[SuperJon]

You're right. He can go to JuCo, not have to sit out, and then come in after a year.

[paradox]

So, it's a wash.

If anything, we should have an improved player next year, if he returns. We'll also have a better idea of what this guy is capable of. Is he the next Adam Hopkins? Or is he a bigger and stronger Jason Sarchet with some added outside range?

[grm]

I feel sure that RMK would rather have him here, working out with the team and under his coaching and tutelage.
There are some negatives, which, if he does come next year and do a good job, will all be forgotten:
1) If RMK would have been in favor of JC, that would have been the initial route (Neg: RMK feels badly)
2) He signed, enrolled, was listed, and now is not (so we hear) - (Neg: questions of instability raised)
3) IMO, he would have benefited more by being with the team & practicing against them/with them every day
(Neg: Possibly playing down a level... depending on the program)
4) Everybody is excited about his coming (Neg: Everybody hopes & prays he does come)

As I said, none of this will matter a "tinkers darn" if he shows up

[paradox]

You may be reading too much into this.

For starters, this guy may not even be that good. Time will tell.

Futhermore, for all we know, Ritchie may have initiated the whole thing. Hypothetically, this guy may just be a project at best. And it's certainly within the relm of possibility that McKay only wants him back conditionally, based on his JuCo develepment under real game conditions.

Think about it, why would he spurn Alford, then re-embrace McKay, then go to JuCo, only to end up in another D1 program? My guess is that he ends up coming here in '08 as planned or he drops down another level and plays elsewhere. We'll have to wait a year to find out.

[olldflame]

I think one positive that can be taken if Derick is going to play JUCO ball is that it indicates he feels pretty confident his knee is healthy (or at least will be by October.) I think it also shows the kind of competitiveness you want in that he apparently just wants to get out there and play ball rather than spend another year working out with a team and having no competitive outlet. If this is handled right, and he goes to a JUCO with a solid coaching staff, it should be at least a wash. The risk is that, as far as I know, this would open him up to be recruited again, and if he has a great season a higher level program, possibly West coast and closer to home, could woo him away.

[jcmanson]

Hopefully he will stay on campus for this upcoming year, nothing beats practicing with the team, and getting used to the environment. But all that matters is that he ends up suiting up for us in 08-09.

[hurricane fan]

and they say he will not be coming at all. Believe what you want, everyone is entitled to their opinion but I have been told the recruiting process has ended and he will not be in Lynchburg.

[paradox]

The fact that he is going the JuCo route tells us two things: his knee needs to be tested under game conditions and he has something to prove, as a big man, in terms of ability.

I'm interested in knowing what specific JuCo program he ends up in. Is he going back to the west coast?

[TDDance234]

and they say he will not be coming at all. Believe what you want, everyone is entitled to their opinion but I have been told the recruiting process has ended and he will not be in Lynchburg.

I wouldn't say the door has completely closed yet but the chances of him coming to LU are getting slimmer by the hour.

[PAmedic]

may have missed this, but...

what's the problem/what prompted the decision?

[Sly Fox]

We are in the speculation business big time on this thread. So we need to tread lightly.

My guess is the idea of spending two whole seasons away from competing in a game he loves began to gnaw at Derek. That's perfectly understandable if he is fact looking at JUCOs. You can't blame a guy for having that mindset.

But I don't think it is prudent at this point to make judgements of what his mindset will be 9 months from now when he looks at what DI school he'll be heading to. He's had time on campus to get a feel for LU and he already knows Coach RMc. If he chooses to go elsewhere then I know I'll wish him the best. I'll be disappointed but ultimately he has to make decisions that are bets for him.

[LUconn]

Basically he can go to a JUCO and play a year and then transfer and play right away at a Division I school. Or he can transfer and sit out a season and have only three years of eligibility. So the JUCO route could a very real option even if he likes the idea of playing for Coach McKay at LU. We should know something on this within the next couple of days.

