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Coach Terry makes 1st UTEP offer / Basketball Recruiting

Kinda disappointed Terry hasn't scooped up a PG/SG grad transfer yet.

Remember these names? They are already transferring and will have to sit out a year.

Greg Foster Jr. PG transferring from Gonzaga
Devonaire Doutrive SG transferring from Arizona

Some Updates:
Anthony Mathis UNM (leading scorer) to Oregon
Jordan Brown Nevada to Arizona
Shakur Juiston UNLV to UNM?
Derryck Thornton Jr. USC to ?
 
utep2step said:
According to gags, Jans was looking (at the brothers) last year at a 01/2018 game (photo from KTSM 2018 tweet provided). Other than that, nada. He can score and shoot from anywhere.
https://247sports.com/college/new-mexico-state/Board/103615/Contents/Hoops-Recruiting--114271077/

He has his own official website and according to his website, two schools are interested in him: UT-Rio Grande Valley &
University of Evansville
http://ixathletes.com/tristen_newton/
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I'm an ECU fan and I'm super excited about this guy. I've never seen a guy with highlights like this and as little recruitment as he had. How he didn't have more offers is baffling when you look at the things he can do in those highlights and how it's all backed up in the stats.

I don't care what level of competition he was playing, no one is going to stop many of those shots. He's making a dozen 30 footers off the dribble, dunking on people, and make 400+ FT's at 88% as a 6-5 Point guard.
 
StillJonesing said:
I'm an ECU fan and I'm super excited about this guy. I've never seen a guy with highlights like this and as little recruitment as he had. How he didn't have more offers is baffling when you look at the things he can do in those highlights and how it's all backed up in the stats.

I don't care what level of competition he was playing, no one is going to stop many of those shots. He's making a dozen 30 footers off the dribble, dunking on people, and make 400+ FT's at 88% as a 6-5 Point guard.
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He signed with Evansville. I'm not sure he was ever on our coach's radar. We've brought in a lot of high level transfers who are ready to play this coming season. Locally he was a phenom though.
 
jdubb66 said:
He signed with Evansville. I'm not sure he was ever on our coach's radar. We've brought in a lot of high level transfers who are ready to play this coming season. Locally he was a phenom though.
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The older brother signed with Evansville last year, the younger just signed with ECU. I was trying to find out some more info on him is how I came across this thread. The younger brother coming to ECU looked a lot better on the highlights, he's certainly taller with a better handle.

I'm not talking about UTEP specifically but in general it's baffling how no one else really recruited the guy. He averaged 37ppg and led a top 5 team in 5A Texas. It's not like he was a midget, he was doing it on a good team in a big city. I read his team lost in the final 4 to the eventual champ his junior year.
 
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StillJonesing said:
The older brother signed with Evansville last year, the younger just signed with ECU. I was trying to find out some more info on him is how I came across this thread. The younger brother coming to ECU looked a lot better on the highlights, he's certainly taller with a better handle.

I'm not talking about UTEP specifically but in general it's baffling how no one else really recruited the guy. He averaged 37ppg and led a top 5 team in 5A Texas. It's not like he was a midget, he was doing it on a good team in a big city. I read his team lost in the final 4 to the eventual champ his junior year.
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Because the competition here is weak and generally speaking D1 basketball/football players don't come out of EP (although there have been a few good ones over the years).
 
StillJonesing said:
The older brother signed with Evansville last year, the younger just signed with ECU. I was trying to find out some more info on him is how I came across this thread. The younger brother coming to ECU looked a lot better on the highlights, he's certainly taller with a better handle.

I'm not talking about UTEP specifically but in general it's baffling how no one else really recruited the guy. He averaged 37ppg and led a top 5 team in 5A Texas. It's not like he was a midget, he was doing it on a good team in a big city. I read his team lost in the final 4 to the eventual champ his junior year.
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Good luck with him. I hope he does well.
 
Had some really strong offers out of HS.


Curious why he never made it to TCU after he committed to them after leaving Xavier.
 
So we trade Wenzel for Kennedy. Let's see how this works out. Personally I would have liked to see a grad transfer PG and save the scholl for an incoming freshman in 20-21. Unless there is fallout, we will have no freshman in 20-21.
 
axingfools1 said:
So we trade Wenzel for Kennedy. Let's see how this works out. Personally I would have liked to see a grad transfer PG and save the scholl for an incoming freshman in 20-21. Unless there is fallout, we will have no freshman in 20-21.
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At this point yes, but someone will inevitably transfer out after this season
 
The best high school players sign early (November), so it will be interesting to see if Terry does decide to sign any guys at that time. If he does, this would mean that some of the current guys won't be back. These guys would be playing lame duck seasons similar to Magee and Gilyard.
 
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FanatiCoog said:
Had some really strong offers out of HS.

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Curious why he never made it to TCU after he committed to them after leaving Xavier.
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The answer may appear to be in this thread from killerfrogs.com. Kennedy was also a former CRT recruit while CRT was at Fresno. It is obvious from his rivals.com visits he wanted (and still wants) to play in a power conference; however, he would have been in the same position at TCU that he faced at Xavier: New incoming transfers and new freshman faces. That's apparently why he left Xavier in the first place.

https://forum.killerfrogs.com/index...er-keonte-kennedy-leaves-tcu-for-utep.220323/
 
Lil_Train said:
The best high school players sign early (November), so it will be interesting to see if Terry does decide to sign any guys at that time. If he does, this would mean that some of the current guys won't be back. These guys would be playing lame duck seasons similar to Magee and Gilyard.
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Agreed. Also I think the smart thing for Zarzuela is to redshirt (so he would remain a freshman).
 
utep2step said:
The answer may appear to be in this thread from killerfrogs.com. Kennedy was also a former CRT recruit while CRT was at Fresno. It is obvious from his rivals.com visits he wanted (and still wants) to play in a power conference; however, he would have been in the same position at TCU that he faced at Xavier: New incoming transfers and new freshman faces. That's apparently why he left Xavier in the first place.

https://forum.killerfrogs.com/index...er-keonte-kennedy-leaves-tcu-for-utep.220323/
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According to that TCU board, they have the same problem we faced on more than an occasion, in that they have more committed than schollies available.

I read on a couple different forums that Kennedy committed to Xavier, decommitted then recommitted before he actually signed.

Gotta wonder if he was the one let go due to lack of perceived stability...if that poster is correct about why he isn’t going to TCU.

At any rate, this has got to be his last chance I would imagine. Should be on a short leash. Hope he doesn’t turn out to be a headache.
 
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I watched some videos of Kennedy and the kid can shoot the ball well. I am sure that through red shirting guys and transfers the classes will balance out just fine.
 
FanatiCoog said:
According to that TCU board, they have the same problem we faced on more than an occasion, in that they have more committed than schollies available.

I read on a couple different forums that Kennedy committed to Xavier, decommitted then recommitted before he actually signed.

Gotta wonder if he was the one let go due to lack of perceived stability...if that poster is correct about why he isn’t going to TCU.

At any rate, this has got to be his last chance I would imagine. Should be on a short leash. Hope he doesn’t turn out to be a headache.
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Stability? No. Xavier brought some guys back (didn't say if due to grades, injuries or what) and some new comers and basically the story implied, in my opinion, that more playing time was not on the table. He goes to TCU, commits on social media only to discover a similar scenario.

Terry said he would recruit Texas, he didn't say how.
 
utep2step said:
Stability? No. Xavier brought some guys back (didn't say if due to grades, injuries or what) and some new comers and basically the story implied, in my opinion, that more playing time was not on the table. He goes to TCU, commits on social media only to discover a similar scenario.

Terry said he would recruit Texas, he didn't say how.
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From my understanding, he did more than commit to TCU by way of social media, he actually signed. That’s a way bigger agreement to walk away from...especially before even stepping on the court.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.seattletimes.com/sports/former-xavier-guard-keonte-kennedy-signs-with-tcu/?amp=1

His tendency to flip flop indicates some instability imo. When I say “stability”, I’m not speculating on his overall “mental” stability, rather his indecisiveness...his penchant to frequently change his mind.

I read several articles that say Kennedy played his way out of more playing time at Xavier. Started the season playing double digit minutes, several games above the 20 minute mark, and then just never found his groove and his minutes dwindled as the year went on until he quit in mid February. That’s another head shaker. Didn’t even finish the season off. I really hope the kid finds a home in EP and it works out, but if the past is ANY indication of his future, he may be gone in a year from here too. I look for the potential in any signee, but gone are the days where I get overly excited about a kid that has yet to suit up in a Miner uniform, especially if his past is, um...checkered.
 
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FanatiCoog said:
From my understanding, he did more than commit to TCU by way of social media, he actually signed. That’s a way bigger agreement to walk away from...especially before even stepping on the court.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.seattletimes.com/sports/former-xavier-guard-keonte-kennedy-signs-with-tcu/?amp=1

His tendency to flip flop indicates some instability imo. When I say “stability”, I’m not speculating on his overall “mental” stability, rather his indecisiveness...his penchant to frequently change his mind.

I read several articles that say Kennedy played his way out of more playing time at Xavier. Started the season playing double digit minutes, several games above the 20 minute mark, and then just never found his groove and his minutes dwindled as the year went on until he quit in mid February. That’s another head shaker. Didn’t even finish the season off. I really hope the kid finds a home in EP and it works out, but if the past is ANY indication of his future, he may be gone in a year from here too. I look for the potential in any signee, but gone are the days where I get overly excited about a kid that has yet to suit up in a Miner uniform, especially if his past is, um...checkered.
Click to expand...

Doesn’t seem he ever actually attended TCU.

Transfered from Xavier last spring and signed with TCU. Backed out apparently, and now he’s here.
 
JCorona said:
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This guy is a JC transfer that has already used his two years of eligibility, so he'll be playing this year. He's obviously a replacement for Zarzuela, but I don't see the need to bring in this kid. A 5'11 guard, he averaged a solid 16.6 ppg at Bakersfield College last year, but did so on a mediocre .382 from the field and .363 from deep. He also only averaged 1.5 apg versus 1.7 turnovers per game. He appears to be solid for a late pick up, but I guess I just don't see the need for a late pick up unless the staff had a miracle opportunity at someone that was eye popping. I think that the roster is fine for this year, and that we would have been much better off keeping Zarzuela's scholarship in our pocket. We could have used it on a class of 2020 HS or JC player, or a transfer who could play in the 2020-21 season. I hope that Medrano produces, because now we have him for the next two years.
 
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MinerManiac said:
This guy is a JC transfer that has already used his two years of eligibility, so he'll be playing this year. He's obviously a replacement for Zarzuela, but I don't see the need to bring in this kid. A 5'11 guard, he averaged a solid 16.6 ppg at Bakersfield College last year, but did so on a mediocre .382 from the field and .363 from deep. He also only averaged 1.5 apg versus 1.7 turnovers per game. He appears to be solid for a late pick up, but I guess I just don't see the need for a late pick up unless the staff had a miracle opportunity at someone that was eye popping. I think that the roster is fine for this year, and that we would have been much better off keeping Zarzuela's scholarship in our pocket. We could have used it on a class of 2020 HS or JC player, or a transfer who could play in the 2020-21 season. I hope that Medrano produces, because now we have him for the next two years.
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I agree Maniac. However, other than Lathon, I don't see another guy with point guard skills. The assumption is that Boum can fill in at the point, but I don't think that is optimal for him or the team. You don't want to go into a season one deep at any position. To me, this addition by the staff at this point reflects the fact that they need someone to backup Lathon.
 
MinerManiac said:
This guy is a JC transfer that has already used his two years of eligibility, so he'll be playing this year. He's obviously a replacement for Zarzuela, but I don't see the need to bring in this kid. A 5'11 guard, he averaged a solid 16.6 ppg at Bakersfield College last year, but did so on a mediocre .382 from the field and .363 from deep. He also only averaged 1.5 apg versus 1.7 turnovers per game. He appears to be solid for a late pick up, but I guess I just don't see the need for a late pick up unless the staff had a miracle opportunity at someone that was eye popping. I think that the roster is fine for this year, and that we would have been much better off keeping Zarzuela's scholarship in our pocket. We could have used it on a class of 2020 HS or JC player, or a transfer who could play in the 2020-21 season. I hope that Medrano produces, because now we have him for the next two years.
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I totally agree with you Maniac and I value your insight. Just one thing, ".363 from deep" is not eye popping, but that is not that bad. Without looking up his actual numbers it can be misleading. Did he shoot it up often or was this just like 11 for 27 for the year type percentage? If low like I mentioned previously, then there is cause for concern because it means he is hesitant (lack of better term) to shoot, had a controlling offensive system/coach since there are coaches who pop a vein if you don't run their offense exactly, every series down the floor, like they want or what ever. However, if his ratios are high ("high volume shooter"), then that percentage is way, way more palatable for a more high octane offense. Why? Because that would mean he had games that he shot really, really well from deep, but yet there were some where he was cold.
 
He hit 93/256 3-pointers last season. He is a high volume, behind the arc shooter and will hit his free throws at 85% as well. Apparently he can hit 3s in bunches if he gets off to a hot start. I don't think he will have much else to offer at this point and could even red shirt this season while he adjusts to D1 in practice. I'm not even sure that he is a scholarship player since the recruiting cycle is over, but if so I agree Terry should have kept that in his back pocket.
 
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He seems to be a 3 point specialist though his jump shot is very low. He would be good for busting the zone D, rotate the ball and if he's wide open.
 
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axingfools1 said:
He hit 93/256 3-pointers last season. He is a high volume, behind the arc shooter and will hit his free throws at 85% as well. Apparently he can hit 3s in bunches if he gets off to a hot start. I don't think he will have much else to offer at this point and could even red shirt this season while he adjusts to D1 in practice. I'm not even sure that he is a scholarship player since the recruiting cycle is over, but if so I agree Terry should have kept that in his back pocket.
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Excellent points axingfools1. Could very well be a PWO or just a walk on, similar to Campbell and Dekoninck.
 
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