Basketball:
* Exactly 15 years ago this past Saturday, the Arizona men’s basketball team knocked off Kentucky, 84-79, in overtime for the program’s lone national championship.
And with the national championship game between Kentucky and Kansas being played tonight, GOAZCATS.com caught up with Miles Simon Sunday night to talk about the memorable moment that made the Wildcats the first team to knock off three No. 1 seeds en route to a title.
Here’s some of what the Most Outstanding Player of the 1997 Final Four had to say about his recollection of the run, including some quotes that did not make the final cut:
On his own personal performance:
“Blessed to have a run like that and play well at the biggest moment in my career.”
On the play of then-freshman Mike Bibby:
“He was someone that was born for those situations as a high-level player in high school, and then on into college and obviously he’s had a long NBA career. He was just ready. He was born to make big shots and make big plays and come through in the clutch.”
What was the scene like when you got back to campus?
“Streets were lined all the way from the airport to the stadium. About 30,000 or 40,000 people in the stadium, whatever number it was. Just the fans showing so much appreciation and love for the Wildcat program like they always do.”
What’s it like in the community when you go back to Tucson and people see you?
“Nowadays, it’s not about me - it’s about the current Wildcats. I’m a guy that likes to stay in the background a little bit. But fans always say they remember ’97 and that they appreciate it, so that always makes you feel good.”
Check back with GOAZCATS.com at noon (3 p.m. ET) for the full 1,903-word story on the entire tournament run as told through Simon’s memories.
* Josiah Turner was spotted Saturday at the football team’s scrimmage. Watching with the action with intent near the media along the sideline, Turner appeared to be in good spirits and just enjoying himself.
Head coach Sean Miller has not yet addressed Turner’s situation, and it remains to be seen whether Miller does one final press conference. Obviously, much will depend on how T.J. McConnell’s situation plays out and whether he chooses Arizona.
Miller has conducted his player meetings, so one way to look at it is: For Turner to be at a football scrimmage on a Saturday afternoon that had more than a few pool parties hosted around town, that takes some restraint and a concerted effort to stay out of any more possible trouble.
* Miami of Ohio athletic director Brad Bates was in New Orleans this weekend conducting coaching search interviews in person, on the phone and through Skype. More interviews are expected to be scheduled this week, with no timetable set for the RedHawks to name a new head coach.
Arizona assistant James Whitford and Ohio State assistant Dave Dickerson are among those in the mix for the job.
Football:
* Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez does not expect to start shortening up the number of players he uses throughout the spring as the April 14 spring game approaches.
Simply put: Rodriguez said there just isn’t a whole lot of depth at most positions.
“We’re going to use them all the rest of the spring,” he said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “I think in the spring, we’re still in evaluation mode and will be all the way up through the last practice of spring. But every scrimmage, every practice we get an idea of the guys that are ready to play and then some guys that could be ready if we do our job as coaches. But every practice now and the first two weeks of August will be huge evaluation days, as well.”
* Among those positions without much personnel to turn to, quarterback leads the way. With Richard Morrison still trying to recover from a sore throwing shoulder he hurt while warming up before the first scrimmage, redshirt senior quarterback Matt Scott does not have much of anything behind him.
Because of that, Rodriguez has not let Scott run the offense to its full potential and he may never really use his legs as much as other quarterbacks in Rodriguez’s past.
But Scott has said he does not mind taking a few hits and wants to get rid of the no-contact jersey as soon as he can.
* One position where things are starting to look bright is at wide receiver. Position coach Tony Dews is still waiting to see some more from the entire group of receivers but also knows things are on the upswing.
Tyler Slavin and Garic Wharton, who was moved from the inside to outside receiver, performed well Saturday and drew quite a bit of praise. Both caught touchdowns while Slavin led the way with nine catches.
After the scrimmage, while waiting around for Slavin, he was never made available. That’s because he was busy working with Dews right after and was, at the very least, one of the last five players to leave Jimenez Practice Facility.
For a team that is still looking for leaders, that’s a good sign.
Also, like Dews said back when he was hired, this offense isn’t just made to run the ball or solely for speedy, small receivers. Slavin, who stands 6-2 and weighs 200 pounds, is already looking like a favorite target for Scott.
* Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel noticed the improvement of the defense as the scrimmage went on. He liked the physical play as the scrimmage went on, telling the players on the sideline that it was the first time in eight practices that he’s really started to notice the pads make some noise.
The secondary was jumping in front of passes and making deflections, defensive linemen were applying some pressure and there were a few fourth-down stands. The scoring system was modified to account for big plays, so the defense “scored” 29 points in the scrimmage.
Now, here’s Matt Moreno’s recruiting breakdown:
Football recruiting:
At the same time the Arizona coaching staff is working on making the 2012 version of the ‘Cats the best team it can be, it is also evaluating talent for the future of the program as well.
While that can be a tough task at times, the Wildcats have continued to extend offers to members of the current junior class. Along with extending offers, Rich Rodriguez’s program has hosted a multitude of recruits during its spring practices to give the prospects a chance to get to better know the staff and school.
One of the latest recruits to both visit Tucson - and come away with an offer - is Albuquerque (N.M.) La Cueva defensive end prospect Calvin Allen. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound recruit was at the Wildcats’ closed scrimmage Saturday, and he earned an offer from the ‘Cats before the weekend was over.
At this point in his recruitment, Allen’s only other offer is from New Mexico. The depth on the defensive side of the ball is one of the concerns of the staff going forward and the Wildcats have offered quite a few defensive ends and linebackers in the 2013 class. Allen is just the latest prospect at defensive end to pick up an offer as the ‘Cats have extended offers to close to 20 recruits up to this point in the recruiting cycle.
One of the more important things that Rodriguez talked about when it comes to recruiting at UA is getting recruits to visit the university - either unofficially or officially. The staff did that with Allen, so it will be interesting to see where his recruitment goes from here.
* The Wildcats have had a consistent stream of recruits roll through their spring practices over the last few weeks, and that is going to continue through the spring game April 14.
Trey Griffey is one of the signed recruits who was able to stop by Jimenez Practice Facility last week, and he came away with a positive feeling about his future program.
The 2012 Wildcats signee told GOAZCATS.com Sunday afternoon that it was a good chance for him to see the staff in a working environment and to see what things he needs to work on back home in preparation for the season.
As we’ve stated before, the Wildcats are going to utilize one-on-one visits far more than big junior days with multiple recruits. The program has already hosted a number of high-profile recruits this spring - Marcus Farria made the trip out to Tucson not too long ago - and that will continue during the rest of the spring.
The list of visitors for the Wildcats’ spring game continues to grow, but there are also plenty of prospects who will visit during the program’s remaining spring practices.
Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman quarterback Anu Solomon is intending to visit UA very soon, as is Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne signal caller Troy Williams.
"I've kept in contact with them (UA) and they're a really good school," Solomon told Rivals.com earlier in the week. "That's definitely one of the schools I want to check out. Next week I'll be taking a visit over there.
"It's really important visiting there. It's a new program and a new coaching staff and I want to get a good bond with all of them. I have a good bond with the offensive coordinator, he's a good guy and I look forward to meeting him in person."
Williams told GOAZCATS.com Sunday afternoon that he will be making his trip during spring break and he’s really looking forward to meeting the Wildcats’ coaching staff.
The four-star prospect said one of the things that the coaching staff is selling to him is the opportunity to compete for the starting job as a freshman. Williams said that is important to him and it will be a key factor in his recruitment and eventual landing place.
* One prospect who will likely wait until later this year to visit is running back recruit Pierre Cormier. The three-star recruit is planning to use one of his official visits on a trip to Tucson, but that won’t happen until later this year.
UCLA had been the perceived favorite for Cormier, but his latest offers - which includes the Wildcats - have made him rethink his recruitment a bit at this point. He tripped to Westwood this weekend, but he’s now no longer calling the Bruins his favorite - something he had said earlier in his recruitment.
"I want to start looking into schools more all at one time - not at completely different days at a time," the running back told Rivals.com Sunday. "So now it's started and I'm going to try to continue it within the same amount of time so I can bring them all together, and see which one I like the best.
"But right now I don't have a favorite. But I did like the (UCLA) campus when I went; it was cool."
* Outside of four-star offensive guard Logan Stott - who committed to UA with the former staff - the Wildcats have yet to land a commit in the junior class. At this point that is not a big concern as there is plenty of time for recruits to begin that process - last season the program’s first commit didn’t come until later in April.
However, this week we talked to a couple of prospects who should definitely be prospects to watch going forward.
Athlete prospect Darius Allensworth of Menifee (Calif.) Heritage earned his first offer this week from UA and the Wildcats are certainly a program that he has noticed. The ‘Cats have been the first to offer their fair share of recruits this cycle, and most have said they want to see what else comes their way.
The thing that makes Allensworth’s situation a little different is that it appears that UA is a program that has everything the two-way standout is looking for in a program. He has a friend who attends the school, and it is close to his home in Southern California.
Location is going to be a big factor for Allensworth and he said he likes that Tucson is a place his family can drive to to see him play in the future.
Another prospect to keep an eye on in the future is JUCO defensive tackle Abens Cajuste of Victorville (Calif.) Victor Valley Community College. The big recruit was targeted by the Wildcats as a possible 2012 recruit when it looked like he’d be able to finish his coursework in time to graduate in May. However, plans changed and Cajuste will finish his classes next fall and remain a 2013 December graduate.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound recruit is originally from Memphis, so there are strong ties to the area and its surrounding programs. However, distance is not going to be a factor in his recruitment and the Wildcats are in a good spot with Cajuste.
One of the main reasons that UA is in the position it’s in with the defensive tackle is the lack of depth on the defensive line. As a JUCO transfer, Cajuste is looking for a program that will give him the opportunity to play right away and the Wildcats could always use a big defensive tackle for the middle of Jeff Casteel’s 3-3-5 defense.
Cajuste will have two years to play two, so playing time is going to be big in his final decision.
Basketball recruiting:
The Wildcats continue to prepare for the April evaluation period, which will certainly be a busy time for Sean Miller and staff. There will definitely be a couple of travel-ball teams’ games which Miller will be attending this spring and summer as both the Oakland Soldiers and Houston Hoops programs feature plenty of UA targets.
This week, however, the attention will not be on a high school recruit, but rather a college transfer as former Duquesne point guard T.J. McConnell will be making a trip to Tucson.
Earlier in the week, McConnell publicly narrowed his list to the Wildcats and Virginia. The sophomore has already taken a trip to Virginia, and he will spend a couple days in Tucson (Thursday and Friday) before making his decision some time after that. Miller being a point guard from Pittsburgh himself is a big part of McConnell’s decision to put the ‘Cats in his final two.
There is a certain level of comfort with the McConnell family and Miller, and that could end up going a long way toward helping the program land the talented point guard.
With his ability to run an offense and play lockdown defense, McConnell really is a solid fit for the Wildcats going forward. As each day passes it becomes more and more clear that Tucson and UA are the likely destination for the sophomore.
Should the ‘Cats ultimately land McConnell, it would certainly make things interesting for the 2013-14 season.
While the coaching staff would love to land a guy like Tyler Ennis for 2013, there is no substitute for college experience. No matter how good a prospect like Ennis - or any other high school recruit - is, landing a proven player who has already been through the rigors of a college season is invaluable.
At that point, all of the Wildcats’ current veteran leaders will likely be gone, and having the calming influence of a player like McConnell could be huge for the program’s chances of landing in the Final Four - something that many believe can become a reality with the 2012 recruiting class coming in.
McConnell still has to make his visit to Tucson, and things can obviously change, but the former Duquesne point guard joining UA certainly looks like a good possibility at this point.
* While adding McConnell would be a big step for the Wildcats’ title hopes, what would it do to the recruitment of prospects like Ennis and other players for the future? Playing time is something that has always come up in discussions about Ennis’ final landing spot.
Should the ‘Cats land McConnell that would obviously make it more difficult for other point guards to find minutes, but there is so much to be determined that it’s tough to say how it will be affected.
With McConnell and possibly Josiah Turner - should he still be with the team at that time - having the point guard duties, that would make it difficult for a prospect like Ennis to find minutes. However, should the ‘Cats have just one true point guard (McConnell) at that time then things would become a little more interesting.
