BobcatAttack.com - For Fans of Ohio University Sports

Welcome Guest!
Create an Account

site search

where to watch

about us

advertise with us

help

BobcatAttack.com Message Board

Ohio Basketball

Topic: RE: Coach Boals

Topic: RE: Coach Boals

Author

Message

M.D.W.S.T
General User

Member Since: 12/23/2021
Post Count: 2,701

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 9:53:09 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

greencat wrote:

International players don't get NIL money, right?

Even 2x MVP Zach Edey didn't get the NIL $$ being from Canada?

I'm all for going the international route for a big guy, JUCO or regular. We might just end up with a damn good post player. In this case, the "try to recruit guys who remind me of my nephew" thing goes out the window.

If there is a 6-10/250 guy from (name of island nation here) averaging a double/double in one of those tough-as-nails JUCO leagues and he's not an academic mystery like (name of past player I won't name)... bring him on!!

How about a 6'9"/200 guy from Australia?

Our best recruits always seem to be the ones who haven't played yet.

Last year at this time we were all talking about how Evans was the big we need.

He still is. Still got my fingers crossed the flashes turn into consistency.

Last Edited: 2/3/2025 9:53:34 AM by M.D.W.S.T

SBH
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 4,174

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 9:54:11 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

SBH wrote:

Boals needs to remember that he captained an Ohio team that was special because of Gary Trent, a player he wouldn't welcome today because of grades/family background.

Where did this idea that we only recruit a certain type of kid come from? Is Boals on record with that anywhere? It seems like a hypothesis a couple of folks here have thrown out, but I'm not sure I've seen enough evidence to think that we wouldn't welcome Gary Trent anymore.

He has clearly stated, multiple times, that he only recruits "high character" guys from "good families" and who have "good grades."

IMO, it's part of his responsibility to help build character and academic discipline. He's expecting all this work to be completed before the kid steps on campus. Larry Hunter worked wonders with Gary Trent, helping him focus on his priorities (NBA), keep a level head and remain eligible by attending class.

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
General User

Member Since: 7/30/2010
Post Count: 3,911

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:00:35 AM

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

greencat wrote:

How about a 6'9"/200 guy from Australia?

Our best recruits always seem to be the ones who haven't played yet.

Last year at this time we were all talking about how Evans was the big we need.

He still is. Still got my fingers crossed the flashes turn into consistency.

Happy to be wrong here, but I've lost a lot of confidence of late. Our injuries seemed like the time for him to step into a (slightly) bigger role, and he seems to have back-tracked, instead.

The advanced/rate stats are pretty discouraging. I'm not quite sure what to hang the hopes on. A 2.5 PER, .466 TS%, 9.1% rebound rate, 33% turnover rate. The block rate's the only thing that's happening at the right rate while he's on the floor.

Andrew Ruck
General User

Member Since: 12/22/2004
Location: Columbus, OH
Post Count: 5,141

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:03:30 AM

shabamon wrote:

Romeo Travis and Dru Joyce were not the alphas for ASVSM. They had another guy. Name escapes me....

If only one were from Reynoldsburg and the other two came from Pick Central and Bishop Hartley, would this be a "problem"? Having seen Rey-burg in person and watched hudl footage weekly, these guys are studs. We need more athleticism and size on the wing positions. We need more good shooters. McKinney and Fisher absolutely fit the bill. Bowens looks the least polished of the trio, but also may have a high ceiling with his athleticism and he's still two years away. Maybe offering the Toledo verbal on the team was lazy as he appears to be the weakest of the bunch, but we have the luxury of not knowing that. If you're in the Columbus area and haven't seen them play, do yourself a favor. They're a front runner for the state title for a reason.

I did see Reynolsburg had a shocking loss at Desales (11-7) last week. Good prep for these guys who will have to deal with losing at Eastern Michigan.

Last Edited: 2/3/2025 10:04:13 AM by Andrew Ruck

Andrew Ruck
B.B.A. 2003

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
General User

Member Since: 7/30/2010
Post Count: 3,911

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:17:06 AM

Andrew Ruck wrote:

I did see Reynolsburg had a shocking loss at Desales (11-7) last week. Good prep for these guys who will have to deal with losing at Eastern Michigan.

Losing to teams you shouldn't is the perfect opportunity to put that strong upbringing and family support structure to good use.

greencat
General User

Member Since: 3/12/2005
Post Count: 2,449

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:28:35 AM

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

greencat wrote:

How about a 6'9"/200 guy from Australia?

