UConn pinning future hoops hopes on locals

[Whitey23]

Connecticut is banking on the New York area once again.

South Shore point guard Terrence Samuel’s commitment to UConn makes him the second local product to verbal to Jim Calhoun’s program, joining New Rens AAU teammate Kentan Facey of Long Island Lutheran.

The two will join current freshman Omar Calhoun, formerly of Christ the King, next year. This isn’t a new recruiting ploy by Connecticut. Throughout Jim Calhoun’s tenure, UConn has made a habit of luring top New Yorkers, from Kemba Walker to Taliek Brown and Ben Gordon.
...

Syracuse has put up billboards as “New York’s College Team.”
But, really, that title belongs to UConn – at least when it comes to college basketball.

NYPOST

 

[orangefan13]

Three recruits make you nys team. I guess we are Philadelphias team then. Washington DC's team.
and America's, Africa's Eurpoes and Canada's national team.
Oh wow Uconn has a player or two from NY this year we have Triche, and Dajuan from NY :crazy:
Is Uconn really this desperate to latch on to us?? :noidea:

 

[jdubs30]

Facey is 98th in ESPN's top 100 (just moved in) and Samuel isn't rated at all. (he has rated the 80th best PG though).

It's not like their grabbing top 15 recruits from NYC who are choosing Storrs over 'Cuse. I can't remember the last time UConn beat us for a prospect that we really wanted.

Hell, by this logic Seton Hall could grab 3 or 4 "2 star prospects" who are from NYC and would be called "New York's College Team" by this guy

Dumb article.

 

[PeteCalvin]

This coming from a state with one professional sports team, and it's not even in a men's major league.

They wish they were New York's College Team. Must have been written by an angry SJU grad.

 

[alexd.]

It is funny how the writer picked up on your Cuse slogan that has pissed off so many St. John’s fans. But, it goes way beyond these few recruits. Over 8 seasons in the “00’s, UCONN won 2 national championships and made another Final 4 with five different starters from the NYC area. Fourl of which are currently in the NBA.

 

[longtimefan]

It is funny how the writer picked up on your Cuse slogan that has pissed off so many St. John’s fans. But, it goes way beyond these few recruits. Over 8 seasons in the “00’s, UCONN won 2 national championships and made another Final 4 with five different starters from the NYC area. Fourl of which are currently in the NBA.

Nice historical perspective (if going back 12 years is "historical").

So, what does your roster look like now?

 

[alexd.]

Nice historical perspective (if going back 12 years is "historical").

So, what does your roster look like now?

I don't know. Ask the NY writer. He never mentioned anything about "history", but he's the one who decided to take a jab at the Orange. But he IS correct about the championship success of NY players at UCONN recently.

 

[Gabjon]

Nice historical perspective (if going back 12 years is "historical").

So, what does your roster look like now?

Let them have the past because the future looks bleak for them!

 

[jdubs30]

I don't know. Ask the NY writer. He never mentioned anything about "history", but he's the one who decided to take a jab at the Orange. But he IS correct about the championship success of NY players at UCONN recently.

I always took "NY's college team" as "the college that alot of NY residents root for"; as opposed to that we recruit NY heavily. No one calls us Baltimores college team, or Phillys college team (like a poster above mentioned).

I know UConn doesn't get many top prospects anymore, so they have to take what they can get from NYC. We haven't been extremely active in NYC lately because they talent hasn't been there like it has in year's past; we've gone to Philly, Bmore, DC, Jersey, etc

 

[orangefog]

I think Arizona has had alot of NYC kids on their teams the past few years too, maybe THEY are NY's team? The players UConn previously pulled from the NYC area were very highly rated...these two this year, not so much. I would prefer to recruit nationally and select top 25 players and fill in with top 50 players.

 

[alexd.]

I always took "NY's college team" as "the college that alot of NY residents root for"; as opposed to that we recruit NY heavily. No one calls us Baltimores college team, or Phillys college team (like a poster above mentioned).

I know UConn doesn't get many top prospects anymore, so they have to take what they can get from NYC...[/quote]

You mean like freshman Omar Calhoun from Christ the King??? Many consider top 25 to be "top".

