Basil proving he belongs !

by oldboiler52 on Feb 22, 2012 10:59 AM EST

Basil and LN have won their last three games over some Quality OP. Although LN continues to play 13 per game. Basil has used his limited minutes to score 18,14, and 13 in these games. This a very special young man. His tweets are filled with cheering on his fellow recruits and trying to prop up naysayers when Purdue has a bad game. He loves his family and his freinds . This kid is such a good person I cannot put it into words. Having watched him play many times he is just the definition of a team player. I'm not sure of his size but I would say 6'6 and 200 seems to fit. He runs the court plays killer defense,rebounds well above his height and passes like a point guard. He is always looking to play the team game first. I follow the tweets of our recruits to see what they score and so on sometimes . I just want to say what ? with some of their tweets. If I say more about that it would be negatives and I don't do that. Forget where he is or is not ranked or how many he scores. This a coaches kid in every sense of the term. Think of Draymont Green he is closest in terms of personality and playing style. I am so high on him. He is a winner on and off the court. We need players of his Quality they are just few and far between. Painter has struck gold here !

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I can't wait for this guy.

He’s constantly getting better…and wasn’t he a top 100 prospect at one point?

by Jackson Brunner on Feb 22, 2012 11:05 AM EST reply actions

He was a lot more than top 100

He was a top 30 recruit when he committed. Since then his ranking has gone down after transferring to his current school. I honestly think he should go to LaLu. Better competition and they have depth at center so Basil won’t be stuck playing it.

by herby20 on Feb 22, 2012 11:36 AM EST up reply actions

Better competition at Lawrence North

They play most of the state’s top teams like Warren Central, North Central, Carmel, etc.

A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance

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by BoilerTMill on Feb 22, 2012 12:22 PM EST up reply actions

Doesn't LaLu play some of the nations's top teams?

They played Oak Hill (who as we all know is undefeated and ranked #1). They also played top 10 Findlay Prep and gave them their only loss on the season.

by herby20 on Feb 22, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions

yes, so maybe it's a toss up for which has better competition

but LaLu would obviously be better for his developement if LN is going to play 12 plus guys. Plus LaLu would get him adapted to playing on a college team and college life as far as traveling and studying goes.

by Boiler00 on Feb 22, 2012 3:04 PM EST up reply actions

LaLu would definitely be the better location/competition to play

Indiana high school ball is great, but LaLu plays a national schedule, is ranked 10th in the nation and has an actual coaching staff that specializes. He’d get better coaching, better instruction, better training and better competition in games and in practice. Not to mention he would be living life more like a college athlete than a high school athlete, so he’d make an easier transition to the next league.

-Contributing Writer at The Crimson Quarry.

by JustAJ on Feb 22, 2012 3:58 PM EST up reply actions

All good points But !

He and his dad work on his game everyday and Basil Sr. Is a real good coach . I would expect for him to stay put can’t see Matty P. Convencing them to change schools for a third time. He often tweets that he and his dad are going to get in some extra work at least once per day. And on the social he is big on helping out the younger kids in his area . Also I think he has a longtime Girl friend. So odds are he is staying put .

by oldboiler52 on Feb 22, 2012 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

It just annoys me that the coach seems intent on playing every person on the bench.

If Basil ddn’t get interest early it would have really hurt his chances at landing a scholarship offer from a major school.

by herby20 on Feb 22, 2012 4:24 PM EST up reply actions

I agree

And their record reflexs it how can you get into a game flow.

by oldboiler52 on Feb 22, 2012 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

I've been calling Basil a "wildcard" for some time, and I think that's accurate.

He could come into Purdue as a dangerously underrated player. On a really deep Boilermaker roster, he will have the chance to make a name and get minutes. Things will be interesting.

by Jackson Brunner on Feb 22, 2012 5:05 PM EST up reply actions

Yes

He was but the change of schools has hurt his rankings. This kid Harris for LN has never seen a shot he doesn’t like shoots like 25% is killing Basils game IMO. His ranking will rebound during AAU.

by oldboiler52 on Feb 22, 2012 11:35 AM EST reply actions

i agree wholeheartedly

he’s a fantastic talent playing for a deeply flawed team. and oldboiler is not exaggerating, LN goes 13 (sometimes 15) deep; it reminded me of playing cyo basketball, when everyone had to play at least 2 quarters. i think aau season is when you’ll see him shine; he may never reach the top-25 ranking that he was his freshman year but once he gets on campus he’ll be a hell of a player for us.

http://therailroadtie.com/

Boiler up!

by therailroadtie on Feb 22, 2012 11:42 AM EST up reply actions

13 or 15 deep?

Goodness… Wouldn’t the coach recognize that he’s killing his kids chances at getting to D-I schools? Or any scholarships for that matter? That makes 17 points seem like a whole heck of a lot more.

by Caleb Benner on Feb 22, 2012 12:26 PM EST up reply actions

i respect jack keefer

he’s been in this business a long time (35 years) and has been successful. but yeah. going 13, 15 deep is hard to comprehend. i think that may contribute to the “shoot first” attitude prevalent on the team, cause they know they could be pulled at any moment. just my opinion, but yeah…

http://therailroadtie.com/

Boiler up!

by therailroadtie on Feb 22, 2012 1:06 PM EST up reply actions

If I remember correctly.

