2017 Offer: Mark Smith

[Blers]

Per Roy Schmidt we just offered 2017 6'4'' PG Mark Smith out of edwardsville.

[Robbie Aces]

From what I recall, we have a number of additional offers out for this class...and techniqually we're out of scholarships?!?! For those of you who have been around this sport a lot longer than i have... Is this just being proactive due to natural shrinkage? I've heard numerous people on here talk about this possibly being Kurbys last year...

[LU 86]

Porter loses players every year. So i'm never worried about the number of rides we have. If push comes to shove Porter will just show someone the door as he has done in the past. I don't mean to paint this in a negative light, its just a reality of hoops today.

[brot4britu]

I am in total agreement with 86 . one produces to the plan or one is done--Its Tuesday !! What have you done since Monday ?? Porter HIS doing his job ( I used to pan him--Obviously I was too impatient)

[Stickboy46]

From what I recall, we have a number of additional offers out for this class...and techniqually we're out of scholarships?!?! For those of you who have been around this sport a lot longer than i have... Is this just being proactive due to natural shrinkage? I've heard numerous people on here talk about this possibly being Kurbys last year...

I think this is natural at all D1 programs. I think there were ~700 transfers last year among 351 D1 programs. So on average, 2 players per team per year transfer. There are other ways of handling being over scholarships. Freshman can attend prep school instead of starting right away, other players may decide to transfer or graduate and leave.

[swellafelon]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Creaning

[swellafelon]

I am kinda surprised SIU Carbondale hasn't offered Smith. His father Anthony played for the Salukis.

[Blers]

I'm still pretty confident Kirby will graduate given his situation.

We'll also be down in central Illinois watching 6'8'' Forward Taylor Bruninga tonight. He plays on the same AAU team as Matt Chastain and is experiencing a similar recruiting explosion as of late. He's averaging 34 ppg for the Illinois Bluffs.

https://twitter.com/Illinois_Irish/stat ... 3936191488

[swellafelon]

Taylor has a twin sister who also is a D1 basketball prospect. Her nickname comes from a cheer the fans make everytime she cans a three:

Brunhilda "Cha-chinga" Bruninga.

[swellafelon]

I forgot to mention that Taylor and Brunhilda have a talented cousin who plays prep basketball in the far Northwest Suburbs, Inga "Humdinga" Bruninga of Marengo.