Three TN Kids in Rivals' Class of 2009 Top 100

#1
NighthawkVol

NighthawkVol

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#1
17. Leslie McDonald-SG- Word has it that this is another Tennessee/Duke battle, with Ole Miss and Bama in the mix as well.

61. Farrakohn Hall-PF- Tennessee and Georgia Tech are the early leaders.

96. John Jenkins-SG- Doesn't have a list of schools yet. Has a repututation for being a deadly outside shooter.

A few other players of interest who are Vol targets:

26. Wally Judge-PF

34. Erik Murphy-PF

39. John Hood-SG- Is a 6-6 prospect from Madisonville, KY who can really shoot. Plays AAU ball for the Nashville Celtics.

73. Shawn Kemp-C- Doesn't list any schools, but I noticed he plays for Canton Cherokee...where Singleton played.

I think we'll get McDonald and Hall. If we have a third scholarship available by then (and we probably will), we'll likely try to get a shooter like Hood or Jenkins.
 
#4
#4
hatvol96 said:
I don't.
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I'm shocked.

Do you have any reason to feel that way (inside sources perhaps) or is it just your perpetual negativity concerning the Vols that gives you that feeling?

I know that Hall has been in Knoxville already and was said to have LOVED the place. As for McDonald, he's always mentioned Tennessee as one of his leaders. UT got in with the kid very early. Signing Elliot Williams this year could also help in getting Leslie. Pearl is really putting a lot of effort into making inroads to Memphis and it's going to pay off.
 
#6
#6
GregAmsler said:
I'm shocked.

Do you have any reason to feel that way (inside sources perhaps) or is it just your perpetual negativity concerning the Vols that gives you that feeling?
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Yeah, I've been wildly negative about the basketball program since Bruce Pearl arrived.
 
#8
#8
GregAmsler said:
Could you share? Are you saying UT won't get either or just that we won't get both?
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At this point, I think McDonald is a total pipe dream. Couple that with the fact that the Memphis prep/AAU establishment has its collective lips placed firmly on Paul Hewitt's a$$ these days, and it doesn't make for much optimism. Can things change? Absolutely. I just wouldn't invest a great deal of hope in UT landing either of those guys.
 
#9
#9
hatvol96 said:
At this point, I think McDonald is a total pipe dream. Couple that with the fact that the Memphis prep/AAU establishment has its collective lips placed firmly on Paul Hewitt's a$$ these days, and it doesn't make for much optimism. Can things change? Absolutely. I just wouldn't invest a great deal of hope in UT landing either of those guys.
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You make a good point about Memphis and Hewitt. He may not be at GT after this year, however. In fact, I'd say there's a good chance of that given the loss of Crittendon and Young. If he has a losing season this year, that's 2 in 3 years and he's likely gone.

As for McDonald, I don't see how you can call him a pipe dream, when we've repeatedly seen UT as a leader along with Duke. Maybe he goes to Duke (it would be tough to beat them two years in a row for a top player), but he's hardly a pipe dream.
 
#10
#10
Hall-GT
McDonald-Duke

If we take 4 in this class, we will only have 1 scholly for that class anyways(barring an early departure, dismissal, etc).
 
#11
#11
hvwarrior58 said:
Hall-GT
McDonald-Duke

If we take 4 in this class, we will only have 1 scholly for that class anyways(barring an early departure, dismissal, etc).
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That's true. And I do think we'll sign 4 in 2008.

But I think it's a longshot that Ramar Smith sees his Senior year at UT. I just hope he plays his Junior year. His Sr. year would be 2009, so assuming he leaves early, that's one scholarship. We'll likely see Tyler Smith or Wayne Chism leave early as well. Out of those three, I'd say at least two leave early. That gives us at least three scholarships for 2009. If all three go pro early, then we have 4 scholarships for 2009.
 
#12
#12
Minor detail, but Ramar's senior year would be 2010. That way, leaving in '09 would be leaving early.
 
