Josh Cunningham - PF - Morgan Park HS - Chicago, IL - BRADLEY

This is a great situation to be a freshman in. Play some this year, learn, get your feet wet, and next season return with a good chance to be a big part of the team.

@NYPost_Brazille: Josh Cunningham expected to announce this week, but Nick Irvin said they have yet to set a day.

@NYPost_Brazille: Chicago forward Josh Cunningham visited St John's Saturday and visit went "really good. He liked it" his coach Nick Irvin said. #sjubb

Hope he picks us.  It would be a good decision for him imo.  The two guys that preceded him were both big easy ROY's at the forward spot.  The kid can come in with little existing competition on the roster.  Hard to see it as anything but a good situation for an athletic kid to play on a team like this where there's nobody ahead of him playing-time wise. 

This is a great situation to be a freshman in. Play some this year, learn, get your feet wet, and next season return with a good chance to be a big part of the team.

Agreed.  That's how good teams are built.  I can't help but think the current seniors got he short end of the stick.  It would have been something else to have that 2010-2011 team around for their freshman year.

Quote from: Poison on April 21, 2014, 10:18:37 AM

This is a great situation to be a freshman in. Play some this year, learn, get your feet wet, and next season return with a good chance to be a big part of the team.

Agreed.  That's how good teams are built.  I can't help but think the current seniors got he short end of the stick.  It would have been something else to have that 2010-2011 team around for their freshman year.

They wouldn't have been at St Johns if the 2010-11 team was still around.   D'angelo, Dom, Moe etc weren't going to come here if they had to sit behind DJ, Paris and co. for a year.

Quote from: Marillac on April 22, 2014, 12:13:05 PM

Quote from: Poison on April 21, 2014, 10:18:37 AM

This is a great situation to be a freshman in. Play some this year, learn, get your feet wet, and next season return with a good chance to be a big part of the team.

Agreed.  That's how good teams are built.  I can't help but think the current seniors got he short end of the stick.  It would have been something else to have that 2010-2011 team around for their freshman year.

They wouldn't have been at St Johns if the 2010-11 team was still around.   D'angelo, Dom, Moe etc weren't going to come here if they had to sit behind DJ, Paris and co. for a year.

Perhaps, Lavin lured a great class because everyone had a shot at starting.

He can basically do the same for 2015 class but a better structured scholarship table is what I want going forward

Quote from: desco80 on April 22, 2014, 12:24:08 PM

Quote from: Marillac on April 22, 2014, 12:13:05 PM

Quote from: Poison on April 21, 2014, 10:18:37 AM

This is a great situation to be a freshman in. Play some this year, learn, get your feet wet, and next season return with a good chance to be a big part of the team.

Agreed.  That's how good teams are built.  I can't help but think the current seniors got he short end of the stick.  It would have been something else to have that 2010-2011 team around for their freshman year.

They wouldn't have been at St Johns if the 2010-11 team was still around.   D'angelo, Dom, Moe etc weren't going to come here if they had to sit behind DJ, Paris and co. for a year.

Perhaps, Lavin lured a great class because everyone had a shot at starting.

He can basically do the same for 2015 class but a better structured scholarship table is what I want going forward

I agree, a mix is ideal.   If by some stroke of magic both Jordan and Obekpa return next season, that would be ideal   3 full time openings.
Some useful role players returning - Jones, Felix, Thomas?, ADR... but who certainly aren't guaranteed a starting spot.
That let's coach offer guys like Diallo and Briscoe the playing time they want. 

Quote from: Marillac on April 22, 2014, 12:13:05 PM

Quote from: Poison on April 21, 2014, 10:18:37 AM

This is a great situation to be a freshman in. Play some this year, learn, get your feet wet, and next season return with a good chance to be a big part of the team.

Agreed.  That's how good teams are built.  I can't help but think the current seniors got he short end of the stick.  It would have been something else to have that 2010-2011 team around for their freshman year.

They wouldn't have been at St Johns if the 2010-11 team was still around.   D'angelo, Dom, Moe etc weren't going to come here if they had to sit behind DJ, Paris and co. for a year.

Agreed.  I think a few of them would have still come, but it's that special type of kid wililng to wait a year and compete that makes teams like Syraucse elite.  They had back to back lotterly picks come off the bench...unreal. 

Joe Henricksen does a high school blog for the Chicago Sun-Times.  Just finished a recruiting Q & A and sure enough the first question is about the best area kid still not committed, Josh Cunningham.  From an Indiana fan:

QUESTION: I’m a big Hoosier fan in Indiana. I follow your stuff in Illinois and enjoy it, but I wanted to know what is going on with Josh Cunningham? What’s taking so long for this decision? And who is it really down to? Go Hoosiers!
–– Riley Red from Noblesville, Ind.

HOOPS REPORT: This has been a hot question of late. And this has been an extremely tough and difficult decision for Josh Cunningham. That reason alone is why it’s taken so long.

And when you have such a wide variety of finalists that offer so many different things, there is quite a bit to dissect. I did check in on his recruitment and was told it’s still very much back and forth as recently as April 21.

Bradley, the school that has been on Cunningham the longest, has ties to the Morgan Park senior and those around him. He would be an absolute great get and steal for coach Geno Ford if Cunningham stays home and plays in the Missouri Valley, where his size and athleticism can play at a different level in the MVC.

But your Hoosiers, Riley Red, are right there. They've done a good job, along with South Carolina and, a late darkhorse, St. John’s, in making a late run at one of the top unsigned players in the country.This one really is too close to call.

http://www.highschoolcubenews.com/news_article/show/378315?referrer_id=599124#sthash.ehpxkvgV.dpuf

Quote from: desco80 on April 22, 2014, 12:24:08 PM

Quote from: Marillac on April 22, 2014, 12:13:05 PM

Quote from: Poison on April 21, 2014, 10:18:37 AM

This is a great situation to be a freshman in. Play some this year, learn, get your feet wet, and next season return with a good chance to be a big part of the team.

Agreed.  That's how good teams are built.  I can't help but think the current seniors got he short end of the stick.  It would have been something else to have that 2010-2011 team around for their freshman year.

They wouldn't have been at St Johns if the 2010-11 team was still around.   D'angelo, Dom, Moe etc weren't going to come here if they had to sit behind DJ, Paris and co. for a year.

Agreed.  I think a few of them would have still come, but it's that special type of kid wililng to wait a year and compete that makes teams like Syraucse elite.  They had back to back lotterly picks come off the bench...unreal. 

Absolutely.   I think you are right, some may have come.  But certainly not the whole group.

I wonder sometimes how different this team would be if Pelle would've made it to campus.   

Getting good vibes on this one....

Getting good vibes on this one....

Good vibes or good info?

Quote from: fordham96 on April 22, 2014, 05:37:23 PM

Getting good vibes on this one....

Good vibes or good info?

Vibes.  I just think this thing seems to be trending towards SJU...

Eric Gardner Purdue Insider TheBlackHammer  Follow on Twitter
St. John's

And Eric Gardner of 247 becomes the 3rd expert to say Cunningham will be headed to SJU, via Crystal Ball.

http://247sports.com/PlayerInstitution/Josh-Cunningham-at-Morgan-Park-28617/CurrentExpertPredictions

If  Lavin could pull off Cunningham and Thomas I will have to hand it to him. We will be in real good shape next year. he  also needs to groom a SG for the future or pick up a SG transfer,.

One last visit for Josh going to visit DePaul tomorrow:

 The 6-7 small forward plans to decide between Bradley, DePaul, Indiana, St. John’s, and South Carolina and sign during the spring signing period which began last Wednesday.

 Before that choice comes, Cunningham will be on campus in Lincoln Park for an unofficial visit at DePaul on Wednesday.

http://depaul.scout.com/2/1396248.html



 
 
 

One last visit for Josh going to visit DePaul tomorrow:

 The 6-7 small forward plans to decide between Bradley, DePaul, Indiana, St. John’s, and South Carolina and sign during the spring signing period which began last Wednesday.

 Before that choice comes, Cunningham will be on campus in Lincoln Park for an unofficial visit at DePaul on Wednesday.

http://depaul.scout.com/2/1396248.html



 
 
 

I like our chances with that group.  He won't get a chance to play at IU.  Bradley been on him a long time, but he'd have better exposure and better league here.  I don't see us losing him to DePaul unless he's dead set on staying in Chicago.  Fingers crossed.  We need active forwards like this.

Quote from: fordham96 on April 22, 2014, 09:20:21 PM

One last visit for Josh going to visit DePaul tomorrow:

 The 6-7 small forward plans to decide between Bradley, DePaul, Indiana, St. John’s, and South Carolina and sign during the spring signing period which began last Wednesday.

 Before that choice comes, Cunningham will be on campus in Lincoln Park for an unofficial visit at DePaul on Wednesday.

http://depaul.scout.com/2/1396248.html



 
 
 

I like our chances with that group.  He won't get a chance to play at IU.  Bradley been on him a long time, but he'd have better exposure and better league here.  I don't see us losing him to DePaul unless he's dead set on staying in Chicago.  Fingers crossed.  We need active forwards like this.

...active forwards that can shoot free-throws (which he looks like he can do)

Interesting article from last spring.  Looks like he has some range.  I think he will end up being more of a SF in college anyway, but that is something SJU needs as well.  In this article, he was 5-10 from 3 in this one weekend of play.  Hopefully he hones his sf skills.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/28/josh-cunningham-shows-out-with-jahlil-okafor-nursing-an-ankle/

I don't think DePaul is really in play.  If he stays local (Illinois) I believe it will be Bradley.