Morken's musings: Reason to believe in Gophers future

BleedGopher

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per Morken:

Losing senior guard Akeem Springs to injury after the Michigan State win hurt this team greatly down the stretch. He was their most consistent shooter on a team that didn't have great shooters. He opened things for other guys offensively and was a big, strong guard who was a willing defender. The Gophers just didn't have the depth to withstand his loss against good teams.

That depth will get a boost next season with the additions of guards Isaiah Washington and Jamir Harris. Washington is a top-100 player in the nation out of New York.

He and Nate Mason will form quite a duo of point guards, whether they play alongside each other or Washington serves as Mason's primary backup. What a difference that will make after not really having a backup point guard this season. Harris will add another shooter to this group after helping his high school team with five players who have signed to Division I schools win the New Jersey Tournament of Champions recently.

There might be others coming too. There always seems to be a transfer or two in college basketball, and Minnesota has already been mentioned as a possible landing spot for former Indiana signee Clifton Moore, a 6-foot, 9-inch forward from Pennsylvania who got out of his letter of intent from the Hoosiers after the firing of Tom Crean.

There's no guarantees that the Gophers will improve on a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten next year. The league is perennially one of the best in the country, but for the first time in a long time there is legitimate reason to believe in the staying power of this program.

This isn't just blind hope. This was a good team this year with the potential to be even better in the next couple years.

http://www.echopress.com/sports/4239538-morkens-musings-reason-believe-gophers-future

Go Gophers!!
 

per Morken:

Losing senior guard Akeem Springs to injury after the Michigan State win hurt this team greatly down the stretch. He was their most consistent shooter on a team that didn't have great shooters. He opened things for other guys offensively and was a big, strong guard who was a willing defender. The Gophers just didn't have the depth to withstand his loss against good teams.

That depth will get a boost next season with the additions of guards Isaiah Washington and Jamir Harris. Washington is a top-100 player in the nation out of New York.

He and Nate Mason will form quite a duo of point guards, whether they play alongside each other or Washington serves as Mason's primary backup. What a difference that will make after not really having a backup point guard this season. Harris will add another shooter to this group after helping his high school team with five players who have signed to Division I schools win the New Jersey Tournament of Champions recently.

There might be others coming too. There always seems to be a transfer or two in college basketball, and Minnesota has already been mentioned as a possible landing spot for former Indiana signee Clifton Moore, a 6-foot, 9-inch forward from Pennsylvania who got out of his letter of intent from the Hoosiers after the firing of Tom Crean.

There's no guarantees that the Gophers will improve on a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten next year. The league is perennially one of the best in the country, but for the first time in a long time there is legitimate reason to believe in the staying power of this program.

This isn't just blind hope. This was a good team this year with the potential to be even better in the next couple years.

http://www.echopress.com/sports/4239538-morkens-musings-reason-believe-gophers-future

Go Gophers!!

Yeah, what he said
 



Was Moore a recruiting target previously? How would there be room for him?

He was not a recruit. He was recruited by Northwestern, Temple, La Salle, Indiana, St Johns and others. He is intriguing, 6'10", with some post game (still needs work), and some guard ball skills as well as some outside shot. Apparently the kid was 6'2" playing guard and then just shot up to 6'10". He is raw in all parts of his game, but his ceiling is really high. If I was Pitino I would take a flyer on this kid. He could play both 4 and 5 and give you that step out option.
 


He was not a recruit. He was recruited by Northwestern, Temple, La Salle, Indiana, St Johns and others. He is intriguing, 6'10", with some post game (still needs work), and some guard ball skills as well as some outside shot. Apparently the kid was 6'2" playing guard and then just shot up to 6'10". He is raw in all parts of his game, but his ceiling is really high. If I was Pitino I would take a flyer on this kid. He could play both 4 and 5 and give you that step out option.
Wouldn't the other schools that did recruit him and perhaps visit have a big edge over picking him up? Seems far fetched that we would have a chance over those schools.
 

Wouldn't the other schools that did recruit him and perhaps visit have a big edge over picking him up? Seems far fetched that we would have a chance over those schools.

Possibly, but things have changed since they were recruiting him. Those teams may have different needs now and maybe he views Minnesota more attractive then the other programs.
 

Possibly, but things have changed since they were recruiting him. Those teams may have different needs now and maybe he views Minnesota more attractive then the other programs.

Most teams have filled their rosters - so have we- unless a little bird told him we might have a spot open.....
 




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