Ennis has never said starting his freshman year was a make or break of his commitment, but he does want to play significant minutes. That is something that is potentially feasible should UA only have one point guard during that season.
The thing that won’t change is the Wildcats’ pursuit of Ennis. The junior is still the program’s main junior point guard target and that will remain the case until the Canadian guard says no to Miller and his staff.
There are ways to make it work in Tucson should Ennis and McConnell ultimately decide to both choose the ‘Cats, but it will be up to the 2013 prospect to make that decision for himself.
* Despite all the chatter about McConnell, Ennis and the 2013-14 season, that is still much more than a year away. It was certainly a positive sign to see Turner on the sidelines for Saturday’s football scrimmage, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the freshman is back with the program for the long haul.
There is still much to be decided about his future with the program, but it certainly doesn’t appear to be as bleak as it was a short time ago.
Talent-wise, keeping Turner around is a no-brainer, but should the off-the-court issues continue it could be a signal that the two sides would be better apart from each other. The best scenario for UA would be that Turner figures things out off the court and returns for his sophomore season.
But what happens should that not be the case?
At this point in the 2012 recruiting cycle, the point guard cupboard is pretty bare, so the next option would be to look at possible graduate transfers who could step in right away for the 2012-13 season.
While it’s not quite clear who that would be at this point, that would be the most likely option for UA going forward.
* Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep combo guard Amedeo Della Valle remains the likely high school option for this class, but he hasn’t quite had the season most were expecting. His lateral quickness is just not there at this point in his career, and that could be an issue when he has to guard opposing players at the next level.
The Italian guard does plenty of good things out on the floor, but he’s not necessarily outstanding at one thing in particular. He would be a good addition from a versatility standpoint, but his lack of quickness on the defensive end could have the staff looking elsewhere when all is said and done.
The ‘Cats are in a good spot with the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, so adding any other players at this point is just a bonus. So it will be interesting to see who else gets added to the class going forward. Remember that Miller stated in the past that he wanted to add at least one more prospect to the four-player class.
* Speaking of the 2012 class, the four members that make up the Rivals.com No. 1 recruiting class were all over the TV this week.
It was a busy week for five-star recruit Brandon Ashley, who played in the McDonald’s All-American Game Wednesday before joining his Findlay Prep team for the National High School Invitational later in the week.
The nation’s 13th-ranked prospect overall was the focal point of one of high school basketball’s best comebacks in recent memory. After scoring in double digits through the first two rounds of the NHSI, Ashley absolutely took over in the championship game with his team down by as many as 18 points in the second half.
The Pilots mounted a comeback and eventually won in overtime over Montverde (Fla.) Monteverde Academy behind Ashley’s 31 points - 29 of which came in the second half. The future Wildcat had not had a dominating performance like that in some time, and there was no better place for him regain that edge than during the NHSI.
* Ashley was joined by fellow Californian Grant Jerrett at the McDonald’s All-American Game, and the four-star big man certainly helped his cause during the week’s practices and game.
The La Verne (Calif.) Lutheran standout is currently ranked 50th in the nation among 2012 recruits by Rivals.com. That won’t be the case for much longer, and a rightfully so. Jerrett had an outstanding season with the Trojans and it earned him the Gatorade Player of the Year award in the state of California.
Rivals.com recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer said that Jerrett is due for a big bump in the rankings after his impressive week in Chicago.
“First and foremost, Grant Jerrett really raised his stock,” Meyer said after Jerrett’s performance at the McDonald’s game. “We have him under-ranked in the Rivals150 and will need to significantly adjust his ranking. Judging the week as a whole, he looked like the best post prospect outside of Isaiah Austin.
“Jerrett is pushing 6 feet 10 and has long arms. He finishes with either hand, passes well and has a reliable jumper to 17-feet right now.”
* Gabe York and Kaleb Tarczewski didn’t want to let their future teammates have all the fun, as the pair played in the All-American Championship All-Star Game Sunday afternoon in New Orleans. Tarczewski scored eight points and hauled in six rebounds for the loaded East squad, which also featured Nerlens Noel down low.
