Now that most of, former Saint Louis University basketball head coach, Brad Soderberg's recruits are gone, it is time for current coach Rick Majerus to see what his recruits can do.
Majerus, a recruiting genius, has compiled a variety of talent that is sure to have a positive impact on Billiken basketball. It certainly does not hurt that the Billikens will open up Chaifetz Arena this season, an unthinkably large selling point in garnering top-flight recruits.
The prized signing is easily ,7-foot center, Brett Thompson out of Vienna, Illinois. Thompson, ranked as the 17th-best center in the Class of 2008, will immediately help the Billikens. The team has struggled to find an inside presence since Ian Vouyoukas graduated.
To compliment Thompson, Majerus inked another big man, Willie Reed. Reed is 6-foot-9, but needs to add weight to his 215-pound frame.
Although the Billikens' two best players are guards, Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell III, Majerus signed two shooting guards. He did so realizing that both Lisch and Liddell III are seniors, and those voids will be quite large.
Perhaps the signing with the most potential is, 6-foot-8 forward, Brian Conklin. Originally committed to Gonzaga, Conklin switched when he found out that Majerus would be heading the Billiken program. This kid can really play.
Local sports fans are familiar with Ruben Cotto, SLU's most recent signing. Cotto, who most likely will be able to play right off the bat, provides a real scoring threat from outside, as well as someone who can distribute the ball after driving the lane.
Majerus definitely has the pieces and the skill around his already well-known coaching ability. Now it is just a matter of putting it all together to compete with Xavier atop the Atlantic 10.
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5 months ago
I'd love for SLU to be good, but honestly they always find a way to disappoint. Ever since the days of Larry Hughes or Marque Perry they have had talented kids that find a way to screw up their tourney chances.
I'd hardly say they're ready to compete with Xavier, etc., but if Majerus is truly committed in the long term, then they might just have a shot to turn it around.
Good write big guy. Random, but a good article.
5 months ago
I'm ok with whatever Majerus does as long as he doesn't whip out his Johnson...
http://deadspin.com/346458/rick-majerus-will-show-you-his-billiken
5 months ago
I can't really disagree with you, Peter. But I think Majerus is highly motivated with the new arena, so we will see. And for Ben's comment, I'm pretty sure that's in his past. That's the Michael Doleac era, which was quite some years ago.
4 months ago
There seems to be a myth about that Brian Conklin commit to Gonzaga, started when an OregonLive.com blog writer incorrectly claimed Mark Few had locked the young man up, as this thread on the Gonzaga hoops message board disputed three months before Brian's commit to St. Louis: http://www.guboards.spokesmanreview.com/showthread.php?t=2623
Brian sounds like a very good kid and a nice get for the Bilikens, but Gonzaga left standing at the altar? I don't think so!
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