big news for big east

john reik committed to Cincy over the weekend they're pushing hard to get him eligble for next season....yikes what a grab. If someone can post the link to Zags who released the report.(I'm on my phone I don't know how to copy paste)

Www.zagsblog.net

John Riek to Cincinnati

Posted on Aug 3, 2008 10:06 am

http://www.zagsblog.net/2008/08/03/john-riek-to-cincinnati/

John Riek could be coming to a Big East arena near you.

The 7-foot-2, 240-pound native of the Sudan committed to Cincinnati after a visit Saturday night and the plan is for him to enroll for the 2008-09 season. If Riek becomes eligible and suits up for the Bearcats this fall — which is still undecided at this point — he could make an immediate impact as a shot-blocker and rebounder in the Big East.

“He gave a verbal commitment (Saturday) night,” said Fatah Muraisi, Riek’s advisor. “We went there on an unofficial visit to see how he liked it and see how their academic plan is for him, and their rehab since he had an ACL surgery (June 19). He didn’t want something too big or too small. (Assistant) coach Tony Stubblefield has been recruiting him patiently since March. We’ve had offers from other schools, Arizona, UCLA, Oklahoma, Kansas, all the big guys.”

Riek is a former 5-star recruit who spent the last few months at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. — and had considered spending another post-graduate year there after withdrawing from June’s NBA Draft. Prior to that, he was at the Winchendon (Mass) School and, before that, Our Savior New American on Long Island.

Riek will arrive on campus Sept. 24 having just taken the ACT on Sept. 13 for the first time; he might not be eligible until at least December. The NCAA Clearinghouse and the Cincinnati admissions office already have his international paperwork, including an allegedly impressive GPA from the Sudan. He must receive his ACT score and pass through the NCAA Clearinghouse to accept a scholarship and become eligible.

“Best-case scenario would be September, worst-case scenario would be December,” Muraisi said. “We just want to make sure the kid’s ready. The doctors are saying Dec. 1 he should be healthy enough to start playing basketball. We’re saying Jan. 1. right now; his knee looks good.”

Winchendon coach Mike Byrnes said he has doubts as to whether Riek will get a qualifying score on the ACT.

“He has been at IMG since March and I’m sure IMG has been working with him on the English language,” Byrnes said. “I am as curious as anyone else is to see how he does on the test. I love the kid and you wish the kid the best, and I hope it works out for him. He is a super kid and was a role model on our campus, but I really hope that IMG continued to educate him in the English language and math to get ready for that test. When he left our campus in March, I thought it would be difficult for him to pass the test.”

As for the knee surgery, Muraisi said Riek was interested in Cincinnati’s rehab program.

“The AD asked him any if he had any questions,” he said. “He said, ‘What is my academic plan? Second question: What’s the rehab like?’ Nothing about X’s or O’s.

“There’s a big difference between you and I being ready and being basketball ready. (Bearcats head coach) Mick Cronin said he’s not going to throw him out there until he’s 100 percent cleared by a doctor and he’s basketball ready.”

Riek originally intended to declare for this year’s NBA Draft, but ultimately pulled his name. IMG coach Dan Barto previously called Riek “a project” who could potentially make an impact in the league.

“He’s not ready to step in and immediately make an impact on a team,” Barto told me earlier this year. “However, in my seven years of pre-draft training, I haven’t seen many better projects. We had Ricky Sanchez down here, who was drafted directly out of high school, as well as we’ve had numerous kids who we’ve prepared for the draft, including Monta Ellis, Louis Williams and Jackie Butler, all guys that were drafted and turned into pretty good players. And John is a much better prospect than any of those guys were.”

Barto said Riek could be a “poor man’s Patrick Ewing.”

“If he gets in with the proper strength and conditioning program, he’s going to have a chance to be one of the better shot-blockers and really impact the game from a standpoint of maybe getting to the level of a poor man’s Patrick Ewing,” Barto said.

Riek arrived at the Winchendon (Mass.) School last fall after leaving Our Savior New American on Long Island in a much-publicized story.

But he missed games early in the season at the National Prep Showcase in Lowell, Mass. after he injured his left knee doing leg squats on a machine that was too small for him. He had the knee drained and returned to the team but then twisted his right knee in mid-January while playing at St. Thomas More against Devin Ebanks’ team.

“Unfortunately, John missed about 15 games,” Byrnes said.

In the year-ending NEPSAC Championships in New England, Riek played 2 1/2 minutes in the quarterfinal game and another two in the semifinal, but did not play in the final against Brewster. That amounted to a total of 4 1/2 minutes in the team’s final 16 games.

