Updates on All Cardinal Targets
The Cardinal basketball team already has three commitments from the class of 2009 in PG Peyton Siva, SG Mike Marra and PF Rakeem Buckles. Depending on who stays and who goes, as many as two more players could join this already strong corps. Since his breathtaking performance in this past year's King of the Bluegrass tournament, Louisville coaches have had there eye on Fayette County H.S. (GA) G/F Noel Johnson, hoping he will follow suit. The L Yes! Report talked with Johnson before he began his travels on the summer AAU circuit.
Johnson is the son of former Wichita St. stand-out Lynbert "Cheese" Johnson, whom Noel considers his biggest influence on his basketball career.
"He pushes me day in and day out to become one of the best players in the country" said Johnson.
The elder Johnson's influence seems to keep his son grounded. Noel said the first things he'll look for in choosing a school are from an "educational perspective". Johnson and his father have both stated in interviews that studies come first and basketball second, something rarely seen these days in scholastic athletics. Johnson also said basketball history and alumni relations are factors that will help him pick a school.
Johnson has not narrowed his choices down yet, however the Cards seem to have an excellent shot. He visited Louisville and was watched by Coach Pitino at the King of the Bluegrass, where he was named to the All-Tournament team. In his first K.O.B game, Johnson put on a shooting display, scoring 46 points while grabbing double digit rebounds.
"My scoring and passing are my two strongest parts of my game, because being 6'6 it's easy to score over all defenders I can find players on the fast break a lot easier. I'd like to play like Tracy McGrady because of his ability to see over defenders and score at will" said Johnson. "I'm going to have to get stronger and improve on my defense. Guarding smaller guards is a big challenge for me."
USC, Memphis, UCONN, Georgia Tech, Florida, and Michigan State are just a few of the schools in the mix for the 6-6 180lb shooter who was named All-State in Georgia. He averaged 25 points, 2 assists, and 2 steals while shooting 40% from 3-point range. Aside from the K.O.B, Noel was named to the all-tourney teams in the City of Palms and Arrowhead Classics where he faced some of the top-talent in the nation. Expect Johnson to narrow his list soon and start planning visits.
"I'm doing a lot of AAU this summer.I won't have too much time for vacations.I'll start visiting campuses in the fall. I definitely enjoy talking to the Louisville coaching staff. Coach Pitino has contacted me the most. My interest is high."
Johnson is currently making the rounds with the Atlanta Celtics this summer in AAU ball. He spent this past weekend playing in the Prather Memorial Classic in ATL, scoring 25 points (18 in the first half) in a losing effort the the Worldwide Renegades. Look for his stock to rise in the coming months as he improves his ball-handling and passing. With his pedigree, Johnson has the capability to become an excellent player. Like Siva, Marra, and Buckles: Johnson could become another piece to Rick Pitino's championship puzzle.
5/16 Louisville Lands Huge CommitmentThe Cardinal basketball team landed a Top 25 player in the '09 class in PG Peyton Siva from Seattle, Washington. Siva's team, Franklin High, has won two straight state titles with him at the point. He comes from the same Seattle Rotary AAU system that produced current Louisville senior Terrence Williams. Siva told the C-J that he "prayed" about the decision, then called Coach Richard Pitino, who is on his honeymoon, and informed him of the decision. Siva chose Louisville over Arizona, Kansas and Washington.
The L Yes! Report recently talked with Siva. The story can be viewed in the Red Zone Recruiting section. The big names just keep rolling in...My prediction is that Fayette Co. (GA) star Noel Johnson will be the next to decide to jump on the Cardinal Caravan. I'm trying to get a hold of Siva and his coaches, so look for more on this in the next couple days.