We need one.

There is a freshman who in reality is more like 6-7 who is redshirting.

But the kid is not 6-9.

GraffZ06
General User

Member Since: 1/5/2005
Location: Dayton, OH
Post Count: 2,215

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:44:43 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

SBH wrote:

Boals needs to remember that he captained an Ohio team that was special because of Gary Trent, a player he wouldn't welcome today because of grades/family background.

Bingo. The hypothesis was started by me, because I know Jeff and the type of culture he wants and what kind of kid fits that profile. But no, there's absolutely zero official public statements from Boals or staff stating this that I know of. I also know Jeff understands he needs talent to win. If he thought he could mold a kid into the Bobcat family culture how Larry tried with Gary, I don't think he'd pass on the opportunity outright.

Last Edited: 2/3/2025 10:54:16 AM by GraffZ06

SBH
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 4,174

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:46:07 AM

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

greencat wrote:

How about a 6'9"/200 guy from Australia?

Our best recruits always seem to be the ones who haven't played yet.

Last year at this time we were all talking about how Evans was the big we need.

He still is. Still got my fingers crossed the flashes turn into consistency.

If he does, it's no going to happen in one year. Maybe not even two. Enrique Freeman he is not.

GraffZ06
General User

Member Since: 1/5/2005
Location: Dayton, OH
Post Count: 2,215

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:47:28 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

M.D.W.S.T wrote:

greencat wrote:

How about a 6'9"/200 guy from Australia?

Our best recruits always seem to be the ones who haven't played yet.

Last year at this time we were all talking about how Evans was the big we need.

Evans IS the big we need. He was and still is a great get. He's just not ready yet. That's pretty normal for bigs who fall to mids, otherwise he'd be at a P5. By years 3 and 4, look out. JMO.

GraffZ06
General User

Member Since: 1/5/2005
Location: Dayton, OH
Post Count: 2,215

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:52:01 AM

SBH wrote:

IMO, it's part of his responsibility to help build character and academic discipline. He's expecting all this work to be completed before the kid steps on campus. Larry Hunter worked wonders with Gary Trent, helping him focus on his priorities (NBA), keep a level head and remain eligible by attending class.

Welllllll let's not get TOO carried away with what Hunter got Gary to do or not do while on campus. Suffice to say we were able to keep him on the floor and Gary matured a ton after college.

Bobcat Love
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 1,193

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 10:56:53 AM

shabamon wrote:

If only one were from Reynoldsburg and the other two came from Pick Central and Bishop Hartley, would this be a "problem"?

You just made my point for me. There's a big difference between drawing the defensive assignment on the best player or the 3rd Turkey on a High School Team. There's a big difference between being the #1 Scoring Alpha and being the 3rd Option on a High School Team.

And yes, maybe it works out when 2 High Schoolers from the same team get to play with the First or Second BEST PLAYER TO EVER PLAY THE GAME. I don't see Lamar or Jeff recruiting kids from Wemby or Luka's High School Teams in Europe, so I guess we can cross that off the list.

It's lazy recruiting. Period. You can get good kids from good families who are good players. The pool is deep, you just have to drive past 256 and 33 to jump in.

Bobcat Love
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 1,193

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 11:00:03 AM

Cooper - Chicago
Keely - Cleveland
Jon Smith - SLU Transfer
Devaughn - Va. Beach
Freeman - Muncie
KVK - Netherlands
Offutt - Indiana
Bassett - Indiana
Baltic - Kansas City
Ricardo - Cincy/No KY
TJ Hall - Florida
Stevie - Gahanna

Tell me Groce wasn't doing the work, relative to what we are seeing now. This is squarely on Boals for not putting in the work.

shabamon
General User

Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,697

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 11:27:39 AM

I can't find ASVSM's schedule from 2003. Someone help me out here... I know they were playing national profile games against Oak Hill and such, but was the heart of their schedule Walsh Jesuit and Buchtel types? Seems to me those two did a lot of good for Akron after being guarded by their high school opponents' second and third best players.

