BU recruit- class of 2010- Ricardo Johnson [Archive]

shaunguth

04-08-2009, 08:13 PM

Looks a lot like Theron Wilson to me, even at 18!

Yeah....that's exactly what I was thinking!

According to ESPN, he's considering Bradley, Xavier, and Indiana. Not that I put any stock in these numbers, but his Scouts Grade is an 85, compared to 87 for Prosser and 84 for Eastman.

March, 2009: This athletic wing attacks the rim in transition and in the half court. He is an excellent athlete that can score through contact. Johnson can finish above the rim with a clear path and constantly makes athletic plays on both ends of the floor. When in rhythm he can knock down the spot up three with time and space.

jeffsu

04-08-2009, 08:22 PM

Can you imagine tossing him into that class? That would be amazing. JW, SH, and this guy!

I'm feeling really good that we're in the top 3 with Xavier and IU.

lake Camelot

04-08-2009, 09:58 PM

Can you imagine tossing him into that class? That would be amazing. JW, SH, and this guy!

I'm feeling really good that we're in the top 3 with Xavier and IU.

Well I didn't think we had any more rides left in that class. I checked the grid and we do have one more if we sign one more player this year. This kid looks good.

Eta Rho

04-10-2009, 02:50 PM

Ricardo Johnson is a stud gentleman. I am from the area that he plays in and he would be a huge get for the Bradley program. He is currently rated the best player in KY for his class and was probably the second best player in the state this past year as a junior.

Here's a few links to watch video on Ricardo (#33)

Holmes v Largo, MD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL0WFFbZC7I

For the next two links, when you get on the page, click on the white object going in circles for it to play:

Holmes v Lexington Catholic (State Tournament Elite 8 )
http://www.ihigh.com/school20182/video_882727.html

^^^(Dunk by Ricardo at 1:20 mark)
C/O 2009 Vee Sanford plays for Lexcath and was held to 6 points in this game against Holmes with Ricardo guarding him...Ricardo had 17 points and 8 rebounds.

Holmes v Christian Co. (State Tournament Round 1):
http://www.ihigh.com/KY/video_882718.html

Eta Rho

04-10-2009, 03:13 PM

More highlights of Holmes and Ricardo Johnson (#33):

Holmes v Ryle:
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=8a1d9423d742629da32ac784e0a3c7e8

Eta Rho

04-10-2009, 03:41 PM

Here are some highlights of Ricardo from his sophomore year:

(None of the clips are over a minute long, so it shouldn't take too long to view them all)

Holmes v Lexington Catholic (State Final 4)
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=bd6e47ef4153d91498b9061425c44456

Ricardo Johnson steal and dunk v Dixie Heights (Region Semi's)http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=d13c128f053f58383d5a8e5a7bdf46c0

Ricardo Johnson alley oop dunk first play of the game v Bellevue http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=ad2906358fb2780132882792216a0ab2

Ricardo Johnson dunk v Covington Catholic
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=d9f45878948fb26abf9cd76fad56e3af

Ricardo Johnson 3's and dunk v Beechwood:
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=097c7001a672b5b0ebd386ae6ba714f9

Ricardo Johnson dunk v Beechwood:
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=01a2a6803aa99e5ef6b3bc390bfa9485

Ricardo Johnson: Drive of the week:
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=eaeb7ac92c785674487359dd630113f6

Holmes v Beechwood:
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/media/ShowMedia.do?mid=e25bb931c008249d384082f686a8c5c1

Eta Rho

04-10-2009, 04:21 PM

BTW...Ricardo is more of a wing than an actual forward. He will run the point for Holmes next year at 6'6 and also play the 2, 3, and 4 depending on the situation.

Holmes starting lineup will look like this next year:

6'1 Pierre Mayfield
6'5 Jeremiah Johnson (twin brother of Ricardo)
6'6 Ricardo Johnson
6'6 Kevon Rice
6'8 Elijah Pittman

tornado

04-10-2009, 04:38 PM

very nice, Mr. Rho...
I suspect the kids from Covington are well known to not only the Kentucky schools, but to Cincy, Xavier, and Ohio State as well.....

Eta Rho

04-10-2009, 05:06 PM

very nice, Mr. Rho...
I suspect the kids from Covington are well known to not only the Kentucky schools, but to Cincy, Xavier, and Ohio State as well.....

Correct.

Holmes has 3 other D1 prospects in 6'8 Jr SF Elijah Pittman, 6'5 Jr SG Jeremiah Johnson (twin to Ricardo), and 6'6 Soph SF Kevon Rice and their team was nationally ranked this year, so they received a lot of attention from the coaches in the midwest region. Huggins of West Virginia and Cronin of Cincinnati were at Holmes several times over the summer to watch Ricardo and Elijah in open gym.

I've heard that Butler is now looking at JJ and Rico as a combo package to try and lure Ricardo there, so the brothers can continue to play together.

As of a few weeks ago, Xavier was highest on Ricardo's list. With the recent departure of Miller though, I'd say things are going to change and he is going to start looking at other options...especially considering BU has offered.

Eta Rho

04-10-2009, 06:05 PM

More highlights of Ricardo Johnson of Holmes (#33):

Holmes v Louisville Central (State Championship):
http://www.fox19.com/global/Category.asp?C=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15048&topVideoCatNoB=109491&topVideoCatNoC=104760&topVideoCatNoD=141804&topVideoCatNoE=142722&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3574641

Holmes vying for state championship (Interviews with Ricardo Johnson, highlights, a nice view of where he comes from, and talk about his recruitment):
http://www.fox19.com/global/Category.asp?C=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=15048&topVideoCatNoB=109491&topVideoCatNoC=104760&topVideoCatNoD=141804&topVideoCatNoE=142722&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3401102

Bradleyguy10

04-10-2009, 07:55 PM

It seems we may already be a bit out of our league as his recruiting will continue to grow, but this IMHO should definitely be our #1 priority by a long shot for next year and by #1...I mean our ONLY priority...really make him feel needed not just wanted.

BUBrave28

04-10-2009, 08:43 PM

Eta Rho

04-11-2009, 02:21 AM

Thanks for the info eta. Rico would be a great get. I LOVE how you mentioned he will run the point next year. Our offense relies heavily on 1-3 (even better if we can rely on the 4) being able to handle the ball well. If we bank our last schollie this year could go after the twins as a combo package? Lets get him on campus and go from there. He could be the final piece of the puzzle for a great run in 2010-11.

One of Rico's biggest assets is his ablity to play ANYWHERE on the floor. Coach Henley has described him as a "point-forward" because down the stretch that's what he did...ran the point from time to time but would also play the 2 through 4 as well, depending on the personnel being used. Over the summer, he and his brother JJ take turns running the point on their AAU team.

As good of a ball player as Rico is though, he is an even better kid off the court. Minds his own, never gets in trouble, and is a great STUDENT-athlete. He and his brother JJ both. If teams decide to start going after these two as a package deal, like Butler is currently doing, they will have success all 4 years that those two play together.

Since their sophomore year, Holmes is 70-5 with those two in the starting lineup. Holmes lost 7 seniors from last year's 34-3 state runner up team, returned JJ, Rico, and Pittman, and those three led Holmes to a state championship and 36-2 record as juniors this year.

dogsrus

04-11-2009, 07:49 AM

One of Rico's biggest assets is his ablity to play ANYWHERE on the floor. Coach Henley has described him as a "point-forward" because down the stretch that's what he did...ran the point from time to time but would also play the 2 through 4 as well, depending on the personnel being used. Over the summer, he and his brother JJ take turns running the point on their AAU team.

As good of a ball player as Rico is though, he is an even better kid off the court. Minds his own, never gets in trouble, and is a great STUDENT-athlete. He and his brother JJ both. If teams decide to start going after these two as a package deal, like Butler is currently doing, they will have success all 4 years that those two play together.

Since their sophomore year, Holmes is 70-5 with those two in the starting lineup. Holmes lost 7 seniors from last year's 34-3 state runner up team, returned JJ, Rico, and Pittman, and those three led Holmes to a state championship and 36-2 record as juniors this year.

Thanks again for the info. Sounds like a solid pickup for somebody...hope its BU...BRADLEY BU of course. :)

dogsrus

04-11-2009, 07:51 AM

...especially considering BU has offered.

WHICH BU....thanks.....

Eta Rho

04-11-2009, 11:11 AM

WHICH BU....thanks.....

Bradley is his only current offer.

I'd look for Mississippi St. to offer soon though, from what I'm hearing.

Indiana as well.

