Dear Santa Johnny

[Censored by Laurie]

Things I want for Christmas:

Marcus Brister - 6'3" 215lb point guard at Weatherford College...started his career at Iowa State...currently averaging 12.8ppg, 6.1apg. If you can't bring me Brister, I will settle for a Miles Beatty, a 6'2" 205 PG who started his career at George Washington, who is also averaging 12.8ppg, but just 3.5 assist...though he does shoot a salty 45% from 3.

Also...I would love a Ibrahima Thomas, an athletic 6'11" 220lb big man with whom most of you should be familiar as he has just decided to leave the Oklahoma State basketball program. He'd have to sit out next season, but a front court of Thomas, Odufuwa, Hogans and Holman sounds pretty nice to me in 2010.

And finally I'd also really like a Brent Barz a 6'10" 225lb PF with an outside shot who begin his hooping days at Northern Iowa and is currently averaging 10.4ppg, 7.6rpg at Tyler JC. He'd be a nice addition to the frontline next season, plus I believe he still has 3 seasons of eligibility.

I know this list is transfer intensive, but with what is looking more and more like a wonderful early present you gave me in Jacob Holman and your semi-annual gift of a 6'4" athletic wing JUCO transfer...I think this wish list would make me quite happy.

Yours,

CBL

...and more minutes for Adam McCoy

Edited December 12, 2008 by Censored by Laurie

[chrisfisher]

I have to admit I rolled my eyes when I saw your thread. I thought it was going to be another call for Adam McCoy to get more minutes

[Censored by Laurie]

I have to admit I rolled my eyes when I saw your thread. I thought it was going to be another call for Adam McCoy to get more minutes

Fixed for ya

[chrisfisher]

Fixed for ya

Awesome! I am cracking up....

[UNT90]

Ben Knox to add 50 lbs of muscle

[greenjoe]

Hey CbL,

Tell me more about Ibrihima Thomas. when did he leave OSU ? Did he play with them against us ? Is he from the metroplex area ?

[GreenBat]

Hey CbL,

Tell me more about Ibrihima Thomas. when did he leave OSU ? Did he play with them against us ? Is he from the metroplex area ?

http://www.okstate.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2007

[Censored by Laurie]

From what I've been able to gather he and coach Ford have had a bit of a tiff...though I can't get much in the way of detail b/c the Okie State board is through Rivals and requires a membership...anyone with one who could read up and post it would be much appreciated. And yes, he did play against us...he started but played just 12 minutes before fouling out having gone 2-4 from the field for 4 points, 2 rebounds and a block. On the season he's played in 7 games and is averaging 8.3ppg, 3.9rpg, blocked 8 shots and had a season best 18 points and 7 rebounds against Tulsa.

Brister is a guy I'd be elated to land. I was just doing some digging through a couple of JUCO sites and found him on a couple of different "Players to Watch" lists and I thought he would be the ideal fit for our backcourt situation...a big, passing point guard...only then did I look him up on Rivals and found he had already been offered...he's a local kid and his other offer at the moment is from Georgia State, which should give JJ an inside track. The other 2 JUCOs really have no local ties save for their current JUCO affiliation.

Also...Shannon Shorter, our first signee at Paris JC is currently averaging 9.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.6apg, with 13 steals and is shooting 53% from the field (32 of 61), 73.3% from the line (33 of 45) and 33% from 3 (2 of 6). He's currently 5th on the team in scoring, though it is a balanced attack that looks much like UNT's scoring averages. Looking at the depth chart, and who JJ seems to be pursuing (Brister) I think Shorter is more of an insurance policy on Collin Mangrum...Brister, Johnson and White running the 1,2 spots with TT and either Mangrum or Shorter on the wings.