* Exactly 15 years ago this past Saturday, the Arizona men’s basketball team knocked off Kentucky, 84-79, in overtime for the program’s lone national championship.
And with the national championship game between Kentucky and Kansas being played tonight, GOAZCATS.com caught up with Miles Simon Sunday night to talk about the memorable moment that made the Wildcats the first team to knock off three No. 1 seeds en route to a title.
Here’s some of what the Most Outstanding Player of the 1997 Final Four had to say about his recollection of the run, including some quotes that did not make the final cut:
On his own personal performance:
“Blessed to have a run like that and play well at the biggest moment in my career.”
On the play of then-freshman Mike Bibby:
“He was someone that was born for those situations as a high-level player in high school, and then on into college and obviously he’s had a long NBA career. He was just ready. He was born to make big shots and make big plays and come through in the clutch.”
What was the scene like when you got back to campus?
“Streets were lined all the way from the airport to the stadium. About 30,000 or 40,000 people in the stadium, whatever number it was. Just the fans showing so much appreciation and love for the Wildcat program like they always do.”
What’s it like in the community when you go back to Tucson and people see you?
“Nowadays, it’s not about me - it’s about the current Wildcats. I’m a guy that likes to stay in the background a little bit. But fans always say they remember ’97 and that they appreciate it, so that always makes you feel good.”
Check back with GOAZCATS.com at noon (3 p.m. ET) for the full 1,903-word story on the entire tournament run as told through Simon’s memories.
* Josiah Turner was spotted Saturday at the football team’s scrimmage. Watching with the action with intent near the media along the sideline, Turner appeared to be in good spirits and just enjoying himself.
Head coach Sean Miller has not yet addressed Turner’s situation, and it remains to be seen whether Miller does one final press conference. Obviously, much will depend on how T.J. McConnell’s situation plays out and whether he chooses Arizona.
Miller has conducted his player meetings, so one way to look at it is: For Turner to be at a football scrimmage on a Saturday afternoon that had more than a few pool parties hosted around town, that takes some restraint and a concerted effort to stay out of any more possible trouble.
* Miami of Ohio athletic director Brad Bates was in New Orleans this weekend conducting coaching search interviews in person, on the phone and through Skype. More interviews are expected to be scheduled this week, with no timetable set for the RedHawks to name a new head coach.
Arizona assistant James Whitford and Ohio State assistant Dave Dickerson are among those in the mix for the job.
Football:
* Arizona head coach Rich Rodriguez does not expect to start shortening up the number of players he uses throughout the spring as the April 14 spring game approaches.
Simply put: Rodriguez said there just isn’t a whole lot of depth at most positions.
“We’re going to use them all the rest of the spring,” he said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “I think in the spring, we’re still in evaluation mode and will be all the way up through the last practice of spring. But every scrimmage, every practice we get an idea of the guys that are ready to play and then some guys that could be ready if we do our job as coaches. But every practice now and the first two weeks of August will be huge evaluation days, as well.”
* Among those positions without much personnel to turn to, quarterback leads the way. With Richard Morrison still trying to recover from a sore throwing shoulder he hurt while warming up before the first scrimmage, redshirt senior quarterback Matt Scott does not have much of anything behind him.
Because of that, Rodriguez has not let Scott run the offense to its full potential and he may never really use his legs as much as other quarterbacks in Rodriguez’s past.
But Scott has said he does not mind taking a few hits and wants to get rid of the no-contact jersey as soon as he can.
* One position where things are starting to look bright is at wide receiver. Position coach Tony Dews is still waiting to see some more from the entire group of receivers but also knows things are on the upswing.
Tyler Slavin and Garic Wharton, who was moved from the inside to outside receiver, performed well Saturday and drew quite a bit of praise. Both caught touchdowns while Slavin led the way with nine catches.
After the scrimmage, while waiting around for Slavin, he was never made available. That’s because he was busy working with Dews right after and was, at the very least, one of the last five players to leave Jimenez Practice Facility.
For a team that is still looking for leaders, that’s a good sign.
Also, like Dews said back when he was hired, this offense isn’t just made to run the ball or solely for speedy, small receivers. Slavin, who stands 6-2 and weighs 200 pounds, is already looking like a favorite target for Scott.
* Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel noticed the improvement of the defense as the scrimmage went on. He liked the physical play as the scrimmage went on, telling the players on the sideline that it was the first time in eight practices that he’s really started to notice the pads make some noise.
The secondary was jumping in front of passes and making deflections, defensive linemen were applying some pressure and there were a few fourth-down stands. The scoring system was modified to account for big plays, so the defense “scored” 29 points in the scrimmage.
Now, here’s Matt Moreno’s recruiting breakdown:
Football recruiting:
At the same time the Arizona coaching staff is working on making the 2012 version of the ‘Cats the best team it can be, it is also evaluating talent for the future of the program as well.
While that can be a tough task at times, the Wildcats have continued to extend offers to members of the current junior class. Along with extending offers, Rich Rodriguez’s program has hosted a multitude of recruits during its spring practices to give the prospects a chance to get to better know the staff and school.
One of the latest recruits to both visit Tucson - and come away with an offer - is Albuquerque (N.M.) La Cueva defensive end prospect Calvin Allen. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound recruit was at the Wildcats’ closed scrimmage Saturday, and he earned an offer from the ‘Cats before the weekend was over.
At this point in his recruitment, Allen’s only other offer is from New Mexico. The depth on the defensive side of the ball is one of the concerns of the staff going forward and the Wildcats have offered quite a few defensive ends and linebackers in the 2013 class. Allen is just the latest prospect at defensive end to pick up an offer as the ‘Cats have extended offers to close to 20 recruits up to this point in the recruiting cycle.
One of the more important things that Rodriguez talked about when it comes to recruiting at UA is getting recruits to visit the university - either unofficially or officially. The staff did that with Allen, so it will be interesting to see where his recruitment goes from here.
* The Wildcats have had a consistent stream of recruits roll through their spring practices over the last few weeks, and that is going to continue through the spring game April 14.
Trey Griffey is one of the signed recruits who was able to stop by Jimenez Practice Facility last week, and he came away with a positive feeling about his future program.
The 2012 Wildcats signee told GOAZCATS.com Sunday afternoon that it was a good chance for him to see the staff in a working environment and to see what things he needs to work on back home in preparation for the season.
As we’ve stated before, the Wildcats are going to utilize one-on-one visits far more than big junior days with multiple recruits. The program has already hosted a number of high-profile recruits this spring - Marcus Farria made the trip out to Tucson not too long ago - and that will continue during the rest of the spring.
The list of visitors for the Wildcats’ spring game continues to grow, but there are also plenty of prospects who will visit during the program’s remaining spring practices.
Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman quarterback Anu Solomon is intending to visit UA very soon, as is Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne signal caller Troy Williams.
"I've kept in contact with them (UA) and they're a really good school," Solomon told Rivals.com earlier in the week. "That's definitely one of the schools I want to check out. Next week I'll be taking a visit over there.
"It's really important visiting there. It's a new program and a new coaching staff and I want to get a good bond with all of them. I have a good bond with the offensive coordinator, he's a good guy and I look forward to meeting him in person."
Williams told GOAZCATS.com Sunday afternoon that he will be making his trip during spring break and he’s really looking forward to meeting the Wildcats’ coaching staff.
The four-star prospect said one of the things that the coaching staff is selling to him is the opportunity to compete for the starting job as a freshman. Williams said that is important to him and it will be a key factor in his recruitment and eventual landing place.
* One prospect who will likely wait until later this year to visit is running back recruit Pierre Cormier. The three-star recruit is planning to use one of his official visits on a trip to Tucson, but that won’t happen until later this year.
UCLA had been the perceived favorite for Cormier, but his latest offers - which includes the Wildcats - have made him rethink his recruitment a bit at this point. He tripped to Westwood this weekend, but he’s now no longer calling the Bruins his favorite - something he had said earlier in his recruitment.
"I want to start looking into schools more all at one time - not at completely different days at a time," the running back told Rivals.com Sunday. "So now it's started and I'm going to try to continue it within the same amount of time so I can bring them all together, and see which one I like the best.
"But right now I don't have a favorite. But I did like the (UCLA) campus when I went; it was cool."
