Beyond happy about the SMU playoff berth. There have been some really, really bad years where you had to wonder if this could ever happen. What a historic moment for the program. https://twitter.com/NorthstarAlex/status/1230326763705765888

Saint Mary's on the verge of an absolutely historic season. Fingers crossed, knocking on wood, etc. etc.

Something about following a program for a long time and watching so many depressing, demoralizing seasons makes this possibility absolutely tantalizing. Dear god, please.

SMU gets a starting-caliber PG.

https://twitter.com/DeShawnPickfor1/status/1123760730707320843

Ran into Anders this weekend — he's enjoying his time at UST. What an absolute steal for them.

I'm hearing that several guys have already quit Concordia-Moorhead, including some of their top kids. Not sure what's going on there.

My teams that I'll pick as rising are Gustavus and — believe it or not — SMU. As always, if SMU can keep the roster together, they'll have a very long and young lineup for a D3 team. Their starting lineup is something like 6-0, 6-4, 6-5, 6-7, 6-8. Rusthoven did a great job with that last recruiting class.

I might stop by St. Thomas / Bethel on Wednesday night with my camera. That would be a fun one.

Saw Mac/SMU on Saturday...  loved Gutierrez for Mac. I think he proved to me that he could transition his game from a small high school to the college level. Has a knack for scoring, flat-out. Wyatt Ferm was nice from the perimeter as well. I was a fan of newcomers Gleason and Smith-Pugh for SMU... Tayson could be a nice player as well. Liked the intensity from Wylie Ferron.

Had a nice chat with Magnuson of Bethel last night at BU's holiday invitational. He transferred due to academics, and he said he really enjoys Bethel. Obviously making a very efficient impact for the Royals, cool to see. Really quality kid.

There are a few MIACs on the cusp of making some big "commitments" from recruits, stay tuned in the next month. Triple-double guy Grant Rohrer from MCC likes Gustavus, Lake City PG Brady Kuchinka likes Olaf/Gustavus, and Nate Albers of Mounds View is cutting his list soon to 3 MIACs.

Big high school hoops event at Minnetonka H.S. on Dec. 12... Breakdown Tip-Off. There will be many future MIAC players at this thing, if anyone's interested! Many (if not most) of the best teams in the state play in the afternoon.

http://www.breakdownsportsusa.com/news_article/show/561621?referrer_id=166554

Yep, not sure on what happened with Ortiz, although he was from Ohio so homesickness may have played a factor.

Hello friends... fun to see the rosters posted and to see all the newcomers.

SMU: Drake, you're right, just from looking at the roster they'll likely need to recruit big men this year. Although they've got a nice experienced pair in Ferron and Schumacher. They did get a good crop of guards (remember the last guard from Marist? Will Wright ), and a pretty versatile player in Prescott's Charlie Tayson (6-6 wing). Kevin Gleason is a gritty PG who a lot of schools liked.

Gusties: Sharbono is a nice pickup, although I believe he's on his third school in three years. Hopefully St. Peter is a good fit for him. I liked him as a kid when I spoke to him as a senior. Charlie Krambeer is a really nice sleeper prospect as a shooter... destroyed the state tournament this spring from 3-point range.

Bethel: They did get a little bigger, but I believe Mattern is more of a project where guys like Engstrom and Magnuson (Duluth transfer) are ready to contribute right now. Magnuson should be in the rotation immediately, he was college-ready from a physical standpoint as a HS senior.

Carleton: Gillespie's potential is sky-high. He's a big man with a D1 body who has had the absolute worst luck when it comes to knee injuries. Quinn Johnson's got a ton of potential, too, as a bouncy wing.

MAC: I've said it for a while, Gutierrez and Ferm might be the best recruiting combo that anyone in the MIAC pulled off this year. Gutierrez obliterated box scores (although for a small school) and Ferm did the same thing to a slightly lesser extent with tougher competition. Both were hot recruits last winter, and both fit the MAC mold of student-athletes.

Olaf: Scheffley and Stensgard are solid guards, and Lyle is a good long wing option. Nobody in this class really blows me away (no Gunderson, no Fong), but they could be good pieces.

Mbakwe once blocked me in a pickup game without leaving his feet.

More MIAC:

Kevin Gleason (Washburn) to SMU
Riley Sharbono (Marshall) transfer to GAC
Charlie Krambeer (R-P) to GAC
Tyler Frie (Monticello) to St. John's
Shane Steckler (Moorhead) to Concordia-Moorhead
Connor Bair (Prior Lake) to St. Thomas
Kevin McKiernan (Prior Lake) to Augsburg
Wyatt Ferm (Farmington) to MAC (huge)
Austin Korba (Apple Valley) to St. Olaf

Quote from: GoldandBlueBU on April 09, 2015, 01:30:28 PM

Quote from: Kilroy on April 08, 2015, 02:03:32 AM
Also... not sure if you caught these...

Derek Magnuson transfer from UMD to Bethel
Conrad Engstrom to Bethel
Kyle Kaupa to Hamline
Chase Seiberlich to Augsburg
Kai Endahl to Saint Mary's
Michael Gutierrez to Macalester (!!!)

Thanks for posting!  Glad to see BU finally getting some height in the 6'7 UMD transfer...next year was looking iffy down low with Zimmerman graduated...hopefully this guy has some skills.  Assume he must be at least decent, coming from D2.

He will be good for Bethel. He was a very popular D3 recruit last year... probably more on the 6-5 or 6-6 side than 6-7. D2 was a little bit of a stretch, glad to see him back in D3.

Also... not sure if you caught these...

Derek Magnuson transfer from UMD to Bethel
Conrad Engstrom to Bethel
Kyle Kaupa to Hamline
Chase Seiberlich to Augsburg
Kai Endahl to Saint Mary's
Michael Gutierrez to Macalester (!!!)

Hi friends... some recruiting info for you.

Prior Lake PF Connor Bair to St. Thomas
Roseville SG Mitch Poss (shoots lights out) to St. Thomas
Prior Page PG Kevin McKiernan to Augsburg
Waconia PF Gabe Crowder to St. John's
Tartan SF Jake Lyle to St. Olaf


Rumors of a package deal of Wyatt Ferm (Farmington) and Mike Gutierrez (St. Croix Prep) both to Macalester. They're both very prolific scorers, would be a massive grab for Whittle.

Later... @NorthstarAlex

Our 2014 rankings are now available to the public and do not require an account. This is the most comprehensive list of commits out there.

http://www.northstarhoopsreport.com/2014-prospect-rankings

Concordia making some waves. Add that commit to:

6'7" Adam Nibaur from Willmar
Austin Rund from Fergus Falls
Joel Carter (Willmar), Kevin Wolfe (Sartell) and Adam Jensen (Sauk Centre) ... latter two are both 6-8