 

[orangefog]

Who had Omar Calhoun in the top 25?

 

[jdubs30]

ESPN- 32
Rivals- 39
Scout- 44

No, not top 25

Like I said, I don't think ti has to do with recruiting at all. We don't do much recruiting in NYC; but I don't think UConn, St. John's or any other team has a true stranglehold on kids from the city. If you go back to 2002 our numbers are pretty even as far as NY kids.

 

[longtimefan]

I don't know. Ask the NY writer. He never mentioned anything about "history", but he's the one who decided to take a jab at the Orange. But he IS correct about the championship success of NY players at UCONN recently.

I hate it when those goal posts (basket supports?) move.

 

[StopCoolio]

It is funny how the writer picked up on your Cuse slogan that has pissed off so many St. John’s fans. But, it goes way beyond these few recruits. Over 8 seasons in the “00’s, UCONN won 2 national championships and made another Final 4 with five different starters from the NYC area. Fourl of which are currently in the NBA.

St. John's has fans? As in plural? As in "more than one"?

 

[pearl31]

So, what does your roster look like now?

 

[suthrills]

I thought Iona was New Yorks team and Uconn was Berlins team or is it Munich?( They used to be Tel Aviv's team but the talent has traveled West).

 

[UConn76]

I always took "NY's college team" as "the college that alot of NY residents root for"; as opposed to that we recruit NY heavily. No one calls us Baltimores college team, or Phillys college team (like a poster above mentioned).

I know UConn doesn't get many top prospects anymore, so they have to take what they can get from NYC. We haven't been extremely active in NYC lately because they talent hasn't been there like it has in year's past; we've gone to Philly, Bmore, DC, Jersey, etc

Guess that Drummond, Daniels and Walker weren't top prospects

 

[reedny]

Facey is 98th in ESPN's top 100 (just moved in) and Samuel isn't rated at all. (he has rated the 80th best PG though).

It's not like their grabbing top 15 recruits from NYC who are choosing Storrs over 'Cuse. I can't remember the last time UConn beat us for a prospect that we really wanted.

Hell, by this logic Seton Hall could grab 3 or 4 "2 star prospects" who are from NYC and would be called "New York's College Team" by this guy

Dumb article.

Yah, I think "Zach" Brazier (sp intentional) is a UConn fan delirious over a couple of 3 star recruits from NY.

 

[OrangeCrush22]

Syracuse doesn't really recruit downstate in basketball. Southerland is the only City kid we have.

 

[reedny]

It is funny how the writer picked up on your Cuse slogan that has pissed off so many St. John’s fans. But, it goes way beyond these few recruits. Over 8 seasons in the “00’s, UCONN won 2 national championships and made another Final 4 with five different starters from the NYC area. Fourl of which are currently in the NBA.

Most of the history you're leaning on here took place well before the "NY College Team" marketing campaign got into full swing after Gross' hire.

As far as UConn winning 2 years ago, hats off to them. But the fact that they had 1 guy from NY (Walker) on the entire team in 2010-11 hardly refutes SU's claim as NY's college team. http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/m-baskbl-mtt-10.html

Just to remind you of a little geography, SU IS in NY, and ever since its overtime loss to UConn in the BET 2 years ago, it's been putting down stakes here pretty convincingly. BT is from Jamesville, as was Andy Rautins. And JS is from Bayside (which is in Queens, I believe) -- so really more NY stock here than UConn if you're counting players. If you're counting NC's, we're behind UConn... but plenty of time to rectify that as they continue in a downward spiral with a couple of top 100 kids from the city.

Remember, the logo isn't, "NY Cities' College Team". It's, "New York's College Team", and despite your post I think we've earned the title.

 

[Col. Bleep]

To people in NYC area "New York" ends at about Westchester & Rockland Counties. Maybe Orange.
The rest of it might as well be another state.

Let's face it, SU's slogan is clever but meaningless when it comes to any real footprint in NYC (beyond alumni).

Oh...and the NY Post writer who made the comment.
How much credence should we give a guy who loves Lady Gaga?

http://www.facebook.com/zachary.braziller1