This notion is essentially it's detrimental to basketball players' development if they are not the only legit player on the roster. I'd counter that notion with we are getting players from teams who can compete in challenging showcase events and expect to make deep tournament runs at a championship. And we most certainly are expanding our recruitment beyond Columbus (not like Columbus isn't a rock solid area for basketball talent... I guess we shouldn't have offered the kid from New Albany). Our current freshman class goes Columbus, Kentucky, Florida, WV/Australia. Our next one goes Columbus, Pennsylvania, Florida. Just looking at the recruitment board, we are overturning stones all across Ohio - which I'd say is even more important in the transfer portal area... real easy for a Florida kid to get out if they get homesick. I also see lots of Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Florida, and Georgia.

shabamon
General User

Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,697

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 11:31:58 AM

Bobcat Love wrote:

Three of these guys are TOS recruits. And I know how you feel about TOS. And KVK at the time certainly felt like a holy shit we need another big and we'll take whatever we can get recruit. It wasn't until his senior that he rose above Wiz level.

BTW, Groce signed Marquis Horne out of Cincinnati Princeton who had three other D1 signees, and lost by two in the state final to a Northland team that had two NBA first round draft picks. IMO Horne was the third best player on that team. He left Ohio after just two exhibition games and finished out his career solidly at Cal State Fullerton. I still don't know what happened there, but I'm confident Horne would have been no worse than TJ Hall for us had he stayed.

Last Edited: 2/3/2025 11:49:56 AM by shabamon

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
General User

Member Since: 7/30/2010
Post Count: 3,911

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 11:35:05 AM

GraffZ06 wrote:

Evans IS the big we need. He was and still is a great get. He's just not ready yet. That's pretty normal for bigs who fall to mids, otherwise he'd be at a P5. By years 3 and 4, look out. JMO.

Then he's the big we need in 2 to 3 years.

But that means we don't have one in the immediate future.

Bobcat Love
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 1,193

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 11:45:35 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

GraffZ06 wrote:

Evans IS the big we need. He was and still is a great get. He's just not ready yet. That's pretty normal for bigs who fall to mids, otherwise he'd be at a P5. By years 3 and 4, look out. JMO.

Then he's the big we need in 2 to 3 years.

But that means we don't have one in the immediate future.

In case anyone has noticed (Mark Sears) - there is no building for the future anymore. Bring guys in that can win NOW. Don't jack around with redshirts and development projects.

Bobcat Love
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 1,193

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 11:52:47 AM

shabamon wrote:

Bobcat Love wrote:

Cooper - Chicago
Keely - Cleveland
Jon Smith - SLU Transfer
Devaughn - Va. Beach
Freeman - Muncie
KVK - Netherlands
Offutt - Indiana
Bassett - Indiana
Baltic - Kansas City
Ricardo - Cincy/No KY
TJ Hall - Florida
Stevie - Gahanna
Kellogg - Westerville

Tell me Groce wasn't doing the work, relative to what we are seeing now. This is squarely on Boals for not putting in the work.

Totally valid - Devaughn, Tommy, and KVK were TOS's guys and I forgot Kellogg....but my point stands - the work being put in seemed much more substantial and "meaty" than it does now. Taking swings on Cooper and Kyril were at least attempts to try and steal high major guys. Hell Christian even did it with N'dour, Kenny, Kadeem, and Rio Adams. Obviously varying degrees of success or failure - but the work was being put in. You cannot convince me that is happening with this Staff.

FearLeon
General User

Member Since: 3/12/2005
Post Count: 4,631

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 11:52:59 AM

Bobcat Love wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

GraffZ06 wrote:

Evans IS the big we need. He was and still is a great get. He's just not ready yet. That's pretty normal for bigs who fall to mids, otherwise he'd be at a P5. By years 3 and 4, look out. JMO.

Then he's the big we need in 2 to 3 years.

But that means we don't have one in the immediate future.

In case anyone has noticed (Mark Sears) - there is no building for the future anymore. Bring guys in that can win NOW. Don't jack around with redshirts and development projects.

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

shabamon
General User

Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,697

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 11:58:22 AM

Bobcat Love wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

GraffZ06 wrote:

Evans IS the big we need. He was and still is a great get. He's just not ready yet. That's pretty normal for bigs who fall to mids, otherwise he'd be at a P5. By years 3 and 4, look out. JMO.

Then he's the big we need in 2 to 3 years.

But that means we don't have one in the immediate future.

In case anyone has noticed (Mark Sears) - there is no building for the future anymore. Bring guys in that can win NOW. Don't jack around with redshirts and development projects.

