Class of 2018 SG Eric Ayala (DE/IMG) to Maryland

[orangefog]

Ayala Could Still Be a Possibility in 2017 | Otto's Grove

 

[SoBeCuse]

Looks like he views SU/Miami/Oregon as even favorites.

 

[EastCoast2]

There were not a lot of elite PG prospects, nor were there a lot of PGs who would fit this system. We could bring in Waters and you'd be happy for about 30 seconds. Once it's clear that he's undersized and a liability on defense, you'd go back to saying we can't find a PG.

Your first paragraph seems to contradict everything else you've said thus far. Shouldn't you be happy with signing Washington? Are you forgetting where Jardine was at in terms of development after his first two years? If not, how can you give up on Howard already?

I don't think o'sully33 is overly excited about bringing in a guy like HW when we basically passed on him for over a year then only offered him once the 6 PGs on the 'Big Board" were no longer available. Many fans, myself included, would have been happier bringing in any of the following:

Quade Green
Isaiah Washington
Trevon Duval
Makai Ashton-Langford
Eric Ayala
To name a few.

It's going to be painful watching Isaiah Washington be a very good PG at Minnesota for 4 years. Monte Morris part 2.

 

[chugg21]

Why can't we be good next year? Battle is a special player and everyone else will improve. If we can get a competent PG and the chemistry is good, we have enough athletes and a star player, it could be a solid squad next year.

Problem this year was that the returning guys we were counting on did not improve at all. Frank, Roberson, Coleman and to a lesser extent Lydon did not improve from '15-'16.

 

[Ward]

There were not a lot of elite PG prospects, nor were there a lot of PGs who would fit this system. We could bring in Waters and you'd be happy for about 30 seconds. Once it's clear that he's undersized and a liability on defense, you'd go back to saying we can't find a PG.

Your first paragraph seems to contradict everything else you've said thus far. Shouldn't you be happy with signing Washington? Are you forgetting where Jardine was at in terms of development after his first two years? If not, how can you give up on Howard already?

Your first paragraph is a completely false assumption. I think it's more important to have good basketball players who can make shots and fill the void of us not having a point guard than it is to try and get someone tall for the zone. The best college teams have perimeter players who can create and make shots. I don't think just because a guy is short it means that he'll be a liability on defense. You can make up for lack of height or length by playing with energy and being active in taking strong angles in passing lanes. Overall, there were point guards who would be just fine for us and we botched it.

Your second paragraph is off base. First, nowhere have I ever said I gave up on Frank Howard. I've actually said in quite a few posts I like him more than most on here. All I said about him in our back and forth is I don't think he's a true point guard. We basically did exactly what you outlined in your post in prioritizing size over skill set and it hasn't worked out at this point for what we are asking Frank to do. I think he would be better served as a combo guard, which is what he was for his whole life before coming to Syracuse.

As far as Washington, I don't think you're understanding my point. What about his signing should I be happy with based on my first paragraph? And how did the paragraph contradict everything I've said thus far?

 

[Alsacs]

There were not a lot of elite PG prospects, nor were there a lot of PGs who would fit this system. We could bring in Waters and you'd be happy for about 30 seconds. Once it's clear that he's undersized and a liability on defense, you'd go back to saying we can't find a PG.

Your first paragraph seems to contradict everything else you've said thus far. Shouldn't you be happy with signing Washington? Are you forgetting where Jardine was at in terms of development after his first two years? If not, how can you give up on Howard already?

Just a question what is our system?

Any guard can play zone. We don't run a real offense. Our system isn't that hard. Gillon was a solid offensive option but he wasn't tall and good fit for the zone. However we took him.

We need talent. Fitting the 100% zone mantra is actually hurting with us some elite prospects see. Quinerly.

 

[SacKingCuse]

Just a question what is our system?

Any guard can play zone. We don't run a real offense. Our system isn't that hard. Gillon was a solid offensive option but he wasn't tall and good fit for the zone. However we took him.

We need talent. Fitting the 100% zone mantra is actually hurting with us some elite prospects see. Quinerly.

Nick Richards too...

 

[Day2]

I don't think o'sully33 is overly excited about bringing in a guy like HW when we basically passed on him for over a year then only offered him once the 6 PGs on the 'Big Board" were no longer available. Many fans, myself included, would have been happier bringing in any of the following:

Quade Green
Isaiah Washington
Trevon Duval
Makai Ashton-Langford
Eric Ayala
To name a few.

It's going to be painful watching Isaiah Washington be a very good PG at Minnesota for 4 years. Monte Morris part 2.

I brought up Howard Washington because Sully mentioned program guys.

We were not going to bring in Ennis and Morris together, and Ennis was a better prospect at the time. Those of you who keep bringing up Morris are basically upset that we nailed the Ennis pick.

We were never going to get Duval. Same goes for Green once Kentucky got involved.

Isaiah Washington might be one of those undersized guys who doesn't fit in. Apparently the staff felt it was worth the risk by not getting involved with I. Washington or Coleman when they were going after Green.

Sounds like the staff contacted MAL, but they couldn't have been that interested since he wound up at Providence.

Ayala wants to stay in 2018. You're blaming the staff for that? Kid can do whatever he wants, it's his life.

Go ahead and name some more. I already spotted you Coleman.

 

[Briancuse]

I brought up Howard Washington because Sully mentioned program guys.