5/4 Q & A with Kyle KuricEvansville, IN native Kyle Kuric is getting prepared to play for the Indiana All-Stars in the annual series against the best senior high-school talent in Kentucky. The 68th year's games will be played in the Louisville Gardens on 6/18 and in Indianapolis' Conseco Fieldhouse two days prior (6/13). Kuric, who will more than likely join the Cards as a preferred walk-on on an academic scholarship, committed to the Cards early and took some time out of his busy schedule to sit down with The L Yes! Report and answer a few general questions, so the Cardinal fanbase could get to know the sharpshooter a little better.
LYES: Who has been your biggest influence on the basketball court and why?Kyle Kuric: There really hasn’t been one person. I have been shooting baskets for as long as I can remember. I just wanted to get better every day and have worked with a lot of different people along the way who have helped me.
LYES: Who is the best player you have faced and who is the best player you have played with?
KK: Best player faced – Eric Gordon
Best player played with – Tyler Zeller
LYES: What is most important to you in your decision making when it comes to choosing a school? What other reasons come into play?
KK: Coach Pitino is a great coach and has been very successful in helping players reach their potential. I think he can do that for me. I was very impressed with the facilities and University. We will be a good team next year and I want to have a chance to play for a national championship.
LYES: How would you describe your recruitment by the Louisville Cardinals coaching staff? Who has contacted you the most?
KK: I have talked with Coach McCarty the most. He is from Evansville and played for my AAU coach. I talked with him before he took the job at Louisville. Coach McCarty saw me play in Louisville and then he had Coach Pitino watch me play in Las Vegas. During my official visit, I had a chance to spend time with all of the coaches and players.
LYES: What do you feel is your strongest parts of your game and why?
KK: Shooting – shot 72% from the 2, field, 44% from the 3 point line (66% combined), and 89% Free Throw
During my high school career my stats were – 68% from the field, 46% from the 3 points line, and 85% from free throw
LYES: Pretty impressive
LYES: What part of your game do you feel needs the most work and why?
KK: Defense – I focused a lot on my offensive game and now need to add a focus on the defensive end. This is an area Coach Pitino will really help me with.
LYES: Before you ommitted to Louisville, did you have your list narrowed down to 5?
KK: The other schools I considered before committing to Louisville....
Southern Illinois – Coach Lowery has built SIU into a strong program. He needed a shooter and thought I could contribute early for them.
Michigan – Coach Beilein is a good coach and I liked his offensive plan. Some of my strengths would have been a good fit in his offense.
St. Louis – Coach Majeus was also looking for a strong shooting guard. He thought I would play a fair amount for them my freshman year.
Duke – I went to Duke’s camp last year and learned a lot from Coach Collins. They wanted me to go to a year of prep school to get ready for the ACC.
LYES: What is your summer schedule looking like? (AAU, vacation, ect.)
KK: I’ll be in Louisville to register for classes on May 27. Next up will be the Hoosier Reunion Classic on June 6 in Knightstown. The following week I will practice and play with the Indiana All Star team. We play the Kentucky All Stars in Indy on June 13 and in Louisville on June 15. I hope to get a vacation in before starting the third summer session at U of L. The rest of the summer I’ll be focused on lifting and playing trying to get for basketball season.
LYES: What were your impressions of Louisville in March Madness?
KK: They played their best basketball of the year in the tournament.
LYES: If you could pick one player to be compared to, who would it be? Why?
KK: Mike Gansey - good outside shooter but athletic enough to get to the basket. My AAU coach compares me to Rex Chapman – I’ve never seen him play, so I’m not sure about that.
The Cards are getting a steal due to the fact Kuric won't eat up a scholarship because his grades were good enough for him to receive a scholarship. Someone as well-skilled and bright as Kuric joining an already stacked team is scary. Kuric is a 6-5, 180 lb wing who will come in and learn under Coach Pitino and put the team over himself. He led his team, Evansville Reitz Memorial, to a 3A state title while averaging over 20 points and close to 8 rebounds. Look for Kyle to improve over his four years at Louisville and become an integral part of Louisville's championship dream.
Rob Jones (robjones.lyes@gmail.com)
4/1 Meet Peyton Siva
man Samardo Samuels will come in next year, trying to help the Cards surpass their Elite 8 appearance this year. A point guard from Seattle, Peyton Siva, is a top Louisville target in the class of 2009. He is ranked as the #31 overall player and #4 PG in his class by rivals.com and would join Rakeem Buckles and Mike Marra, who have already committed from the JR class. His ties to Terrance Williams as a fellow baller from the pacific-northwest make Louisville a natural fit. Yet, Siva wants to keep his options open as of right now.
"I'm pretty much wide-open" said Siva "[Assistant] Richard Pitino has talked to me the most on the staff and I would say that they seem like they want me over there to play in their system."
Siva was in town for the now classic "White-Out" game against Georgetown and said it was a "crazy" atmosphere of the likes he has never seen before. The 5-11 165lb. guard got to spend some time with T-Will and speak to Coach Pitino He left the visit with a solid offer from the Cards. Since then he has followed the Cards and even picked them to win the title.
"They are shocking the world, I have them to win it."
Unfortunately that didn't pan out too well, but it looks like he could make Louisville his home away from home. Closeness to home seems like it would be a factor because Siva is very close to his mother. Peyton's final 4 schools include home state Washington along with Arizona, Kansas and Louisville.
"My biggest influence on the court has to be Mom because she has just been at all of my games for me and she really is the reason I continue to work hard. she wouldn't allow me to do anything less."
Siva is not just a basketball player who feels destined for the lights and glamor of the NBA, but it is one of his many goals. Unlike most players of the new age, the future paycheck from the league isn't the most important thing for Siva.
"Most important is getting my education [along with] my family and what they think is best for me. I also would like to go to a school that wants to win a national championship and that can get me ready for the next level."
Playing against top ranked players and high school standouts Elijah Johnson and Abdul Gaddy have helped Siva improve his already impressive skills and work on some things that he needs to.
"The strongest part of my game right now is probably my ability to get to the rim at my height because a lot of people know I can shoot" Siva said to The L Yes! Report. "I show that I'm more versitile... I could work on my decision making and mid-range game. I've been working hard on both recently."
Nate Robinson is the first person that came to mind when Siva was aked who he patterns his game after because of the similarity in height and "we both can jump kinda high". He, like myself and most other small guard-types, loves Allen Iverson's game because of his "scoring mentality and just being tough. We have both faced some bad injuries in our days but still managed to play."
He has all summer and next season to improve his game before he takes the national stage in college. Siva will take at least 10 AAU trips, the first being to a tournament in Arkansas from April 18-20. In his first state tournament game this year Siva dished out a record 13 assists, besting the tourney record set by former Frankin player and NBA star Jason Terry. Siva followed by scoring 19 points to lead his Frankin H.S team to a second straight Washington state title. Siva averaged close to 20 a game and was the team's undisputed leader. A true star in the making that could one day be manning the point for the Louisville Cardinals in Freedom Hall. However, there is still a long way to go.
Rob Jones (robjones.lyes@gmail.com)
2/27 Second Member of 09 Class: Rakeem Buckles
Rakeem Buckles joined Mike Marra this week as a member of the Cards’ 2009 class. Buckles is said to be a long, lanky power forward who has turned into a big time player since being labeled a “project” by a few recruiting analysts early in his career. Buckles plays for Miami-Monsignor Pace HS and is listed at 6-8 180. In his most recent game since committing to the Cards, he scored 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a state playoff game, his team is currently in the semifinals and favored to win the 3-A championship. He plays alongside Florida signee Ray Shipman. Buckles is an explosive leaper who has a nose for the rim. He needs to gain weight and polish his game, but that should not be a problem under Coach Pitino. He chose Louisville over hometown Miami, Florida State and others.
"When we went up there, he just loved everything about it," Miami Pace coach Mark Lieberman told Justin Young of Rivals. "The atmosphere was fantastic and a coach like coach Pitino was something he was excited about. Their style of play and the chance to play in that type of conference and win was big. The chance to develop and get better was big. All of those factors came into play."