* Outside of four-star offensive guard Logan Stott - who committed to UA with the former staff - the Wildcats have yet to land a commit in the junior class. At this point that is not a big concern as there is plenty of time for recruits to begin that process - last season the program’s first commit didn’t come until later in April.
However, this week we talked to a couple of prospects who should definitely be prospects to watch going forward.
Athlete prospect Darius Allensworth of Menifee (Calif.) Heritage earned his first offer this week from UA and the Wildcats are certainly a program that he has noticed. The ‘Cats have been the first to offer their fair share of recruits this cycle, and most have said they want to see what else comes their way.
The thing that makes Allensworth’s situation a little different is that it appears that UA is a program that has everything the two-way standout is looking for in a program. He has a friend who attends the school, and it is close to his home in Southern California.
Location is going to be a big factor for Allensworth and he said he likes that Tucson is a place his family can drive to to see him play in the future.
Another prospect to keep an eye on in the future is JUCO defensive tackle Abens Cajuste of Victorville (Calif.) Victor Valley Community College. The big recruit was targeted by the Wildcats as a possible 2012 recruit when it looked like he’d be able to finish his coursework in time to graduate in May. However, plans changed and Cajuste will finish his classes next fall and remain a 2013 December graduate.
The 6-foot-3, 305-pound recruit is originally from Memphis, so there are strong ties to the area and its surrounding programs. However, distance is not going to be a factor in his recruitment and the Wildcats are in a good spot with Cajuste.
One of the main reasons that UA is in the position it’s in with the defensive tackle is the lack of depth on the defensive line. As a JUCO transfer, Cajuste is looking for a program that will give him the opportunity to play right away and the Wildcats could always use a big defensive tackle for the middle of Jeff Casteel’s 3-3-5 defense.
Cajuste will have two years to play two, so playing time is going to be big in his final decision.
Basketball recruiting:
The Wildcats continue to prepare for the April evaluation period, which will certainly be a busy time for Sean Miller and staff. There will definitely be a couple of travel-ball teams’ games which Miller will be attending this spring and summer as both the Oakland Soldiers and Houston Hoops programs feature plenty of UA targets.
This week, however, the attention will not be on a high school recruit, but rather a college transfer as former Duquesne point guard T.J. McConnell will be making a trip to Tucson.
Earlier in the week, McConnell publicly narrowed his list to the Wildcats and Virginia. The sophomore has already taken a trip to Virginia, and he will spend a couple days in Tucson (Thursday and Friday) before making his decision some time after that. Miller being a point guard from Pittsburgh himself is a big part of McConnell’s decision to put the ‘Cats in his final two.
There is a certain level of comfort with the McConnell family and Miller, and that could end up going a long way toward helping the program land the talented point guard.
With his ability to run an offense and play lockdown defense, McConnell really is a solid fit for the Wildcats going forward. As each day passes it becomes more and more clear that Tucson and UA are the likely destination for the sophomore.
Should the ‘Cats ultimately land McConnell, it would certainly make things interesting for the 2013-14 season.
While the coaching staff would love to land a guy like Tyler Ennis for 2013, there is no substitute for college experience. No matter how good a prospect like Ennis - or any other high school recruit - is, landing a proven player who has already been through the rigors of a college season is invaluable.
At that point, all of the Wildcats’ current veteran leaders will likely be gone, and having the calming influence of a player like McConnell could be huge for the program’s chances of landing in the Final Four - something that many believe can become a reality with the 2012 recruiting class coming in.
McConnell still has to make his visit to Tucson, and things can obviously change, but the former Duquesne point guard joining UA certainly looks like a good possibility at this point.
* While adding McConnell would be a big step for the Wildcats’ title hopes, what would it do to the recruitment of prospects like Ennis and other players for the future? Playing time is something that has always come up in discussions about Ennis’ final landing spot.
Should the ‘Cats land McConnell that would obviously make it more difficult for other point guards to find minutes, but there is so much to be determined that it’s tough to say how it will be affected.
With McConnell and possibly Josiah Turner - should he still be with the team at that time - having the point guard duties, that would make it difficult for a prospect like Ennis to find minutes. However, should the ‘Cats have just one true point guard (McConnell) at that time then things would become a little more interesting.
