2020 Recruiting - WBB

A large article in the DMNews about the recruiting investigation. Mentioned several players.... with Ciera Johnson’s move from Red Oak to Duncanville one of the most recent. The current A&M standout led Duncanville to an undefeated season in 2016. Don’t know if anything will come of it. Hope not. Lots of players move to play in a top program. That is just reality and their choice. Look at Allen in football. However, the fine line to walk is that the coaches can welcome good players but can’t recruit them with benefits to parent(s) or other. I always hope Duncanville loses as they have won enough. But I hope it has been without loss of integrity.

 

The problem is deciding which game to watch. Mesquite Horn vs Sachse could be fun as I really enjoyed Sachse’s approach. However McArthur versus DeSoto could be a barn burner. There are others. Need to see the entire bracket and the locations. Typically there is an excellent second round game close by.

 

Really?...

Duncanville's Cathy Self-Morgan resigns after 8 state titles – and amid an investigation into possible recruiting violations

 

I kinda liked her. In her first year at Duncanville, one of her players was on our AAU team. She opened the Duncanville gym up to our team at no cost to practice in a prelude to going to Nationals. She didn't have to do that and seemed really nice and supportive of girls basketball. However, after 19 years I got tired of Duncanville winning all the time. Will be interesting if there are any repurcussions after the investigation is complete. Also who takes over the program.

 

Every time I encountered her she was always very nice... I hate that the end of her career is shadowed by this cloud, because I really do respect her accomplishments. It will be very interesting to see who they hire to replace her. I can't imagine that they won't be extremely selective about who they hand the program and all its tradition over to.

 

So, some thoughts on recruiting for 2020:

- We'll have lost Joyner, Jada, Lashann and Sug one year from now. Recently lost Rellah and Chasity. So, it would seem PF and PG are priorities.

- Seniors: Destiny (SG)
- Juniors: Charli (PF), Audrey (W), and JoAnne (SG)
- Sophomores: Sedona (C), Shae (W), Ashlee (PF/C), Isabel (PG), and Celeste (SG/W)

The leaves 6 scholarships for 2020. Now that Shay Holle has verbally committed, that leaves 5 remaining scholarships. Of course, Coach A could still add to the 2019 class via transfers, JUCO, international, or even additional high school players.

Have no idea who is leaning our way for 2020. Need a PG for sure (like Sara or Harmoni). I think we need a PF for sure, too; not sure if 6'2 Deyona Gaston of Pearland is geared to playing PF or SF, but she sure has great hops and athleticism. Maybe Hannah Gusters is versatile enough to play both PF and Center in college. Other than that, not sure which other low block players we're recruiting.

Shay Holle seems to fit the bill for a 5'11 - 6'2 wing player who can shoot from the perimeter. But, where does that leave us with other SG/SF targets like Sasha Goforth, Elauna Eaton, Jordyn Merritt, Aja Holmes, Priscilla Williams, Angel Reese, Myra Gordon, etc.

And, of course, where does combo guard Deja Kelly stand in re-committing to Texas?

Curious to know if our coaches are out attending any high school playoff games watching 2020 kids.

 

I'm conflicted on Deja. It's weird that she de-committed from Texas when she transferred to Duncanville. She's had visits to Notre Dame and Oregon as far as I've seen on her Twitter page. It's definitely cloudy as to whether or not Texas is still in the mix with her.

 

Yep, really. I don’t care about high schools recruiting athletes. It goes on all the time these investigations are a waste of time.

 

Clearly it wasn't a waste of time... and here I was thinking you knew everything about everything. Imagine my disappointment right about now.

 

IMO it is a waste of time which was what I was referring to with my initial post. Every big time program in the state of Texas is recruiting players whether it’s football, basketball, baseball or any other sport. And thank you for thinking I knew everything

 

Truthfully I believe that Coach Aston encouraged Deja to open up her recruiting and not miss any of the fanfare of being recruited by other schools. If you remember the same thing happened with Sedona. She de-committed, took some visits and eventually came back in to the fold. Coach Aston is the type of person who would encourage these young ladies to live and enjoy the moment. But and a BIG but, come Home to Texas at the end of the day. Which is what I believe Deja will do.

