'20 NY PF Abou Ousmane (North Texas ---> Xavier)

[KevanBoyles]

Made my day.

[reef]

Heck yeah great news !!

[SandorClegane]

We are in good shape with him if the Twins fall through.

So I guess no twins

It doesn’t seem likely unless Harris leaves. They would have Harris, Walker, Ousmsne and the two twins. Also wondering what position Toppin will play without Martin-small or power?

I know we group Walker into the ‘bigs’ discussion because he’s jacked and was forced to play up front this year, but I still view him more of a power wing. Remember he’s only 6’7. If we land the twins I could easily see him and Toppin getting the SF minutes. Rotate Harris, Twins and Abou up front. We’d also be rolling out a big team for once.

[SandorClegane]

Another comment solely about Abou... I LOVE that this kid uses the sky hook. Difficult to defend that. He reminds me of a more agile Andre Berry.

Welcome Abou.

[eli#10]

I still say GET THE TWINS. There are still plenty of minutes to play for.

If we get Berry and the twins this board will go nuts.

[RF1]

Welcome to Kingston!

[Rhody83]

Another comment solely about Abou... I LOVE that this kid uses the sky hook. Difficult to defend that. He reminds me of a more agile Andre Berry.

Welcome Abou.

He reminds me some of Dre - especially the soft hands. He doesn’t have Dre’s outside touch. He is more of a down low player offensively and a more physical rebounder.

[reef]

Just watched his tape again and looks like he will be very good offensively nice touch with back to the back moves and quick to act when he gets the ball . I expect him to score a lot let’s hope he can rebound and defend ???

[ramster]

[RIFan]

It's great to get some positive news these days. Welcome aboard Abou!

Here is an article about Scotland Campus and the picture features Abou in a game that he scored 32 pts and grabbed 19 boards against the Patrick school.

https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/sports/ ... 8e0ac.html

[jaywin86]

from the small simple size of videos, he reminds me of zach Randolph

[ramster]

Rivals article on signing


https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com ... ou-ousmane

[CHICO 78]

Lots to like about Boo! Soft hands, pretty smooth footwork nice high release on his jumper.
On one of the few segments from the left side of the basket he had a nice drop step to bear his man. Welcome to Kinston!!

[DC_Rams]

And if any of you are concerned about how Ousmane feels, he RT the post about the twins arriving.

[giovanni]

[bkoeppen]

Just decommitted

[SmartyBarrett]

We hardly knew ye.

[Rhody15]

Never thought he’d be that much of a difference maker, especially with the players in front of him.

[DC_Rams]

Too much time for people to get in your ear.

[Rhody15]

Reason number 4737388 I can’t get toooo excited for recruits anymore.

[Section104]

Sucks. Focus on transfers.

[RhodyKyle]

Well, how about Tres?

[DC_Rams]

Well, how about Tres?

I think staff has backup plan.

[RhodyKyle]

Well, how about Tres?

I think staff has backup plan.

I was joking. My guess was Abou decommitted partially because of the Tres thing so it'd be funny if Tres replaced him.

[CamsRams]

Akeem?

[RamStock]

So funny. Here we go with the he wasn’t good anyway and he wouldn’t have played talk. That is the business of recruiting everyone said with Berry. He obviously wasn’t happy with the way his friend got treated I guess. We all thought it was a good pickup last week

[DC_Rams]

[Rhody83]

So funny. Here we go with the he wasn’t good anyway and he wouldn’t have played talk. That is the business of recruiting everyone said with Berry. He obviously wasn’t happy with the way his friend got treated I guess. We all thought it was a good pickup last week

It had nothing to do with Tres. It was a reaction to the Mitchell twins’ commitment.

[Rhodymob05]

Effing insane.

[RamStock]

So funny. Here we go with the he wasn’t good anyway and he wouldn’t have played talk. That is the business of recruiting everyone said with Berry. He obviously wasn’t happy with the way his friend got treated I guess. We all thought it was a good pickup last week

It had nothing to do with Tres. It was a reaction to the Mitchell twins’ commitment.

The only way know that is if we sat in the room with Abou and asked him.

[rambone 78]

A big man transfer that's immediately eligible is now VERY important, especially if the twins have to sit out.

We need a ready-to-play addition.

Getting Tres would be nice, but he's not a big.

[steviep123]

So funny. Here we go with the he wasn’t good anyway and he wouldn’t have played talk. That is the business of recruiting everyone said with Berry. He obviously wasn’t happy with the way his friend got treated I guess. We all thought it was a good pickup last week

It had nothing to do with Tres. It was a reaction to the Mitchell twins’ commitment.

