We have a lot of things that are recruiting related....it starts and ends there.
It comes down to whether or not a team has a complete roster of guards that can do basic things in a well rounded way.
MOST guards have basic fundamentals that show up on tape immediately, RU just hasn't targeted and landed many complete guards out of HS. We have landed TWO complete guards out of HS in the Pike Era...
Geo Baker
Dylan Harper
Before fans go crazy, in theory, Jacob Young and Cam Spencer were transfers into the program and Young sat out with a redshirt season arriving from Texas and he took about half of his 1st season before adjustments were made. Even Young, was a high turnover guard, so he borders on being incomplete.....Spencer was more robotic, but fundamentals were 10 of 10, even though he never improved in terms of scoring off the dribble (his brother Pat is much more sound in this way).
Here are the basic fundamentals missing or that make a complete guard.
A) Dribble effectively left or right (sounds silly, but most guards are only effective going to their strong hand)
B) Able to create their own shot, without needing screens.
C) Can Dribble, pass, shoot, score and take jump shots off 1 Dribble or with a catch and shoot.
D( Able to defend, rebound and have some size or arm length.
If you go back through the HS recruiting, it's not the most talented or athletic players that are effective, it's the guards that are fundamentally sound.
Geo Baker, widely criticized by some RU fans, was a B+ or good in almost every fundamentally needed category and is why he is the baseline standard for what RU has not landed in recruiting. He would be the prototype player to play alongside a Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.
Montez Mathis....checks most boxes, but not an effective Dribble or pass player and not a catch and shoot or 1-2 Dribble into a jump shot. If he was a better guard with an ability to be on the ball, his career would have looked different at RU and St John's. Checked most boxes on defense that could allow him to find minutes.
Paul Mulcahy....more of a passer, definitely not a Dribble into a shot player and not a shooter. Probably the one player with all the fundamentals, except a dribble into a jump shot needed at this level.
Jalen Miller.....not effective height wise on defense and not a shooter or catch and shoot player....could handle the ball, but nowhere near the baseline fundamentals needed at this level of B1G competition.
Jaden Jones.....this one is interesting because in an individual skill set, he had the tools, but he never played within a team concept enough to be impactful. Of all the players with high end talent, he was probably more of a wing, but had all the guard skills......his fatal flaw was an inability to play defense or didnt give himself a chance to improve before departing for a Pro career.
Derek Simpson....probably the closest to a complete guard, just missing the proper shot form, so he could take advantage of all the other skill sets there. He is the CLOSEST to being a complete guard and is now at St Joe's. More combo than point and if you are off the ball, shooting from perimeter is a must have that he hasnt fixed yet.
Gavin Griffiths.....probably not a real.guard, but if we place him in a backcourt, he's not a dribbler or creator of his own shot. More of a wing, than guard.
Dylan Harper.....no holes in his fundamentals, which means he can effectively drive left or right and creative to score. Really no need to discuss, high level player who is still improving and learning while contributing in all phases (scoring passing, rebounding etc).
Now, Jacob Young was complete, except he wasn't a shooter, but COULD shoot, drive amd even if his percentage was not ideal. His high turnovers make him incomplete BUT he is the best of a batch of incomplete guards at RU.
NOW, in terms of this current roster, we see the missing basics of JaMicheal Davis (plus defense, but undersized and not a create his own offense player, not a shooter or player that makes FTs or 3s.....
Tyson Acuff has all the tools you want and is a complete guard in terms of fundamentals.....he is working back from injury, but in terms of being fundamentally sound, he checks every box. He is the baseline level type of player RU has lacked in recruiting out of HS. Even at probably 75 to 80%, he can get you 10PPG in 20 minutes a game, because he has 3 point range and a good FT shooter.
Derkack is a player who can go left or right and just lacks the shooting motion and form to be a complete guard. His shooting or lack or perimeter true shooting, results in him turning down open shots, to then drive to score closer.....which teams are ready for and are taking away that aspect....he is a willing defender.
JWill.....similar to Derkack, not a catch and shoot guard, mostly effective in a 1 or 2 Dribble shot. Does not shoot from 3 in a catch and shoot role. Defense on the ball is a positive most nights.
Why do I think most of this is recruiting?? Because it just simply is an evaluation miss AND in a way, comes down to which guards are close to the Top 50/100/150 range with these fundamentals??
2025 recruiting actually (on tape) fixes ALL of these fundamentally sound misses. Not helping with this season, but ON TAPE, here's what [ see.
Lino Mark.....does everything well, in either direction, willing to create and pass....does have a catch and shoot shot....can create off the Dribble. NOW, I have not seen him live, but his stats in HS show he has hit 3s, so I have to assume that translates to the nezt level.
Kaden Powers.....actually the closest thing I have seen to being fundamentally sound on tape.....Dribble, pass, shoot, score and 6'5 with arm length.....he does play a step or 2 slower on tape, but I will take a fundamentally sound player, who is in position most times. He looks like a player who just needs to get minutes and adjust to the speed of college level. Definitely a catch and shoot and 1-2 Dribble shoot/score player.
2025 prospect, Keshawn Fisher.....a replica of Kaden Powers, just a step faster. Really more of a wing, but tape shows basic fundamentals. I would need to see his 3 point shooting at next level, but tape looks sound. Definitely a must take ASAP in my opinion, he can be taught the defense necessary.
2026 Guard prospect Aiden Derkack shows the groundwork or fundamentals, he should be fine at this level, he is a dribble, pass and shot creator as well.
I know it sounds like it's a coaching issue, but you cannot build ANY offense if your players cannot do basic things. Purdue or Wisconsin are just programs who recruit fundamentally sound guards and that wins games, as long as those players are reasonable on the defensive end.
The portal can fix this, but the problem with this is every player (Martini, Hayes, Derkack) all lack basic fundamentals of Dribble, pass, ahoot on their own without a screen, defend, rebound.....and departed players also had these holes (Mag, Simpson Griffiths).
If we land Keshawn Fisher in 2025 and Chros Nwuli is able to work on his jumper and handle, we will have a complete class to go with Grant, Dortch and Sommerville.
The one 2025 recruit that shows these basics on a front court level, is Gevonte Ware, but he is like most bigs....they are sometimes bad FT shooters, so that bears watching on if that can be corrected. He has tape that shows basics in either hand and some upside as a role player off the bench that needs some time to develop.
The recruiting item on Bryce Dortch, the only playee we have not seen, is hes not a catch and shoot wing or PF, but he has the other fundamentals on defense, rebounding and can handle the ball. I am 100% certain he can help this year. He has HS tape of him hitting corner 3s, but as a prospect, he should immediately help with offensive and defense/rebounding. This redshirt IMO along with sitting on Grant is probably worth 10PPG combined on both ends of the floor.
In terms of Dylan Grant, still a work in progress, but basic fundamentals show signs of a player. Not sure he is a go left and go right player, but he checks a lot of boxes and is working on his shot. Hitting an occasional 3, really places him into a place that can allow him to play, because his size and defense can be taught.
Its really more the guard misses in the last 4 classes. If Acuff can stay steady, he becomes a 20 to 25 minutes a game player and once Harper is 100%, there's still something to build around.....but it's impossible to solve the other 3 guards fatal flaws in my opinion (JMike, JWill and Derkack) and all 3 have the same holes (lack of shooting).
It comes down to whether or not a team has a complete roster of guards that can do basic things in a well rounded way.
MOST guards have basic fundamentals that show up on tape immediately, RU just hasn't targeted and landed many complete guards out of HS. We have landed TWO complete guards out of HS in the Pike Era...
Geo Baker
Dylan Harper
Before fans go crazy, in theory, Jacob Young and Cam Spencer were transfers into the program and Young sat out with a redshirt season arriving from Texas and he took about half of his 1st season before adjustments were made. Even Young, was a high turnover guard, so he borders on being incomplete.....Spencer was more robotic, but fundamentals were 10 of 10, even though he never improved in terms of scoring off the dribble (his brother Pat is much more sound in this way).
Here are the basic fundamentals missing or that make a complete guard.
A) Dribble effectively left or right (sounds silly, but most guards are only effective going to their strong hand)
B) Able to create their own shot, without needing screens.
C) Can Dribble, pass, shoot, score and take jump shots off 1 Dribble or with a catch and shoot.
D( Able to defend, rebound and have some size or arm length.
If you go back through the HS recruiting, it's not the most talented or athletic players that are effective, it's the guards that are fundamentally sound.
Geo Baker, widely criticized by some RU fans, was a B+ or good in almost every fundamentally needed category and is why he is the baseline standard for what RU has not landed in recruiting. He would be the prototype player to play alongside a Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.
Montez Mathis....checks most boxes, but not an effective Dribble or pass player and not a catch and shoot or 1-2 Dribble into a jump shot. If he was a better guard with an ability to be on the ball, his career would have looked different at RU and St John's. Checked most boxes on defense that could allow him to find minutes.
Paul Mulcahy....more of a passer, definitely not a Dribble into a shot player and not a shooter. Probably the one player with all the fundamentals, except a dribble into a jump shot needed at this level.
Jalen Miller.....not effective height wise on defense and not a shooter or catch and shoot player....could handle the ball, but nowhere near the baseline fundamentals needed at this level of B1G competition.
Jaden Jones.....this one is interesting because in an individual skill set, he had the tools, but he never played within a team concept enough to be impactful. Of all the players with high end talent, he was probably more of a wing, but had all the guard skills......his fatal flaw was an inability to play defense or didnt give himself a chance to improve before departing for a Pro career.