Eta Rho

04-11-2009, 12:11 PM

From ESPN.com's Reggie Rankin:

January, 2009: Johnson is a long armed wing with a great basketball body. He likes to attack the rim and shoot the pull up going to his left. He hangs in the air and draws fouls near the rim and can finish through contact. He can also slash between defenders. He is an excellent defensive rebounder that is a threat to take it coast to coast. Johnson is a good ball handler that can find the open man and remains calm when trapped. Great upside.

Eta Rho

04-11-2009, 12:14 PM

From Hoopsreport.com's Darnell "Tate" Johnson after Ricardo's soph. season:

The 2010 class maybe the deepest class in Kentucky history. There are over 20 kids in this class that should play high major to mid major basketball in the future. We start at the top with a very talented guard from Covington Holmes, Ricardo Johnson.

Ricardo Johnson (Covington Holmes High, Covington): We have watched Ricardo play for the last two years but the rest of the state wasn’t welcomed to Ricardo's talents till his talent was put on the largest stage at the state championship in Rupp Arena. Ricardo was the catalyst for leading his team to the finals against Mason County. Even though Covington Holmes came up short it wasn’t from lack of effort from Ricardo, who was a star in the game and made the all tournament team. Ricardo can do it all from the point guard, shooting guard or the wing position. This kid is definitely a high major talent.

Eta Rho

04-11-2009, 12:48 PM

Johnson makes All Queen City High team:

The high school hoops season is over and it's time to hand out the hardware. Holmes brought the state title back to Northern Kentucky for the first time in 28 years. Princeton came up just short on their championship run. Congrats to both teams for keeping all of us entertained this season. Now, let's look at the players that did the same.

Second team:
G – Ricardo Johnson, Holmes, 6-5, Jr.
Ricardo Johnson saved his best for last by winning the MVP of the Kentucky Sweet 16 Tournament as Holmes (36-2) won the state title for the first time. He led the Bulldogs in assists (109) and was second in points (417) and rebounds (212). That balanced game earned him Second-Team All-Kentucky honors. He currently is sitting on 822 career points and has an offer on the table from Bradley along with several others schools expressing interest.

Eta Rho

04-11-2009, 01:05 PM

Awards that Ricardo received this year:

Second Team All State
Sweet 16 State Tournament MVP
Sweet 16 State All Tournament Team (Second year in a row)
9th Region Tournament MVP
9th Region All Tournament Team (Second year in a row)
9th Region Player Of The Year
9th Region Defensive Player Of The Year
9th Region Division 1 All Star Team (Second year in a row)

Bradleyguy10

04-11-2009, 02:09 PM

Eta Rho

04-11-2009, 02:31 PM

Eta Rho...who ARE you?

haha

Seriously though...this would be PHENOMENAL for Bradley. This would be a huge coup I think even though we are his only offer I don't expect that to be the case soon. I hope this isn't one of those deals again where Bradley offers early and a kid has us in his top 3 all along but realistically has to choose a BCS school in the end. He would be a star here...plain and simple.

Honestly, if he commits I could see us being a Sweet 16 team both his freshmen and sophomore years and I like the foundation of the team that is there when he is a Junior as well......and I'm a "realist" sometimes known as "pessimist"

I do work with Queencityhigh.com which is a rivals site in the nky/cincy area, so I'm pretty up to date with the players in that area, especially Ricardo. I was fortunate enough to cover Holmes this year for probably 30 of their 38 games.

Rico is a high character kid who is big on honesty and the coaches being real with him. If the coaching staff is keeping in touch with him and letting him know how important he would be to the program, I'm sure his interest level would continue to grow toward them.

The following is from an article a few months back:

"Right now I'm hearing from Xavier, Cincinnati, Butler, Eastern Kentucky, Western Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky, Georgetown, West Virginia, South Florida, Ole Miss, Wright State and Virginia Tech," said Johnson.

Johnson has already attended camps at Kentucky, Cincinnati and Xavier, and has made an additional unofficial visit to Xavier.

Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin and assistant coach Tony Stubblefield have been by to see Johnson work out in open gym and Johnson has taken notice. "The coaches at Cincinnati stand out, they keep it real with me and tell me what's right," said Johnson.

As one of the top players in the state of Kentucky in the 2010 class don't expect Ricardo Johnson's recruitment to slow down anytime soon.

tornado

04-11-2009, 05:28 PM

you are really good with your reporting, thanks...
you are welcome here any time to report on talent from your area

Eta Rho

04-12-2009, 06:50 AM

you are really good with your reporting, thanks...
you are welcome here any time to report on talent from your area

Thanks Tornado.

I'll be doing an interview with Ricardo here in the next few days and I'll be sure to post it when I finish it.

Eta Rho

04-12-2009, 11:28 AM

Ricardo Johnson named Ky Enquirer Player of the Year:

From KY Enquirer:

Chelsea Tolliver and Ricardo Johnson both added some impressive accomplishments to their basketball résumés during the 2008-09 season. Both led their teams to the state tournament. Both were regional tournament MVPs. Both were named to the Sweet Sixteen all-tournament teams. Both were all-state.

And both are Enquirer players of the year.

Johnson, a Holmes junior guard, averaged 11 points and six rebounds a game. He was one of the area's top defenders. He was an Associated Press second-team all-state selection and helped lead Holmes to a state title.

"Whenever it got into crunch time in the fourth quarter, we wanted the ball in his hands as much as possible," Holmes coach David Henley said.

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20090412/SPT0302/904120367/0/SPT0302

(Click on photos for bigger view)

98

Ricardo and Coach Henley with Rico's Sweet 16 MVP trophy
99

100

Eta Rho

04-12-2009, 12:37 PM

Will do. haha

I should have something by either Tuesday or Wednesday.

BUBrave28

04-12-2009, 10:55 PM

Thanks again Eta..keep it up the good work.

Eta Rho

04-14-2009, 04:07 AM

Ricardo was named Courier Journal All State First Team:

Boys First Team:

Player of the year: 6'7 Sr. F Jon Hood- Madisonville North-Hopkins
6'8 Sr. C Richie Phares- Scott Co
6'3 Sr. G Vee Sanford- Lexington Catholic
6'2 Sr. G Jon Ferguson- Elliott Co
5'11 Jr. G Elisha Justice- Shelby Valley
6'5 Sr. F C.J Penny- Anderson Co
6'2 Sr. G Ethan Faulkner- Elliott Co
6'8 Sr. C Darren Ballou- Adair Co
6'7 Jr. F Elijah Pittman- Covington Holmes
6'5 Jr. G Ricardo Johnson- Covington Holmes

The 6-foot-5 Johnson didn't put up gaudy numbers, but he was named Sweet 16 MVP in helping the Bulldogs to the title.

Johnson led Holmes in assists with 2.9 a game and was second on the team in scoring (10.7 points per game) and rebounds (5.6 per game). Holmes coach David Henley said much of the time Johnson also guarded the opponent's top player.

"Ricardo can just do it all, and he's not selfish at all," Henley said. "He guarded Richie Phares at 6-8 when we played Scott County; he guarded Steve McFarland, who is 6-5, when we played Boone County. He ran the point for us some. He can just do anything we need him to."

Johnson averaged 13 points during the Sweet 16 run and was named Northern Kentucky Coaches Association Player of the Year. He was named second-team All-Queen City, honoring the top players in greater Cincinnati.

With 822 career points, Johnson has received an offer from Bradley and other schools, including Kentucky, have shown interest.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090412/SPORTS05/304120023

Ricardo's brother Jeremiah and teammate Jamel Riley were also named honorable mention all state as well..

Eta Rho

04-14-2009, 04:13 AM

For the record...Ricardo guarded Vee Sanford, Jon Ferguson, and Richie Phares, all three first team all state, and they scored a combined 25 points on him.

Vee was held to 6 points. (16 below his season average)
Richie was held to 4 points. (14 below his season average)
Jon was held to 15 points. (10 below his season average)

Despite being able to play any position on the floor offensively, Ricardo can also defend ANYONE on the floor as well and keep them in check.

Eta Rho

04-14-2009, 04:30 AM

Ricardo was also named to the Herald-Leader All State Team as well:

Ricardo Johnson

He didn't have flashy numbers — 11.0 points and 5.6 rebounds — but Johnson was Holmes' most reliable player and best leader.

The 6-foot-5 senior was named the outstanding defensive player by the Northern Kentucky Coaches Association, and his all-around play earned him the ultimate award — MVP of the Sweet Sixteen — after leading Holmes to the state title.

"During the regional and state tournaments, we made sure Ricardo had the ball in his hands and ran the point coming down the stretch of close games," Coach David Henley said.