[olldflame]

To be honest with you, Derick is by all reports a highly intellegent young man, and while a solid rational can be made at this point for him to spend a year at a JUCO, I would be very sceptical of any reports that he had already decided he wasn't coming to LU after that. It simply wouldn't be smart/prudent to rule out such a viable option this early in the game. He has plenty of time to decide what he will do.

[paradox]

The very first mention that I heard that he may be coming here, contained the possibility that he would most likely enter LU after a year in JuCo. I'm not so sure that any of this is against Mckay's wishes or if it means anything significant at all. From what I understand, the kid needs to play this year and the only way that it can happen is if he plays JuCo.

Derrick is still considered a project to a degree. It would be awesome if the guy plays here in '08-09 and he turns out to be productive. But keep in mind, nobody on the present coaching staff is touting this guy as the next Craig Bradshaw. Unfortunately, big guys, often fall well below expectation when they finally hit the hardwood. So, it's nothing to lose sleep over, if it doesn't work out.

Now, some are convinced that he his definately not coming to LU in '08-09. This may very well be accurate. And if it is, I'm not that concerned until the larger picture becomes clearer. Part of the big picture involves whether this kid turns out to be good or not; and whether the new recruit taking his scholie turns out to be better. From this we should know who most likely initiated the departure: player or coach. And if the coach did, then he did it because he's confident that he's got something better coming in and he needs to make room.

[WinthropEagleFan]

I just looked at LU's roster ( http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 1&TeamID=6 ) and Oestreicher is no longer on it (he was before...PAMedic has a screen-capture of it in another thread).

[PAmedic]

THEN:



NOW:

[olldflame]

One interesting thing about this development is that it actually gives an availably schollie right now. I would guess that they will hold onto it and bring in a class of 5 next year, but who knows? High school players should be pretty much all comitted by now, but maybe an international?

[paradox]

Here is a confirmation that Derek will likely be in the fold next season with three years of eligibility remaining and a year of playing under his belt:

"UNM coaches also liked the game of 6-7 Matt Peeler out of Alamogordo, Romero said. New Mexico State, Weber State and Liberty, former Lobos coach Ritchie McKay's new school, are eyeing the senior-to-be.

Even if no players from this squad play for UNM, Alford's staff has forged a relationship with the the local AAU team.

"They've all been to a few of our games, and they've been real supportive," Romero said.

JC bound: Former Lobos guard David Kanyinda has found a home at Lamar Junior College in Colorado, he said Wednesday.

Kanyinda, seldom used as a freshman last season, plans to suit up for one junior college season before signing with another Division I school.

The 6-1 Kanyinda, who left the Lobos in June after being demoted to walk-on status, won The Tribune's boys basketball Player of the Year award in 2006 as a Sandia High School standout.

Former UNM center Derek Oestreicher will play next season at Redding (Calif.) Junior College for a season, Kanyinda said, only to follow former Lobos coach Ritchie McKay to Liberty."

http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/jul/26 ... high-scho/




Also, we'll have to enter Matt Peeler into the discussion as a possible big name that McKay is pursuing.

[Sly Fox]

Very nice find, paradox. I'll get a Peeler thread up shortly.

[olldflame]

That would have him going to school and playing JUCO ball in his home town, and then in 08 he and his "little" sister Jesse can make the move East to LU together.

[jcmanson]

let's hope it happens that way oldflame!

[paradox]

The JC year should favorably prepare Derrick for the '08-09 season. It's a much better proposition, than Derrick sitting out another year, and bringing a bunch of questions marks into his first year. If everything works out, the JC year should enable him to come in here and contribute immediately.

[Sly Fox]

The only concern would be injury. But you can't live life simply trying to avoid mishaps. I think this will turn out to be in everybody's best interests.

[TDDance234]

I guess my biggest question is what if he goes to JuCo and has an incredible year and starts getting some looks from bigger schools? How committed is Derek to Liberty and Coach McKay?

[paradox]

My understanding is that he is very committed to both coach Mckay and the idea of coming here. the larger concerns are his prolonged health and his develpement as a viable presence in the low post.

Personally, I like everything that I've heard so far about this kid, and when it's all said and done, he'll contribute here.