#13
#13
hatvol96 said:
At this point, I think McDonald is a total pipe dream.
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McDonald is not a pipe dream. Now I'm not saying we are the leader or we will land him, but Tennessee is very much in the race for McDonald. He has expressed his high interest level in Tennessee many times. He stopped by Knoxville on his way to the LeBron James camp and met players like Tyler Smith and said he was shocked at the talent level we possess.
My source? Leslie McDonald. I play on Briarcrest's basketball team next to Leslie McDonald and am aware of every coach & scout that enters our gym.
Hat, I know you talk to many scouts and coaches, what is the consensus on McDonald among those people at this point?
 
#14
#14
Ferrakohn Hall transferred from MUS to White Station and cannot play varsity for his upcoming junior season. It was a big shock to me because he just led his team to a state championship. He should win another as a senior alongside Joe Jackson, a top-ten talent in the class of 2010. How many players can say they led two high school teams to state championships?
I do not know why Hall transferred. Leslie McDonald is one of his best friends and isn't really aware of the reasons, but if I had to guess, which could be completely wrong, I would say it is because MUS lost a majority of the team, which were seniors. Also, the health of Coach Jerry Peters has held him back. He wasn't on the bench for MUS' state title this season.
 
#15
#15
LifeLongVol90 said:
McDonald is not a pipe dream. Now I'm not saying we are the leader or we will land him, but Tennessee is very much in the race for McDonald. He has expressed his high interest level in Tennessee many times. He stopped by Knoxville on his way to the LeBron James camp and met players like Tyler Smith and said he was shocked at the talent level we possess.
My source? Leslie McDonald. I play on Briarcrest's basketball team next to Leslie McDonald and am aware of every coach & scout that enters our gym.
Hat, I know you talk to many scouts and coaches, what is the consensus on McDonald among those people at this point?
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Everyone I've talked to is impressed with his game. Most of them also consider it a foregone conclusion that he'll attend Duke.
 
#16
#16
LifeLongVol90 said:
McDonald is not a pipe dream. Now I'm not saying we are the leader or we will land him, but Tennessee is very much in the race for McDonald. He has expressed his high interest level in Tennessee many times. He stopped by Knoxville on his way to the LeBron James camp and met players like Tyler Smith and said he was shocked at the talent level we possess.
My source? Leslie McDonald. I play on Briarcrest's basketball team next to Leslie McDonald and am aware of every coach & scout that enters our gym.
Hat, I know you talk to many scouts and coaches, what is the consensus on McDonald among those people at this point?
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Will Briarcrest be playing St. George's this season?
 
#17
#17
hatvol96 said:
Everyone I've talked to is impressed with his game. Most of them also consider it a foregone conclusion that he'll attend Duke.
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Duke is definitely his favorite school. It may only take one visit from Coach K to our school to convince him, but I wouldn't say it's a lock. But I agree, I would say Duke is the favorite right now. He told me tonight that they haven't offered, but will pretty soon.
 
#18
#18
LifeLongVol90 said:
Duke is definitely his favorite school. It may only take one visit from Coach K to our school to convince him, but I wouldn't say it's a lock. But I agree, I would say Duke is the favorite right now. He told me tonight that they haven't offered, but will pretty soon.
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Tough to pass up the combination of playing for Coach K and getting a Duke education.
 
#19
#19
hatvol96 said:
Will Briarcrest be playing St. George's this season?
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Yes. The regular season game will be played at Briarcrest. It is definitely a game that will be highly talked about. We split with them last season and had Pearl, Cal, Stan Heath, Kevin Stallings, Steve Forbes, Mike Miller, and a few other coaches were in attendence for both games.
I don't know if you live close to Memphis, but if you could attend the game, you should. Our gym could probably hold 3000 people, and we still had to turn people away at the game.
 
#22
#22
LifeLongVol90 said:
Very true. He's a really bright student (3.5+ GPA, wants to be an architect) so I think the Duke education will be the deciding factor.
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Not that UT is a school in the caliber of Duke or anything, but Tennessee has a very very good architecture department.
 
#23
#23
Leslie McDonald (as a freshman) over Barrett Jones (as a sophomore)
 

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