St. Louis University Basketball: It's Rick Majerus's Time

    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.