Drc Vitto Blog..bb Guru Cooley, Mccoy Likely To Sign With Nt.midland P

[OldTimer]

Hoops recruiting conspiracy theory

North Texas fan and hoops recruiting guru Cooley pointed out recently that the Midland Reporter-Telegram quoted Midland College head coach Grant McCasland a few weeks ago saying that his point guard Ryan McCoy would likely sign with North Texas.

While looking into McCoy's background I ran across this tidbit. Midland's assistant coach is Alvin Brooks III, the son of former North Texas assistant coach Alvin Brooks. Alvin is now at Texas A&M, but worked at UNT from 2001-03 under current UNT head coach Johnny Jones.

Brooks III started his coaching career at Arkansas-Fort Smith and helped lead the team to a JUCO national title with McCoy playing point guard in 2006. Brooks III left after Fort Smith's championship season to go to Midland, which won this season's national title with McCoy playing the point guard spot.

McCoy's ties to the Brooks coaching family and UNT could be nothing more than a coincidence, but connections are what recruiting is all about.

UNT is in the market for a point guard and word is the Mean Green is interested in a few players who were at the JUCO national tournament. You never know. UNT's coaching staff could be tapping into its circle of friends in an effort to wrap up a commitment from McCoy, a former Tulsa recruit who was ranked 40th in Texashoops.com's list of the top prospects in the state after the 2005 season.

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One of few players who played on 2 straight JC National champs...first at UArk Ft. Smith, then at Midland CC, 6-0, 160, Houston Madison HS originally signed with Tulsa...TX Hoops 2005 article follows:

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March 18, 2005

McCoy wraps up senior season

Bill Lowery

InsideTulsaSports.com

Talk about it in the Message Boards

Ryan McCoy, a 5-foot-11 and 150-pound point guard from Houston (TX) Madison High School and a fall signee with the University of Tulsa, led his team to a surprising 26-7 record and was rewarded by being named District 20-5A MVP. Our staff caught up with this lightning quick jitterbug to get his thoughts on Doug Wojcik, the newly named head coach at Tulsa.

Ryan McCoy got a good first impression of his future coach

"Coach Wojcik called me Sunday after he was named the new head coach at Tulsa," said McCoy. "I didn't get to talk with him that much, since I was working on an economics project, but I thought he was pretty cool. My mom talked to him a long time, and he told us that he was headed back to Michigan to prepare for their NCAA Tournament game on Friday, but he would call me again right after that game."

"He told us that as soon as they (Michigan State) complete their play in the tournament that he would fly down and talk with my mom and me."

Now that TU has named a head coach, McCoy's says he still plans to honor his commitment to the University of Tulsa.

"I'm still going to Tulsa," he added. "I felt comfortable with Coach Wojcik and haven't changed my mind about going there."

McCoy was excited about being named district MVP, especially since his team was picked to finish towards the bottom of the conference in pre-season.

"No one expected us to do as well as we did," explained McCoy. "We had very few players coming back that had played last season, but Coach (Craig) Maura really helped us by using full-court pressure man-to-man defense. Coach Maura asked me during the season to be more aggressive and to start scoring more, so I did."

Coach Maura has given McCoy the nickname of 'Pocket Magic', and he explained how that came about.

"I guess I'm pretty quick and make some good passes, so Coach Maura says I'm like Magic Johnson," McCoy concluded. "I guess he thinks I'm so small I could fit in Magic's pocket. And although he compares me to Magic, he said I've got a long way to go to be like him."

McCoy's statistics have been hard to come by, but as a senior last year, he averaged around 20 points and 8-to-10 assists per contest.

March 18, 2005

McCoy wraps up senior season

Bill Lowery

InsideTulsaSports.com

Talk about it in the Message Boards

Ryan McCoy, a 5-foot-11 and 150-pound point guard from Houston (TX) Madison High School and a fall signee with the University of Tulsa, led his team to a surprising 26-7 record and was rewarded by being named District 20-5A MVP. Our staff caught up with this lightning quick jitterbug to get his thoughts on Doug Wojcik, the newly named head coach at Tulsa.

Ryan McCoy got a good first impression of his future coach

"Coach Wojcik called me Sunday after he was named the new head coach at Tulsa," said McCoy. "I didn't get to talk with him that much, since I was working on an economics project, but I thought he was pretty cool. My mom talked to him a long time, and he told us that he was headed back to Michigan to prepare for their NCAA Tournament game on Friday, but he would call me again right after that game."

"He told us that as soon as they (Michigan State) complete their play in the tournament that he would fly down and talk with my mom and me."

Now that TU has named a head coach, McCoy's says he still plans to honor his commitment to the University of Tulsa.

"I'm still going to Tulsa," he added. "I felt comfortable with Coach Wojcik and haven't changed my mind about going there."

McCoy was excited about being named district MVP, especially since his team was picked to finish towards the bottom of the conference in pre-season.

"No one expected us to do as well as we did," explained McCoy. "We had very few players coming back that had played last season, but Coach (Craig) Maura really helped us by using full-court pressure man-to-man defense. Coach Maura asked me during the season to be more aggressive and to start scoring more, so I did."