Johnson, a junior, has a scholarship offer from Bradley. Indiana and Xavier are also showing interest.

http://www.kentucky.com/813/story/758492-p2.html

Eta Rho

04-14-2009, 04:54 AM

Holmes duo rated 1-2 college prospects:

Ricardo Johnson and Elijah Pittman, who as juniors led Holmes to the Sweet Sixteen basketball championship, are rated the top two rising prospects in the state by Rick Bolus’ High Potential Recruiting Service.

Johnson, a 6-foot-5 guard, averaged 11 points and 6 rebounds, and Pittman, a 6-7 forward, averaged 14 points and 6.5 rebounds in helping Holmes win 36 of 38 games.

Here’s how Bolus rates the prospects (players are listed with the class they’ll be in next school year):

Top 12

1 Ricardo Johnson, Holmes (6-5 Sr.)
2 Elijah Pittman, Holmes (6-7 Sr.)
3 Chad Jackson, Scott County (6-4 Sr.)
4 Ge-Lawn Guyn, Scott County (6-4 Sr.)
5 George Fant, Warren Central (6-6 Jr.)
6 Donovan Gibbs, Iroquois (6-7 Sr.)
7 Dakotah Euton, Scott County (6-8 Sr.)
8 Vinny Zollo, Clark County (6-8 Jr.)
9 Aaron Cosby, Jeffersontown (6-2 Sr.)
10 Josh Sewell, Trinity (6-4 Sr.)
11 Matt St. John, South Laurel ((6-8 Sr.)
12 Elisha Justice, Shelby Valley (5-11 Sr.)

http://fieldsnotes.bloginky.com/

tornado

04-14-2009, 08:36 AM

Eta Rho

04-14-2009, 11:47 AM

thanks eta--
Vinny Zollo is in limbo now that Calipari is at UK....
several articles say Vinny & his mom want to talk to Calipari but he hasn't returned their calls.
Now that he has all 5-Star recruits, my guess is that he doesn't need Zollo.
http://www.kentucky.com/818/story/754244.html
http://notredame.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=2&c=856027&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2fnotredame.scout.com%2fa. z%3fs%3d109%26p%3d2%26c%3d856027

Zollo won't be at UK...not athletic enough. He's a mid major talent at best though. He's solid in the paint because of his size, but overall, he'd struggle tremendously against either Ricardo, Elijah, or Jeremiah.

A quicker kid of his size or slightly smaller will give him fits all night.

Eta Rho

04-19-2009, 04:07 PM

Ricardo Johnson of Covington Holmes has been selected as Primetime Performer of the Week for Boys Basketball by tomleachky.com. Johnson, a junior, averaged 13.3 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists a game in leading Holmes to the state championship. He was named MVP of the Sweet 16. Johnson led the Bulldogs to a win over Christian County with 15 points and 11 rebounds. In the second round, Holmes beat Lexington Catholic behind 15 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and three steals from Johnson. In the semifinals, he scored 17 points, dished out five assists, and collected four rebounds in a win over Elliott County. Johnson battled foul trouble in the state championship game against Louisville Central, but scored six points as Holmes got the win in double overtime. Bradley University offered Johnson a scholarship after the state championship game, and several other schools are showing interest.

Da Coach

05-15-2009, 06:40 AM

One recruiting site, Rick Bolus' High Potential Recruiting Service has named Ricardo Johnson as the best player in the state of Kentucky.
http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/2009/05/holmes-duo-tops-in-kentucky.html

tornado

05-15-2009, 08:12 AM

http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/uploaded_images/Ricardo-Johnson-11082-727885-712791.jpg
Ricardo Johnson

I wouldn't mind having the guy...

Eta Rho

06-15-2009, 09:27 PM

Update on Rico:

From Dustin Rumbaugh of Kentuckysportsradio.com:

115

This weekend I traveled to Xavier’s campus to watch the Kentucky State Champion, Covington Holmes, participate in the University’s basketball camp. Holmes has three players on their roster getting looks from D-1 schools: Ricardo Johnson (#33 above), Elijah Pittman (#24 above) and Jeremiah Johnson. The competition at the camp may not have been up to Holmes’ fairly high standards, but there were still some opportunities to see their athletes show some of their skills.

Ricardo showed the ability to pull up for accurate mid-range jumpers but his outside shot was a little streaky. He is athletically gifted and uses that ability to finish well in traffic, even if he gets a few bumps along the way. Ricardo’s at his best in transition, where he can find the lanes and explode down them. He told me that he plans on trying to improve all parts of his game in order to become the most well-rounded player that he can be. Butler, Bradley, Xavier, Oklahoma State, Wright State, Mississipi State and South Florida are showing interest, with Bradley on the board early with an offer. Memphis had sent him letters while Cal was there but have not yet been in contact since Cal made his switch to UK.

Through the high school regular season, I am sure that Calipari will try to get a closer look at some of the in-state talent and these three should be high on his list. Holmes’ team also looked to be preparing themselves for a reappearance at the state tournament in 2010. They are a very well coached and highly talented bunch.

http://new.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=21658

Eta Rho

06-15-2009, 09:34 PM

Recent video on Ricardo:

http://www.kentuckysportsnetwork.com/video/video/show?id=2148737%3AVideo%3A58666

dogsrus

06-15-2009, 10:35 PM

Recent video on Ricardo:

http://www.kentuckysportsnetwork.com/video/video/show?id=2148737%3AVideo%3A58666

Thanks for all the info ER.....any thoughts as to where Bradley stands with this kid considering the early offer...or I guess I should say any thoughts as to where the kid stands as far as considering BU.

Thanks.....

Eta Rho

06-15-2009, 10:48 PM

Thanks for all the info ER.....any thoughts as to where Bradley stands with this kid considering the early offer...or I guess I should say any thoughts as to where the kid stands as far as considering BU.

Thanks.....

Not really sure to be honest with you...I'm going to try to get in touch with him and get an update on his recruitment and see where the programs on his list stands within the next few days.

From what I hear, both Oklahoma St and Mississippi St are close to offering. Xavier has always been very high on his list, but with the recent departure of Miller, that may have changed things. I'm pretty sure it was Mack that was recruiting him though.

I think he may be waiting to hear from Coach Cal at UK and see where he stands with them before making a solid committment. Coach Cal's offense suits Rico perfectly since he's a bigger guard that can handle the rock and use his athleticism both in transition and in the half court.

I'd say we're all in "wait and see" mode with him right now. The July recruiting period is when things should really heat up and when we should all get a better grasp of what his plans are.

tornado

06-16-2009, 07:47 AM

the kid is a fine player, and it is doubtful those other BCS guys will hold off much longer...
he will get a lot of offers...

Eta Rho

06-16-2009, 10:31 AM

the kid is a fine player, and it is doubtful those other BCS guys will hold off much longer...
he will get a lot of offers...

A lot of scouts in the area are actually surprised he doesn't have more offers already. Bradley offered him at the right time. The kid is only going to get better, bigger, and stronger the rest of the summer and throughout his senior year.

Eta Rho

06-17-2009, 08:10 PM

Spoke with Ricardo tonight. As of right now, he's hearing the most from Bradley, Butler, South Florida, Xavier, and Wright St. He has no favorites at this point and is just waiting to see what else comes along. I wouldn't look for him to commit any time soon.

lake Camelot

06-18-2009, 10:07 AM

Well it's nice to hear that we are heavily involved. However, if he is not going to comit soon to anyone I think our chances go down. We have been through this before with some high ranked players. Unless he has an injury or verbals early it hasen't usually worked out. Except for Prosser. i hope this is the exception because I think he would fit in really well.

tornado

06-20-2009, 11:34 AM

Miami takes a preemptive strike at trying to get Ricardo Johnson, by making vigorous overtures towards Ricardo and his teammate Elijah Pittman..

http://oklahomastate.scout.com/a.z?s=181&p=2&c=873722

"Johnson gave an updated list of the schools recruiting him so far. Besides
Miami-OH, they include Bradley, Butler, Oklahoma State, Xavier, Mississippi
State, South Florida, Wright State, Western Kentucky, and Indiana. Of
those, only Bradley has offered him a scholarship.

In the past, Johnson also named Cincinnati, Ohio, Eastern Kentucky, West
Virginia, Kentucky, Georgetown, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, and Iowa.

Johnson says Bradley, Butler, and Oklahoma State are recruiting him the hardest.

Johnson has taken a visit to Xavier in the past and plans to visit Bradley. He
is not attending any elite camps.

Academically, Johnson has a 3.2 GPA and scored a 15 on the ACT."

PM me if you want to see more of this fine article..........it is premium

Da Coach

06-20-2009, 02:18 PM

Is anyone recruiting Ricardo Johnson's twin brother Jeremiah Johnson? He has been described as a D1 talent, but I can't find much on him.

