Any news on Orukpe?

[boyshocker]

Be sure to read parts one and two.

EO is having such a difficult time just getting out. When, or if that happens he probably has to worry about the NCAA Clearinghouse. I feel for him.

Have had three kids go through the clearinghouse. It is not that bad and I can't believe we would be going through all this if they did not think he could get cleared.

[BostonWu]

There have been several links to outside articles posted on here regarding African basketball recruits and if you’ve taken time to read them you’ll notice the story is amazingly consistent…several years trying to sort out visa problems…once that great big hurdle is cleared then high/prep school and/or JUCO…and then maybe D1. In all it seems like they’re talking about at best 2-3 year period.

I hate to be the Debbie Downer on a Monday but my hopes of seeing EO in a Shocker uniform are greatly diminished. :cry: If anything comes of it then drinks on me :drum: …but at this point I’m divesting myself of the emotional hopes attached with this recruit and moving on …Thankfully the coaching staff is not. :bball_spin:

[goshocks]

There have been several links to outside articles posted on here regarding African basketball recruits and if you?ve taken time to read them you?ll notice the story is amazingly consistent?several years trying to sort out visa problems?once that great big hurdle is cleared then high/prep school and/or JUCO?and then maybe D1. In all it seems like they?re talking about at best 2-3 year period.

I hate to be the Debbie Downer on a Monday but my hopes of seeing EO in a Shocker uniform are greatly diminished. :cry: If anything comes of it then drinks on me :drum: ?but at this point I?m divesting myself of the emotional hopes attached with this recruit and moving on ?Thankfully the coaching staff is not. :bball_spin:

I've already moved on, it shouldn't take this long to get a player here. Too many politics and it is just not worth it. I hope he makes it over, but I think we need to move on.
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Protection and indemnity insurance forum

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Watch Okwandu play at UCONN and see what you think then. Arizona went back after him hard when he made it here and wished they had held out one more season. This is starting the 2nd year of trying to get him out. IF we can get one more player with size inside, I say we hold out and show some loyalty.

[WstateU]

Watch Okwandu play at UCONN and see what you think then. Arizona went back after him hard when he made it here and wished they had held out one more season. This is starting the 2nd year of trying to get him out. IF we can get one more player with size inside, I say we hold out and show some loyalty.

I'm with you DSB... the coaches obviously feel it's worth the gamble with EO... that's why they're paid the big bucks.
:good:

[Snapshot9]

I pretty much agree. A lack of information about the situation leads me to believe that our Administration is stalemated, and it is not within their control to move it forward.

Even about the ones that have made it over here, it took them 2-3 years, they ended up at a different school than originally recruited them.

I really think it would be in the program's best interest if the coaching staff recruited another PF/C, and move on down the road.

Wendall Faines might be a good pursuit. Or Sterling Link, 6'9", 245 lbs, PF, Garden City CC is rated at #51 in top JUCO recruits. Kendrick Johnson, 6'9", 250 lbs, PF, South Plains Juco, is rated #54.

There are some big men listed as top Juco recruits that currently have no schools listed.

[BostonWu]

Watch Okwandu play at UCONN and see what you think then. Arizona went back after him hard when he made it here and wished they had held out one more season. This is starting the 2nd year of trying to get him out. IF we can get one more player with size inside, I say we hold out and show some loyalty.

I'm with you DSB... the coaches obviously feel it's worth the gamble with EO... that's why they're paid the big bucks.
:good:

Yeah but wouldn't it be a square kick in the grapes (who said that?) if UCONN came in and swooped him up after we've done the heavy lifting? :-x

[RoyalShock]

Don't forget, the process with Ehimen started when he signed with Liberty. How far they took it is anyone's guess. But they had recently had a Nigerian player and presumably understood how things work.

I figure this process began a year and a half ago (Nov. '06).

[rjl]

Well, if nothing else, this whole process might leave him one pissed off dude when he gets here, ready to slam the ball in some clowns' faces.

[SubGod22]

The staff still seems to think progress is being made so I'll wait and see. Coach says he's worth the wait so I'm happy to wait a little longer. I'd rather take the chance on Ehimen than cut him loose to sign a 50+ JUCO.

Personally I'd be willing to go into next season with only 12 shollie players and wait on Ehimen if that's what it took. I don't think any of our current options of replacing him are any better.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Sub,

If he signs the LOI, does that count towards the scholarship total even if the player doesn't enroll?

[SubGod22]

I'm not sure how to answer that. I know I've heard stories of kids who sign and then are denied a spot on the team. I would guess if he signed a LOI and then we signed and enrolled a 13th then that would void his. But I'm not absolutely positive on how that works out.

[RoyalShock]

There is another piece of paperwork, a scholarship agreement, that is utilized in place of an LOI after the spring signing period ends.

I would think that a scholarship agreement would encumber the scholarship for the upcoming year, but not an LOI. However, this is speculation on my part, so I don't know for certain.

I agree with SubGod, that if HCGM says he's worth the wait, we wait. But I also get the impression, since Marshall has said he really wants to go into next year with 13 scholarship players, he may not wait much longer if it means holding back a scholarship.

[benishock]

We will not have a thirteen man rotation next year, eight or nine at most. I agree with Sub and Royal, if he's that good let's be patient and keep trying to get him over here.

[SubGod22]

Having 10 or 11 available to play is about all you need. Not counting walk-ons. And most rotations will have only 8 or 9. With the 10th man MAYBE getting some PT from time to time and when fouls are an issue. That's one reason it's nice to be able to redshirt a couple of players. And why I'm willing to wait for Ehimen.

But Royal is right on his comments from Marshall. I don't think Marshall is willing to wait as long as I am. But by all accounts the kid is worth it and probably better than anyone we'd get to fill that spot.