Ricardo Gathers - PF - Riverside Academy - Reserve, LA - BAYLOR

Love it!!!!! Welcome aboard Ricardo

Great get. Wlecome Ricardo..

The hell son?
I go away fo a lil RnR wit the mrs down south to her peoples. Arrive back last night fo my boy shorty's bachelor party. Come home this morn and now I see Jevon pulled out and Ricardo Gathers commits. 
More action in July than a brother can handle!

We're not in Normsland anymore.  And just think, a year or so ago many believe that the program could never be big time cause JU would never attract a big time coach who could lure this type of talent to Queens.  However, there were  few of us who believed that a REALCOACH could make the city attractive and do so.   Congrats to coach Lavin who does not cater to the local AAU programs/coaches etc.  and finds his talent out of state where necessary.  The old saying that one's recruiting budget is only the cost of a subway token does not hold true anymore in our limited talent market locally.  That is of course if you want your program to go BIG TIME as Mr. Lavin obviously does.

The pieces are coming together, we are on the verge of making a serious run.  It's going to be real fun. Great job by the staff working Ricardo.

Per Zags.... 

http://www.zagsblog.com/2011/07/30/gathers-to-st-johns/#more-55282

welcome aboard Ricardo; you will enjoy the Garden!

from reading the discussions on the site and looking at the videos, I am trying to think of a comparable player at SJU.  I would think you have to go back a long to the 70's/60's when George Johnson and Sonny Dove played.  I can't think of another player from Louisiana at St. John's.

Great news!  I don't check the site for a day and I come back to this news. Can't take a day off with Lavin recruiting

Always said as much as kids want to get away from NYC, you can as many that want to come and experience it. Cant blame either, just need a few to stay home every few years.

Always said as much as kids want to get away from NYC, you can as many that want to come and experience it. Cant blame either, just need a few to stay home every few years.

I think the strategy is to get the best NY area kid to stay home.  Harkless did. Next up is Kyle.

from reading the discussions on the site and looking at the videos, I am trying to think of a comparable player at SJU.  I would think you have to go back a long to the 70's/60's when George Johnson and Sonny Dove played.  I can't think of another player from Louisiana at St. John's.
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We really have not had a strong history of top rebounders.  Yes, we had George, Mel, Tony, Leroy, Z, Wayne, etc., but that area has not been inundated with 10+/game rebounders over the years.  Was Z our last 10/10 (points/rebounds per game player)?

I really liked the fact that Ricardo bonded with some of our incoming freshmen while playing in NY.  That can only help our team chemistry down the road.

We seem to also have some chemistry going with two of our other key recruits.

it's ironic that ricardo was inspired by the movie "he got game."  a movie starring Ray Allen of the hated UCONN Huskies!  LOL! if i remember correctly in the movie "Jesus" (Ray) decides to leave nyc.

He's going to average something like 30 and 19 as a H.S. senior. I can't wait to get him on campus. Our first national championship is so close I can taste it.

Fear and admiration for Lavin on UConn msg board re: Gathers verbal....

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=342&f=2871&t=7722546

Fear and admiration for Lavin on UConn msg board re: Gathers verbal....

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=342&f=2871&t=7722546

great stuff !!

Fear and admiration for Lavin on UConn msg board re: Gathers verbal....

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=342&f=2871&t=7722546

11 small forwards?  I guess GG and NP must have shrunk a few inches since Friday.

Did someone on the Ucon board actual mention a bag of money?  Was that from one of their assistant coaches?  Ouch!

Quote from: Howie71 on July 31, 2011, 02:19:20 PM

Fear and admiration for Lavin on UConn msg board re: Gathers verbal....

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=342&f=2871&t=7722546

11 small forwards?  I guess GG and NP must have shrunk a few inches since Friday.

Did someone on the Ucon board actual mention a bag of money?  Was that from one of their assistant coaches?  Ouch!

It's from the same Uconn poster on Rivals.  He's a pretty good poster on Rivals and I think he meant it in jest.

Great news, welcome aboard Ricardo

The player Gathers reminds me of most is Mel Davis -- the rebounding machine from the early 70's. I hope Ricardo stays longer and avoids the injuries that Mel had.

Everyone has been talking about KA so much lately and rightfully so because he is an elite talent but Gathers is just as important of an addition to this roster as KA would be. GG hasnt quite played against top competition and Pelle has all the talent but is still raw. Gathers brings a big body post presence who can also run the floor and is a good athlete. I think his skill set is very much needed in this lineup and he could be one biggest and most important pieces in this puzzle.