Eta Rho

06-22-2009, 04:06 PM

Is anyone recruiting Ricardo Johnson's twin brother Jeremiah Johnson? He has been described as a D1 talent, but I can't find much on him.

Several teams have showed interest in him such as Butler, Akron, and Wright State, but from speaking with Rico a few days ago, none have been actively recruiting him lately. Neither Rivals or Scout have a profile for him, but ESPN has several recruiting analysis on him.

JJ is every bit as talented and athletic as Ricardo, but seems to lack the confidence and doesn't have the outside shot that Ricardo has. I saw both recently at an AAU event and JJ looks as if he's grown some since last year. Ricardo is a legit 6'5 and JJ is a little taller now.

Bradleyguy10

06-22-2009, 06:30 PM

Well from the sounds of it we have already missed out on Ricardo...we should start going for the brother now...especially if he's just as good..confidence will come once he gets playing

jeffsu

06-22-2009, 08:14 PM

Package Deal, baby. Lets get 'em both up here together!

Eta Rho

06-23-2009, 09:45 AM

Package Deal, baby. Lets get 'em both up here together!

Butler is one of the schools actively pursuing both as a package deal and trying to sell the idea to them....

Eta Rho

06-23-2009, 10:11 AM

Well from the sounds of it we have already missed out on Ricardo...we should start going for the brother now...especially if he's just as good..confidence will come once he gets playing

I wouldn't put too much stock in to the Miami article. When I spoke with Ricardo he didn't even mention Miami as an option.

The only real difference between JJ and Ricardo is Ricardo is more of a scorer than JJ. JJ gets a lot of his points in the paint or within 12 feet, whereas Ricardo can fill it up from anywhere on the floor. Both are very fundamentally sound though, can bring the ball up, and are very athletic. The one area I believe JJ may be better is on the glass. He led Holmes in rpg last year with 8 and is very good at finishing around the rim as shown in the following video:

07/08 Region Championship: JJ #23:
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/video/179386.html

Keep in mind that JJ is probably 2 inches shorter and about 15 lbs lighter in that video as a sophomore.

Indy_BB

06-23-2009, 12:34 PM

Butler is one of the schools actively pursuing both as a package deal and trying to sell the idea to them....
I can't see how this would be possible with the scholarship situation how it is. Its still probably not much better than 3:1 Ricardo getting offered. His brother would almost certainly have to be a preferred walk-on, which is something I doubt would interest him at almost 40 grand per year.

Eta Rho

06-23-2009, 02:28 PM

I can't see how this would be possible with the scholarship situation how it is. Its still probably not much better than 3:1 Ricardo getting offered. His brother would almost certainly have to be a preferred walk-on, which is something I doubt would interest him at almost 40 grand per year.

Which is the reason it is very unlikely to happen, but they're definetly trying to sell it to them.. JJ will find a nice D1 home. He is a legit first year player off the bench at the mid major level and would play high major program after a year or two.

Butler or Oklahoma St will be the next school to offer Ricardo...mark it down. I'll be very surprised if it isn't one of those two.

Bradleyguy10

06-23-2009, 04:14 PM

I wouldn't put too much stock in to the Miami article. When I spoke with Ricardo he didn't even mention Miami as an option.

The only real difference between JJ and Ricardo is Ricardo is more of a scorer than JJ. JJ gets a lot of his points in the paint or within 12 feet, whereas Ricardo can fill it up from anywhere on the floor. Both are very fundamentally sound though, can bring the ball up, and are very athletic. The one area I believe JJ may be better is on the glass. He led Holmes in rpg last year with 8 and is very good at finishing around the rim as shown in the following video:

07/08 Region Championship: JJ #23:
http://wlwt.highschoolplaybook.com/video/179386.html

Keep in mind that JJ is probably 2 inches shorter and about 15 lbs lighter in that video as a sophomore.

I'm okay with that. You told us JJ has just as much athleticism and is slightly bigger. If he's got the ability to shoot outside if anyone can bring it out it's Jim Les. Besides we don't necessarily need another 3pt shooter and extra Theron Wilson type behind or with Taylor Brown would be excellent.

Eta Rho

06-23-2009, 05:53 PM

I'm okay with that. You told us JJ has just as much athleticism and is slightly bigger. If he's got the ability to shoot outside if anyone can bring it out it's Jim Les. Besides we don't necessarily need another 3pt shooter and extra Theron Wilson type behind or with Taylor Brown would be excellent.

Again, the only thing I see lacking in JJ's game is confidence. He doesn't play with the same swagger that Ricardo seems to play with. I think a lot of that may have had to do with him being the 4th option offensively this past year. Here is a recent evaluation of him:

Jeremiah is a great looking prospect when he is playing in transition. His outside shot remains a little bit suspect and seems to be what is holding him back at this point. If he could add a consistent outside jumper to his repertoire he would be able to force defenders to hug him close on the perimeter, allowing his driving ability to take over. Jeremiah’s athletic ability gives him a high ceiling and it will be interesting to see how he develops throughout his senior year.

http://new.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=21658

SFP

06-23-2009, 06:52 PM

Eta Rho

06-23-2009, 11:48 PM

Eta regardless I believe both brothers would be well served under JL's coaching. It sounds like their game is more suited to play in our system and they can both showcase their athleticism in which we can guarantee will happen here. You have never heard of a player from BU complaining about the tempo we play! :D

Both would excel tremendously in a fast paced transition game. I noticed that Rico plans to take a visit to Bradley soon as well as Butler...considering Bradley has already offered, that definetly plays in to their favor.

Why is Bradley not recruiting 6'8 SF Elijah Pittman of Holmes? He is probably the most talented player on their team. Scouts have talked about him as having enough talent to be a potential Mcdonalds All American.

Da Coach

06-24-2009, 06:07 AM

Why is Bradley not recruiting 6'8 SF Elijah Pittman of Holmes? He is probably the most talented player on their team. Scouts have talked about him as having enough talent to be a potential Mcdonalds All American.

I do not know that Bradley isn't recruiting Pittman, but I haven't heard or read anything to suggest they are. And, I don't have any connection with the coaches who make the BU recruiting decisions, but I suspect it is because Bradley doesn't have the resources to recruit every kid.
Pittman is already receiving interest from high majors like Kentucky and Xavier. Plus, Bradley already has commitments from 2 big kids, Sean Harris and John Wilkins, who appear on track to be here in 2010, plus they just brought in 2 big guys this fall. BU has currently only 1 scholarship available for 2010, and it doesn't seem likely they would target another inside player with their last scholarship.

Eta Rho

06-24-2009, 12:59 PM

I do not know that Bradley isn't recruiting Pittman, but I haven't heard or read anything to suggest they are. And, I don't have any connection with the coaches who make the BU recruiting decisions, but I suspect it is because Bradley doesn't have the resources to recruit every kid.
Pittman is already receiving interest from high majors like Kentucky and Xavier. Plus, Bradley already has commitments from 2 big kids, Sean Harris and John Wilkins, who appear on track to be here in 2010, plus they just brought in 2 big guys this fall. BU has currently only 1 scholarship available for 2010, and it doesn't seem likely they would target another inside player with their last scholarship.

Thanks for the info.

BUBrave28

06-24-2009, 02:48 PM

Eta Rho

06-24-2009, 03:46 PM

A visit soon sounds fantastic!! Get here soon, Rico! Would it be better for his visit here to be before or after his visit to Butler?

Eta, thanks again for the info and keep us updated on when that visit might be.

Really depends...I'd expect Butler to offer if they can get him up on campus.

I'm going to talk to him tonight and see what visits he has lined up and to where. I'll let you guys know as soon as I hear from him.

Bradleyguy10

06-24-2009, 05:28 PM

A visit soon sounds fantastic!! Get here soon, Rico! Would it be better for his visit here to be before or after his visit to Butler?

Eta, thanks again for the info and keep us updated on when that visit might be.

BEFORE! haha

Well I guess that's if he plans on committing. If he's truly not planning on committing for a while, then after would possibly be better. Might stick out in his mind a little more.

Eta Rho

06-25-2009, 08:51 AM

BEFORE! haha

Well I guess that's if he plans on committing. If he's truly not planning on committing for a while, then after would possibly be better. Might stick out in his mind a little more.

Spoke with Ricardo and he doesn't have a specific time he plans on visiting either Bradley or Butler, but just stated that he plan on visiting both before the start of the school year in August..

