Looks like Duke has a new recruiting target for 2013 -- PF Reggie Egbeko of Buffalo, NY (6'8", 225 lb.). He's only a 2-star recruit, but apparently flying up the rankings fast as a "late bloomer" with "big upside." He's been on the radar for a lot of mid-majors for a while - Siena, Iona, Robert Morris, St. Peters, UMASS, IL State, Loyola Marymount, MO State, Kent State, Drexel, Miami of OH, UNCC, but now getting attention from the likes of Oklahoma, Villanova and Duke. Trying to set up a visit this weekend or next. Hmmm. Seems pretty strong, but moves well. Maybe a little rough around the edges still.
Well that is one way to address a lack of interior depth... Though it seems a little odd to blow off a kid like Gavin Schilling, who I think was slightly higher rated, and then come back a few months later on a relative unknown like this. But, hey, maybe the coaches see something they like.
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/ba.../reggie-agbeko
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9omZLBtHFY
http://www.bobsblitz.com/2012/12/sou...ko-dunked.html
(look at about the 4:48 minute mark)
Jack Whitehead @ runhouse
Look for our 6' 8" f Reggie Agbeko to make 3 visits in the upcoming weeks to Duke, Tulane and Loyola Marymount. Maybe a 4th to ...
Well, this would add another 6'8" player to our roster.
But in all seriousness, I don't understand why we wouldn't save the scholarship for 2014 unless this guy truly is a brilliant diamond in the coarse, dark rough. Assuming Dre comes back, wouldn't this put us at the limit for next year (leaving us with one less scholly for all those impressive 2014 players we're going after)?
Why not? He already has every move MP2 had as a junior...<ducks>
LOL at 225 lbs.
And, of course, here it is: How many cinder blocks?
[redacted] them and the horses they rode in on.
Additionally, if Semi's Coach is correct and he has grown 2 more inches, Semi would be 6'8" now. He's effectively the same size as Egbeko, just a lot more versatile and skilled. I could see Semi playing at the 4/5 spot next year before this recruit could/would see any time on the court.
Not to get conspiratorial or anything, but maybe this is a "backup plan" in-case of other roster changes after the season. Or maybe he really IS a late-bloomer and he's THAT good. Time will tell I suppose.
I am always amazed by these kind of discussions. We have a hall of fame coach, one of the greatest of all time. Shouldn't we give him and his staff a little credit for knowing what they are doing.
Yeah, I just watched the highlight video, and if he's 6'8" he's heavier than 225. On the other hand, he only looks a couple inches taller than the guards on his own high school team, so my guess is he's closer to 6'6".
After watching the video, it's hard to imagine Duke being interested in adding him as our 13th scholarship player for next year (or even 12th, if Andre doesn't play or something else happens). When your highlight video includes a 12 foot shot that bounces on the rim three times, that says something.
Also, according to the links in the initial post, his last name is Agbeko, not Egbeko.
Here's a nice video profile of him from November of 2010, soon after he came to the U.S. from Ghana.
http://www.wgrz.com/video/6859245170...s-for-St-Joes-
He and his HS coach both described the game in Ghana as pretty unstructured. So he's had a lot to learn in his 3 years of American BB. That might suggest some interesting upside potential. They were listing him at 6'7" 215 then, but looking at the video of him as a HS sophomore (age unknown), he may have been holding helium balloons. The video shows a couple nice post moves, albeit against other local HS kids. No idea what his academics are like.
Kind of a strange development, but OTOH, I've always thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to give a physical, athletic, fiery, low-ranked big a scholarship once in a recruiting cycle. We very rarely actually need all of our scholarships, and if said big is okay with the understanding that he'll be expected to work his butt off for four years and may never play big minutes, it seems like it could only help, in both in terms of practice, games, and general continuity and leadership.
Plus, plenty of players in that mold end up turning out as guys we could use... should be interesting to follow.
Last edited by Greg_Newton; 03-02-2013 at 03:55 PM.
Also, hats off to the coaching staff! We are often one of the first high-major schools involved for late-bloomers / fast-risers like Agbeko or Carrick Felix. If anyone ever doubted whether our coaches worked hard enough in recruiting as far as scouring the nation, let those doubts subside. At the very least, we are very piped into the network (as you would expect).
I don't think we should recruit any more players who hail from Africa. They don't seem to stay around very long.
I have to be honest I'm not sure why Duke is looking at him.
Having said that if Coach K thinks that he should be on the team then he must have his reasons and who am I to argue with him about basketball.
There has to be something the coaches see that we have not as of yet.
Just be you. You is enough. - K, 4/5/10, 0:13.8 to play, 60-59 Duke.
You're all jealous hypocrites. - Titus on Laettner
You see those guys? Animals. They're animals. - SIU Coach Chris Lowery, on Duke