Buckles is not currently ranked in the Rivals Top 100, but is in the Top 50 for his class by Scout with a 4-star rating. Looks like Pitino is going for system guys that he can groom into great team players who fit a certain role. Buckles could be Palacios before all the nagging injuries. Remember, Earl Clark came in about that skinny and is a monster now physically. As long as Buckles keeps his head on straight for the next year or so, he will be a valuable piece to our team in the future.
2/23 Mike Marra Video
There is very little video so far of junior commit Mike Marra out of Massachusetts. Before he played in for Mass prep school Northfield, he played in his home state of Rhode Island. Here is a clip of those playing days.... very short i know but it looks like he's got decent ups and can create his own shot. Take a look..........
2/21 Basketball Recruiting Blitz
-After some fairly bad news this week with the de-commitment of Lamont Jones in the 2009 class, the Cards received a verbal from Massachusetts sharpshooter Mike Marra. Pitino was visiting him as part of his recruiting trip and my guess is that Pitino wasn’t leaving without a “yes”. Marra is said to be one of the top shooters in any class as he shoots close to 55% from beyond the arch. Recently, Marra scored 36 points, shooting an astounding 10-11 from three, on consensus top 20 recruit and IU recruit Devin Ebanks. He isn’t even given a star rating by Rivals, which either means Rivals missed one on Marra or Pitino is taking a gamble on a pure shooter, which we don’t currently have outside of Jerry Smith (maybe). Marra said the Cards blew him away and were just that much better than the other schools recruiting him. He chose Louisville over Notre Dame, Syracuse, West Virginia, Wake Forest and UMASS just to name a few. More on Marra as more information comes out.
Marra is now the only commitment in the junior class. Remember the names Noel Johnson, Peyton Siva and Rakeem Buckles, who were all stops on the Rick Pitino Recruiting Safari this week. Lance Stephenson of Lincoln HS (NY) will be next year’s Tyreke Evans or Sebastian Telfair. He is the subject of a documentary which should be named Through the Fire II if it isn’t. Pitino stated earlier this week that he is finished recruiting the ’08 class, with the exception of a possible European big-man, so it might be time to learn more about the junior class.
-Louisville ’07 recruit Samardo Samuels dominated fellow McDonald’s All-American Ed Davis tonight on ESPNU. Samuels had 19 points and 8 boards along with a few ferocious dunks, one which looked like it literally bent the rim. The 6-9 PF from St. Benedict’s (NJ) was also named to the Jordan Brand HS All-American team today a few days after being named a McDonald’s AA. The only bad news that comes with these prestigious honors is the fact that he won’t be able to play in the Derby Classic due to the rule that allows a high-schooler to play in only 2 post-season All-Star games. Could be a reason why he scheduled the trip to Louisville last weekend. Always good for recruiting when our guys play on national television and Samuels made his third appearance tonight.
-Former recruiting target Tyreke Evans is no longer being recruited by the Louisville coaches
according to published reports and my bet is he commits to Memphis not to long
after his visit this weekend to watch the #1 Tigers take on #2 Tennessee. This
is not a bad thing. Evans just carries too much baggage with the entourage and recent
legal troubles. I’ll take Jared Swopshire
and Kyle Kuric for four years as
opposed to Tyreke for 1. Of course he’s going to be one hell of a college
player, but he’s going to have to be the focal point. The Cards are way too
deep and talented to let one player come in and take all the shots.
-2007 verbal commit Melquan Bolding is having a stellar
senior year along side teammate and Louisville signee Terrance Jennings. He stated
recently that he is still committed to the Cards, but the coaching staff has asked
him to get his grades up. He is in constant contact with former Notre Dame Prep
teammate Derrick Caracter and head recruiter Steve Masiello. He says he will
sign with the Cards in the Spring, but I think the chances are 50/50. Bolding
says other teams have inquired about his services and we’ll see how this plays
out over the next few weeks.
