2019 Hoops Hot List -- Tulsa's top PG prospects

[Chris Harmon]

With only two scholarships available for the 2019 class and with starting point guard Sterling Taplin beginning his final year of eligibility, signing a true point guard appears to be a top priority for Tulsa head coach Frank Haith and his staff. During the spring and summer evaluation periods, Tulsa made a number of offers and appears to have focused in on a handful of prospects.

LINK: 2019 PG Prospects

 

[Chris Harmon]

 

[seniorgolfer]

With only two scholarships available for the 2019 class and with starting point
guard Sterling Taplin beginning his final year of eligibility, signing a true point
guard appears to be a top priority for Tulsa head coach Frank Haith and his
staff. During the spring and summer evaluation periods, Tulsa made a number
of offers and appears to have focused in on a handful of prospects.

@BillLowery:
At first blush, I would assume that Isaiah's early commitment would end our
PG recruiting, so that we can concentrate on a wing/PF/C type for our last
scholarship.....However, and we certainly don't expect it in this case, young
men have been known to change their minds.....

Obviously you can't keep PGs of the quality we had narrowed our list to on
a string "just in case" because they know you already have a commitment at
a position you are only going to take one of-----If you continue to actively
recruit at that position, Isaiah himself might think he was being recruited over..

A wonderful problem to have, because the early commitment is a blessing,
but how do you handle it as a coaching staff??

 

[I.I.]

In basketball I have not seen a TU commitment in the fall not sign in November. The two or three we lost were committed a year or two in advance.

 

[lawpoke87]

Unless Hill gets additional offers I wouldn't be worried. We were his best offer....and by a substantial margin imo.

 

[Bill Lowery]

@BillLowery:
At first blush, I would assume that Isaiah's early commitment would end our
PG recruiting, so that we can concentrate on a wing/PF/C type for our last
scholarship.....However, and we certainly don't expect it in this case, young
men have been known to change their minds.....

Obviously you can't keep PGs of the quality we had narrowed our list to on
a string "just in case" because they know you already have a commitment at
a position you are only going to take one of-----If you continue to actively
recruit at that position, Isaiah himself might think he was being recruited over..

A wonderful problem to have, because the early commitment is a blessing,
but how do you handle it as a coaching staff??

I’m sure Hill’s commitment ends our pg recruiting. KJ Cunningham was to visit but that visit has been cancelled.

The staff is concentrating on forwards now. Akol Arop recently visited and Antonio Gordon and Josh Earley will be visiting in the next couple of weeks.

Arop is scheduled to visit Nebraska the end of September. We feel that’s where he’ll end up and we most likely will get a commitment from Gordon or Earley prior to Arop’s Nebraska visit.

Hill and Gordon would be a good 2 man class. Then on to adding 2 more in the 2020 class.

Although Rivals only ranks the top 150 in each class, 247 Sports ranks more. They rank Hill #186 nationally in their composite ranking and the #16 point guard. He was the highest ranked point guard among the 5 we were pursuing.

Of their top 15 ranked point guards that are committed, I’ve listed their rank and school they’ve committed to.

#2 Ohio State
#3 Florida
#4 Oklahoma
#5 Stanford
#7 Texas A&M
#9 Utah
#10 Arizona State
#12 North Carolina
#13 Creighton
#14 West Virginia

#16 Tulsa

We got ourselves a good one. If he were 2-3 inches taller he’d had many more offers. Also, playing on the #1 AAU team in the nation with so many 4 and 5 star players, he kind of got lost in the shuffle. Good for us.

By the way, 247 Sports ranks Bryce Cook as the #33 pg—should be some great matchups when those 2 go head to head in the AAC.

 

[Bill Lowery]

KJ Cunningham committed to Weber State. I really liked him too. The Tulsa coaches must really like Hill because Cunningham has all the tools for a pg.

 

[TU4ever2]

Thanks, great info as always. Appreciate the hard work Bill and Chris put in to keep everyone else up with TU.

We've done some pretty good things with 5'10-5'11 guards in the past so no worries on size. Although I won't cry a bit if he grows an inch or a few.

 

[I.I.]

Thanks, great info as always. Appreciate the hard work Bill and Chris put in to keep everyone else up with TU.

We've done some pretty good things with 5'10-5'11 guards in the past so no worries on size. Although I won't cry a bit if he grows an inch or a few.

That was Pooh's height and that was no problem for us.

 

[Bill Lowery]

That was Pooh's height and that was no problem for us.

If Hill turns out close to Pooh’s ability, I’ll be happy. Hill is a pass first pg but as shown by his 22 ppg avg as a junior in hs, he can score it when needed. We should have plenty of shooters on the squad when he arrives.

 

[TU4ever2]

We had two cousins who were that height. They'd put opponents on skates, dropped near half court bombs (on a bad ankle) to beat the half time buzzer vs Kansas and straight up dunked on 7ft Miners in the paint. We've had lots of "small" guards who knew how to play big.

Just from his stat line though, he might be more the kind of guy you can bake a cake with.

What I really like is we identified our need and got who we wanted. Need to keep it up.

 

[seniorgolfer]

KJ Cunningham committed to Weber State. I really liked him too. The
Tulsa coaches must really like Hill because Cunningham has all the
tools for a pg.

Sometimes, it's funny how your (my) memory works....The last time I
remember Haith flying off somewhere to watch a point guard was when
he went back East to watch Taplin play.....I remember Taplin, in a later
interview, laughingly recalling that Haith was really pushing him for a
commitment after the game.....

When we fast forward to the present, Haith flew out to watch Hill in
Calif....Bingo! It appears we have our next point guard......

I realize my memory is very selective, but I love the outcome.......