As far as when he'll committ, I think he's holding out at this point to see what else comes along. The live July recruiting period is when things should heat up. I'd look for something to happen before the start of his senior season though (season starts first week of December). He's stated he'd like to make a decision before then so he can focus on his school work and team.

tornado

06-30-2009, 07:59 AM

thanks eta--
Vinny Zollo is in limbo now that Calipari is at UK....
several articles say Vinny & his mom want to talk to Calipari but he hasn't returned their calls.....

Zollo won't be at UK.......

bingo....finally Vinny talks to Coach Cal, and instantly decommits...

"The last of Billy Gillispie's underclassmen commitments to Kentucky is now officially decommitted.
"I talked with the Kentucky coaches yesterday and officially opened up my recruitment," said Zollo"
http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=960471

Eta Rho

07-01-2009, 12:01 PM

bingo....finally Vinny talks to Coach Cal, and instantly decommits...

"The last of Billy Gillispie's underclassmen commitments to Kentucky is now officially decommitted.
"I talked with the Kentucky coaches yesterday and officially opened up my recruitment," said Zollo"
http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=960471

I've pretty much known about this since Billy G was fired from UK...Zollo doesn't fit in well in the dribble drive offense. From seeing him several times over the past few years, he is more suited to play in an offense where he has time to come down and post up down low. Talented kid but lacks athleticism and quickness big time.

Eta Rho

07-04-2009, 11:44 AM

Ricardo will be at the Adidas Take 5ive Classic this week end on the campus of the University of Cincinnati with his KY Players AAU team.

I plan on getting over there Monday night to take in some of the action and I'll give a recap of how he performed. They play at 5:20 and 8:00.

Eta Rho

07-05-2009, 06:22 PM

Just did a phone interview with Ricardo about his team and himself. Here is what he had to say:

How are some of the younger guys looking? Do you see any of them being able to contribute off the bench?

Ricardo: Yea I see some. They're just small right now. They are learning though just like everyone else.

What do you see that you guys need to improve on as a team and what would you say are the strengths of next year's team?

Ricardo: I would say our team DEFENSE. Defense is the key to the game. It can help you when your offense is off. So I believe that defense will be the key.

Do you think this year's team has the potential to be better than last year's?

Ricardo: To me, no. I say that just because of experience we had. But we have a chance to be good.

Obviously you want to win state and repeat as state champs, but what are some of your personal goals as far as next season goes?

Ricardo: Improve on my game and go somewhere where I can play.

What do you feel you can bring to a college program? Is there any particular style that you prefer to play in?

Ricardo: I feel that I can bring toughness, character, and heart to a program and I know how to win.

I prefer the running style.

Do any of the schools recruiting you right now stick out above the others?

Ricardo: I'm just open to everyone right now. When I know where I wanna go, that's when everyone else will know.

One last question Ricardo and I'll let you go...Do you feel it'd be beneficial for you to wait until your senior season is completed to make a decision, so you can fully weigh all of your options?

Yea, I'm going to wait when the season is over. As of now I gotta finish my senior year out with a bang.

There you have it guys. Hope the information was helpful to all of you and let you get to know him a little better. I'll have more on him tomorrow night after I go see his AAU team play at the Adidas It takes 5ive classic.

Da Coach

07-05-2009, 06:25 PM

Thanks for the update!

Eta Rho

07-05-2009, 06:47 PM

No problem...like I said, I'll have more on him tomorrow and an update of how he did on the first day at the Adidas It takes 5ive classic at UC.

SFP

07-05-2009, 09:57 PM

Also let us know if you see any of our coaches there!

Eta Rho

07-06-2009, 10:21 AM

Also let us know if you see any of our coaches there!

Will do...just got off the phone with someone over there and Crean (Indiana), Calipari (UK), and Pitino (L'ville) are all in attendance right now.

tornado

07-06-2009, 10:45 AM

hmmm....those guys get around....
there is a current story up saying this...........

"July 6, 8a.m.
An 8 a.m. opener....Monday morning in Indianapolis.
Indiana Coach Tom Crean, Illinois Coach Bruce Weber and Iowa Coach Todd
Lickliter were among those on hand to see Coach Chris Hawkins’ 15-and-
under team cruise to an 89-41 win over the Peoria Irish at Arlington H.S.
In addition to that trio of Big Ten head coaches, staffers from Purdue,
Tennessee, Notre Dame, Butler and Xavier were also on hand."
http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=2&c=877301

BTW...Max Bielfeldt plays with the Peoria Irish

so how does Crean see a game in Indianapolis at 8AM, then get to Cincy to see a game at 10AM??

Eta Rho

07-06-2009, 05:08 PM

Eta Rho

07-06-2009, 09:54 PM

Just got in from watching Ricardo play and he was very impressive.

He started out slow but finished with 23 of his teams' 51 points in the game I saw him. I didn't realize how strong he had gotten since last year until tonight. He took an absolute beating on drives to the rim but was still strong enough to hang and finish while getting the "and one." He showed the ability to knock down both the mid range jumper and the 3 ball. I believe he finished with four 3 pointers, including one where he got absolutely killed by the kid running at him and still made it. Needs to work on his ball handling a bit but he is quick off the dribble and was able to get to the rim anytime he wanted. What impressed me most was his versatility and ability to defend kids bigger than him on defense. He defended a 6'7 and 6'10 kid throughout the game when Pittman (6'8 ) wasn't in and more than held his own. His defense was very good. Made a few mental mistakes but overall was pretty solid.

BTW, Bradley had a black gentleman sitting two chairs down from me taking notes and watching Ricardo. Not sure of his name, but I'm sure a few of you should know who I'm speaking of. Bob Huggins of West Va. was also there to see Ricardo and Elijah Pittman.

thefish7

07-07-2009, 07:40 AM

Probably AB3?

tornado

07-07-2009, 08:17 AM

Bob Huggins of West Va. was also there to see Ricardo and Elijah Pittman.

tell Bob, that RJ doesn't fit the general profile of the kids he recruits...he's never been arrested!

Eta Rho

07-07-2009, 11:56 AM

tell Bob, that RJ doesn't fit the general profile of the kids he recruits...he's never been arrested!

I had to laugh a bit when I read that, but being from the Cincinnati/NKY area I have to tell you that Bob is a great guy and really gets the most of his kids. I agree his track record at UC wasn't great but as a person, he's one of the best guys you'll ever meet.

tornado

07-07-2009, 11:56 AM

one comment from a premium recruiting analyst's report...
"Ricardo Johnson looks like an impressive mid-major wing"

so I hope he picks the right mid-major

Eta Rho

07-07-2009, 11:58 AM

Does anyone know who the black gentleman is that would have been there watching Ricardo? He and the two coaches next to him were talking about Ricardo throughout the game.

tornado

07-07-2009, 11:59 AM

I am certain it is assistant BU coach Alvin Brooks
http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/search.php?searchid=374455

Eta Rho

07-07-2009, 12:02 PM

one comment from a premium recruiting analyst's report...
"Ricardo Johnson looks like an impressive mid-major wing"

so I hope he picks the right mid-major

The AAU team that he plays for has a lot to do with the reason that Bradley is his only current offer...

I spoke with several college coaches/scouts yesterday and all said the same thing....if Ricardo wants more exposure, he needs to play for a different coach or different team. Many of the scouts/coaches don't want to deal with the guy that coaches that team. Lack of basketball knowledge and a "me first" type of guy.

Eta Rho

07-07-2009, 12:04 PM

I am certain it is assistant BU coach Alvin Brooks
http://www.bradleyfans.com/vb/search.php?searchid=374455

Yea that's him.

Eta Rho

07-08-2009, 06:01 PM

Didn't get a chance to see him today, but Ricardo led his KY Players team to the Silver Bracket championship after going 0-2 in pool play at the Adidas It Takes 5ive Classic in Cincinnati... Nice bounce back for him and his team.

Bradleyguy10

07-08-2009, 06:22 PM

Ugh we need him!!!

What is the likelihood he goes bigger than Bradley? A ballpark percentage...

tornado

07-09-2009, 07:49 AM

Ricardo is a very talented Theron Wilson type scorer....he will likely get other offers, but right now his only reported offer is Bradley

Eta Rho

07-10-2009, 04:11 AM

Ugh we need him!!!

What is the likelihood he goes bigger than Bradley? A ballpark percentage...

Ricardo has told me that he doesn't plan on committing until his senior season is finished, so it's tough to really know what the likelihood is of him going bigger. A lot could happen between now and March.

Eta Rho

07-10-2009, 04:26 AM

Johnson Shines in Take Five

The last time we saw Ricardo Johnson he had just won a state championship with his Holmes team. The win marked the first state championship for Northern Kentucky since Simon Kenton won it in 1981. That tournament was a great showcase for Johnson as he garnered his first division-I offer from Bradley University. However, the AAU circuit is where a lot of players earn their spot at the next level.