2/16 Neutral Zone Hoops Showcase
Samardo Samuels’ first showing in Louisville was promising
to say the least. The powerful forward had 26 points and 15
rebounds as his St. Benedict’s squad defeated
Princeton(OH) 56-48. He scored the game’s first 6 points and basically
man-handled his man on the low block. It looked to me like he has the skill set
to come in and make an immediate impact. Samuels showed off several moves with
both his back to the basket and face-up. He knocked down a shot from right
inside the 3-point line and did not miss a free throw(10-10). Think Al
Jefferson or Carlos Boozer. He has an 240 lb. NBA frame that will be able to
bang with the best at power forward. He was just a lot better than any big that
Providence (OH) threw at him. Samuels is the real deal and a good kid on top of
it.
American Christian’s Lamont “Mo Mo” Jones didn’t fair too well shooting the ball in the second game of the double-header. He shot a terrible 1-12 from 3-point range. Jones’ team was jacking up 3s with no conscience, with 2 of his teammates hitting at least 6. Mo Mo does have great court leadership presence and killer cross-over, just seemed like he was forcing the three ball. He was also without teammate Tyeke Evans who didn’t make the trip for unknown reasons. The last time ACS was in Louisville, the whole offense was centered around possibke UL signee Evans. Jones usually feeds off him.
Martez Walker, a former Louisville commit who decided to part ways, looked good playing average minutes. I can see where PItino would come uninterested, he has potential on offense, but average is a compliment for his defense.
I’m sure Coach Pitino is salivating, waiting to get Samuels on campus and training with the team. Samardo plays the quiet role and goes about his business without very much glitz. Pitino showed up with about 5 minuted to go in the 3rd quarter to an ovation from Cardinal fans and a patented CARDS chant. Derrick Caracter and Earl Clark talked with Samuels after the game, laughing and joking like old friends. The future of Cardinal basketball looked bright at the Garden on Saturday night.
2/6 Quick Rundown of 2008 Recruiting Class
Incoming Freshmen
QB Zach Stout (6-4 210 OH)- son of former NFL QB was first team in the biggest division of OH football
RB Darius Ashley (5-9 182 OH)- rushed for an OH state title record 272 yds on 36 carries for Cincy St. X
WR Damion Dixon (6-3 180 LA)- basketball player scored a TD in every game of injury-plagued SR season
WR Jacques Caldwell (5-9 175)- track-star was once clocked at 4.27 in the 40; 10.55 in 100; kick returns?
TE Stephon Ball (6-4 215 OH)- another Cincy St. X star who owns a 31-inch vert; coach’s dream
TE Nate Nord (6-5 230 FL)- one of this class’ gems; nephew of TE coach Greg Nord played DE as a JR
OL Mario Benavides (6-4 285 TX)- already on campus; THIS VIDEO will get you excited about him
OL Ryan Barnes (6-6 300 IN)- beast of a tackle didn’t give up a sack his entire HS career
DE Greg Scruggs (6-5 235 OH)- had 9 sacks in first year playing football after 3 seasons in marching band
DT Randy Salmon (6-3 290 GA)- state wrestling champ hold all his high school’s weightlifting records
LB Dexter Heyman (6-3 225 KY)- Male HS star was selected to All-Southern team; brother of UL DT Earl
LB Jon Dempsey (6-0 233 CA)- new LB coach Roof raves about his ball-hawking tenacity; over 100 tkl/yr
LB Keith Baker (6-3 230 NJ)- recorded 118 tackles, 21 receptions, 9 sacks, 2 INTs and 2 TDs as a SR
K Chris Philpot (6-0 180 GA)- only kicked 6 FGs as a SR, but four were from 50, 52, 48 and 44 yards
WR- Maurice Clark (6-3 200 CA)- recruit most likely to come in and contribute in ’08; 18.1 yds/catch
TE Rock Keys (6-5 235 MS)- pass-blocker caught only 9 passes and was still voted a JUCO All-American
OL C.J. Millenbah (6-4 295 CA)- Conference offensive linemen of the year as a HS SR in CA
OL Byron Stingily (6-5 295 IL)- wide-frame has added about 65 lbs since graduating HS