Under the advice of Muraisi, Riek withdrew from Winchendon in March and ended up at IMG. During a typical day at IMG, Riek participates in various exercises based on his physical weaknesses; an individualized, movement-based weight training program; position-specific on-court workouts; and shooting and/or live play

btw - This kid just had ACL surgery(june 19) & according to scout he is not expected back untill Dec. 1st at the earliest. So it remains to be seen just how much of an impact he will have next year... coming back at full strength in 5-6 months from knee surgery is asking alot of this kid imo... On the other hand IF he is eligible & fully healed by conference play... Cincy has themselves a difference-maker in the paint. Here's hoping it takes at least a year for him to fully heal..  .. peace!

http://scouthoops.scout.com/2/774845.html

Here is what Reiks "adviser" told scout :

“He’s going to go back and do rehab at IMG and he’ll enroll in September at Cincinnati,” Muraisi said. “They don’t start school until Sept. 24 so he’ll be down doing his rehab like he’s been doing. He’s supposed to be cleared to play by Dec. 1, but it’s not a rush.”

 

Along with passing the SAT/ ACTn which may be a challenge.


From Jeff Goodman:

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/goodmanonfox/2008/08/04/BIG_MAN_COMMITS_TO_CINCI_NOW_QUESTION_BECOMES_WILL_HE_QUALIFY

John Riek’s commitment came out of nowhere.

The Sudanese big man, who apparently played with a detached ACL in his right knee for the last six months, committed to Cincinnati over the weekend.

Now the question is whether he’ll make it academically.

If the 7-foot-2 Riek, who we still maintain was the top player at the LeBron James Skills Academy more than a year ago, receives a qualifying score on the ACT on Aug. 13, he’ll be able to play for Mick Cronin at some point this season.

But it won’t be in November.

``He went in to have his knee scoped on June 17, the doctors looked at the MRI and said they needed to postpone because he had a partial tear of his ACL,” Riek’s advisor, Fatah Muraisi told FOXSports.com.

Riek, who originally declared for the NBA Draft before withdrawing, had surgery on Aug. 19 and will likely be out of action until the New Year.

The keys for Riek committing to Cincinnati were the Arabic program and the school also having English as a second language.

Fantastic get for Cincy..   if he can get himself in shape he will be a major factor...

How can a 5 star recruit be "not ready to step in and immediately make an impact on a team" ?

Even before the surgery ?

One of my friends prepped and played ball at Winchendon. When I asked him about Riek he said he barely speaks english closer to not speaking english at all. He also said he has a lot of leg problems in the trainers room a lot before/after practice. "The dude is huge though," he said. He said scouts from the Grizzlies would regularly visit their practices and other teams would show up here and there to check him out.

I asked a few of the coaches(at camp) who were sitting at lunch with us(few weeks ago) and they all said they thought it would be impossible to qualify this kid. 

Either way he has above average skill for a guy his size and he should be a solid force if he goes to Cincy. Definitely changes their team outlook if he comes there.

Latest on Reik from rivals :

http://nychoops.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=833310

Riek plans to take the ACT for the first time on Sept. 13 and come to Cincinnati in time for the beginning of classes Sept. 24. The NCAA Clearinghouse and the Cincinnati admissions office already have his international paperwork, including an allegedly impressive GPA from the Sudan. He must receive his ACT score and pass through the NCAA Clearinghouse to accept a scholarship and become eligible.

"Best-case scenario would be September, worst-case scenario would be December," Muraisi said, referring to when Riek might become eligible. "We just want to make sure the kid's ready. The doctors are saying Dec. 1 he should be healthy enough to start playing basketball. We're saying Jan. 1 right now; his knee looks good."

Winchendon (Mass.) School coach Mike Byrnes, who coached Riek until he withdrew from that school to attend IMG in March, said he has doubts as to whether Riek will get a qualifying score on the ACT.

"He has been at IMG since March and I'm sure IMG has been working with him on the English language," Byrnes said. "I am as curious as anyone else is to see how he does on the test. I love the kid and you wish the kid the best, and I hope it works out for him. He is a super kid and was a role model on our campus, but I really hope that IMG continued to educate him in the English language and math to get ready for that test. When he left our campus in March, I thought it would be difficult for him to pass the test."

"There's a big difference between you and I being ready and being basketball ready. Mick Cronin said he's not going to throw him out there until he's 100 percent cleared by a doctor and he's basketball ready."