Coach Maura has given McCoy the nickname of 'Pocket Magic', and he explained how that came about.

"I guess I'm pretty quick and make some good passes, so Coach Maura says I'm like Magic Johnson," McCoy concluded. "I guess he thinks I'm so small I could fit in Magic's pocket. And although he compares me to Magic, he said I've got a long way to go to be like him."

McCoy's statistics have been hard to come by, but as a senior last year, he averaged around 20 points and 8-to-10 assists per contest.

March 18, 2005

McCoy wraps up senior season

Bill Lowery

InsideTulsaSports.com

Talk about it in the Message Boards

Ryan McCoy, a 5-foot-11 and 150-pound point guard from Houston (TX) Madison High School and a fall signee with the University of Tulsa, led his team to a surprising 26-7 record and was rewarded by being named District 20-5A MVP. Our staff caught up with this lightning quick jitterbug to get his thoughts on Doug Wojcik, the newly named head coach at Tulsa.

Ryan McCoy got a good first impression of his future coach

"Coach Wojcik called me Sunday after he was named the new head coach at Tulsa," said McCoy. "I didn't get to talk with him that much, since I was working on an economics project, but I thought he was pretty cool. My mom talked to him a long time, and he told us that he was headed back to Michigan to prepare for their NCAA Tournament game on Friday, but he would call me again right after that game."

"He told us that as soon as they (Michigan State) complete their play in the tournament that he would fly down and talk with my mom and me."

Now that TU has named a head coach, McCoy's says he still plans to honor his commitment to the University of Tulsa.

"I'm still going to Tulsa," he added. "I felt comfortable with Coach Wojcik and haven't changed my mind about going there."

McCoy was excited about being named district MVP, especially since his team was picked to finish towards the bottom of the conference in pre-season.

"No one expected us to do as well as we did," explained McCoy. "We had very few players coming back that had played last season, but Coach (Craig) Maura really helped us by using full-court pressure man-to-man defense. Coach Maura asked me during the season to be more aggressive and to start scoring more, so I did."

Coach Maura has given McCoy the nickname of 'Pocket Magic', and he explained how that came about.

"I guess I'm pretty quick and make some good passes, so Coach Maura says I'm like Magic Johnson," McCoy concluded. "I guess he thinks I'm so small I could fit in Magic's pocket. And although he compares me to Magic, he said I've got a long way to go to be like him."

McCoy's statistics have been hard to come by, but as a senior last year, he averaged around 20 points and 8-to-10 assists per contest.

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His 2003 stats (HS) 13 assists, 14 pts, ranked a 3 * out of HS....

[Keith7]

wow 13 assists per game as a freshman in high school.. I'll keep my fingers crossed on this guy

[flyeater]

wow 13 assists per game as a freshman in high school.. I'll keep my fingers crossed on this guy

Checked the Midland roster, and he's up to all of 6-foot, 160. Wow, that'll really strike fear at Division I level. Hope he's a 65 percent shooter.

Three words: Get big guards.

[CMJ]

Can't necessarily judge a point guard in height alone. Plenty of great ones have only been 6 foot or so.

[flyeater]

Can't necessarily judge a point guard in height alone. Plenty of great ones have only been 6 foot or so.

Just don't like it. Two years in JUCO and barely over a buck-fitty. I know he's a point, but how reponsible was he for those two schools winning those two titles?

I can appreciate little guys with big games, but sometimes small can be too small. Gut tells me this is one of those times.

[CMJ]

A school winning titles tells me the kid is a winner. Normally a PG is the heartbeat of his team. He may not be the best player, but he's nearly always the most valuable. I'm not sure...I just think he seems worth a look.

[flyeater]

A school winning titles tells me the kid is a winner. Normally a PG is the heartbeat of his team. He may not be the best player, but he's nearly always the most valuable. I'm not sure...I just think he seems worth a look.

Being it's the late signing period and the 2007 class thusfar consists of nobody, you're probably right. Still think he'd look silly next to Memphis' guards, though. Pocket Magic....jeesh.

[Green Means Go!]

The best point guard that I"ve ever seen at North Texas.....was a small guy. He was maybe 6', 160.......I'm guessing. Anyway, it was the great Walter "Weasel" Johnson, who played for Coach Blakely in 75-76 and 76-77.

Ryan McCoy's description (quickness, flashy passer and his size).....remind me of "Weasel"......

I hope we get this kid.

[emmitt01]

I know he's a point, but how reponsible was he for those two schools winning those two titles?

I'd be willing to bet the answer is quite a bit. Teams don't win titles if the point guard is a liability because he has to touch to ball so often and opposing coaches would eat him alive if he weren't up to snuff.

The size of the point guard doesn't bother me unless you're in a position where the opposing team's point guard is long or your point is forced to rotate on defense and finds himself against a big man.

By the way, Memphis' point guard who killed us with the penetration wasn't much more than about 6' himself.

[Green Means Go!]

Here's a team picture......Ryan is #3.

http://www.midland.edu/athletics/basketball-men/

[foutsrouts]

Checked the Midland roster, and he's up to all of 6-foot, 160. Wow, that'll really strike fear at Division I level. Hope he's a 65 percent shooter.

Three words: Get big guards.

Tell that to Allan Iverson among many others. Double MVP Steve Nash hasn't done too badly either at a short six two. Unless you're a dwarf, height isn't a huge issue for a point guard with the requisite skills.

[Coach]

Sounds like he is a winner and can run a team. Should be a good fit.

[Got5onIt]

Anyone ever heard of Allen Iverson??

I don't care what the roster says, he might be 5'11" after waking up in the morning.

PG's do not have to be 6'7". His height is not an issue. Besides, NT loves to push the ball. A lightning quick PG will be perfect for this team.

Edited April 1, 2007 by Got5onIt

[NT03]

The 2 starting PG in the Championship game , Florida's Taurean Green 6' 175pds & Ohio St.'s Mike Conley Jr. 6'1 180pds. Not exactly BIG guards.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

A school winning titles tells me the kid is a winner. Normally a PG is the heartbeat of his team. He may not be the best player, but he's nearly always the most valuable. I'm not sure...I just think he seems worth a look.

I would agree.....I think he is worth our time.

[LittleMeanGreenMan]

Just don't like it. Two years in JUCO and barely over a buck-fitty. I know he's a point, but how reponsible was he for those two schools winning those two titles?

I can appreciate little guys with big games, but sometimes small can be too small. Gut tells me this is one of those times.

Refer to UNO's own, Bo McCalebb

[GreenBat]

Anybody notice that on its roster Midland had only two players taller than 6-7. It seems as if these guys are just a bunch of athletes, who can score, play defense and rebound. Sound-like a team that made it's first tournament appearance in 19 years?

I say get this guy and invite some of these other kids to walk-on, if they don't get 'ships elsewhere.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Just don't like it. Two years in JUCO and barely over a buck-fitty. I know he's a point, but how reponsible was he for those two schools winning those two titles?

I can appreciate little guys with big games, but sometimes small can be too small. Gut tells me this is one of those times.

--Midland once had another point guard that was "supposedly too small for D-I". He was 5' 6" Spud Webb and played on our last National Championship team. He played for Valvano at North Carolina State after he left here and then played (and started) in the NBA for several years. He also won the Slam-Dunk competition at the NBA All-Star game.

---McCoy only played in 14 games this year in Midland due to illness and I think some injury problems. Some point guards "carry their weight" with steals, assists, and controling the floor and not by scoring a lot of points.

---This was far from MC's first appearance in 19 years (unlike stated above) ... but it was our first Championship in 19 years. Consider the fact that there are probably more junior college teams than there are NCAA D-I teams... at least there is in Texas.

NJCAA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES (8) ---16 teams nationally play in the final

1982(1st), 1984(4th), 1987(2nd), 1994(6th), 2000(6th), 2004(3rd), 2005, and 2007(1st)

Edited April 2, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[risinggreen]

Anyone who says that six feet and under guards can't play D1 b-ball knows nothing of basketball. I could spend all night talking about some of the greatest players to ever play the game who fall into that category. Steve Nash (all six one of him) sure did a number on us today! Little Iverson and Nash, and big Kobe and (maybe) Wade, are the best 4 guards in the world over the last five years. Great guards come in all sizes, and great point guards often come small.

[UNTLifer]

Take the NBA out of it and compare to some past NCAA guards that were excellent collegiate players. True, some including Nash and Iverson have had fantastic pro careers, but how important is that to this discussion. Here are a few I thought of.

Jameer Nelson

Tyrus Edney

Tiny Elvis

Bobby Hurley

BJ Ford

John Lucas Jr.

Feel free to add more.

[GrandGreen]

OK, I will bring up ancient history and point out IMO the best player ever at NT was Joe Hamilton. Joe was listed at a generous 5' 10". On a secondary note I wish the three point shot would have been be available in Joe's era, he didn't take many shoots that would not have been 3 pointers.

[foutsrouts]

OK, I will bring up ancient history and point out IMO the best player ever at NT was Joe Hamilton. Joe was listed at a generous 5' 10". On a secondary note I wish the three point shot would have been be available in Joe's era, he didn't take many shoots that would not have been 3 pointers.

Deon Hunter did a pretty nice job taking us to our first tourney berth also.

[GreenBat]

Deon Hunter did a pretty nice job taking us to our first tourney berth also.

What Deon is doing now!

[foutsrouts]

Take the NBA out of it and compare to some past NCAA guards that were excellent collegiate players. True, some including Nash and Iverson have had fantastic pro careers, but how important is that to this discussion. Here are a few I thought of.

Jameer Nelson

Tyrus Edney

Tiny Elvis

Bobby Hurley

BJ Ford

John Lucas Jr.

Feel free to add more.

I would think that "around six foot" NBA guards would be relevant to the discussion since they were either excellent D1 players or would have been excellent D1 players. I guess if you only want current college players in that size range, it's easy to just look at the two "little" point guards that played in the national championship game tonight. Conley and Green aren't too bad at running their respective teams.

[foutsrouts]

What Deon is doing now!

He was a heck of a point guard. Handled the ball well and did a great job of dishing the ball to Worrell and Morgan when needed.