DT Tyler Jessen (6-2 300 KS)- had 11.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks on a D that allowed 9.1 points a game
LB Chris Campa (6-2 215 FL)- recorded 68 solo tackles & recovered 2 fumbles on JUCO national champs
S Justin Matthews (6-2 215 MS)- hard-hitting former HS All-American chose Louisville over Kansas
S Josh Wiley (6-1 205 MS)- 4-star recruit an rated 18th best JUCO player by Rivals.com; baseball player2/4 Basketball Recruits Updated (Class of '08)
- Stud recruit Samardo Samuels had an outstanding month of January. After being named MVP of the City of Palms Classic, which featured Georgetown signee and #1 ranked senior Greg Monroe, Samuels continued playing like a man amongst boys. The Jamaican-born PF, who many say is ready to contribute right away, dominated games at Madison Square Garden and Palestra. He had an unbelievable game against commit Lamont Jones and potential recruit Tyreke Evans' American Christian squad, scoring 27 points and grabbing 17 boards. Samuels benefits from having one of the nation's top junior centers, Greg Echinique, playing next to him and allowing Samardo to play his natural 4 position. Samuels is described as a strong, old-school type of player who likes to mix-it-up down low and overpower weaker players. From what I've heard, Samuels is shedding some weight and looking like a beast. He draws comparisons to Carlos Boozer and Al Horford, which should be music to Cardinal fans' ears.
- Cardinal signee Terrence Jennings is a 6-10 230 lb. lanky,
raw, talented center. He has improved his game leaps-and-bounds over the last
year cementing himself as a top 25 player. According to scouting site
DraftExpress.com, Jennings has developed a killer spin move and a mid-range
jumper while dominating the boards. He is being compared as a prep, both on and
off the court, to the Suns’ Amare Stoudamire because of his explosive
athleticism and character/motivation
issues. He scored 25 points on an excellent American Christian (PA) team
featuring potential future teammates Tyreke Evans and Lamont Jones. His progression the floor this season has put
him in the upper echelon of incoming big men. His progress in the classroom has
left something to desire with grades being a huge setback so far in his prep
career. Pitino found himself another solid big man, let’s just hope he can get
his grades up and step up for our departing interior players. Jennings plays at Notre Dame Prep (MA) with another Louisville recruit, PG Melquan Bolding, who has given a soft commitment to for the 08-09 season.
-Evansville Memorial’s Kyle Kuric had a great night on Friday 2/1 against rival Harrison. He scored 23 total points, 8 in the 4th quarter, including the eventual game-winning 3 with :10 seconds left. Kuric set himself up for the trey by blocking a shot on the other end of the floor that could have sealed the game for Harrison. He scored 6 points in the final minute, reminding fans of another Indiana star, Reggie Miller. The 6-5 Kuric is on the short list of candidates for Indiana Mr. Basketball averaging 22 points and 7.5 boards while shooting close to 60%. He has given a verbal commitment to the Cards, but declined to sign in the fall. He is also considering So. Illinois after eliminating both Michigan and St. Louis recently.
YOUTUBE OF KURIC’s GAME WINNER
EVANSVILLE COURIER-PRESS GAME RECAP
12/19 Samardo Samuels was at it again last night for St. Benedict (NJ), currently the top-ranked HS in the nation by USA Today. Samuels scored 23 points on 9-10 shooting to lead his squad to a 55-point victory in the City of Pams Basketball Classic. LINK
12/17 Signee Samardo Samuels had a career-high 30 points tonight. LINK
Cincy St. X Star Running Back Darius Ashley (committed to Louisville)
- Ashley ran for 822 yards on 122 carries (including an 89 yarder)
- 10 TDs for the state-title winning Cincinnati St. Xavier
- chose Louisville over offers from Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia