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Topic: Old Habits Die Hard
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71 BOBCAT
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Posted: 5/2/2012 12:24 PM
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JC didn't waste anytime bringing in his 1st JUCO player.








GO BOBCATS
BobcatsWin
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Posted: 5/2/2012 12:36 PM
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I wouldn't knock this move, while most juco transfers went to junior college due to academics/off the court issues, it appears he went there due to going on a mormon mission after high school.
Athens Block
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Posted: 5/2/2012 12:37 PM
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Seriously....?

The kid is an Academic All-American, 3.95 GPA, took two years off to go on a Mormon Mission and is married.  Hardly your typical Juco....

We are simply not a good shooting team, and this kid could be a HUGE impact next year if he's as good as advertised...
bigtillyoopsupsideurhead
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Posted: 5/2/2012 12:42 PM
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71 BOBCAT wrote:expand_more
JC didn't waste anytime bringing in his 1st JUCO player.



From the release:

Ohiobobcats.com wrote:expand_more
Wilkins also made the SWAC All-Tournament team, earned all-region honors and was selected as an academic All-American due to his outstanding 3.95 GPA. Wilkins averaged 1.7 assists and steals per game, led the league in free throw (84%) and three-point shooting (46%) and played almost 30 minutes per game.


Why does it matter if he came from a Juco or not?
sargentfan
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Posted: 5/2/2012 12:51 PM
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Don't know how anyone can knock this signing, JUCO doesn't always equate to bad kid and this is definitely a good kid from I've read. 
Mark Lembright '85
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Posted: 5/2/2012 1:13 PM
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At least from an APR standpoint, this pick up seems to be a no-brainer (pun not intended).
71 BOBCAT
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Posted: 5/2/2012 1:19 PM
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This issue takes on many points to discuss.
1) The kid appears smart why would he go to a Junior College with those grades?
2) We have 4 seniors next year and 5 juniors so we have a lopsided upper classmen roster, not good come the 2014-2015 season. This out of balance roster will make it more difficult to maintain all the great results of last year and what is expected the next 2 years with our current nucleus of players.
3) Maybe just maybe JC sees these next 2 years as his opportunity to reach great success and move on like JG. Thus he puts all his eggs in 1 basket, so to speak.




GO BOBCATS
OU_Country
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Posted: 5/2/2012 1:35 PM
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Things I like about Wilkins:  He's a shooter, pure and simple.  Something you can never have enough of.  He's seemingly a good guy with good grades, and mature as an individual based on having given time on a mission and his age.  Seems like a good addition to me.

Things I don't like - We're set up to lose most of the team over the course of two seasons.  I won't worry about this if two other scholarships are used to add transfer students or incoming freshmen that have years of eligibility past 2013-2014.

I hope that he fits in with the rest of the group.  At the very least, it would seem he's another solid citizen to add to a group that seem to be a good group of guys.

Ted Thompson
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Posted: 5/2/2012 1:42 PM
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71 BOBCAT wrote:expand_more
This issue takes on many points to discuss.
2) We have 4 seniors next year and 5 juniors so we have a lopsided upper classmen roster, not good come the 2014-2015 season. This out of balance roster will make it more difficult to maintain all the great results of last year and what is expected the next 2 years with our current nucleus of players.


From a class balance standpoint, all you've done here is replace Jacobs with Wilkins. At this late date, it's going to be hard to land any HS seniors of quality. So basically you filled a scholarship that was going to be unused next year with a shooter (who signed with MVC and had PAC-10 offer) who makes next year's team incrementally better.
Jeff McKinney
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Posted: 5/2/2012 1:46 PM
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I think it's a good signing.  It doesnt matter if hes a JUCO or not.  I'm very happy with this move.
OU_Country
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Posted: 5/2/2012 1:52 PM
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Ted Thompson wrote:expand_more
This issue takes on many points to discuss.
2) We have 4 seniors next year and 5 juniors so we have a lopsided upper classmen roster, not good come the 2014-2015 season. This out of balance roster will make it more difficult to maintain all the great results of last year and what is expected the next 2 years with our current nucleus of players.


From a class balance standpoint, all you've done here is replace Jacobs with Wilkins. At this late date, it's going to be hard to land any HS seniors of quality. So basically you filled a scholarship that was going to be unused next year with a shooter (who signed with MVC and had PAC-10 offer) who makes next year's team incrementally better.


Good point Ted, and I agree - he should make the team better. 
Athens Block
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Posted: 5/2/2012 2:22 PM
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71 BOBCAT wrote:expand_more
This issue takes on many points to discuss.
1) The kid appears smart why would he go to a Junior College with those grades?



I'd assume it had something to do with taking the two years off for his mission.
OUVan
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Posted: 5/2/2012 3:13 PM
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Athens Block wrote:expand_more
Seriously....?

The kid is an Academic All-American, 3.95 GPA, took two years off to go on a Mormon Mission and is married.  Hardly your typical Juco....

We are simply not a good shooting team, and this kid could be a HUGE impact next year if he's as good as advertised...


