Alvin Ellis commits to Gophers!

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Chris Monter just confirmed that Alvin Ellis committed to the Gophers this morning. More details to follow.
 




He might not be an impact player at the next level, but I'm sooooo GLAD that we finally landed a committment in some form or other. Who knows, maybe he will be an impact guy! The beauty of a recruit... ahh. :)
 


He might not be an impact player at the next level, but I'm sooooo GLAD that we finally landed a committment in some form or other. Who knows, maybe he will be an impact guy! The beauty of a recruit... ahh. :)

mnsports, nothing like CYA by saying both things. :)
 


Sounds like a good add...

De La Salle hit hard but Alvin Ellis staying put

By Joe Henricksen on August 10, 2012

By Joe Henricksen

This is where we are at now in high school basketball in the Chicago area: A newsworthy story written on a player who is STAYING at his high school, rather than transferring.

With that being said, kudos to you, Alvin Ellis!

No program has been hit as hard or devastated more by transfers than De La Salle and coach Tom White. The veteran coach has lost a bundle of talent over the past 15 months in this basketball culture we now accept.

Jaylon Tate, who played on the varsity for White his freshman and sophomore years, transferred to Simeon last year and will be the starting point guard for the state's No. 1 ranked team this season. Highly-regarded Alex Foster, a 6-7 senior, departed for Seton Academy earlier this summer. Gavin Schilling, a high-profile transfer to De La Salle last summer, is also gone after one year. The 6-8 forward is going the prep school route and will be at Findlay Prep in Nevada this school year.

That's three players all ranked among the top 20 prospects in the Class of 2013 in Illinois who have left De La Salle. Now word is out that senior guard Demarcus Richardson will be transferring to Curie.

Which brings us back to Ellis, the talented 6-4 wing who, despite rumors he too was leaving the South Side private school, steadfastly remains at De La Salle.

"He's staying put," says Alvin's father, Alvin Ellis, Sr., of where his son will be this fall when school opens. "You can put that out there. He will be at De La Salle for his senior year."

The only real option the Ellis family explored was the possibility of attending IMG Academy in Florida, a training facility for athletic, academic and personal development in Bradenton. But Alvin Ellis, Sr. said his son "really wanted to stay at De La Salle."

"He wants to stick this out," says the dad. "He wants to stay and see what he can do this year at De La Salle and finish what he started."

So Ellis will embark on a senior campaign, along with fellow senior guard Marcus White and others, as the front man for a program whose high hopes have been fragmented.

Again, news of a high school kid staying put probably shouldn't be a story, but with the onslaught of transfers -- from role players to high-profile prospects -- it sadly is. And along with that comes a respect and admiration for Ellis, who is in an odd situation where so many of the classmates and friends he came to play with at De La Salle have left. It would have been easy for Ellis to jump ship.

They will all be attending different high schools when school begins this fall, but the trio of Foster, Tate and Ellis remain linked. All three just wrapped up their club basketball careers playing together with a loaded Meanstreets team on the AAU circuit. And though they all started their high school basketball path together at De La Salle as prized and promising freshmen, they will be finishing up their final year of high school apart.

During the 2009-2010 high school basketball season, the Hoops Report spent a night watching the De La Salle sophomore and varsity teams play early in the year. There was plenty of young talent on display, while veterans Mike Shaw and Dre Henley anchored coach Tom White's program. Tate and Foster both played significant minutes and roles at the varsity level that night, while Ellis starred on the sophomore team. It was impossible not to be impressed with the abundance of young talent at De La Salle at that time. Meteor fans and alums were feeling giddy. College coaches were flocking to the gym two blocks east of U.S. Cellular Field.

The Hoops Report remembers walking out of the gym that night feeling it would be Ellis, the kid playing on the sophomore team, that would ultimately be the top prospect among De La Salle's "Big Three" by the time they were all seniors. At that time the 6-7 Foster was the rage and Tate was shining as the fearless point guard on the varsity. Although it could be debated by some, as we head into the 2012-2013 season, it's indeed Ellis who is the highest ranked of the three in the Hoops Report's Class of 2013 player rankings. Ellis is the best prospect with the most upside of any Meteor in the past decade.

Now Ellis, who will undoubtedly have a few more suitors try to jump in the mix after wrapping up his AAU summer, has four schools that stand out: Northwestern, Kansas State, Minnesota and Wichita State.

"There could be a few more that jump in, but right now our focus will be on the four that are on the table and that we want to get to know better," says Alvin Ellis, Sr. "Alvin visited Northwestern, and we want to get to Kansas State, Minnesota and Wichita State. Those are really the four we're looking at."

There will certainly be one player the Hoops Report will be rooting for this winter: Alvin Ellis. With all coach Tom White and the program have been through over the past year or so, you better believe that will be one emotional Senior Night when Ellis plays his last home game for his coach and the fans of De La Salle.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/hoopsreport/2012/08/de_la_salle_hit_hard_but_alvin.html
 

A top 475 kid per ESPN,3 star per rivals. Hopefully better than that!
 



Seems like a good shooter with decent athleticism. Should be a solid addition.
 

Great news! Love the commitment. Can't wait to watch him suit up for the Gophers. Welcome!
 


From Illinois Prep Bulls-eye:

Make no mistake about it--Ellis has been a top-priority recruit for the Gophers in the 2013 class for the better part of the past year. During that entire time, Smith and assistant coach Vince Taylor let it be known to Ellis just how much he was wanted. They tracked him endlessly throughout last season as they took in a number of De La Salle's games. They followed that up by pretty much following Ellis non-stop during both the past Spring and Summer evaluation periods while watching him compete for the talented Meanstreets 17-Under traveling team squad.

