Gophers Ink Three to Top-20 Signing Class

Donate To GopherHole
GopherLady

GopherLady

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
9,281
Reaction score
823
Points
113
Per the U of MN press release:

The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team will welcome three new members starting in 2016, as guard Amir Coffey (Hopkins, Minn./Hopkins HS), forward Eric Curry (Little Rock, Ark./Southwest Christian Academy) and guard/forward Michael Hurt (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall HS) signed their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.



The trio of highly regarded prospects will join the Gophers next fall for the upcoming 2016-17 season, and represent head coach Richard Pitino’s highest-rated recruiting class to date, ranking 17th according to 247Sports and 20th in the nation according to Scout.com. Both publications have the Gophers' class rated third in the Big Ten.

“The signing of these three student-athletes represents another step in the growth of our program,” Pitino said. “In Amir and Michael, we have the two best prospects in our state staying home to help us in our pursuit to win a championship, while Eric’s signing shows that we have as much to offer as any program in the country. We look forward to having them represent our University both on and off the court.”



Coffey, whose father Richard played for the Gophers from 1986-90, is a consensus top-50 player in the nation and four-star prospect. The 6’7” guard, a McDonald’s All-American finalist, can play multiple positions and impact the game on both ends of the court. Last season, Coffey missed significant time due to injury but averaged 14.3 points his sophomore season with the Royals. Coffey will be the highest rated recruit to suit up for the Gophers since Kris Humphries in 2003.



“Amir is a tremendous player and addition to our team,” said Pitino. “He can contribute in a number of ways – offensively, he is a good scorer while also being able to create for others. Beyond his skills on the court, he grew up a Gopher and comes from an outstanding family.”



Curry, at 6’8”, is also rated a four-star prospect and a top-100 player. He helped lead the Lions to the 2014 NACA Division 4 National Championship, and this past season, averaged 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds for Southwest Christian. Curry also found success playing for the Arkansas Wings AAU team, where in 2015 he averaged 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds as a member of its 17U EYBL team.



“Eric Curry is a perfect fit for the type of player we are looking for in our program,” Pitino commented. “He has experience playing in an up-tempo, pressing style similar to ours and is long and athletic. He will help us in many ways next season.”
 

GopherLady said:
Per the U of MN press release:

The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team will welcome three new members starting in 2016, as guard Amir Coffey (Hopkins, Minn./Hopkins HS), forward Eric Curry (Little Rock, Ark./Southwest Christian Academy) and guard/forward Michael Hurt (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall HS) signed their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.



The trio of highly regarded prospects will join the Gophers next fall for the upcoming 2016-17 season, and represent head coach Richard Pitino’s highest-rated recruiting class to date, ranking 17th according to 247Sports and 20th in the nation according to Scout.com. Both publications have the Gophers' class rated third in the Big Ten.

“The signing of these three student-athletes represents another step in the growth of our program,” Pitino said. “In Amir and Michael, we have the two best prospects in our state staying home to help us in our pursuit to win a championship, while Eric’s signing shows that we have as much to offer as any program in the country. We look forward to having them represent our University both on and off the court.”



Coffey, whose father Richard played for the Gophers from 1986-90, is a consensus top-50 player in the nation and four-star prospect. The 6’7” guard, a McDonald’s All-American finalist, can play multiple positions and impact the game on both ends of the court. Last season, Coffey missed significant time due to injury but averaged 14.3 points his sophomore season with the Royals. Coffey will be the highest rated recruit to suit up for the Gophers since Kris Humphries in 2003.



“Amir is a tremendous player and addition to our team,” said Pitino. “He can contribute in a number of ways – offensively, he is a good scorer while also being able to create for others. Beyond his skills on the court, he grew up a Gopher and comes from an outstanding family.”



Curry, at 6’8”, is also rated a four-star prospect and a top-100 player. He helped lead the Lions to the 2014 NACA Division 4 National Championship, and this past season, averaged 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds for Southwest Christian. Curry also found success playing for the Arkansas Wings AAU team, where in 2015 he averaged 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds as a member of its 17U EYBL team.



“Eric Curry is a perfect fit for the type of player we are looking for in our program,” Pitino commented. “He has experience playing in an up-tempo, pressing style similar to ours and is long and athletic. He will help us in many ways next season.”
Click to expand...

I thought Curry wasn't signing until Friday.
 





This note on Hurt has to make Lefty's Lefty happy:

"One of four leftys on our roster next year."

Go Gophers!!
 



GopherLady said:
Per the U of MN press release:

The University of Minnesota men’s basketball team will welcome three new members starting in 2016, as guard Amir Coffey (Hopkins, Minn./Hopkins HS), forward Eric Curry (Little Rock, Ark./Southwest Christian Academy) and guard/forward Michael Hurt (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall HS) signed their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.



The trio of highly regarded prospects will join the Gophers next fall for the upcoming 2016-17 season, and represent head coach Richard Pitino’s highest-rated recruiting class to date, ranking 17th according to 247Sports and 20th in the nation according to Scout.com. Both publications have the Gophers' class rated third in the Big Ten.

“The signing of these three student-athletes represents another step in the growth of our program,” Pitino said. “In Amir and Michael, we have the two best prospects in our state staying home to help us in our pursuit to win a championship, while Eric’s signing shows that we have as much to offer as any program in the country. We look forward to having them represent our University both on and off the court.”



Coffey, whose father Richard played for the Gophers from 1986-90, is a consensus top-50 player in the nation and four-star prospect. The 6’7” guard, a McDonald’s All-American finalist, can play multiple positions and impact the game on both ends of the court. Last season, Coffey missed significant time due to injury but averaged 14.3 points his sophomore season with the Royals. Coffey will be the highest rated recruit to suit up for the Gophers since Kris Humphries in 2003.



“Amir is a tremendous player and addition to our team,” said Pitino. “He can contribute in a number of ways – offensively, he is a good scorer while also being able to create for others. Beyond his skills on the court, he grew up a Gopher and comes from an outstanding family.”



Curry, at 6’8”, is also rated a four-star prospect and a top-100 player. He helped lead the Lions to the 2014 NACA Division 4 National Championship, and this past season, averaged 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds for Southwest Christian. Curry also found success playing for the Arkansas Wings AAU team, where in 2015 he averaged 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds as a member of its 17U EYBL team.



“Eric Curry is a perfect fit for the type of player we are looking for in our program,” Pitino commented. “He has experience playing in an up-tempo, pressing style similar to ours and is long and athletic. He will help us in many ways next season.”
Click to expand...


Richard Pitino strikes me as a bright, articulate and nice young man. From all indications, he seems level headed, mature beyond his years and more than able to form and run a good program at a big school.

I'm not a sophisticated basketball guy, though I played in high school for a very good coach. I was at the game Friday night and I want to know if others thought that there seems to be absolutely no organized offense on our team. It looked to me like a group of guys passing around the perimeter and as each player touches the ball he looks to see if he can create a shot for himself. Period. Nothing more. It seems to be a real liability. I was more impressed with how the opponent played team basketball. They seemed better coached. Does anyone else see it the same way? Also, with the exception of Joey (and perhaps Nate), our players don't seem to shoot the ball like kids who've played the game their whole life. The rotation of the ball is poor and their form is average at best. Have the skills of the average collegiate player deteriorated over the past 40 years? I will hang up and listen.
 



DoubleAlum said:
Richard Pitino strikes me as a bright, articulate and nice young man. From all indications, he seems level headed, mature beyond his years and more than able to form and run a good program at a big school.

I'm not a sophisticated basketball guy, though I played in high school for a very good coach. I was at the game Friday night and I want to know if others thought that there seems to be absolutely no organized offense on our team. It looked to me like a group of guys passing around the perimeter and as each player touches the ball he looks to see if he can create a shot for himself. Period. Nothing more. It seems to be a real liability. I was more impressed with how the opponent played team basketball. They seemed better coached. Does anyone else see it the same way? Also, with the exception of Joey (and perhaps Nate), our players don't seem to shoot the ball like kids who've played the game their whole life. The rotation of the ball is poor and their form is average at best. Have the skills of the average collegiate player deteriorated over the past 40 years? I will hang up and listen.
Click to expand...

Honestly I don't really have any complaints about the offense under Pitino in his first two years. We have ranked in the top 50 in adjusted offensive efficiency in both of the seasons he has coached. Last year we scored more points per game than in any year under Tubby.

You have to take into account we have a lot of new guys on the roster and it is really only an exhibition game. The offense will look better as the season goes on.
 

Plus, Konate and Dorsey were out. And I have not paid attention how Pitino has done it in the first two years but you don't typically run a lot of your best stuff until you get to conference games. You got motion
which is hard to scout...and set plays that do have options but they are more easily defensible when you've run through the opponents sets in practice discussing how to defend them. So, you don't show them until you have to. We often get a good shot out of timeouts or end of game situations in Big Ten games...that's a coaching evaluator you can look at. End of games were maybe better in year one, but Mathieu made some curious decisions in those situations last year. I think Pitino is good at scoring with limited ability players. Next year should be more fun come conference season.
Regarding shooting...shooters usually have athletic limitations I think. They work hard and refine a stroke. The athletic D1 guys are able to score with their strength and quickness in high school so they don't put the time in as much on shooting. Dunking gets more raves. Just a theory. I agree shooters are rare it seems.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom