse back in 08. In this years class, I would say Bonds and Talbert are 1 and 1A. I get why everyone is so amped about Stavian Allen. I like watching dunks too, but remember Ezra decommitted from Creighton to come to LU, and by all reports they were happy to have him. He is rated a 3 star by Scout, and IMHO his game is a lot closer to being D1 ready than Allen's. A 6'8" 3 who can pull up and hit the J off the pass or the dribble as smoothly as he does can be a handful for any defense. He's already better at that than Geilo.

[jcmanson]

And don't forget Brolin.

I agree about Talbert, he looks really good. He'll likely spend most of his freshman season behind Gielo and will then man the 3 spot for the next 3 years. The same can be said of Allen and Drew Smith at the 4 as well.

It will be interesting to see what Reid, Moller and Maxwell bring.

We should be set at the 1, 3 and 4 spots for the next 4 seasons. If we can get Johnson, he will be a good stop gap at the 5 for a year.

[olldflame]

Moller's signing, as is often the case with international recruits, came as a complete surprise, and for me a pleasant one because he looks like a good get and we needed to hear something positive. I am afraid it may mean we are no longer in the mix for Vaughn, but time will tell. If Johnson decides to go elsewhere, maybe Joyce can land a Polish, Ukrainian or Lithuanian big guy, because as far as a D1 ready post is concerned, it doesn't look like there are any on the radar screen here in the states.

[BJWilliams]

With sommy departing we do have a scholarship available stil so I do think Vaughn is still in play for us

[jcmanson]

We have 2 scholarships available

[olldflame]

It's not that we don't have a scholarship to offer Vaughn BJ. Two questions: 1. Did we sign Moller because Vaughn told us he isn't coming here? 2. We know we needed a shooting guard, but do we want to sign 2?

We still have at least 2 scholarships available, and I'm afraid it may be 3 based on what bballfan84 has posted about one of our signees having academic issues. His sources have proven to be VERY reliable. Hopefully this turns out to be the time they are wrong. One of those schollies we would love to give to Johnson. If he goes elsewhere my guess is we are scrambling to find the best JUCO or international big available. After that I think you just look at the best players out there who want to come here and are a fit.

[jcmanson]

I spoke with Coach Mantlo Thursday AM before Moller's signing was announced and he told me Liberty is indeed in the mix for Vaughn. Did that change after this signing? I don't know.

[olldflame]

There are some things in recruiting we will never know. I think we all had assumed Vaughn was our #1 priority at the SG position, and that may still be the case. It also could be that Layer and company had Moller targeted all along, but we knew nothing about it because he was way, way off our radar screen in Denmark. I also think if we sign 2 shooting guards it may be an indication that they aren't very confident in Kemrite.

[jcmanson]

I also think if we sign 2 shooting guards it may be an indication that they aren't very confident in Kemrite.

Good point. I think it makes sense to use both of the final 2 available schollies on posts. We obviously need help there. Of course, as you pointed out, we may not be able to snag 2 quality posts this late.

[jcmanson]

A 6'7" forward from Merritt College, David Andoh has committed to Liberty - http://www.libertyflamesnation.com/2014 ... vid-andoh/

He spent his freshman season at San Jose State before transferring. He will have 2 seasons of eligibility remaining.

[olldflame]

Andoh is originally from Montreal, but played HS ball at IMG Academy in FL before going to San Jose St for a year and then Merrett (JUCO). He was a 3 star with both Rivals and Scout out of HS. This year he averaged 13.9ppg and 8.3rpg, shooting 54% from the floor and 84% on FT. Just speculation, but the fact we are trying to sign another forward may give some credence to the reports that we may be losing a fall signee to academics.

Almost certainly a Vince Walden recruit. Vince was Head coach and recruiting coordinator at IMG before coming to LU.

[ballah09]

Edit: I didn't hear of any bad academic troubles when I asked but if it's anyone I would guess its stavian since he's been to few hs. And the forward of the class.

[BJWilliams]

Looks like he could be a banger. keeping an eye on the James Johnson situation also

[olldflame]

Looks like he could be a banger. keeping an eye on the James Johnson situation also

Not sure where you get the "banger" description. He's like 205. More of a greyhound.