Ellis had already built a strong camaraderie with the Gophers coaching staff. That and the fact that he also enjoyed a strong official visit is what definitely enabled Minnesota to come out on top. There is no question that Ellis is a player who can flourish in Smith's system, as it is one that offers lots of freedom and flexibility with respect to allowing wings to operate--both offensively and defensively.

http://ilprepbullseye.com/Ellis_Minnesota.html

Go Gophers!!
 



Looks like a very solid get.

Agreed. Tubby had offered this kid awhile ago. He's not a super high profile recruit, but he's also not a "spring/last minute" recruit. Ellis had 3 BCS offers, and he fits into our system very well.

Welcome aboard, Alvin!
 

What do you guys think? Does this in any way affect Rashad Vaugn's recruitment and what he'll think about Tubby filling a shooting guard spot in the recruitment class ahead of him?
 

Alvin Ellis Talks Minnesota Commitment
Chicago Hoops - Recruiting
Written by Scott Burgess
Sunday, 23 September 2012 11:12

The recruitment of class of 2013 De La Salle shooting guard Alvin Ellis came to an end on Sunday morning as he verbally committed to Minnesota during his official visit. Ellis ranks as one of the top five prospects in the state and is a huge get for the Gophers. The senior shooting guard broke down how he committed.

“I told Coach Tubby (Smith) I could see myself playing there and fitting in. I had a great chance of coming in and playing so I took that opportunity. I would be playing for a coach that’s like a legend.”

Why did he decide to commit Sunday?

“It just felt right.’

Ellis spoke about his relationship with the Gophers coaching staff and Head Coach Tubby Smith.

“Real good relationship. Coach Tubby is very cool and can sometimes be a funny guy.”

Ellis has made great strides over the last two years. As a freshman he was a very raw prospect that had athleticism and tons of upside. Over the last two years he has continued to refine his game and improve his jump shot to the point where it has become his go to weapon. He will bring Minnesota a go to scorer that can get buckets when they are in crunch time.

He chose Minnesota over offers from Northwestern and Butler. Ellis ran this past summer with Meanstreets in the competitive Nike EYBL.

http://chicagohoops.hoops247.com/in...alks-minnesota-commitment&catid=34:recruiting

Go Gophers!!
 

Agreed. Tubby had offered this kid awhile ago. He's not a super high profile recruit, but he's also not a "spring/last minute" recruit. Ellis had 3 BCS offers, and he fits into our system very well.

Welcome aboard, Alvin!

+2

Seems like a high character young man. Staying at his high school when others are transferring to better opportunities. Welcome aboard.
 

What do you guys think? Does this in any way affect Rashad Vaugn's recruitment and what he'll think about Tubby filling a shooting guard spot in the recruitment class ahead of him?

God no. Do you really think a top 15 recruit is worried about a 2 star recruit? If Vaughn comes to Minnesota, there's about a 90% chance he'd start from day one.
 

God no. Do you really think a top 15 recruit is worried about a 2 star recruit? If Vaughn comes to Minnesota, there's about a 90% chance he'd start from day one.

Especially since college often goes a three guard line up. One could easily slide over to the 3.
 

What do you guys think? Does this in any way affect Rashad Vaugn's recruitment and what he'll think about Tubby filling a shooting guard spot in the recruitment class ahead of him?

Not even a little bit. Rashad is already better than him and will start right away if he comes to the Gophers. Rashad would probably start this year if he was on the team. He's that good.
 



Not even a little bit. Rashad is already better than him and will start right away if he comes to the Gophers. Rashad would probably start this year if he was on the team. He's that good.

There is no way Rashad would start on this years team lol......
 

There is no way Rashad would start on this years team lol......

Not sure why that's funny. Have you seen Rashad play? If so, how much? He could very well start at shooting guard for this years team. If he wasn't a starter he would definitely be a key contributor. Do you also think Tyus wouldn't start? Dave Telep of ESPN thought when Tyus was a sophomore that he could start for any team in the country other than UNC and Wisconsin. I've seen Rashad play against college guys like Trent Lockett and Mike Bruesewitz and he was definitely more talented than both already. You should really go check out some of his games this year. Special talent.
 

Not sure why that's funny. Have you seen Rashad play? If so, how much? He could very well start at shooting guard for this years team. If he wasn't a starter he would definitely be a key contributor. Do you also think Tyus wouldn't start? Dave Telep of ESPN thought when Tyus was a sophomore that he could start for any team in the country other than UNC and Wisconsin. I've seen Rashad play against college guys like Trent Lockett and Mike Bruesewitz and he was definitely more talented than both already. You should really go check out some of his games this year. Special talent.
He could start if they put Mbakwe at center. I just don't think he's better than Austin Hollins.
 

He could start if they put Mbakwe at center. I just don't think he's better than Austin Hollins.

I was envisioning Andre, Rashad, Austin, Rodney, and Mbakwe. Tubby loves his defense so he would probably start Austin over Rashad if he had to choose between the two. Rashad definitely has the edge on Austin as a scorer though.
 

I was envisioning Andre, Rashad, Austin, Rodney, and Mbakwe. Tubby loves his defense so he would probably start Austin over Rashad if he had to choose between the two. Rashad definitely has the edge on Austin as a scorer though.
Huh? This doesn't make sense..... U had him starting with Austin?
 

Huh? This doesn't make sense..... U had him starting with Austin?

Rashad is a shooting guard, but can play either wing position. What doesn't make sense? We were talking hypothetically if Rashad was on the team right now if you didn't see the previous posts.
 


Rashad

Rashad is a shooting guard, but can play either wing position. What doesn't make sense? We were talking hypothetically if Rashad was on the team right now if you didn't see the previous posts.

Rashad seems to be 3 times the player. Also at 6'5" or 6'6" i would expect Rashad to get lots of time at sf.
 




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