Starting to hate college hoops

[rambone 78]

It's really getting ridiculous.

Now if a recruit finds out he will have more competition for minutes, he bails.

Oh well, it's clear he would have transferred after a year even if he did come here, especially if he got less minutes than either he or his family thinks he should have gotten.

The new reality of college basketball. It blows.

I would think that when Cox is about to close the deal on a freshman recruit, that's he asking for and expecting some level of loyalty and commitment to stay.

Maybe he gets that, and as soon as something happens, they change their mind.

If I was a coach nowadays, I would be losing my mind, and maybe asking myself if all this bullshit is worth it.

[rhodyblue12]

[RamStock]

So funny. Here we go with the he wasn’t good anyway and he wouldn’t have played talk. That is the business of recruiting everyone said with Berry. He obviously wasn’t happy with the way his friend got treated I guess. We all thought it was a good pickup last week

It had nothing to do with Tres. It was a reaction to the Mitchell twins’ commitment.

Starting to hate college hoops

I agree. It is becoming a big NBA like free agency frenzy. I am at the point I don’t care if Fatts or anyone else leaves.

[rambone 78]

It's going to be transfers or else from now on, baby.

Got to make and enforce the one time only transfer, NCAA.

[TruePoint]

I will stipulate off the top that this is incredibly weak from the kid. I don’t know him, never seen him play and don’t have an opinion on whether he’d have been good here or not - and didn’t a few hours ago when he was committed to URI. But some of this is on the kid.

At the same time, the coaching staff needs to get some kind of a grip on the roster. It makes it borderline unenjoyable to have guys coming and going at this rate. It’s hard for me to believe that the commitment of the Mitchell twins or pulling the offer from Berry would have been unforeseeable for the coaching staff a week ago, and so it should have been foreseeable for Abou. Maybe they take a sort of machiavellian approach to sharing information but if that’s the case you have to ask whether it might be time to rethink that approach. Pragmatically and ethically, my preference would be for transparency within the family and that would include recruits you’re trying to get into the family. And hey, maybe they were transparent with Abou and he just flaked, but on some level the buck has to stop with the coaches and the constant churn is getting to be a bit much for me (and I’ve traditionally been pro-churn).

[eli#10]

Don't think it was really insane but it was a concern to yours truly. There just were not enough minutes to go around. Was he going to get minutes ahead of the twins, Toppin and Harris? In a pinch Martin would probably slide to the 3 ahead of him. His minutes would have been at a minimum for sure. We all know these kids want to play--see Hammond and Long.

Don't see how any blame can be attributed to the coaches.

[Rhody83]

It's going to be transfers or else from now on, baby.

Got to make and enforce the one time only transfer, NCAA.

A transfer that gives a verbal can back out too. Columbia Grad decommitted from Duke today.

[LoveThoseRams]

To me it goes back again to the fact that these kids are all brought up to be legends in their own minds. Was he offended by all the media attention that the Mitchells and Marin were getting when they announced they were transferring? Did he really change his plans because his friend was no longer coming to URI? Who knows, but this is crazy.

Just saw it happen with a Duke transfer this week as well. This committing and decommiting crap, and seeing The Scheme last night, sort of makes you want to dislike college basketball.

[rambone 78]

Yeah verbals are pretty dicey these days.

Might be better if they just wait for the signing period and sign the LOI when announcing their choice of school.

Also it just seems like freshmen are saying...either play me or I'm gone.

In our case with 5 ships available and shorthanded in the frontcourt, we have to sign a few bigs.

Playing time, like Cox has said, is not guaranteed. Makes you wonder if he did say that to the Mitchell twins?

As for Ousmane, I think Tres probably was in his ear once URI decided not to pursue him any longer.

[DC_Rams]

I will stipulate off the top that this is incredibly weak from the kid. I don’t know him, never seen him play and don’t have an opinion on whether he’d have been good here or not - and didn’t a few hours ago when he was committed to URI. But some of this is on the kid.

At the same time, the coaching staff needs to get some kind of a grip on the roster. It makes it borderline unenjoyable to have guys coming and going at this rate. It’s hard for me to believe that the commitment of the Mitchell twins or pulling the offer from Berry would have been unforeseeable for the coaching staff a week ago, and so it should have been foreseeable for Abou. Maybe they take a sort of machiavellian approach to sharing information but if that’s the case you have to ask whether it might be time to rethink that approach. Pragmatically and ethically, my preference would be for transparency within the family and that would include recruits you’re trying to get into the family. And hey, maybe they were transparent with Abou and he just flaked, but on some level the buck has to stop with the coaches and the constant churn is getting to be a bit much for me (and I’ve traditionally been pro-churn).

