WBB: Landmark Conference

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

It was regarding comments I made last spring and summer per the slow hiring and reopening of the coach search. I fear/feared that there would be a lull in recruiting because by the time a coach got the job, the last think they would have time to focus on was recruiting. So while the team may not suffer immediately with the talent they have, they may have a few lean years to get back up and running. Not to mention the fact, the craziness of the entire hiring process had a lot of stories going around that could hurt them.

That was all before Dave Martin and then Trevor Woodruff were hired. Certainly things have changed, but the next few years will be interesting to watch. I have thought that Scranton put themselves through some unneeded challenges.

[ronk]

Dave,

Per your post from a few days ago on the Men's Landmark page regarding Scranton's coaching search:

"As for Scranton... I thought then, and I currently think, they handled it poorly. I think they have been saved by bringing in Dave Martin who brought in, kind of, Trevor Woodruff. If you have read the boards, you will see I have stated this often - even stated it on Hoopsville. That decision doesn't change how I felt it was working out at the beginning - or middle. And while I know Trevor is working hard at recruiting, I do worry they will have a bit of a lull."

Could you expand on your last statement?  Why do you think the Lady Royals might have a "bit of a lull" in recruiting? 
Back in September, I thought much the same but now I'm not sure how much of a recruiting dropoff will occur given Coach Woodruff's strong performance.

  In reality, Trevor has negated the reason with the visible progress and success of the season and he's expended much effort in reducing the effects of the late start, such that if the recruits choose other schools this year, it will not have been because of anything lacking in the bball program. One could even see an acceleration in recruiting in view of the most recent 2 classes that preceded him. I'm optimistic but we'll know better in September.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

Clearly, Trevor has done a good job on the floor and he tells me he has been working harder than probably expected to make up the gap in recruiting. That is a good sign. The saving grace, as I have said before, is that Dave Martin and then Trevor Woodruff were hired. Too bad it took a long time of problems to get there.

Of course, they also have ronk recruiting for them... not sure that's fair in the grand scheme of things. LOL Just kidding... you are a good asset for them.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Christopher Newport had essentially the same timeline with their last coaching hire (interim for one year, then a late summer hire) - talking to Bill there he said they basically went two years with no recruiting at all - which is evidence in their roster now, which has zero recruited juniors or seniors.  All their minutes go to first and second year players.

Scranton's probably got a more well known name, which should help, but I too suspect a bit of a lag.

[ronk]

Christopher Newport had essentially the same timeline with their last coaching hire (interim for one year, then a late summer hire) - talking to Bill there he said they basically went two years with no recruiting at all - which is evidence in their roster now, which has zero recruited juniors or seniors.  All their minutes go to first and second year players.

Scranton's probably got a more well known name, which should help, but I too suspect a bit of a lag.

Bill is a tireless recruiter; I once waited 30 mins to talk with a prospect that he got to first and finally gave up. He has a couple of my former prospects currently on his team.

[NEPAFAN]

I love my fellow Royal Faithful, but the women are 24-0 , enjoy it...I am sure they'll be up for future games. Do you have any reason to believe otherwise?

[San Juan]

Believe me there will not be a lull at all next season or future seasons.The Lady Royals will be fine with recruits and maybe a big surprise coming in.Will not say anymore so keep thinking to yourselves there will be a lull.

[saratoga]

Ronk:
Just out of curiosity...what do you mean when you use the term "prospect & recruit"?
For whom?

[ronk]

 Saratoga,
    I use prospect to mean a player that I'd like to see in a Scranton uniform; a recruit is a prospect that the coaching staff(W-Trevor,M-Ryan van Zelst) has contacted in a serious attempt at fulfilling that vision, whether they're my prospects or ones the coaching staff has found on their own. Recruits turn out to be successful or unsuccessful(from a Scranton standpoint) depending upon whether or not they choose Scranton. Most of the prospects choose scholarship schools(D1/D2). Early in the cycle, I generally look for someone who'll make an impact or is capable of starting; later, as those prospects choose other schools, I might add someone who's at least better than our returning reserves.

[Swish3]

ronk,

Do you tend to pursue the kids that are more talented and likely to commit to D1/2, while the coaching staff plays it a little safer and goes after the solid D3 kids? 

[redrhino]

Swish asks an interesting question, and I anxiously await Ronk's reply.

I do believe that the truly elite D3 programs put a lot of effort into recruiting lower end D1 and D2-type players, and as a quick review of the rosters of these teams show, they land a fair number of these kids. You cannot win a D3 national championship without having some D1-level players on your team.   

[ronk]

 Generally, I'd say that I've been more ambitious(or less realistic) than the coaching staff(women's) in the level of ability that I'm trying to interest in Scranton. For example, there's probably 10 playing in the Patriot League now that fall in that category.

[NEPAFAN]

San Juan, check your PMs please.

[saratoga]

Thanks Ronk.
I wasn't sure what the deal was as sometimes I'd see you state that one of your "prospects" was going to Amherst, one was at Lehigh etc. etc.
Hope some of your leads pay off.

I have heard that the energy Trevor has brought to the basketball program regarding his ability to contact, visit, entertain and just plain recruit is non-stop.

I'm taking a different view than dmac on the Lady Royals prospects for keeping this program moving forward.
What Trevor has done this year alone gives me all the faith in the world that this program is back and they'll be no slowing it down due to recruiting lulls.
Those gaps have already taken place by fairly low average recruiting classes the previous 4 years.
Obviously, there was some talent that was brought in in each class, but nothing like years ago when 4 or 5 really skilled kids came in each year.

Trevor has taken the best of that remaining talent and helped them get to a point where none of us thought they could ever reach.
There is no possibly way that any of us that follow this team could have ever, even in our most delusional ideation, have ever envisioned this team at the start of the year being on the cusp of an undefeated regular season.

How many of us would have jumped at the chance to be 20-5 overall at the start of the year & perhaps 13-3 in the conference?
Whatever happens from this point out is all gravy...these kids & this coach have have put together a season for the ages...and with a little luck, they could very well become the team with the longest undefeated streak at a school known for winning a few games.

Should be a playoff atmosphere at Catholic today...here's hoping these kids put it all together and keep on improving.
Huge game for both teams for both similar & different reasons.

[redrhino]

Yes, Saratoga. And here is what I think may make this season "historic" in yet another way: it is pretty easy to imagine Landmark player of the year, rookie of the year, and coach of the year all going to Scranton, especially if the Lady Royals beat Catholic today--Sarah Payonk deserves POY for more than the apparent reasons; Ms. Triple-Double is as well-balanced in the components of her human character as she is on the stat sheet--she has also stepped up and become a great floor leader, and she is a presidential scholar to boot. An exceptional kid in an exceptional program.

And it seems that there would have to be a federal investigation if Mann is not ROY and Woodruff not COY (wonderful acronym).