Okay, so how . . . .
- Thread starter Zebnatto1!
- Start date
I think folks should be pretty happy. I'd give a grade of an A-/B+:
In short, seems like Gary and staff have been working their tails off and the base talent should be a solid improvement next season.
- The Pauldo twins are big gets for a few reasons: Mia was a top 10 recruit last year and has proven she can start in the SEC. Plus, they are Jersey products whose family does a lot with basketball in the state--will hopefully open up recruiting to other local products.
- Jaylah Lampley was a top 40 recruit last year who had a really good freshmen season at an SEC school.
- Zennia Thomas was a very good mid-major player who took her team to NCAAs, also gives us size and rebounding
- JUCO Marky Akinde is tall and likely raw, but good depth piece for now
- Landing a consensus top 60 recruit in Chikae Desdunes so late in the recruiting cycle is a really nice pick up.
In short, seems like Gary and staff have been working their tails off and the base talent should be a solid improvement next season.
This last sentence must be especially true since this program has been mostly a non-player in WBB for s lot of time now. Our new coach has needed to totally make up his own recruiting momentum. What few past recent recruiting successes we have had ended up transferring out. I'm pretty sure he hasn't been greeted with open arms when trying to get new kids here.
Go RU!
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Looks like a good start in rebuilding the program back to being a winner
My choice was Tami Reiss. Now, I am extremely happy with Coach G. Love the new staff. Would have liked getting the Assistant coach from Tennessee but that didn't work out. He added a number off good players so far and I expect the Daye girl to commit here after visiting Florida.
Very very pleased with the recruiting. I’d have like to have seen an experienced successful hc as an asst because that’s an area of concern.
Update: I am very impressed with how quickly Gary Redus and team have moved. he was hired less than two months ago (March 9) and since then, he has:
VERY impressive (and quick) work thus far. Now, this is the part of his resume we were sold on when he was hired: excellent recruiter who builds quality relationships with high-level players. On this, he has met (if not exceeded) expectations.
The unknowns were always around how he would manage, coach, and strategize for a team once they're on the court. We won't know that until the season hits, but on what he can control for now...I'm very pleased.
- Filled out his coaching staff
- Signed a top 60 recruit for the upcoming year (Chikae Desdunes)
- Retained 5 players from last year's team (including regular starters Lester and Perkins, in addition to Swann--so 3/4 top returning scorers who still have eligibility)
- Signed 7 transfers, including 3 from NJ, who combined will significantly upgrade talent base on roster
- Offered and hosted visits for many a future high level prospect
- Apparently secured a record number of season ticket holders (This, I'll admit, was surprising to me. Would have thoughts when CVS had top 10 teams there would be more season tickets)
VERY impressive (and quick) work thus far. Now, this is the part of his resume we were sold on when he was hired: excellent recruiter who builds quality relationships with high-level players. On this, he has met (if not exceeded) expectations.
The unknowns were always around how he would manage, coach, and strategize for a team once they're on the court. We won't know that until the season hits, but on what he can control for now...I'm very pleased.
I like what I've seen so far. I was a little concerned that the Tubner assistant hire didn't happen since I figured part of the draw was Redus' relationships with/ability to hire high-level assistants given he's a first-time HC, but it seems like Beverly filled that role. Impressed with the recruiting/portal work, very nice job flipping the roster (and retaining some players last year who were worth keeping).
Of course schemes/development/game coaching are all still questions, but Redus just flat-out has juice, which IMO is the biggest early indicator of whether a hire has a chance to work out. Juice shows up most prominently in recruiting, but also in how they're embracing the role in other ways, drumming up fan interest, etc.
Seeing him out at Rutgers Day, asking for recs for the Coach G food tour (can you imagine, to use an infamous no-juice example, Chris Ash doing something like that?) - that's the kind of thing I, and I assume most other fans, want to see. That was something else I wondered about: how he'd embrace NJ, since he had no local ties that I knew of coming in, but he's recruiting the area extremely hard and generally putting himself out there. Jury's still out with no games played, but if you have juice, you have a chance.
Of course schemes/development/game coaching are all still questions, but Redus just flat-out has juice, which IMO is the biggest early indicator of whether a hire has a chance to work out. Juice shows up most prominently in recruiting, but also in how they're embracing the role in other ways, drumming up fan interest, etc.
Seeing him out at Rutgers Day, asking for recs for the Coach G food tour (can you imagine, to use an infamous no-juice example, Chris Ash doing something like that?) - that's the kind of thing I, and I assume most other fans, want to see. That was something else I wondered about: how he'd embrace NJ, since he had no local ties that I knew of coming in, but he's recruiting the area extremely hard and generally putting himself out there. Jury's still out with no games played, but if you have juice, you have a chance.
From where we were to where we are
Comparing what the last coach did when she arrived and in the years thereafter
I would give the current coach a grade of A++++++++