Abou knew the twins were coming. He even RT their commitment and liked their posts on IG. It was some weak minded person in his circle that influenced him to back out, I’m almost certain of it.

Nonetheless, I still believe the rule will pass, especially with the extended off season. I agree his minutes would’ve been sparse but still would’ve loved to retain him.

Oh well.

Looking forward to the next splash Cox and Co. will make.

[theblueram]

Yeah verbals are pretty dicey these days.

Might be better if they just wait for the signing period and sign the LOI when announcing their choice of school.

Also it just seems like freshmen are saying...either play me or I'm gone.

In our case with 5 ships available and shorthanded in the frontcourt, we have to sign a few bigs.

Playing time, like Cox has said, is not guaranteed. Makes you wonder if he did say that to the Mitchell twins?

As for Ousmane, I think Tres probably was in his ear once URI decided not to pursue him any longer.

Unless the player is like JT, they are not starting as a freshman. Maybe these kids should look at the MAAC or the Horizon for schools. This is the A10.

[steviep123]

I will stipulate off the top that this is incredibly weak from the kid. I don’t know him, never seen him play and don’t have an opinion on whether he’d have been good here or not - and didn’t a few hours ago when he was committed to URI. But some of this is on the kid.

At the same time, the coaching staff needs to get some kind of a grip on the roster. It makes it borderline unenjoyable to have guys coming and going at this rate. It’s hard for me to believe that the commitment of the Mitchell twins or pulling the offer from Berry would have been unforeseeable for the coaching staff a week ago, and so it should have been foreseeable for Abou. Maybe they take a sort of machiavellian approach to sharing information but if that’s the case you have to ask whether it might be time to rethink that approach. Pragmatically and ethically, my preference would be for transparency within the family and that would include recruits you’re trying to get into the family. And hey, maybe they were transparent with Abou and he just flaked, but on some level the buck has to stop with the coaches and the constant churn is getting to be a bit much for me (and I’ve traditionally been pro-churn).

He knew the twins were coming. He even RT their commitment and liked their posts on IG. It was some weak minded person in his circle that influenced him to back out, I’m almost certain of it.

DC do you think Tres Berry no longer being a possibility had any affect?

[PeterRamTime]

Not surprised at all.

He had the twins, JH and Walker ahead of him.

He may not have gotten significant playing time until he was a junior.

[DC_Rams]

I will stipulate off the top that this is incredibly weak from the kid. I don’t know him, never seen him play and don’t have an opinion on whether he’d have been good here or not - and didn’t a few hours ago when he was committed to URI. But some of this is on the kid.

At the same time, the coaching staff needs to get some kind of a grip on the roster. It makes it borderline unenjoyable to have guys coming and going at this rate. It’s hard for me to believe that the commitment of the Mitchell twins or pulling the offer from Berry would have been unforeseeable for the coaching staff a week ago, and so it should have been foreseeable for Abou. Maybe they take a sort of machiavellian approach to sharing information but if that’s the case you have to ask whether it might be time to rethink that approach. Pragmatically and ethically, my preference would be for transparency within the family and that would include recruits you’re trying to get into the family. And hey, maybe they were transparent with Abou and he just flaked, but on some level the buck has to stop with the coaches and the constant churn is getting to be a bit much for me (and I’ve traditionally been pro-churn).

He knew the twins were coming. He even RT their commitment and liked their posts on IG. It was some weak minded person in his circle that influenced him to back out, I’m almost certain of it.

DC do you think Tres Berry no longer being a possibility had any affect?

No, decision was solely based on the twins.

Sure those two would’ve loved to play together, but his college decision wasn’t predicated on Tres.

[Rhody83]

[PeterRamTime]

Please stay out of the A-10...

You know St Bonaventure will have him ready to go against us.

[PeteRI]

To quote the Hollywood mogul Samuel Goldwyn "A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on."

BTW we're the second school this young man committed to but then rescinded. The first was Cleveland State. I don't know - there might be a pattern here ...

[SandorClegane]

Not surprised at all.

He had the twins, JH and Walker ahead of him.

He may not have gotten significant playing time until he was a junior.

Totally agree with this. Sad to see the kid go, was excited to have him. But he had a lot of guys ahead of him. Some kids just don’t want to battle for minutes.