Edited December 13, 2008 by Censored by Laurie

[ADLER]

ESPN on Ibrahima Thomas

2008 - 2009 stats

[meangreenacct]

From what I've been able to gather he and coach Ford have had a bit of a tiff...though I can't get much in the way of detail b/c the Okie State board is through Rivals and requires a membership...anyone with one who could read up and post it would be much appreciated. And yes, he did play against us...he started but played just 12 minutes before fouling out having gone 2-4 from the field for 4 points, 2 rebounds and a block. On the season he's played in 7 games and is averaging 8.3ppg, 3.9rpg, blocked 8 shots and had a season best 18 points and 7 rebounds against Tulsa.

Brister is a guy I'd be elated to land. I was just doing some digging through a couple of JUCO sites and found him on a couple of different "Players to Watch" lists and I thought he would be the ideal fit for our backcourt situation...a big, passing point guard...only then did I look him up on Rivals and found he had already been offered...he's a local kid and his other offer at the moment is from Georgia State, which should give JJ an inside track. The other 2 JUCOs really have no local ties save for their current JUCO affiliation.

Also...Shannon Shorter, our first signee at Paris JC is currently averaging 9.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 1.6apg, with 13 steals and is shooting 53% from the field (32 of 61), 73.3% from the line (33 of 45) and 33% from 3 (2 of 6). He's currently 5th on the team in scoring, though it is a balanced attack that looks much like UNT's scoring averages. Looking at the depth chart, and who JJ seems to be pursuing (Brister) I think Shorter is more of an insurance policy on Collin Mangrum...Brister, Johnson and White running the 1,2 spots with TT and either Mangrum or Shorter on the wings.

I would really love to land Brister - someone who seems inclined to pass a few times a game at the 1 would be nice.

[Censored by Laurie]

I would really love to land Brister - someone who seems inclined to pass a few times a game at the 1 would be nice.

Plus I think the fact that Brister has been offered is a sign that JJ recognizes exactly what he has in both Josh and Dominique and that he hasn't been content with the point guard play thus far this season. Keeping the those two off the ball for extended periods is both best for Josh and Dom and the team. Now add a JUCO big for immediate front line help, and someone to stow away for a season, be it a freshman or a D1 transfer and this could shape into one of JJ's best classes.

[chrisfisher]

I bet that White ends up sliding over to the 2 starting next season and will remain their for the rest of his career at UNT. White's true strength is scoring.

[SUMG]

We have four scholarships to give (Howerton, Stewart, Dennis and McCoy)...plus hopefully we'll get our APR scholarship back.

We've filled two of the scholarships with Holmen and Shorter. And one will go to Cameron Spencer....the kid that came here from SMU.

That leaves two to fill....but possibly only one.

[Censored by Laurie]

We have four scholarships to give (Howerton, Stewart, Dennis and McCoy)...plus hopefully we'll get our APR scholarship back.

We've filled two of the scholarships with Holmen and Shorter. And one will go to Cameron Spencer....the kid that came here from SMU.

That leaves two to fill....but possibly only one.

I had forgotten all about Spencer...I was figuring this wish list out based upon the assumption of us getting the APR scholarship back. That probably means JJ won't look to add too much more up front with Knox, Spencer, Holman, Odufuwa, Tramiel and Hogans returning...though with 2 vastly unproven guys in Spencer and Knox, Holman to an extent but its seems like he's college ready, I'd still love to see a JUCO big brought in...especially a versitile one like Barz who also happens to have 3 years of eligibility

[Censored by Laurie]

I had forgotten all about Spencer...I was figuring this wish list out based upon the assumption of us getting the APR scholarship back. That probably means JJ won't look to add too much more up front with Knox, Spencer, Holman, Odufuwa, Tramiel and Hogans returning...though with 2 vastly unproven guys in Spencer and Knox, Holman to an extent but its seems like he's college ready, I'd still love to see a JUCO big brought in...especially a versitile one like Barz who also happens to have 3 years of eligibility

Since I had forgotten about Cameron Spencer...I have ammended my wish list:

Tops is still Marcus Brister...he'd be ideal along side our smaller combo guards in White and Johnson.

