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

[OttoinGrotto]

Agree, get him on campus soon.

I already told everybody earlier in the thread that he's been on campus.

I mean I completely made that up, but still.

 

[CaptainJ]

I already told everybody earlier in the thread that he's been on campus.

I mean I completely made that up, but still.

Hopefully you didn't make it up too early. Ive been told that's tampering and could get the school banned from the tournament again.

 

[CuseLifer11]

Over Ayala. He is not as good as any of our top 18 targets. Thorpe makes us a tourney team. People are sleeping on our talent. Yeah we lost older guys but brought in way more talented one outside of White . Thompson is every bit the offensive threat that Lydon was. Defense however...

 

[jdubs30]

I don't really get this.

Ayala can come in, get 25+mpg on a team that should at the very least contend for an NCAA tournament bid while playing in the ACC. He'll be surrounded by talent. By coming in 2017, he'll be on target age-wise with his class and will be 18 for half of the season (would turn 19 in January). And in his sophomore year he will very likely see over 30mpg.

By staying in 2018, he'll be old for his class, delaying potential future earnings by 1 year (assuming he has NBA dreams) and will end up being 20 before his freshman year was over. The chances he gets offered by Duke, Kansas or Kentucky seems very unlikely.

Not sure the advantage his people see by keeping him in 2018.

I'm with most of you, if he wants to stay in 2018 I say we move on.

If his intention is 2017, great, but I hope we hear something soon and don't lose out on Thorpe by waiting.

 

[Footey04]

I d bring in Thorpe and offer him Tuesday,done with waiting!!!

 

[jdubs30]

I don't really get this.

Ayala can come in, get 25+mpg on a team that should at the very least contend for an NCAA tournament bid while playing in the ACC. He'll be surrounded by talent. By coming in 2017, he'll be on target age-wise with his class and will be 18 for half of the season (would turn 19 in January). And in his sophomore year he will very likely see over 30mpg.

By staying in 2018, he'll be old for his class, delaying potential future earnings by 1 year (assuming he has NBA dreams) and will end up being 20 before his freshman year was over. The chances he gets offered by Duke, Kansas or Kentucky seems very unlikely.

Not sure the advantage his people see by keeping him in 2018.

I'm with most of you, if he wants to stay in 2018 I say we move on.

If his intention is 2017, great, but I hope we hear something soon and don't lose out on Thorpe by waiting.

I just want to clarify that EA can absolutely do whatever he wants. I won't upset one way or the other. He has every right to take his time and do what's best for him. Based on his coaches quotes last week, it sounds like Ayala is definitely struggling with this.

But from the Syracuse perspective - it may be time to move on. If Geno Thorpe tells us he'll 100% be on campus within the next month then take him. I loved AW3 but I don't want a kid coming in on August 25th and trying to learn the zone. If Thorpe is willing to commit and move to Syracuse within the next few weeks, take him. No waiting until July for Ayala.

 

[jordville]

EA had 13 in the win today...
Hinting at Orange juice?

 

[HoustonCuse]

Sort of a coin flip but I lean towards Thorpe also. He fills a big potential gap immediately and we can also bone Pitt by taking him which is a massive plus in his column for me.

 

[jordville]

 

[jdubs30]

Sort of a coin flip but I lean towards Thorpe also. He fills a big potential gap immediately and we can also bone Pitt by taking him which is a massive plus in his column for me.

Thorpe is the better 2017 fit. But I'm 99% sure Battle will go to the NBA after this year, who knows with Frank, and H.Washington is a 4 program guy IMO. Having Ayala going into 2018 with a year under his belt could be big and lessen the blow if we miss out on someone like Carey.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Ayala smells deuces.

 

[TacoTime75]

Jerry says he'll decide at the end of July. Not sure we can wait that long, though.

 

[jdubs30]

Jerry says he'll decide at the end of July. Not sure we can wait that long, though.

Deciding in July of 2017 for where you'll go for October 2018 seems too early.

Deciding in July of 2017 to go somewhere for October 2017 is cutting it close.


Move on. Get Thorpe.

 

[iommi]

Deciding in July of 2017 for where you'll go for October 2018 seems too early.

Deciding in July of 2017 to go somewhere for October 2017 is cutting it close.


Move on. Get Thorpe.

The Thorpe situation could clear up soon. He's not conflicted like Ayala. I expect we will know more about Geno in the next few weeks. Get him on campus and he will decide soon thereafter. I just hope it's SU vs. Pitt and another team doesn't suddenly emerge.

My worst case scenario is Thorpe goes elsewhere, then we are sweating Ayala since we have no other apparent options.

 

[jordville]

 

[AZOrange]

Jerry says he'll decide at the end of July. Not sure we can wait that long, though.

We will...

 

[NineOneSeven]

We wait out Ayala, Thorpe wants to come to SU but we decline. Ayala decides in july to play in 2018, howard plays 38 mpg and averages 25 and 12.

 

[iommi]

We wait out Ayala, Thorpe wants to come to SU but we decline. Ayala decides in july to play in 2018, howard plays 38 mpg and averages 25 and 12.

Had a few adult beverages today?

 

[jdubs30]

The Thorpe situation could clear up soon. He's not conflicted like Ayala. I expect we will know more about Geno in the next few weeks. Get him on campus and he will decide soon thereafter. I just hope it's SU vs. Pitt and another team doesn't suddenly emerge.

My worst case scenario is Thorpe goes elsewhere, then we are sweating Ayala since we have no other apparent options.

Is this as simple as if we offer Thorpe he will come? If it is that easy, I Say we don't wait.

 

[kcsu]

Is this as simple as if we offer Thorpe he will come? If it is that easy, I Say we don't wait.

The definition of insanity...QG...

 

[iommi]

Is this as simple as if we offer Thorpe he will come? If it is that easy, I Say we don't wait.

No, Pitt is a legit possibility. Point is Thorpe will decide between the schools he's considering without all of the voices in his head and the vacillating between '17 and '18. I do think when we get him to campus, an offer would do the trick. If we are hell bent on Ayala, I'm not so sure Thorpe waits around until August to play second fiddle.

 

[jgeorge322]

The real question is, can we take both, and then maybe red shirt hw?

 

[721Comstock]

The real question is, can we take both, and then maybe red shirt hw?

NO.

Redshirts still count against scholarships.

So - unless one of our 2017 guys is cool w being a walkon and paying his own way for a year, then it ain't happening.

 

[50YRsofCuse]

The Thorpe situation could clear up soon. He's not conflicted like Ayala. I expect we will know more about Geno in the next few weeks. Get him on campus and he will decide soon thereafter. I just hope it's SU vs. Pitt and another team doesn't suddenly emerge.

My worst case scenario is Thorpe goes elsewhere, then we are sweating Ayala since we have no other apparent options.

You know that I wanted Alaya for 2017-2018 when it seemed like the world was ending and there were no other viable opportunities.

Now it is a few days, weeks and months later and we have offered and he is still undecided about when he wants to enter college basketball. There is at least one other viable candidate (thorpe) that has expressed interest in coming to Syracuse. I thought that Alaya may be a 4 year player but am not sure because if he "blows up" in any season, he will probably turn pro. Thorpe being a graduate transfer would give SU one year of service and then his scholarship would be available for use in the 2018 class.

Time to be put a stake in the ground. Grant a campus visit to Thorpe to talk with the coaches and see the campus; talk (when permitted) to Alaya and tell him that if he does not make a decision by say 05-12 June then SU will wish him well and move on with Thorpe (provided that he wants to sign with SU). There is nothing magical with the timeframe other than being fair to Thorpe and not keeping him on hold throughout the summer.

 

[jdubs30]

No, Pitt is a legit possibility. Point is Thorpe will decide between the schools he's considering without all of the voices in his head and the vacillating between '17 and '18. I do think when we get him to campus, an offer would do the trick. If we are hell bent on Ayala, I'm not so sure Thorpe waits around until August to play second fiddle.

Looks like Seton Hall moved on when they got that Tucker kid. It seems like it's only down to Pitt and Cuse at this point. Pitt is pretty much no different than USF was last year IMO. Only difference is it's a much better conference so more publicity. I would think for Thorpe's sake, much like Gillon/AW3, they want a chance to go to the tournament. Is Thorpe considering anyone but Pitt or Cuse at this point do we know?

I agree with your last statement, and he shouldn't. It's one thing to hold off on offering the kid until June, but if I'm Thorpe and Cuse tells me "we want you, but we're unsure if we'll have a spot for you until late July" I would be looking elsewhere 100%.