 

Committing in the 8th grade is not a good idea. It probably seemed like it at the time. However, kids miss out on the recruiting, and for most if not all, the attention/travel is fun and earned. It is fun for fans speculating on the decommitting phenomena. Truth is...….none of us really know. There have been MANY examples that we can discuss where decommits occur late. Some examples from the early Aston years were the two girls from Aledo and the two girls from Cedar Hill. I saw all four play and they were good HS players but I wondered why to Texas. All four decommitted and never had a top level Power Five career. With Prince and a few others, you KNOW that it was the girl's decision to look around and were always welcome back. With Kelly and some others there is a suspicion from me that it may come from staff. Kids can tell when coaches stop calling, or showing the attention, or staff recruiting others for your position, and other indicators. I simply don't know. I am apathetic regarding Kelly (and I too loved her father at Texas)...…………. having never seen her play, seeing her national rating drop, and her stats at Duncanville relatively average and not being able to elevate/carry her team. It will all come out in the wash eventually.

 

I believe the 2020 recruiting cycle will be a watershed moment for Coach Aston and her staff. Texas fans are used to us getting one or two top 10 or so recruits every year. As we know that didn't happen in the 2019 class. We got one really under rated player in Celeste (a big win) and a couple of unknowns in the two Australians. I was disappointed we didn't get either Jaden Owens or Endyia Rogers. Why would any player go to a Cali school over an offer from the Flagship University of their home state? Of course I see life thru deeply tinted burnt orange glasses.
As it has been mentioned many times on this site the 2020 class, especially in Texas, is stacked with top players. If Texas doesn't get back into that elite recruiting group this year they may have a hard time ever getting back into it.
Sarah Andrews is the crown jewel of the girls from Texas and we need an elite "future point guard" in the line up badly. The other Texas players in the ESPN top 100 we all are watching are Hannah Gusters, Jordyn Merritt, Deja Kelly, DeYona' Gaston, Sahara Jones and of course Harmoni Turner. If we don't sign some or several of these elite Texas players I have to question the message the Texas staff is getting out to these players. There are also many out of state players that I am sure Texas is recruiting such as Sasha Goforth, who is a Texas legacy, that can also make a big impact on this class. Looking forward to seeing how this class plays out and how it impacts our future!! HOOK'EM forever!!

 

I agree with you for the most part (for what it's worth), except in saying that Deja's stats dropping have created pause in my interest.
While I respect Kathy Self Morgan's undeniably impressive accomplishments, her coaching style and the "system" she deployed did not exactly lend itself to gaudy individual stats. She held the reigns very tight, kind of like Aston and Conradt (whom she played for). It was obviously very effective at the HS level as it once was at the collegiate level, but times have changed and they continue to do so. The skill sets and athleticism on display in today's game are so much better. The evolution of AAU basketball has fostered that growth. I'll hold off and see Kelly play in person before I form an opinion. I was planning to catch Duncanville in playoff action as I always do when the competition is better. Their first-round exit cancelled that plan.

 

Every scouting report of Deja that I can remember has praised her basketball IQ and the steadiness of her game. I would say that is far more valuable than putting up gaudy high school stats though she did that during her freshman and sophomore seasons in San Antonio when it was necessary.

 

Man, really? a watershed moment? The way I look at it, and I am probably in the minority, one has to look at recruiting in four year periods. We got two of the top ten players two years ago. We got one of the best wings in 2019-not knowing how our Aussie recruits will turn out. We already have another top wing committed for 2020. There's no reason to expect the recruiting class for 2020 to be any less than stellar. We won't get everyone we as fans want. Players have different ideas of what they are looking for in a school. But it's way too early to start thinking that this class of 2020 is a defining class for Coach Aston and her staff. It's one class in a four year period and, so far with the commitment of Shay Holle, it's off to a very good start.

 

Girls' Basketball: Coveted Caitlin Clark considering national powers, local colleges

 

Excellent points Ellis. In my fair and biased opinion, 2020 is kinda important, although watershed might be a little heady for me to grasp. Babhorn's thoughts are right on and appreciated while taking a longer term view. 2019 was less than exhilarating for me as we had all these national recruits looking at Texas and got none (after Taylor committed early). The two Australians may turn out to be All-Americans but based on the videos and late recruitment, I think they will be good players not great ones. So all I can go on is Aston's own words regarding recruiting. She was quoted that you want to get a top 5 player every year as they are program changers. Outside the top 5, all players are a crapshoot. Well she didn't say it exactly that way but that's what I remember. So in 2019 Taylor is not that program changer...…….however, she will be VERY good but not a generational player. So in 2020 if we don't get a top five, then it will be 2 years without one. You for sure can have a good national program that competes for Sweet 16 or Elite 8 with 1 or 2 players a year in the 5-25 range; however, I aspire to competing for the Final Four. And I think Aston does as well. To do that you need a top 5 player AT LEAST every other year. So yes...…...2020 is a little more than kinda important. And I am optimistic that we will get a top 5 player and several in the top 25. Certainly there will be adequate playing time available with that many scholarships open...……..so no excuses if Aston doesn't get that. Let's see as it wont be long to 2020 commitment time.

 

Wonder which PG Kelby is paging?

 

For my Friday night viewing pleasure, going to see Sachse vs Mesquite Horn at Richardson Berkner HS Friday night. Fortunately, I can babysit my grandkids tomorrow afternoon in Richardson and then trot over to Berkner for the game. This is the one I wanted to see. Sachse is very impressive and Horn is making the playoffs for the 17th straight year. N'Yah Boyd is the headliner on that team and I cant remember who she is signed with but it is top program. Then Jasmine Shavers the sophomore (2021) that recently visited TTech with some of our top recruits also plays on Horn. Should be a great game. It better be. Dallas Lincoln is playing Ft Worth Dunbar one mile from my home at the same time. That will be a barnburner but the Sachse/Horn game is more intriguing to me. Scouting report on teams and Shavers after.

 

I had to research to see who Kelby Jones is. Video Coordinator for the BB program. So I assume that the job application (special point guard) has been approved by Aston, etc. I sure hope that is good news and just extolling the virtues of playing the point for Texas. And not that we have missed on Turner and Andrews and going to the Want-Adds now.

 

Caitlyn Clark "liked" Kelby's Tweet so the message is having a positive effect.

 

I think ideally you want your top recruits at the same positions in stair steps (every two years). Thus I have to agree with @Ellis21d. The 2020 class is going to be critical. Should we miss on the big names, I too will be very concerned about future recruiting.

 

Kelby is also heavily involved in recruiting when recruits are on campus - he was a grad assistant last year and was specifically given a shout out by Celeste after her commitment.

 

Harmoni Turner's team, Mansfield Legacy, advances with a win over Birdville

 

Shay Holle and Westlake advance with a win over Brandeis 60-44.

 

Bryan Carrington-lite?

 

Saw the original tweet (not Kelby’s) and had a strong impression it was more than what it appeared. Seems like others thought so as well. Hope we’re right. Big news on the horizon?

 

Make no mistake, the 2020 class is very important as we try to replace starters Lashann, Joyner and Sug, and try to make up for the 2017 class only having Destiny Littleton still in the program. All things being equal, Rellah and Chasity would have been senior starters come 2020-21.

Hard to imagine that Destiny remains as the lone senior come 2020-21; so, perhaps a JUCO or incoming transfer helps balance out that class. Or, we save a 'ship or two to avoid only having one scholarship available for the 2021 class.