We were not going to bring in Ennis and Morris together, and Ennis was a better prospect at the time. Those of you who keep bringing up Morris are basically upset that we nailed the Ennis pick.

We were never going to get Duval. Same goes for Green once Kentucky got involved.

Isaiah Washington might be one of those undersized guys who doesn't fit in. Apparently the staff felt it was worth the risk by not getting involved with I. Washington or Coleman when they were going after Green.

Sounds like the staff contacted MAL, but they couldn't have been that interested since he wound up at Providence.

Ayala wants to stay in 2018. You're blaming the staff for that? Kid can do whatever he wants, it's his life.

Go ahead and name some more. I already spotted you Coleman.

Not sure I can say we were never going to get Green, considering he told the staff he was coming at one point.

 

[Day2]

Just a question what is our system?

Any guard can play zone. We don't run a real offense. Our system isn't that hard. Gillon was a solid offensive option but he wasn't tall and good fit for the zone. However we took him.

We need talent. Fitting the 100% zone mantra is actually hurting with us some elite prospects see. Quinerly.

Come on, dude, you know I'm talking about the 2-3. And you know the zone is better with bigger guards.

Gillon was brought in as a Vinnie Johnson-type and was forced into the starter's role out of necessity.

The zone isn't going away as long as JB's here. I don't see the point in these unicorn discussions. Go ahead and vent, but nothing's going to change.

 

[Briancuse]

Come on, dude, you know I'm talking about the 2-3. And you know the zone is better with bigger guards.

Gillon was brought in as a Vinnie Johnson-type and was forced into the starter's role out of necessity.

The zone isn't going away as long as JB's here. I don't see the point in these unicorn discussions. Go ahead and vent, but nothing's going to change.

What do you mean by forced into the starters role by necessitity? He could have started for a number of teams last year.

 

[Day2]

Not sure I can say we were never going to get Green, considering he told the staff he was coming at one point.

What part of, "Once Kentucky got involved," did you not understand?

 

[Alsacs]

Come on, dude, you know I'm talking about the 2-3. And you know the zone is better with bigger guards.

Gillon was brought in as a Vinnie Johnson-type and was forced into the starter's role out of necessity.

The zone isn't going away as long as JB's here. I don't see the point in these unicorn discussions. Go ahead and vent, but nothing's going to change.

If we brought in a Jonny Flynn like talent I think JB would consider switching to m2m in games we were getting torched.

JB did it in 2009.

 

[Day2]

What do you mean by forced into the starters role by necessitity? He could have started for a number of teams last year.

Here, dude, here.

 

[Briancuse]

What part of, "Once Kentucky got involved," did you not understand?

Even when Uk got involved we had a good chance to get him.

 

[Briancuse]

Here, dude, here.

He wasn't forced into the position, he was our best option.

 

[Jake]

I will corroborate Dasher's info. Ayala told us he was coming and his intent was to reclassify for this year.

Last I knew, it was unclear if he could reclassify.

Then he told people he could reclassify.

Now his recruitment is up in the air.

 

[Alsacs]

We lost Green when Trae Young went to Oklahoma.

Us losing Ayala just kills us having a pipeline for the program.

Their is no doubt the 100% zone hurts recruiting if we are pigeonholed from only recruiting long tall guards.

We need skill as well.

 

[cuse10]

I don't think o'sully33 is overly excited about bringing in a guy like HW when we basically passed on him for over a year then only offered him once the 6 PGs on the 'Big Board" were no longer available. Many fans, myself included, would have been happier bringing in any of the following:

Quade Green
Isaiah Washington
Trevon Duval
Makai Ashton-Langford
Eric Ayala
To name a few.

It's going to be painful watching Isaiah Washington be a very good PG at Minnesota for 4 years. Monte Morris part 2.

So what happens when SU wastes a scholarship on Duval and he doesn't qualify?

Some of you are crying over height at the top of the zone, but in the next post wanted I. Washington who isn't even 6' in shoes. Can't have it both ways.

 

[Alsacs]

I will corroborate Dasher's info. Ayala told us he was coming and his intent was to reclassify for this year.

Last I knew, it was unclear if he could reclassify.

Then he told people he could reclassify.

Now his recruitment is up in the air.

So basically this is the 2nd time a recruit has told GMac they were coming and it's more probable than not they are coming.

Is GMac getting solid "yes" or is our staff interrupting them as yes?

 

[Day2]

If we brought in a Jonny Flynn like talent I think JB would consider switching to m2m in games we were getting torched.

JB did it in 2009.

In part because Flynn insisted on it. But I'm glad you brought up Flynn, because it illustrates the issue with committing to guys who don't really fit in here. The 2009 team had a nice run in the BE tourney and a respectable Sweet 16 appearance, but it wasn't one of our better squads defensively. And we were a mess the year before.

And we probably don't get the early commitment from Flynn in this day and age, even with Harris already here.

 

[Day2]

He wasn't forced into the position, he was our best option.

 

[cuse10]

So basically this is the 2nd time a recruit has told GMac they were coming and it's more probable than not they are coming.

Is GMac getting solid "yes" or is our staff interrupting them as yes?

Unless it is on paper in the form of a National Letter of Intent, no teenager who is being recruited should be viewed as locked until their name is on the dotted line.

 

[Day2]

Even when Uk got involved we had a good chance to get him.

Clearly.

 

[Briancuse]

Clearly.

He told our staff he was coming, he changed his mind at the last second.