Ennis has never said starting his freshman year was a make or break of his commitment, but he does want to play significant minutes. That is something that is potentially feasible should UA only have one point guard during that season.
The thing that won’t change is the Wildcats’ pursuit of Ennis. The junior is still the program’s main junior point guard target and that will remain the case until the Canadian guard says no to Miller and his staff.
There are ways to make it work in Tucson should Ennis and McConnell ultimately decide to both choose the ‘Cats, but it will be up to the 2013 prospect to make that decision for himself.
* Despite all the chatter about McConnell, Ennis and the 2013-14 season, that is still much more than a year away. It was certainly a positive sign to see Turner on the sidelines for Saturday’s football scrimmage, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the freshman is back with the program for the long haul.
There is still much to be decided about his future with the program, but it certainly doesn’t appear to be as bleak as it was a short time ago.
Talent-wise, keeping Turner around is a no-brainer, but should the off-the-court issues continue it could be a signal that the two sides would be better apart from each other. The best scenario for UA would be that Turner figures things out off the court and returns for his sophomore season.
But what happens should that not be the case?
At this point in the 2012 recruiting cycle, the point guard cupboard is pretty bare, so the next option would be to look at possible graduate transfers who could step in right away for the 2012-13 season.
While it’s not quite clear who that would be at this point, that would be the most likely option for UA going forward.
* Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep combo guard Amedeo Della Valle remains the likely high school option for this class, but he hasn’t quite had the season most were expecting. His lateral quickness is just not there at this point in his career, and that could be an issue when he has to guard opposing players at the next level.
The Italian guard does plenty of good things out on the floor, but he’s not necessarily outstanding at one thing in particular. He would be a good addition from a versatility standpoint, but his lack of quickness on the defensive end could have the staff looking elsewhere when all is said and done.
The ‘Cats are in a good spot with the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, so adding any other players at this point is just a bonus. So it will be interesting to see who else gets added to the class going forward. Remember that Miller stated in the past that he wanted to add at least one more prospect to the four-player class.
* Speaking of the 2012 class, the four members that make up the Rivals.com No. 1 recruiting class were all over the TV this week.
It was a busy week for five-star recruit Brandon Ashley, who played in the McDonald’s All-American Game Wednesday before joining his Findlay Prep team for the National High School Invitational later in the week.
The nation’s 13th-ranked prospect overall was the focal point of one of high school basketball’s best comebacks in recent memory. After scoring in double digits through the first two rounds of the NHSI, Ashley absolutely took over in the championship game with his team down by as many as 18 points in the second half.
The Pilots mounted a comeback and eventually won in overtime over Montverde (Fla.) Monteverde Academy behind Ashley’s 31 points - 29 of which came in the second half. The future Wildcat had not had a dominating performance like that in some time, and there was no better place for him regain that edge than during the NHSI.
* Ashley was joined by fellow Californian Grant Jerrett at the McDonald’s All-American Game, and the four-star big man certainly helped his cause during the week’s practices and game.
The La Verne (Calif.) Lutheran standout is currently ranked 50th in the nation among 2012 recruits by Rivals.com. That won’t be the case for much longer, and a rightfully so. Jerrett had an outstanding season with the Trojans and it earned him the Gatorade Player of the Year award in the state of California.
Rivals.com recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer said that Jerrett is due for a big bump in the rankings after his impressive week in Chicago.
“First and foremost, Grant Jerrett really raised his stock,” Meyer said after Jerrett’s performance at the McDonald’s game. “We have him under-ranked in the Rivals150 and will need to significantly adjust his ranking. Judging the week as a whole, he looked like the best post prospect outside of Isaiah Austin.
“Jerrett is pushing 6 feet 10 and has long arms. He finishes with either hand, passes well and has a reliable jumper to 17-feet right now.”
* Gabe York and Kaleb Tarczewski didn’t want to let their future teammates have all the fun, as the pair played in the All-American Championship All-Star Game Sunday afternoon in New Orleans. Tarczewski scored eight points and hauled in six rebounds for the loaded East squad, which also featured Nerlens Noel down low.