For whatever reason we are striking out on transfer bigs that can actually make a difference here. If Dwight Wilson was trying to leave James Madison after immediate eligibility was allowed, he would have had far better teams than Ohio reaching out to him. So going for the Ayden Evans types out of high school might just be the reality. The only JUCO Boals brought to Athens, Rifen Miguel, was probably his biggest recruiting miss.

When it comes to wing players and guards, I'd agree there. I think Nichol, even two years ahead in the program, is on the outside looking in with Fisher, Kelly, and Mosley on the way.

GraffZ06
General User

Member Since: 1/5/2005
Location: Dayton, OH
Post Count: 2,215

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 12:19:45 PM

Bobcat Love wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

GraffZ06 wrote:

Evans IS the big we need. He was and still is a great get. He's just not ready yet. That's pretty normal for bigs who fall to mids, otherwise he'd be at a P5. By years 3 and 4, look out. JMO.

Then he's the big we need in 2 to 3 years.

But that means we don't have one in the immediate future.

In case anyone has noticed (Mark Sears) - there is no building for the future anymore. Bring guys in that can win NOW. Don't jack around with redshirts and development projects.

Then plan on never going after another HS big as a mid-major. Ever. Just turn your entire frontcourt into JUCO and Portal 1-year mercenaries and rinse and repeat every single year. Who needs silly things like continuity and culture? Or plans.

Seems silly to me to completely eliminate a potential source of available needed talent to worship at the alter of the angry mob's here and now.

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
General User

Member Since: 7/30/2010
Post Count: 3,911

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 12:28:45 PM

GraffZ06 wrote:

I'm with you here.

Mark Sears transferred to a final four team and last year was 2nd team All American. That's a little bit of an outlier, and I don't think we need to assume we always have national player of the year candidates on the roster.

Beyond him, we've been pretty unscathed by the transfer portal and it's been a net positive for us. We lost BVP, but only because he had an extra year of eligibility. In normal times, he graduates a Bobcat.

Beyond him, we've added two starting point guards (Hunter and Pavs), a very good combo guard/our best perimeter defender (Reef), a rotation big (Searls), and took a swing on a highly rated dude in Cornish. We've only lost non-contributors.

This year, our key guys include five players in their 3rd/4th year in the program.

Bobcat Love
General User

Member Since: 12/20/2004
Post Count: 1,193

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 3:04:44 PM

GraffZ06 wrote:

It's basically what's happening in College Baseball. Go the JUCO or Portal route and get experienced men into the program.

shabamon
General User

Member Since: 11/17/2006
Location: Cincinnati
Post Count: 6,697

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 3:45:12 PM

"Just go to the portal or JUCO and get an experienced big!"

Umm, just like that?

Jovante Brown demanded coin only to not start at a school we obliterated in the MAC Tournament and then he bounced out of K-Zoo after one year. You see big men parlaying an 8/4 average in the America East into scholarships in the Big East. How are we supposed to get anything useful playing this game? I look at a guy like Austin Parks at OSU who in two years has played in 21 games and scored a total of 20 points. He's probably portalling this spring. We offered out of high school - would we want him? Or would he be Wiz 2.0? He sure isn't "experienced."

FJC31
General User

Member Since: 3/31/2022
Post Count: 1,665

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 4:12:11 PM

shabamon wrote:

Yea, I think just like that -- JUCO that is. I've posted in other threads how other mid-majors seem to be plucking size from it.

If a guy leaves after a season for greener pastures, let him. Use it as a marketing tool to rinse and repeat.

If our biggest nuance each portal season is replacing a JUCO big with a JUCO big while maintaining continuity among our wings/guards/HS bigs, is that really a bad place to be?

greencat
General User

Member Since: 3/12/2005
Post Count: 2,449

Status: Offline

RE: Coach Boals

Posted: 2/3/2025 4:19:38 PM

A "full grown man" center or power forward from a JUCO would be great for next season, particularly if he can't demand NIL money under the current rules.

If that means going after a guy from North-Central SouthWest Area Community College in Alabama/Florida/Mississippi who is actually out of the Caribbean and has a French/Spanish/Dutch accent, so be it.

Showing Replies:	26 - 50 of 116 Posts
Jump to Page:	< Previous 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 Next >

View Other 'Ohio Basketball' Topics

There are 394 Active Visitors on BobcatAttack.com

394 Guests
0 Registered Users

There are no other users looking at this page.