Doesn't look like we're done yet.

From twitter and internet reports PF Jack Lieb (6′ 10″ 230) of Deerfield High School in Deerfield IL has received a reported offer from App. A player page with video has been added to the Main. The PF is showing additional offers from Brown, Illinois St, and SIU-Edwardsville.

so, even if we don't sign one more player, we will have no less than 20-21 players on the 15-16 roster, if the expected preferred walk-ons are definitely in the picture. Has there ever been a college bball team with that many players? I couldn't imagine having that many walk-ons.

app97 wrote:so, even if we don't sign one more player, we will have no less than 20-21 players on the 15-16 roster, if the expected preferred walk-ons are definitely in the picture. Has there ever been a college bball team with that many players? I couldn't imagine having that many walk-ons.

He can set up two rows of seats if he wants to at home. They wouldn't travel anyway. The walkons cost us nothing and they give us extra bodies in practice. They have to play their way into a ship and if they do it's a win/win as it would mean that they played well enough to help the team and the team benefited from their presence. JF is digging us out of the Grand Canyon of holes and a few extra bodies can't hurt.

We're still looking for a big man and have a couple more in play. We'll see how things shake out soon enough.

Getting a bunch of walkons who also take care of business in the classroom could be a good way to fix any APR issues we have left over from Capel.

When the NCAA releases the new APR scores (last year it was May 14, previous years it was in June), the high scores from the last two years reported (Capel's last two years) will get the team eligible. Next year's score will factor in Fox's first year and while he pushes class a lot, Canty, Neal, Tab, Toney and others will hurt that single year score. It shouldn't make App APR ineligible again due to one of those sub-900 scores from Capel's first year cycling out, but it won't be as high. We'll get a Toney point back after he completes his transfer too Eastern Michigan the following year, but that's for next year.

I never saw/heard anything indicating that Toney was an academic issue.

T-Dog wrote:When the NCAA releases the new APR scores (last year it was May 14, previous years it was in June), the high scores from the last two years reported (Capel's last two years) will get the team eligible. Next year's score will factor in Fox's first year and while he pushes class a lot, Canty, Neal, Tab, Toney and others will hurt that single year score. It shouldn't make App APR ineligible again due to one of those sub-900 scores from Capel's first year cycling out, but it won't be as high. We'll get a Toney point back after he completes his transfer too Eastern Michigan the following year, but that's for next year.

Tab and Toney were just transfers. I believe that both left while in good standing academically.

Tab didn't transfer. He was a senior who was an academic casualty.

An interesting article about recruit Jack Lieb from yesterday's Chicago Tribune is linked below. This coming weekend is the last visitation weekend before the end of the spring signing period (a week from today). If Lieb hasn't been on our campus yet, then it gonna be tough. He has an ever growing list of offers and he's headed to *Boston* for this weekend.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hi ... story.html

Technically, Toney wasn't an academic issue, but he transferred to a JuCo. APR rules state that if a player doesn't transfer to another four-year institution, you lose a point. But since he's transferring back to a D1 school this year, App will get a free point the following year.

And Tab was academically ineligible for the Spring 2015 semester, but was kept in school so he could graduate and not cost the Apps another point.

Two brief snippits of info.

Just noticed that 6-3 combo guard Dustin Clarke graduated with his class on Saturday. Will he return for his last season of eligibility?

Also from Twitter, 6-10 PF Jack Lieb (Deerfield, MI and IMG Academy, FL) has decided to reclassify to 2016 and keep his 2015 options open through July's AAU play...

We have a committment:

SF Tyrell Johnson (6' 8" 180) of Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, GA has committed to App State after his visit today. Player page has been moved to the Commits section on the Main. Quick note. The Main is still a bit messed up after the big upgrade and I'm working on fixing it. I have changed his page and there is a video clip posted with it plus his VerbalCommits page also has a video on it. Still have more work to do on the rest.

firemoose wrote:We have a committment:

SF Tyrell Johnson (6' 8" 180) of Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, GA has committed to App State after his visit today. Player page has been moved to the Commits section on the Main. Quick note. The Main is still a bit messed up after the big upgrade and I'm working on fixing it. I have changed his page and there is a video clip posted with it plus his VerbalCommits page also has a video on it. Still have more work to do on the rest.

A little raw and needs to bulk up, but he has some skill and can handle the ball well for a 6'8 guy. Solid pickup for this late in the process.

looks somewhat Brandon Ingram-ish (the mid major version). Looks like he could have lots of upside and could cause big match up problems in the Sun Belt.

I see our post players having trouble with big front lines like ULL, but the post players Fox is bringing in can all handle the ball and look to have decent mid-range jumpers.

I foresee a lot of match-ups like we saw when App played DC, however now we'll look more like DC and the SBC opponents more like App.

Hopefully next year's class will not have holes due to late attrition and we have to scramble to find recruits late. I do overall like this class for what Fox is looking to build here.

Saint3333 wrote:I see our post players having trouble with big front lines like ULL, but the post players Fox is bringing in can all handle the ball and look to have decent mid-range jumpers.

I foresee a lot of match-ups like we saw when App played DC, however now we'll look more like DC and the SBC opponents more like App.

Hopefully next year's class will not have holes due to late attrition and we have to scramble to find recruits late. I do overall like this class for what Fox is looking to build here.

OnTheHoopsRadar (http://ontheradarhoops.com/otrhoopsrepo ... r-11-2014/) had this to say about Johnson, "Tyrell Johnson of Stephenson, Ga., has the ability to stretch the floor effectively knocking down jump shots from the high post or short corner." That certainly fits a need that Jim Fox wants to address--a 6-8 version of Jake Babic.

Also, if Johnson's LOI comes in today, it'll mean that App beat URichmond for a basketball player. The last time that happened, the Apps played in VG for an Irish Catholic guy with a mop of blond hair. It's been a while since our MBkB recruiting posed any sort of a threat to the Spiders.

This just popped up:

Austin Hatfield ‏@austinhatfield4
Happy to announce I'll be playing basketball next year at Appalachian State University

PG/SG Austin Hatfield (6′ 2″ 185) of Moravian Preparatory School in Hickory, NC. I've had him listed on the Main page in the Considering App section and there is a player page with 2 videos. I'll be moving him to the Other Newcomers section of the Main and will update the page soon.

firemoose wrote:This just popped up:

Austin Hatfield ‏@austinhatfield4
Happy to announce I'll be playing basketball next year at Appalachian State University

PG/SG Austin Hatfield (6′ 2″ 185) of Moravian Preparatory School in Hickory, NC. I've had him listed on the Main page in the Considering App section and there is a player page with 2 videos. I'll be moving him to the Other Newcomers section of the Main and will update the page soon.

Let's see, 12 returnees + 5 new scholarship players + 5 new preferred walk-ons = 22 man roster

Coach Fox is determined to put our APR issues in his rear-view mirror; to find a penetrating and scoring PG; to find a pure shooter who can hit from anywhere in the half-court; to find a wing to challenge Jake Babic for PT; and to develop a stretch-four from among his five 6-8 post guys. This should be fun to watch.

Memo to ASU Purchasing Dept: Order additional custom Block A branded folding bench seats for delivery on or before October 1.

Another interesting turn. This twitter post was just made.

Jake Wilson ‏@Jake_Wilson14
Happy to say that I just committed to play basketball at app state for the next 4 years #appstate

Through a little digging this is:

C Jake Wilson (7' 1" 205) of Millbrook High School (Class of 14')/Lenoir-Rhyne University.

I'll get this on the Main Page ASAP and will find a few video clips to add.

While I checking here is a video clip I came across from 2014 at Millbrook.