Last summer Basil played on the same AAU team with Irvin and Beachem and, I believe, was a little overshadowed by them at least offensively. I don’t know if he’ll stick with the same team this summer but I would love to see him get a chance to showcase his entire game. Either way, he looks like he will be a key player for us in a couple years.

by Hummel's figurines on Feb 22, 2012 5:35 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for the updates

I enjoy reading about the upcoming recruits.

by boilerdadx2 on Feb 22, 2012 12:32 PM EST reply actions

One question

Is it Basil like the herb or Basil like the guy from Austin Powers?

Ever grateful, ever true.

by John Wadas on Feb 22, 2012 1:30 PM EST reply actions

Both are Fresh

Yeah baby….

by ZoKnowsDefense on Feb 22, 2012 1:31 PM EST up reply actions

but seriously

that’s a good question… I have no clue, but i would guess herb????

by oser1122 on Feb 22, 2012 1:31 PM EST up reply actions

Or...

the great actor Basil Rathbone

by ZoKnowsDefense on Feb 22, 2012 2:00 PM EST up reply actions

Speaking of Basils, there's also

Toni Basil

Seriously, Oldboiler, thanks for the post. I’ve been impressed with Smotherman’s tweets—I don’t follow recruit tweets and don’t plan to (reading about teens’ social life and in jokes is not that exciting,) but I see what others retweeted/shared and yeah, it’s refreshing to see someone talk about more than social life stuff. Maybe being at a Christian school helped—and I say this as someone not particularly religious.

by Beavis Beefcake on Feb 22, 2012 3:34 PM EST up reply actions

Don't forget my high school coach

Basil Mawbey. taught me everything I know about basketball and master of the, “We only need to score 31 if we hold then to 30” game plan.

A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance

HammerAndRails, SBNation's Boilermaker Blog

by BoilerTMill on Feb 22, 2012 3:38 PM EST up reply actions

Actually

he’s named after his father, Basil Smotherman, Sr.

by ZoKnowsDefense on Feb 22, 2012 2:10 PM EST up reply actions

Sounds like a defensive-minded guy

Perfect for Purdue obviously

by abock15 on Feb 22, 2012 7:37 PM EST reply actions

I think Basil will be a great fit

he’s just the kind of player that this team will need. He’s a role player, he knows that he’ll probably never start but will bring energy off the bench. Can play several positions. Isn’t going to worry about being the leading scorer. Great kid, great personality. The list goes on. There’s nothing wrong with having an athletic 6’6" kid with a huge upside.

by Backstreets on Feb 23, 2012 10:11 AM EST reply actions

If his initial ranking is anything to go by

He definitely has the ability and talent needed to start.

by herby20 on Feb 23, 2012 10:17 AM EST up reply actions

Basil will start

I think that by the end of his years at purdue he will definitely start. He is a smooth basketball player that will be a great defender which we all know is more important than offense if you want to start for CMP. Basil is an underrated kid and will be a great fit.

by ferrisboiler on Feb 23, 2012 11:02 AM EST up reply actions

playing killer D will get you a starting spot at Purdue

I think the list of examples goes without saying.

Perhaps Backstreets’ point was more that Basil isn’t hung up on a ‘going to a school where he can be a starter from day 1’ sort of selfish mentality.

>Hoosier by birth, Boilermaker by the grace of God
>Don't cry, MSU - It's just a game...

by sea.of.white on Feb 23, 2012 1:22 PM EST up reply actions

Who says he's not going to start?....

by Boiler219 on Feb 23, 2012 11:15 AM EST up reply actions

Yes, thanks

sea.of.white for helping clarify. I basically don’t think he’s hung up on being a starter from day one. Defense does earn on spot with Painter but there’s going to be a lot of talent at the shooting guard and forward position for him to get through. Raphael Davis, Kendall Stephens, AJ, TJ, Bryson Scott and perhaps Donnie Hale. Of course we don’t know exactly what spot some of these guys will play but those guys coudl all play either position. It’s a good problem to have!!

by Backstreets on Feb 24, 2012 10:33 AM EST up reply actions

Davis and Kendall will probably compete for minutes with Basil

TJ, AJ, and Bryson will all either play PG or SG, where as the two I mentioned will probably play the wing/SF position. Hale will be competing with Carrol and Lawson I believe for minutes at the Forward spot.

by herby20 on Feb 24, 2012 12:20 PM EST up reply actions

Davis I think can play the 2 if we go big.

RJ/Bryson
Davis
Basil/Kendall
Lawson/Simpson/Hale
Hammons

by Boiler219 on Feb 24, 2012 9:11 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed

and I think Hale could be a 3/4 depending on who’s on the court

by jack'sIUdisdain on Feb 25, 2012 10:22 AM EST up reply actions

I think

he is the kind of player who won’t care if he starts. He will do what is best for the team. But clearly he is a very talented player. And that left handed shot is hard to defend. Hard to guess where he will play has played alot of PG. But if he grows to 6’8 and 225 could play the 2,3,or 4 . I think he and kendall will play several spots. He also has a 3.5 GPA so is smart enough to learn several spots. A whole lot to love with him .

by oldboiler52 on Feb 23, 2012 3:05 PM EST reply actions

I may be the only one

but I think anyone of our 2013 recruits could be our best when it is all said and done. Same with 2012. It’s exciting to think about the potential these next two classes have. All will start at one point or another. You can quote me on that.

by Purdue_it on Feb 23, 2012 5:19 PM EST up reply actions

excited

I am excited about the future of Purdue b-ball. I just hope CMP can kept the ball rolling with the 2014 and 2015 classes and not drop off like after 07…

Boiler Up! Hammer Down!

by JuJuan some Moore? on Feb 25, 2012 10:53 AM EST reply actions