Assuming we get our RPI lost scholarship back, and banking on Spencer to be able to go out and take up space for 10-15 minutes per game, I'd love for our last scholarship to go to Jarred Shaw a 6'10" 210 lb. athletic post from Dallas Carter...that would give us a lot of athleticism and potential in our future frontcourt (Holman, Knox, Shaw).

Should the rest of the recruiting season play out like this...or at least similarly with one JUCO and one freshman signing yet to come...our 2009-10 roster would consist of 3 freshmen (Holman, Knox, Shaw)...2 seniors (Tramiel, Johnson) and 8 juniors (TT, Hogans, Odufuwa, White, Mangrum, Shorter, Spencer, Brister).

I love that we have such high expectations for such a young team...and while I am cautiously pessimistic about this year's teams chance at attaining the level of success I think befitting of the talent level here...I am widely optimistic about the future of the program that JJ has built.

[meangreenacct]

Since I had forgotten about Cameron Spencer...I have ammended my wish list:

Tops is still Marcus Brister...he'd be ideal along side our smaller combo guards in White and Johnson.

Assuming we get our RPI lost scholarship back, and banking on Spencer to be able to go out and take up space for 10-15 minutes per game, I'd love for our last scholarship to go to Jarred Shaw a 6'10" 210 lb. athletic post from Dallas Carter...that would give us a lot of athleticism and potential in our future frontcourt (Holman, Knox, Shaw).

Should the rest of the recruiting season play out like this...or at least similarly with one JUCO and one freshman signing yet to come...our 2009-10 roster would consist of 3 freshmen (Holman, Knox, Shaw)...2 seniors (Tramiel, Johnson) and 8 juniors (TT, Hogans, Odufuwa, White, Mangrum, Shorter, Spencer, Brister).

I love that we have such high expectations for such a young team...and while I am cautiously pessimistic about this year's teams chance at attaining the level of success I think befitting of the talent level here...I am widely optimistic about the future of the program that JJ has built.

I would take a pass on Shaw...he would equal a slightly more athletic Ben Knox...

[Censored by Laurie]

I would take a pass on Shaw...he would equal a slightly more athletic Ben Knox...

Have you seen him play? I know he's thin, but I wasn't thinking of him as a back to the basket post up guy, more of an athletic shot blocking type (a very poor man's Marcus Camby type). Knox I would hope would put on more weight and develop a post up game, but was thinking of Shaw as more of a 4 than a 5.

[meangreenacct]

Have you seen him play? I know he's thin, but I wasn't thinking of him as a back to the basket post up guy, more of an athletic shot blocking type (a very poor man's Marcus Camby type). Knox I would hope would put on more weight and develop a post up game, but was thinking of Shaw as more of a 4 than a 5.

Can't say that I have, but following the box scores...I see way too many 7 point games and not 15-20, etc.

[untlynchka]

Scoring always seems to be the last thing that develops for big men, but this guy would be a major get. He would probably not be an immediate big impact guy, but he could be a stud after a few years of seasoning. When was the last time we had an ATHLETIC 6'10'' guy. No offense to Howerton or Knox, but neither one of these guys are gifted athletically, on a D1 basis. They are just gifted physically.

[Censored by Laurie]

Scoring always seems to be the last thing that develops for big men, but this guy would be a major get. He would probably not be an immediate big impact guy, but he could be a stud after a few years of seasoning. When was the last time we had an ATHLETIC 6'10'' guy. No offense to Howerton or Knox, but neither one of these guys are gifted athletically, on a D1 basis. They are just gifted physically.

My point exactly...I'd rather take a waiver on a post project who has superior athleticism and just hope that his offense develops...if it doesn't you still have a shot blocker and rebounder. Our development of a back to the basket post players has been lacking.

[Censored by Laurie]

Try again, Chris:

Jarred Shaw

[untlynchka]

Try again, Chris:

Jarred Shaw

Wow. All I can say about myself right now, is wow.