I agree.  Option, options, options.  
JSF
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Posted: 5/2/2012 4:25 PM
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Athens Block wrote:expand_more
This issue takes on many points to discuss.
1) The kid appears smart why would he go to a Junior College with those grades?



I'd assume it had something to do with taking the two years off for his mission.


Educated guess: He went the JUCO route for basketball, not academics. Wasn't getting any D-I looks, I bet.
cc-cat
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Posted: 5/2/2012 5:44 PM
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Appears to have paid off.  He signed with Southern Ill. late last fall (to enroll this coming year) but decided not to take the scholarship after they changed coaches (what is up with that!).  Before signing, we was getting interest from Hawaii, Montana, Utah, Utah State and BYU,
Last Edited: 5/2/2012 5:45:23 PM by cc-cat
Mike Coleman
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Posted: 5/2/2012 5:58 PM
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Old article from the Mo State board...


Future is bright for Henderson, Wilkins

Willard stars have no college basketball home yet, though Wilkins will first serve mission.

Allen Vaughan
News-Leader


Grab an abacus.
That's three consecutive Blue and Gold championships, a stretch where until last week the Willard Tigers hadn't lost a regular-season game since 2004-05 and captured a second-place finish in state.



So, where exactly are seniors Alex Henderson and Travis Wilkins playing their college basketball?

Nowhere, yet.

"I'm just waiting until the end of the year. I don't have a lot of options," said Henderson, who in a lot of eyes established himself as the top point guard in the area with this tournament run.

Then there's Wilkins, who won't be playing anywhere next year if he can help it.

"I'm going on a two-year mission after I graduate," said Wilkins, a devout Mormon who attends seminary at 6:10 a.m. every day before school.

"I tell (college coaches) that. "They say they respect that," Wilkins said, adding he'd love to play college basketball when his mission is over.
cc-cat
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Posted: 5/2/2012 9:10 PM
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Let's remember this kid is already behind the 8-ball because he is from Missouri which is not a basketball hot bed and MO natives/fans are opinionated, but not very smart when to comes to basketball or sports - just kidding Love - perhaps Love can turn some rocks over back home and find out a bit about him.  Assume Ivo knows him.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 5/2/2012 11:39 PM
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Ted Thompson wrote:expand_more
From a class balance standpoint, all you've done here is replace Jacobs with Wilkins. At this late date, it's going to be hard to land any HS seniors of quality. So basically you filled a scholarship that was going to be unused next year with a shooter (who signed with MVC and had PAC-10 offer) who makes next year's team incrementally better.


Boom, end of debate.  This is why this guy is the boss.

By the way, maybe I am the only one...but I have always had this weird desire to have class imbalance.  I kind of like the idea of either being super young or super experienced...feel like a crew that has mostly played together for 3 years can be awesome.  On the flipside, watching a super young team can be fun...you want to see success but also just look for growth.  Maybe we should start a trend of putting all scholarships in a 2 year window.  Roster turnover would surely screw it up, but it is an interesting philosophy.
bigtillyoopsupsideurhead
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Posted: 5/3/2012 10:17 AM
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Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
  Maybe we should start a trend of putting all scholarships in a 2 year window.  Roster turnover would surely screw it up, but it is an interesting philosophy.


North Carolina won two national titles with a philosophy similar to this. Load up your classes for one or two super years. 
giacomo
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Posted: 5/3/2012 11:58 AM
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Ruck, I rike your point.
Deciduous Forest Cat
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Posted: 5/3/2012 11:59 AM
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Who's to say he can't be redshirted next year? Then he provides some much-needed maturity and experience for two years AFTER much of the team graduates next year.
OUVan
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Posted: 5/3/2012 1:03 PM
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Deciduous Forest Cat wrote:expand_more
Who's to say he can't be redshirted next year? Then he provides some much-needed maturity and experience for two years AFTER much of the team graduates next year.


Why would you want to?  If reports are correct he brings a skillset that we need.
Ohio69
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Posted: 5/3/2012 4:02 PM
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Man, we should just fire this Christian bum.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 5/3/2012 4:20 PM
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Ohio69 wrote:expand_more
 Man, we should just fire this Christian bum.


While we're at let's fire Frank, too.  The lazy bum hasn't won a game in nearly six months.  Need to get rid of the deadwood.  
Nash'Cat
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Posted: 5/3/2012 6:07 PM
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OUVan wrote:expand_more
Who's to say he can't be redshirted next year? Then he provides some much-needed maturity and experience for two years AFTER much of the team graduates next year.


Why would you want to?  If reports are correct he brings a skillset that we need.


Also, if you redshirt him next year, that means he's 25 before he starts playing his junior season with us. I know we want to be successful long term and everything, but think to age 25/26...i know i wouldn't want to be playing undergrad ball with 18-21 year olds. I would feel old, and I would feel like I would need to move on with life. We don't want that attitude on the team. But since he's 23 now, he's still got a little bit of spunk in his step...

of course this is all speculation, just my own personal opinion. Still, like OUVan said, it sounds like he has a skillset that will be a great asset to us, so there's no sense in redshirting him anyways.
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