Percy Gibson, Coach Calipari, and Brandan Kearney (Photo courtesy of Next Generation Sports)
- 2011 Detroit Southeastern teammates Brandan Kearney and Percy Gibson made the trek to Lexington to check out Calipari’s new digs. Next Generation Sports has the full rundown and also links to a report at True Blue Kentucky that calls the visit a “get to know you visit” and notes that there are no offers on the table. Kearney also has another round of USA basketball action coming up for an October Team USA mini-camp.
- According to this message board thread, Casey Prather will be making his college decision in the next 48 hours and the choice is down to Florida and Michigan. The original plan was to visit Vanderbilt this weekend but it appears that plans are accelerating. It’s finger crossing time.
- 2012 super point guard Ray Lee is transferring from Dearborn Robichaud to Cass Tech. He is eligible to play the second semester and should make Cass Tech a contended in the PSL.
- John Beilein will make an appearance at the Maize Rage Mass Meeting tonight at 7 PM in the Kuenzel Room of the Michigan Union. John Beilein and Free Cottage Inn, what could be better?
- Trey Zeigler has an official visit scheduled to UCLA ($). UCLA and Michigan State were in Mt. Pleasant to check out Zeigler in an open gym over the weekend as well.
Looks like Calipari has them in his attic at home for the “get to know you visits.”
ahhhh finger crossing time for Casey Prather!!
Not to keep beating the Brandon Kearney drum… but, what if we strike out on both Prather and Ziegler? Will we most likely bank that scholarship and hold it until next year, allowing us to take 2 more ’11 kids (Kearney and a big man). Is that the most likely “worst-case” scenario (being we lose out on Prather and Z)? Or is there someone else in ’10 we’d then focus on. I know Cole Darling, the kid from Holt, was thought to be a Plan C guy but now committed (Toledo or Oakland, can’t remember which).
Whoa, I wasn’t expecting a Prather decision coming this soon. Of course, it would be great if he commits to Michigan because we will be getting one of the top wings in the country for the 2010 class, but also it will enable Beilein and crew to focus all their attention on the last remaining scholarship.
Regarding Scholarship Question, in the very (I hope) unlikely chance that we miss on both of these guys, I can’t see us going after another ’10 guy simply because there is so much talent left on the ’11 board. My guess is that we would put a ton of effort into recruiting Kearney (we would still desperately need a wing) and a big (probably Amir but possibly Plumlee). Who knows, we might even make a serious push for Gilchrist.
I don’t really like that Florida is the competition in the final 2. I was always more worried about them than Vandy or Clemson. It’s probably pretty tough to go away from Billy Donovan because he is a very good recruiter and Florida has great facilities down there. Here’s to hoping he sees the light that is John Beilein
what worries me about prather was his coach’s comments about the big ten as a whole in sam webb’s article i believe it was..he stressed the grind out style, and while he mentioned casey is a tremendous defensive player, he seemed to be more interested in they style of play in the sec…probably just paranoia on my part, but i hope for the best
Well if they strikeout on Prather and Zeigler, Its in the bank for later.
Do Kearney and Gibson already have offers? I thought Kearney did, but wasn’t sure about Gibson. Has there been any news about them being a “package deal”?
The Prather news is encouraging, and hopefully he chooses the right shade of blue. It is strange that I used to get upset with kids if they left to go elsewhere, but with Prather (Zeigler, Kearney etc…) I don’t really get upset, I just figure that Beilein has something else under his sleeve that will come to light in the future.
finger crossed!
I hope JB worked his magic on Prather… I think he would be a GREAT fit in JB system… GO BLUE !!!!!!!!!!!!
From Prather’s AAU coach, Charles Clark…
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Didn’t know it was going to be made public so soon but if you havent heard its between Florida and Michigan for Casey Prather.
Feel bad for him considering his gotta tell some wonderful coaches “Thanks, but No Thanks”.
What if he goes to Michigan and potentially him and Austin Hollins are going head to head againist each other in two years..WOW!
Gotta give alot of credit to Beilein and Mahoney. I think they’ve done a fantastic job recruiting this guy. They covered alot of ground.
yeah I don’t know what to make of those tweets.. kind of sounds like Beilein’s swan song.. good job, but it’s not gonna be enough.. I don’t think he wants to take away any of Prather’s thunder when he announces so he’s not tipping Florida’s hand.
I hope Beilein borrows some of RichRod’s snake oil for this one.
I was just about to comment about Rich Rod’s wizard hat and snake oil.
I am really hoping we get Prather so we can “move on”. I also think he has a higher ceiling under Beilein’s tutelage. Zeigler is a coach’s son and already has such a high IQ…not saying Prather doesn’t but he seems more like a rough stone JB can polish.
FINGERS CROSSED (I think we are getting Prather for some reason….gut instinct I guess….but I am also married so my gut sometimes betrays me…lol)
at least Prather’s deciding now so we’ll know what to do from here.
and at least we’re in the final 2. that’s impressive.
IF we dont get Prather or Zeigler we’ll definitely bank it for 2011.
Begrudingly, I agree with Adam’s take on the coach Tweets. I hope we’re both wrong.
Dang i dont like those tweets. Saying thanks but no thanks to good coaches, then mentioning michigan and JB. I dont like florida and never have, that would just make it worse if the took Prather from us. COME on Prather make the right decision and come to Michigan.
Yeah, those tweets scare me, but I really don’t know what to make of everything. His coach tweeted once that he could have two guys in the Big Ten, which kinda made me think Michigan, now this which kinda looks like Florida, but he also said he got “the vibe” at Michigan, which kinda makes me like our chances. At least the waiting will be over soon. X fingers crossed X
http://brockway.blogs.gatorspo.....g-update-2
this link says that fl coaches are pushing prather to decide without visiting vandy
Kenny: I feel like Michigan coaches would be telling him the same thing. The consensus was that he had seen Vandy a lot and was familiar. Still… there are a lot of signs pointing to Florida… Might want to cross your fingers and toes.
I really hope Prather commits to Michigan. I’m not at all optimistic about Ziegler.
I’m with ya AG2. I’m not at all optimistic about Trey. I do not see him coming to Michigan. I think he ends up in the Pac-10, or follows his dad wherever he goes if he doesn’t make it through this season.
Did not like the link about the Florida guys pushing for commit before the Vandy visit. Seems to be what he is doing.
I’m not optimistic, mostly because Florida is the most sensible choice. Other than the fact that Donovan is not in the same league in terms of quality of person that JB is, Florida basically offers everything that UM does and it’s closer to his own backyard than UM is(not in terms of miles, but in terms of region and familiarity).
In other words, Prather can stay in the South, play in the SEC and it just makes sense. I was hoping Casey could see through the Donovan charade/bs, but that what makes Donovan a great recruiter. He can turn the sleeze off and on depending on which recruit he is dealing with and do it in a fashion that seems genuine.
I hope Prather has an epiphany and picks UM, but I just can’t bring myself to actually think it will happen.
At this point wouldn’t any commitment be just verbal? I don’t think the recruitment stops if he picks Michigan. If he picks Florida JB may back off, seems more his style than begging and pleading.
It would be a verbal and he would sign in November, I believe.
If you look at Rivals.com profile of Prather, it has narrowed Prather’s choices to Floria and Michigan. However, it states the interest in Florida is High, whereas for Michigan it’s Medium.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/b.....ther-69480
Crap….things are looking bleak.
I hear a decision is coming Wednesday, not Tuesday….he is using the entire 48 hours.
Doesn’t look good. But hey, the kids has not decided.
Tom Too, – I am Tom also, the first time I posted here as Tom and two hours later there was a post by another Tom and by You (Tom Too), so I changed the handle. So anyways, what I wanted to say is I like “he is using the entire 48 hours”, and hope you meant to be ironic.
That Tom actually changed his handle to Tom, Also. You could be Tom, As Well, I suppose.
As far as being ironic, no. The post above mentioned a decision coming within 48 hours, and it looks like nothing is coming sooner than that..
Man looks like all the evidence is stacked against me here. That sucks…I did truly believe Prather would benefit more from JB’s coaching then say Zeigler. Bank the scholarship if we lose out on both Zeigler and Prather. Kearney and Gibson sure would look good in Maize and Blue
Tom, Too: That’s a bad idea (deleted).
Sorry….
Does losing both Ziegler and Prather mean JB will have to lobby for Manny to stick around for his senior year?
my opinion has changed…im thinkin hes gonna be blue…