[libertyfan4life]

Probably not a scholarship player yet IMHO.

Here's some info on Brody Hicks.

His family are a integral part of Cave Springs Basketball the past decade. Brody's dad was the head coach before stepping down last year, and he has brother's to have played at the collegiate level at D2 Lees-McRae and William & Mary.

His Sophmore stats list him as a 6’3” wing/guard, where he averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds per game.

SCHOOLS WITH SOME INTEREST:

Several schools have expressed interest in the 2016 prospect after his summer season with Spectrum Sports Academy concluded. Brody has said that before “the season started I took an unofficial visit to William & Mary, and the Army coach came and watched me workout, and they seem really interested in me,” Hicks said, “Army also just invited me up there to take an official visit up there anytime I wanted to, so I could watch one of their games.” Hicks also mentioned that "Army would probably be his number one choice right now if he had to pick, but he does not currently have an offer from the Patriot League program, and he still has a ways to go before even tackling the recruiting process (per December 2014). Many division three programs have also expressed interest in Hicks, and D2 Lees-McRae has been reaching out frequently, as well."

If interested to read more on him, some of those specified quotes above are from:

http://www.vantagehoops.com/news_articl ... id=1103687

[libertyfan4life]

Here is some playing video on Brody Hicks:

[libertyfan4life]

Brody Hicks
6' 5"
188 lbs
#5 Shooting Guard / SF
Spectrum Sports Acad


Hudl profile: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/5407425/brody-hicks


Per October 2013, the "Roanoke Top 100: Top Performers" lists both Brody & his brother Cager: Brody Hicks | Cave Spring HS (V.A.) | 6-3 | 2016
"Brody brother of Cager Hicks seems to get better every time he is on the court. This 6’3 wing can do many different things to effect games. Brody makes open shots but also his basketball IQ and good size allow him to be a good defender and player maker for his teammates." See Complete Article at http://hoopgroup.com/elite-blog/top-100 ... erformers/

[libertyfan4life]

Alright sorry, one last article...

This one has some intrigue on Brody Hick's dad, Billy Hicks (Former Cave Springs H.S. Coach)

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/high_scho ... b2370.html


"BILLY HICKS STEPS DOWN AS CAVE SPRING BASKETBALL COACH"
ARTICLE IN THE ROANOKE TIMES
Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2014 7:42 pm
By Robert Anderson | The Roanoke Times


SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ARTICLE ON BRODY'S DAD:



*** "Billy Hicks, who coached Cave Spring High School’s boys basketball program to three VHSL state championships during an 18-year tenure"


*** "Cave Spring alumnus, Hicks coached the 2002 Cave Spring team led by future Duke All-American and NBA player J.J. Redick to the Group AAA championship. Hicks coached the Knights to back-to-back Group AA Division 3 state titles in 2009 and 2010."



*** “I’ve spent half my life there,” Hicks said. “It’s a great coaching situation. It was my dream job."



*** "Hicks posted a career win-loss record at Cave Spring of 273-184."



*** "Hicks, who once turned down an offer to become the head coach at Ferrum College."

[olldflame]

Putting it here because IMHO it´s too early to start a thread for it, but we have made our first offer for the class of 2018. Isaiah Payton is a 6´1¨PG from football powerhouse Moeller HS in Cincinnati. It´s his first scholarship offer. Considering the philosophy McKay has followed of being very economical with offers, I have to believe our staff is extremely high on this kid to offer him so early.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/isaiah-payton

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/recruit ... witterfeed

[Sly Fox]

I see you thinking of Gerry Faust, Olldflame. That school also produced the Larkin boys and Ken Griffey Jr back in the day.

[olldflame]

With only 1 opening for 16 and none for 17 and a very short list of offers (with backup plans no doubt) it looks like a lot of our staff´s recruiting efforts will now be focused on developing prospects for 18. This is something we have really not experienced at Liberty in the past.

Verbalcommits actually shows us with minus 1 spots for 17, but they are not taking into account that we will not need to use a schollie for Jay Barber.

[olldflame]

With John Fulkerson visiting UTK this weekend and Georgia later in Oct., it´s looking like a longshot for us to get him to the mountain. So, what are the other options for that scholarship?

Forget about the offer to PG Aaron Cook shown on verbalcommits. I can pretty much gaurantee that has been withdrawn, along with the one to 2017 PG Jarrod West. With Atencia and Barmore, along with Dawson and Cabbell, who can also play the point, I´d be shocked to see us sign another PG til 18.

For 16, the player who keeps coming to my mind is 2014 signee Stavian Allen, who failed to qualify and is currently at Tallahassee CC. I think he would be a great fit, and with 2 years of extra experience and maturity should be better equipped to make an immediate contribution than most HS players would.

The other thing to consider is that as things stand now we do not have an open scholarship for 7´2¨Brendan Newton, who we have offered for 17. Perhaps Ritchie decides to hold onto that one we still have for 16 and use it for either Newton or another 17 prospect.

[Sly Fox]

I am not at all concerned that Newton will have a scholie if he chooses to come our way. One will be available.

[olldflame]

I am not at all concerned that Newton will have a scholie if he chooses to come our way. One will be available.

Normally that would be a given, and probably still is, but after the housecleaning Ritchie did this Spring I don´t see a lot of the natural attrition happening in the next year or 2. A lot could depend on Maxwell´s development and whether McKay finds a role for him and whether Myo Baxter-Bell gains his eligibility and is given a scholarship. While he is not with the team now, it looks like they are holding a schollie for him. That could change.

[olldflame]

PG Aaron Clark, who we had offered at one point, has now committed to Southern IL. Our only remaining open offer on verbalcommits for 2016 is currently John Fulkerson. I´m sure we have a short list of players we can choose from to make an offer if ¨Fulky¨ succumbs to the temptation of accepting one of those offers from the SEC schools he is visiting. I´ve said it before, but I love the way Ritchie treats an offer like it is made of platinum. IMHO at some point this strategy will help us steal a gem from the big boys. If not Fulkerson this year, perhaps Newton next year or someone we haven´t heard of yet in 2018.

[olldflame]

I don´t know much about him, and he doesn´t even have a verbalcommits profile yet, but apparently Evan Maxwell has a brother, Seth, who is a Junior in HS and is also 6´10¨. He saw limited time as a Soph at Clarks Summitt HS, but then again, Evan really didn´t play much til his Senior year there. They have had a really good team the past few years and have a couple of other players in D1 programs.

http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/seth-ma ... -stats.htm

Having brothers on the team is cool and all, but we can´t get into a situation where it´s assumed little bro will have a schollie. With our current scholarship grid, at best Seth could be a backup plan if things don´t work out with Newton. More likely a walkon candidate.

[olldflame]

My new co-favorite player for 16 if we can´t land Fulkerson. 6´6¨ swing Harold Baruti from the Congo by way of Mountain Mission School.

http://verbalcommits.com/players/harold-baruti

Check the video on verbalcommitts. Note how many dimes he gets from number 4 (Hansel Atencia).

I really like the stuff he tweets. Sounds like a kid who would fit right in at LU.

https://twitter.com/harold_baruti

Super long arms and great athleticism, but also a really nice stroke from 3. His only 2 offers currently are from UNCW and SMU. He lived in Dallas before coming to MMS, and SMU probably had him pretty much locked up a couple of months ago. I´m thinking not so much now.

[olldflame]

With the chances of landing Fulkerson pretty much nil at this point, what are our options going forward for the recruiting class of 16? We have one scholarship available for sure, with another depending on what happens with Myo Baxter, who has committed and is attending Liberty, but has not qualified. At this point I am thinking Ritchie will probably defer a decision on Baxter til the Spring, when they will probably have a better idea of his academic status, so that leaves one schollie. Options include:

1) Seek a committment from another 2016 prospect to sign this Fall, giving us a 4 man early signing class.
2) Seek to sign the 3 current verbally committed players this Fall and continue evaluating and recruiting players to sign 1 or 2 more in the
Spring.
3) Hold a scholarship for the 2017 class, where we currently have 2 verbals and no schollies available if we use all we have available for
2016.

Looking at the roster and the verbals we have for the next 2 classes, it would certainly seem that we are well stocked at the guard positions and efforts will be focused on adding much needed size to the roster. Some of the possibilities:

Stavian Allen 6´8¨ F currently at Talahassee CC.
Considering what happened 2 years ago when he signed a LOI and then did not qualify, I can´t imagine we would do anything with Stavian til this Spring, when we would have a clearer idea of what his status is regarding the completion of his associate degree.

Quinterious Jones 6´8¨ 245 PF/C from Anderson SC
Gets the nod from our dark side potentate based on name alone, but with a 7´4¨ wingspan, he would be a perfect fit for the pack line defense and give us a physical presence inside which is lacking.

Harold Baruti 6´6¨ swing player from Mountain Mission
Harold doesn´t really have the size we need, but is a Liberty ¨fit¨, and has such an upside with his length, athleticism and skills that we might overlook that little detail. Forget about his offer from SMU. With their NCAA sanctions reducing them from 5 schollies to 2, there is no room for Harold on a roster already loaded with 3 and 4 star swing players and lacking any underclassmen over 6´5¨. His only other offer is from UNCW.

[Sly Fox]

Past history would indicate option #2. Guys often emerge during the winter of their HS senior season or at a JUCO.

[Purple Haize]

With the chances of landing Fulkerson pretty much nil at this point, what are our options going forward for the recruiting class of 16? We have one scholarship available for sure, with another depending on what happens with Myo Baxter, who has committed and is attending Liberty, but has not qualified. At this point I am thinking Ritchie will probably defer a decision on Baxter til the Spring, when they will probably have a better idea of his academic status, so that leaves one schollie. Options include:

1) Seek a committment from another 2016 prospect to sign this Fall, giving us a 4 man early signing class.
2) Seek to sign the 3 current verbally committed players this Fall and continue evaluating and recruiting players to sign 1 or 2 more in the
Spring.
3) Hold a scholarship for the 2017 class, where we currently have 2 verbals and no schollies available if we use all we have available for
2016.

Looking at the roster and the verbals we have for the next 2 classes, it would certainly seem that we are well stocked at the guard positions and efforts will be focused on adding much needed size to the roster. Some of the possibilities:

Stavian Allen 6´8¨ F currently at Talahassee CC.
Considering what happened 2 years ago when he signed a LOI and then did not qualify, I can´t imagine we would do anything with Stavian til this Spring, when we would have a clearer idea of what his status is regarding the completion of his associate degree.

Quitnterious Jones 6´8¨ 245 PF/C from Anderson SC
Gets the nod from our dark side potentate based on name alone, but with a 7´4¨ wingspan, he would be a perfect fit for the pack line defense and give us a physical presence inside which is lacking.

Harold Baruti 6´6¨ swing player from Mountain Mission
Harold doesn´t really have the size we need, but is a Liberty ¨fit¨, and has such an upside with his length, athleticism and skills that we might overlook that little detail. Forget about his offer from SMU. With their NCAA sanctions reducing them from 5 schollies to 2, there is no room for Harold on a roster already loaded with 3 and 4 star swing players and lacking any underclassmen over 6´5¨. His only other offer is from UNCW.

Who also knows a few things about this round ball game of cagers.

[olldflame]

Past history would indicate option #2. Guys often emerge during the winter of their HS senior season or at a JUCO.

I would say that is the most likely scenario. The complete lack of other open offers would seem to say that Fulkerson was the one remaining player they felt strongly enough about to pursue this Fall. Still over a month to go, so things could change.

[FlameFan11]

The fall signing period is in a few weeks so it will be good to get those signed LOI's in on Talbert and Gardner. Adding talented size at 6'9 and 6'7 to the roster is exactly what we need. That will double the amount of guys over 6'5 on the roster right now.

I do think that the staff will wait until spring on that last scholarship for a late signee, decommit, 5th year senior transfer or junior college guy. There is more and more roster turnover every year so it's good to have a spot available in the spring. Most likely it will be for a 4-5 man to join Maxwell and the Talbert brothers inside. If they don't get a good fit and see a quality 2017 post, they may just carry the spot over. It seems they are looking big picture and are patiently searching before offering the guys who are the right fit for Liberty and their system.

[jcmanson]

Was reported last night on twitter that 2016 F Will Hrubes would be visiting Liberty on Sept 19-20. Don't know much about him. Listed as 6-5, 195 shooting guard.

He committed to Rockhurst University yesterday, a D2 in Kansas City.

[olldflame]

The fall signing period is in a few weeks so it will be good to get those signed LOI's in on Talbert and Gardner. Adding talented size at 6'9 and 6'7 to the roster is exactly what we need. That will double the amount of guys over 6'5 on the roster right now.

I do think that the staff will wait until spring on that last scholarship for a late signee, decommit, 5th year senior transfer or junior college guy. There is more and more roster turnover every year so it's good to have a spot available in the spring. Most likely it will be for a 4-5 man to join Maxwell and the Talbert brothers inside. If they don't get a good fit and see a quality 2017 post, they may just carry the spot over. It seems they are looking big picture and are patiently searching before offering the guys who are the right fit for Liberty and their system.

We definately have a post player in mind for 2017. I don´t know if they would actually save a schollie for him, or just ¨make room¨when the time comes if necessary. I am talking of course, about 7´2¨ Brendan Newton from just up the road in Roanoke. His inicial offer came from Layer, but I think it´s pretty clear that Ritchie wants him. He may be a bit of a project, but seems to be growing into his frame and improving rapidly. At the very least, he would be an immediate impact player as a rim protector on defense.

[Purple Haize]

Still like to see him play. I've see him in person but I was t buying 7'2". Could be wrong but he is a tall drink of water for sure

[olldflame]

Still like to see him play. I've see him in person but I was t buying 7'2". Could be wrong but he is a tall drink of water for sure

All the recruiting services have made a point of saying he is a legit 7´2¨. He has been to tons of camps and showcases, and one of the things they do there is measure.

[FlameFan11]

Players typically get measured in their basketball shoes with exception to guys at the NBA combine. Makes sense to do it that way since that is what they play in and their height when doing so. It definitely makes players feel smaller at times when you see them in person out on the street, especially with the crazy shoes guys wear anymore. Plus some guys have a natural slouch but stand tall when measured. Either way, Newton is very tall. If the staff really wants to make sure a spot is available for him, they may be leaving that last scholarship for him unless someone special (transfer) comes along.

With the addition of Barmore next year, I wonder if all of the guards will all stick around. A few can play multiple positions but there will be a lot of similar guards in the same classes in the program and only so many of them can get playing time. With the transfer rate what it is nowadays, it would be surprising to see the entire roster of underclassmen back in 2016-17. Not trying to be a downer, just realistic about the scholarship situation. To me, we should be searching for a quality big available in the spring as a late signee,transfer or JUCO for 2016 AND plan to sign another big in 2017. Depth is crucial and you have to be prepared should an injury pop up or you run into a situation like this with Theo. With the roster makeup the staff is building for next season, there will be depth in every position 1-4 but not at the 5 since I see both Talbert brothers as 4s. Josiah could play the 5 if needed or we wanted to play small but if Maxwell was out, it would be tough having him as the only option at 5.

All of that to say we know Coach McKay is going to put his 5 best guys out there regardless of position. It still is beneficial to have roster options depending on what opponents you play.

[olldflame]

I believe the versitility of this group will work in their favor, although it is a bit crowded. Atencia and Fields are the only guys who cannot play more than one position, and Fields is a Senior. Cabbell can play 1/2 as can Barmore, Kemrite and Homesley 2/3 and Dawson 1/2/3. Certainly still possible someone could get cought up in the numbers game and decide to move on.

[FlameFan11]

I agree. The versatility will also be great for the coaching staff. A.C. can play a couple spots. Ezra probably a straight 4 but will have to play some 5 this year. Josiah looks to be a 4/5 and Gardner maybe even a 2/3/4. Listening to the interview with Kemrite, it sounds like they really want to push the ball and shoot 3s which should be a strength for most of the roster. The key will be the defensive stops and rebounds to allow them to run. This year that will be tough but next year should be a lot better on that side of the court. Plus if we can execute the uptempo style, it will mean more guys will be likely to get in the game which will keep them happy. Still think one or two of those 1/2 guys aren't going to play very much. We will have to see if they stick it out and try to earn future playing time against the same players and new recruits or not.