Derek Simpson....probably the closest to a complete guard, just missing the proper shot form, so he could take advantage of all the other skill sets there. He is the CLOSEST to being a complete guard and is now at St Joe's. More combo than point and if you are off the ball, shooting from perimeter is a must have that he hasnt fixed yet.
Gavin Griffiths.....probably not a real.guard, but if we place him in a backcourt, he's not a dribbler or creator of his own shot. More of a wing, than guard.
Dylan Harper.....no holes in his fundamentals, which means he can effectively drive left or right and creative to score. Really no need to discuss, high level player who is still improving and learning while contributing in all phases (scoring passing, rebounding etc).
Now, Jacob Young was complete, except he wasn't a shooter, but COULD shoot, drive amd even if his percentage was not ideal. His high turnovers make him incomplete BUT he is the best of a batch of incomplete guards at RU.
NOW, in terms of this current roster, we see the missing basics of JaMicheal Davis (plus defense, but undersized and not a create his own offense player, not a shooter or player that makes FTs or 3s.....
Tyson Acuff has all the tools you want and is a complete guard in terms of fundamentals.....he is working back from injury, but in terms of being fundamentally sound, he checks every box. He is the baseline level type of player RU has lacked in recruiting out of HS. Even at probably 75 to 80%, he can get you 10PPG in 20 minutes a game, because he has 3 point range and a good FT shooter.
Derkack is a player who can go left or right and just lacks the shooting motion and form to be a complete guard. His shooting or lack or perimeter true shooting, results in him turning down open shots, to then drive to score closer.....which teams are ready for and are taking away that aspect....he is a willing defender.
JWill.....similar to Derkack, not a catch and shoot guard, mostly effective in a 1 or 2 Dribble shot. Does not shoot from 3 in a catch and shoot role. Defense on the ball is a positive most nights.
Why do I think most of this is recruiting?? Because it just simply is an evaluation miss AND in a way, comes down to which guards are close to the Top 50/100/150 range with these fundamentals??
2025 recruiting actually (on tape) fixes ALL of these fundamentally sound misses. Not helping with this season, but ON TAPE, here's what [ see.
Lino Mark.....does everything well, in either direction, willing to create and pass....does have a catch and shoot shot....can create off the Dribble. NOW, I have not seen him live, but his stats in HS show he has hit 3s, so I have to assume that translates to the nezt level.
Kaden Powers.....actually the closest thing I have seen to being fundamentally sound on tape.....Dribble, pass, shoot, score and 6'5 with arm length.....he does play a step or 2 slower on tape, but I will take a fundamentally sound player, who is in position most times. He looks like a player who just needs to get minutes and adjust to the speed of college level. Definitely a catch and shoot and 1-2 Dribble shoot/score player.
2025 prospect, Keshawn Fisher.....a replica of Kaden Powers, just a step faster. Really more of a wing, but tape shows basic fundamentals. I would need to see his 3 point shooting at next level, but tape looks sound. Definitely a must take ASAP in my opinion, he can be taught the defense necessary.
2026 Guard prospect Aiden Derkack shows the groundwork or fundamentals, he should be fine at this level, he is a dribble, pass and shot creator as well.
I know it sounds like it's a coaching issue, but you cannot build ANY offense if your players cannot do basic things. Purdue or Wisconsin are just programs who recruit fundamentally sound guards and that wins games, as long as those players are reasonable on the defensive end.
The portal can fix this, but the problem with this is every player (Martini, Hayes, Derkack) all lack basic fundamentals of Dribble, pass, ahoot on their own without a screen, defend, rebound.....and departed players also had these holes (Mag, Simpson Griffiths).
If we land Keshawn Fisher in 2025 and Chros Nwuli is able to work on his jumper and handle, we will have a complete class to go with Grant, Dortch and Sommerville.
The one 2025 recruit that shows these basics on a front court level, is Gevonte Ware, but he is like most bigs....they are sometimes bad FT shooters, so that bears watching on if that can be corrected. He has tape that shows basics in either hand and some upside as a role player off the bench that needs some time to develop.
The recruiting item on Bryce Dortch, the only playee we have not seen, is hes not a catch and shoot wing or PF, but he has the other fundamentals on defense, rebounding and can handle the ball. I am 100% certain he can help this year. He has HS tape of him hitting corner 3s, but as a prospect, he should immediately help with offensive and defense/rebounding. This redshirt IMO along with sitting on Grant is probably worth 10PPG combined on both ends of the floor.
In terms of Dylan Grant, still a work in progress, but basic fundamentals show signs of a player. Not sure he is a go left and go right player, but he checks a lot of boxes and is working on his shot. Hitting an occasional 3, really places him into a place that can allow him to play, because his size and defense can be taught.
Its really more the guard misses in the last 4 classes. If Acuff can stay steady, he becomes a 20 to 25 minutes a game player and once Harper is 100%, there's still something to build around.....but it's impossible to solve the other 3 guards fatal flaws in my opinion (JMike, JWill and Derkack) and all 3 have the same holes (lack of shooting).