Johnson was the best player on the court in both the semifinals and finals on Wednesday. He displayed not only his improved strength when finishing around the basket but also a solid step-back jumper from the 15-to-17 foot range that had the scouts impressed. The 6-foot-5 senior-to-be played a lot of his minutes at the point position, showing that not only could he play as a scorer off of the ball, but also lead his team from the point position as well. In the finals Johnson had 14 points at the half and finished with 20 in the win demonstrating his scoring ability in the first half and then his leadership and ability to get his teammates involved in the second.

"I want to improve my jumpshot, my ballhandling, really just every aspect of my game," he said. "I feel if I'm working on all parts of my game, I can't be stopped. I just want to make my position stronger."

"He's good… I mean really good," said a coach from a school in the MAC conference. "His versatility and the way he shot the ball today… I'm surprised he's not getting recruited by the big boys. He was the best player on the court today."

Johnson said that Bradley was still his only offer, but there had been other schools in contact as of late.

"I've been talking to Oklahoma State a little bit recently, also Miami of Ohio and Xavier a little bit."

One thing is for sure, if Johnson continues to play in these national tournaments at that high of a level, Bradley won't be his only offer for long.

http://queencityhigh.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=963754

real fan

07-10-2009, 06:33 AM

Unless BU loses a player for whatever reason ,the one and only scholarship will be gone during the fall signing period. I don"t think this kid understands how big basketball is in Peoria and how special it is to play for a school like Bradley.

tornado

07-10-2009, 07:43 AM

Eta Rho, thanks for that coverage....it is clear that all the fans here love Ricardo Johnson, and we're pulling for him to choose Bradley,
but we wish him well wherever he ends up.

He reminds a little of Courtney Lee, who almost chose Bradley then went to WKU, and many of the informed fans here continued to follw him just because he was exciting to watch.

btw - for those interested...not only does queencityhigh.com have nice coverage
http://queencityhigh.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=963754

they have a discussion going....
http://queencityhigh.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=2630&tid=124143349&mid=124143349&sid=1204&style=2

Eta Rho

07-17-2009, 11:41 AM

Just received word that Ricardo and his Holmes team will be participating in the following events this coming season:

December 5th- Marshall Co Hoopfest
Holmes v Gary (Ind.) Bowman Academy @ Marshall Co High School (Bowman features the 3rd best soph to be in Indiana in 6'5 Dejuan Marrero)

(Oak Hill Academy ; Findlay Prep ; Christ School, NC ; Jackson, Miss. Callaway ; to name a few will also be there)

December 17-22nd- King of the Bluegrass
Teams- Holmes, L'ville Eastern, Clark County (6'9 Vinny Zollo), Warren Central (Top 100 prospect 2011, 6'6 George Fant), L'ville Ballard, L'ville Trinity (Miami, Oh commit, Josh Sewell), L'ville Iroquois, L'ville Fairdale, L'ville Seneca, Shelby County, Tates Creek, Knott County Central, Huntsville (AL) J. O. Johnson (Josh Langford- L'ville commit), Scottsdale (AZ) Chaparral (Zeke Chapman-son of Rex Chapman), Powder Springs (GA) McEachern (Trae Golden-top 25 prospect), and Memphis (TN) Central.

January 2nd- US Bank Classic
Holmes @ Mason Co (2008 KY state champs)

January 6th
Holmes v Princeton, OH (2009 OH State Runner Up...feature Ohio St commit and top 50 prospect, Jordan Sibert)

January 16th (?)- Joe B Hall Kentucky Preps Classic
Holmes v Christian Co

Other Events:
Kentucky- Tennessee Shootout @ Warren Central
Holmes will play a team from Memphis, TN (I believe Joe Johnson's team)

Lloyd Memorial Holiday Tournament

Da Coach

07-18-2009, 08:02 AM

Ricardo Johnson picked up a 2nd offer- from Ohio University.
http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/blog.html

Kentucky Sweet 16 MVP Ricardo Johnson of Covington Holmes picked up his second firm schoalrship offer when he received one from Ohio University. Ohio U. joins Bradley as the two frontrunners for the services of Johnson (photo).
http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/uploaded_images/Ricardo-Johnson-mug0109-722018.jpg

Eta Rho

07-18-2009, 10:35 AM

The Holmes' 6-foot-5 wing that led them to a State Championship received his second offer Friday night.

Johnson called me around 10:30 to alert me that Ohio University had contacted him earlier in the night and offered him his second Division-I scholarship.

The first to offer was the Bradley Braves.

http://nkysportsblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/ricardo-johnson-receives-second-offer.html

Eta Rho

07-18-2009, 10:51 AM

You can also go to the following link and read more notes about Ricardo from one of the scouts who was at the It Takes 5ive Classic in Cincinnati:

http://nkysportsblog.blogspot.com/search/label/holmes

Scroll down to the second story.

BTW, with Ohio offering, expect Akron to be the next offer that Johnson picks up....

Eta Rho

07-18-2009, 12:02 PM

Also, this should make a few fans very happy...........

I just spoke with Ric and he said he plans on visiting Bradley towards the end of August.

BUBrave28

07-18-2009, 12:11 PM

Great news! Hope we're going all out.. Let's make a good impression before anyone else can.

Eta Rho

07-18-2009, 12:59 PM

Great news! Hope we're going all out.. Let's make a good impression before anyone else can.

At this point, Bradley and Ohio U. are the only two schools he said he plans on visiting and that he'd do both at the end of August.

Also said that he plans on re taking the ACT, which I believe is in September. (?)

tornado

07-19-2009, 08:16 AM

Eta Rho

07-19-2009, 01:35 PM

Eta - remind RJ who's sent the most players to the NBA (22 to 9 and 12-4 since the 1960's - with Ohio having only ONE in the last 15 seasons), and who's been to the Sweet Sixteen the most recent..

also note that the discussion here on BradleyFans is 6 pages long...and on the Bobcat board it's not even a page long, with really only 2-3 posts even staying on the topic of Ricardo, and they say Ric is only 6-3!!

I'm sure he's well aware of Bradley's success. If he plans on visiting you guys, that's a great sign. From what I've seen at the AAU events I've attended this month, the Bradley coaching staff has made their presence well known. I'll leave it up to them to do the recruiting...I could lose my job if I started getting involved, regardless of how close to him I am...lol.

tornado

07-19-2009, 01:37 PM

BU fans accept it is hard to recruit to a smaller market like Peoria, but we draw 10-11,000 fans and everyone who has visited has come away impressed....

Eta Rho

07-19-2009, 01:56 PM

BU fans accept it is hard to recruit to a smaller market like Peoria, but we draw 10-11,000 fans and everyone who has visited has come away impressed....

I know there are "bigger" programs recruiting him, but with Bradley being his first offer and the attention they've given him since March, he's well aware of how much he'd mean to the Braves program. Also, 10-11,000 is more than what UC and Xavier draw here in the Cincinnati market on an average night.

Bradleyguy10

07-19-2009, 02:14 PM

I'm sure Ricardo will be well informed/educated on all of those facts when he visits :D

Eta Rho

07-20-2009, 02:23 AM

Spoke with Ricardo earlier tonight and Marshall, from Conference USA, has offered as well.

Here's the link to my blog where I posted:
http://kentuckyhighschoolpreps.blogspot.com/2009/07/johnson-picks-up-another-offer.html

Eta Rho

07-21-2009, 04:31 PM

Hoopscoop.com on Johnson after the Adidas It Takes 5ive Classic:

Player Who Deserves More High Major Looks

Ricardo Johnson, 6'5 CG, is the best prospect in the state of KY hands down. We would have liked to see him matchup against some bigger guards in the Platinum or Gold bracket, but we settled for watching him dominate the Silver. Ricardo can play the point and is your prototypical combo guard. He can guard both the 1 and 2 and can shoot the ball. He is an good athlete, and he showed it with a two-handed putback dunk in the final game. His AAU team lacks the size and depth needed to compete on a higher level and this could hurt his stock with larger schools.

Eta Rho

07-22-2009, 11:42 AM

From what I'm hearing....Bradley was trying to fly Ricardo out there for an official visit but the date they were trying to get him out conflicted with AAU Nationals.

My question: Does Bradley normally fly their recruits in? I'm not familiar with the program so I didn't know if they regularly do things like that.

tornado

07-22-2009, 12:34 PM

We know they fly some of them in for visits.....I doubt on an official they'd send him a bus ticket!

Da Coach

07-22-2009, 01:01 PM

Recruits on official visits get the royal treatment, as much as rules allow. The NCAA allows the university to pick up all expenses. The player usually flys into Peoria, and stays at a nice hotel like the Embassy Suites, eats at nice restaurants, and is escorted around campus and around town by coaches and sometimes by players.

Maybe other schools provide extra perks like girls, gifts, and parties, but I think Bradley plays by the rules.:D

Eta Rho

07-23-2009, 05:53 AM

We know they fly some of them in for visits.....I doubt on an official they'd send him a bus ticket!

Recruits on official visits get the royal treatment, as much as rules allow. The NCAA allows the university to pick up all expenses. The player usually flys into Peoria, and stays at a nice hotel like the Embassy Suites, eats at nice restaurants, and is escorted around campus and around town by coaches and sometimes by players.

Maybe other schools provide extra perks like girls, gifts, and parties, but I think Bradley plays by the rules.:D

Thanks guys. I know a lot of other programs around the country fly recruits in on official visits, but wasn't sure how Bradley did things since I had never followed them until now.

BTW, expect Ricardo and his Holmes team to repeat as state champs again this season. One of the Holmes' trios AAU running mates, Demetrius Avery (considered a big D2 prospect, possibly small D1) has moved in to the Covington/Holmes district and will be attending school with them.

Holmes will be absolutely stacked and roll out the following starting lineup:

6'4 Demetrius Avery
6'5 Ricardo Johnson
6'5 Jeremiah Johnson
6'6 Kevon Rice (current jr to be being recruited by Tennessee)
6'8 Elijah Pittman

Eta Rho

07-30-2009, 03:43 PM

Update from nationals:

Ricardo's Kentucky Firebirds team went 3-0 in pool play and are playing today in the first round of the championship bracket. I plan on talking to him tonight to get an update on how he's doing.

Eta Rho

07-31-2009, 12:09 PM

Got a text from Ric around 11 this morning letting me know that Central Michigan offered after his 8:30 game.

His team is now 5-0 and in the elite 8 of the championship bracket at nationals. They defeated St. Paul Tornadoes (FL) yesterday afternoon 77-52 and defeated G.E.S.U.S Ball this morning 60-38. They play Vineyard Runnin Rebels tonight at 5:30 with the winner advancing to the final 4.

http://kentuckyhighschoolpreps.blogspot.com/2009/07/central-michigan-offers-holmes-r.html

Eta Rho

07-31-2009, 03:37 PM

The newest offer for Ricardo Johnson comes from Central Michigan. They join the fray with Bradley, Marshall, and Ohio University as suitors who have offered the 6'4 combo guard. Johnson is concentrating on finishing out the summer strong, and he will take a closer look at his options during the fall.

Johnson is a true combo guard. He has handles and can run the point if needed, and he can guard both the 1 and 2 positions. Defensively, he is always in a good position and rarely comes out of his stance. Physically he is ready to contribute at the D1 level. He is a mature kid with a great work ethic, that will only continue to get better.

Ricardo is currently playing alongside his brother Jeremiah Johnson (J.J.), another D1 prospect, with the KY Firebirds. They are undefeated going into the quarterfinals tonight at Div II Nationals in Orlando. We will check back in on their 5:30 game.

http://www.hoopsreport.com/news/eventreports/ricardojohnsonpickingupoffers

real fan

07-31-2009, 09:47 PM

Let"s see:
Marshall,Central Michigan, Ohio ; 3 teams that maybe draw 4 to 5000 a game.
Bradley a team that averages over 10,000 a game where basketball is no.1.
Make a visit to BU and see the great new facilities that you could be using and the answer should be an easy one.

Eta Rho

07-31-2009, 10:33 PM

Just received a text from Rico saying the Western Michigan Broncos have offered as well. He stated that he didn't personally talk to them but that they had called his AAU coach earlier tonight and told him the offer was on the table.

This makes the second offer that Ricardo has received today. Central Michigan offered this morning after his team advanced to the elite 8 of the championship bracket in the JR division at nationals. Ric now holds offers from Bradley, Ohio, Marshall, Central Michigan, and Western Michigan.

http://kentuckyhighschoolpreps.blogspot.com/2009/07/ricardo-johnson-picks-up-another-offer.html

tornado

07-31-2009, 11:29 PM

Congrats to Rico, his hard work and God given talents are being noticed by many.
I hope he loves BU and comes for a nice visit or two!

shaunguth

08-01-2009, 05:26 AM

Congrats to Rico, his hard work and God given talents are being noticed by many.
I hope he loves BU and comes for a nice visit or two!

Get him here for the isu game!

Eta Rho

08-02-2009, 10:07 AM

A few notes:

Duquesne (A-10) is expected to be the next school to offer Rico when they receive his transcripts, as long as everything is in order.

From what I'm hearing, Bradley is now pursuing Ric's brother, JJ, as well. JJ is having a GREAT summer and everyone I've spoken to who was at nationals said as good as Ricardo is, JJ might be the more explosive player of the two. The only thing he lacks is he isn't as good of a shooter as Ric and not as strong. Bradley may be pursuing them as a package deal after the performance JJ had at nationals.

I spoke with Rico after nationals and he said he plans on getting back in the gym Friday to start getting ready for the season and working out individually with his brother JJ.

Lastly, Ricardo and JJ's AAU team, Kentucky Firebirds, ended up finishing 11th at nationals out of 70+ teams.

tornado

08-02-2009, 10:32 AM

Bradley may be pursuing them as a package deal after the performance JJ had at nationals

how about we hire their mom & AAU coach as well like Bill Self would do!

tornado

08-02-2009, 03:31 PM

Found a new, short article on the Central Michigan web site...

"Chippewas Offer

Chippewas Insider has learned that combo guard Ricardo Johnson (6-4, 190) of Covington (Ky.)
Holmes High School has been offered a scholarship by Central Michigan University.
Rated among the top players in the state of Kentucky's 2010 recruiting class,
Johnson also reports offers from Ohio University, Bradley and Marshall,
as well as recruiting interest from a number of other Division I schools.

http://centralmichigan.scout.com/a.z?s=340&p=9&c=2&cfg=bb&cid=883714&yr=2010

There's also some discussion going at the Cincy Rivals site:
http://queencityhigh.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=2630&tid=124143349&mid=124143349&sid=1204&style=2
http://queencityhigh.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=2630&tid=124589203&mid=124589203&sid=1204&style=2

Eta Rho

08-03-2009, 10:57 AM

how about we hire their mom & AAU coach as well like Bill Self would do!

I laughed out loud when I read this one.

If any new offers come along, I'll let you guys know. Ric will text/call me as soon as he hears something.

tornado

08-03-2009, 07:15 PM

Maybe we need to start another thread on JJ so he doesn't feel slighted!

Da Coach

08-04-2009, 09:56 AM

An article from yesterday about Ricardo Johnson. Not really anything new--
http://www.examiner.com/x-9504-Louisville-High-School-Sports-Examiner~y2009m8d3-More-offers-coming-in-for-Johnson

lake Camelot

08-07-2009, 11:11 AM

Eta Rho

08-07-2009, 11:53 AM

Now that he won't be here for another year, we can make a double offer. I would like to get a couple 6-5 to 6-7 sized kids in the program. That is the only shortage I see for the future besides a pure Center.

Ric and JJ definetly fit that need. Ricardo is 6'5 and JJ is in the 6'6 range now. JJ has gone from 6'3 to 6'6 over the past two summers. Both can run the point or play out on the wing.

BUBrave28

08-07-2009, 06:00 PM

I would love to see them both make a visit in the first week or so of school. Campus is packed, lots of things are going on, everyone is excited to be back, and the buildings/quad are in the best shape of the year.

SFP

08-07-2009, 06:56 PM

Eta Rho

08-09-2009, 06:55 AM

What could be more perfect then another scholie opening up! :D It seems their style of play will fit perfectly in a JL system. I would even bet with this team there would be the possibility for Ricardo to play a bit of PG as Eta has said he can. I say he has a year to refine his PG skills and I'm sure JL would love to have someone in that class who can play the 1.

Rico will run the point for Holmes this year but he's more of a combo guard. He projects to be a wing at the next level, but if needed, could run the point. One of the biggest reasons he'll be the primary ball handler this year is to make room for 6'3 transfer, Demetrius Avery, at the 2 or 3.

I know I mentioned it before, but man Holmes' starting lineup is going to be huge this coming year:

6'3 Avery, 6'5 R. Johnson, 6'5 J. Johnson, 6'6 Rice, 6'8 Pittman

That's very big for a high school team and very rare here in KY. You'll be able to see them live via the internet on wazoosports.com on December 5th against Bowman Academy out of Gary, Ind.

Also, if you want to see Rico in a full game, go to Wazoosports.com , click on Bill Keightly Hoopfest, and then scroll to the right once above the video player and Covington Holmes v Largo, Md. is the second video.

tornado

08-09-2009, 08:15 AM

..... if you want to see Rico in a full game,...

eta, the BU fans want to see Rico (and his bro) in four full years of games!

Da Coach

08-09-2009, 10:11 AM

New article about Ricardo Johnson from the Central Michigan Rivals site. It is a premium article, so unless you have a subscription, you won't be able to see the entire article-
http://centralmichigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=973237[/URL]

But here are a couple clips- note that it mentions Drake has offered. It is the first time I've seen Drake listed as offering, and there is no mention of Bradley. Rest assured that Bradley is still in the mix, though.-

Ricardo Johnson (http://www.chicagosports.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=973237) is no stranger to success on the basketball court. After a junior season most high school players could only dream of and an excellent AAU season, Ricardo has grabbed the attention of colleges from all over.

"AAU season went real good," Johnson said. "We won the Silver Championship at the Adidas tournament. I also played with the Kentucky Firebirds in Orlando. We were able to finish sixth nationally in Division 2."

As a junior, Ricardo helped lead his Covington (KY) Holmes team to a 36-2 record and state championship. In the process, he was named MVP of the state tournament while also averaging 11 points and 5 rebounds per game. For his efforts, Johnson was selected First Team All State and voted 9th Region Player of the Year, 9th Region Tournament MVP and 9th Region Defensive Player of the Year.

"I get after it on both ends of the floor," Johnson said. "I play with passion. I play hungry and I am determined to win. I feel like all parts of my game are strong because I work on all of them all the time. The player I model my game after the most is OJ Mayo."

This style of play combined with his natural ability has netted Ricardo quite a few offers already. Over the summer, Ricardo had received offers from Drake, Duquesne, Ohio, Marshall and Western Kentucky. The most recent team to step in and offer Ricardo was Central Michigan, which offered him after AAU Nationals in Orlando.

"I just want to go to a good program that has a good tradition, a style of play I like and a good schedule," Johnson said. "I am pretty wide open with all of the schools that have offered me. I am planning on taking all five official visits and then making my decision from there."

Ricardo Johnson's Rivals profile-
[URL]http://centralmichigan.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=80927

tornado

08-09-2009, 10:49 AM

I read the entire article, and even though everyone else reports that Bradley has offered and was the first to offer,
these guys never mention Bradley at all....

Eta Rho

08-09-2009, 01:10 PM

New article about Ricardo Johnson from the Central Michigan Rivals site. It is a premium article, so unless you have a subscription, you won't be able to see the entire article-
http://centralmichigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=973237

As a junior, Ricardo helped lead his Covington (KY) Holmes team to a 36-2 record and state championship. In the process, he was named MVP of the state tournament while also averaging 11 points and 5 rebounds per game. For his efforts, Johnson was selected First Team All State and voted 9th Region Player of the Year, 9th Region Tournament MVP and 9th Region Defensive Player of the Year.

Wow...that paragraph looks like an exact replica of what I said on their forum when I FIRST reported the offer. That writer pretty much copied everything I said when reporting on Ric. :mad:

Also, he currently holds offers from Bradley, Ohio, Marshall, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Duquesne, Drake, and Western KY. And Central Michigan wasn't the most recent to offer. Drake, Duquesne, and Western Ky all offered within the last few days.

Bradleyguy10

08-09-2009, 03:34 PM

I havent read it but did it say something about offers from this summer...maybe thats why bradley isnt mentioned..didnt we offer before summer started?

Da Coach

08-10-2009, 06:55 AM

http://kentuckyhighschoolpreps.blogspot.com/

Ricardo Johnson says Bradley is on his list of schools to visit. He says he will visit later this month.

Eta Rho

08-10-2009, 01:39 PM

I havent read it but did it say something about offers from this summer...maybe thats why bradley isnt mentioned..didnt we offer before summer started?

Bradley offered the night that Ric was named sweet 16 MVP and Holmes won the state championship.

This summer, he has picked up offers from Ohio, Marshall (during Adidas It Takes 5ive), Central Michigan, Western Michigan (during nationals), Drake, Duquesne, and Western Ky. (A few days ago)

Eta Rho

08-10-2009, 01:41 PM

http://kentuckyhighschoolpreps.blogspot.com/

Ricardo Johnson says Bradley is on his list of schools to visit. He says he will visit later this month.

From talking to him, Ricardo has said he plans on making visits to Bradley and Ohio at the end of August and he also plans on visiting Western KY. He'll weigh his options and see what comes along before deciding where he wants to make his final two official visits.

ser_solace

08-11-2009, 05:18 PM

From what everyone's saying, it'd be great if BU can land this kid. He and his brother sound incredibly talented

It's too bad he couldn't visit when there's a game to watch. Seeing 10,000 BU fans show up is always a good selling point. But I'm sure we'll make a good impression with the new facilities and the BU campus.

Da Coach

08-20-2009, 12:26 PM

The Western Kentucky University Rivals site has a new article on Ricardo Johnson. Unfortunately, it is a premium article-
http://wku.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=978393

But here are a couple clips-
"I'm just looking for a winning program, tradition, a major field that I want to choose from, that interests me," he said. "I guess also people that care about me in the classroom and on the basketball court."
One of his suitors that might fit that description is WKU. The Toppers have been courting Johnson since mid-summer, but had an eye on him during last season's run.
Johnson now holds offers from WKU, Bradley, Drake, Central Michigan, Ohio, Marshall and Duquesne. It's easy to see why, with his skill-set.
For now, Johnson said he hasn't narrowed his list, though he has picked four of his schools to take official visits to. The only visit he said he has set is to WKU on Oct. 17.
Johnson said he doesn't have a time-frame for a decision though it could come when he finds his qualities on a visit, beginning with his trip to WKU.

lake Camelot

08-25-2009, 12:48 PM

I am starting to wonder what is going on as far as a visit. At one time he said late August. Now I see WKU is his only scheduled visit so far. I hope he can still get a chance to visit. Although if he could visit during a conference game it would be even better.

Eta Rho

08-29-2009, 02:34 PM

Good news for Bradley fans:

8-27-09

One of the best kept secrets in the class of 2010 is headed to take his first official visit. Ricardo Johnson, 6'4 combo guard from Covington, KY, will take off tonight to check out the campus at Bradley University.

The talented young man also has an official set for next weekend, to Ohio University, to see what the Bobcats have to offer.

Last year, Ricardo led Covington Holmes to the KY state title. This year they will undoubtedly be the favorite to win it again.

Ricardo is a top 150 talent, that hasn't gotten the notoriety he deserves. Not only is he an outstanding player but he is an unbelievable kid. Stay tuned to Hoopsreport.com for updates about his recruitment!

I just got off the phone with Ric and he's up there right now and comes home tomorrow morning. He said they've shown him around campus and he participated in some open gyms with the team and he's really enjoying everything. I'll try and get in touch with him tomorrow night to see where Bradley stands after his visit.

Eta Rho

08-29-2009, 02:47 PM

Also, Maxpreps.com recently listed Ricardo as one of the top 100 players to watch nationally in the c/o 2010:

#83 Ricardo Johnson
Holmes (Covington, KY)
Led Holmes to a 36-2 record, state title as a junior.

http://www.maxpreps.com/basketball-recruiting/basketball-winter-09-10/Xb7WOWAUEd6SyQAcxJTdpg/2010-players-to-watch/top-recruits.htm

His teammate, Elijah Pittman, checks in at #79 on the list.

OrangeandBlack74

08-29-2009, 02:53 PM

Fantastic...I hope he enjoys his visit to campus and to Peoria! :)

Big Mike

08-29-2009, 03:24 PM

Nice to see RJ has a visit to the Hilltop.....lets hope everything goes good...too-bad he didn't visit during a home game at the jam-packed arena! :wink:

Thanks for getting us the "inside scoop" ER! :D

tornado

08-29-2009, 06:42 PM

... and he's up there right now ....

our audacious sources say he's been spotted on campus and having a great time, and going out to din with ..ahem....some of the staff ;)

eta...is everything OK at Holmes...I was reading of some dischord with the AAU coach?

Eta Rho

08-30-2009, 03:12 AM

our audacious sources say he's been spotted on campus and having a great time, and going out to din with ..ahem....some of the staff ;)

eta...is everything OK at Holmes...I was reading of some dischord with the AAU coach?

Some of the "staff"...I bet. I played college football and made some official visits myself so I'm sure RJ is being treated well by them. ;-)

And yes, everything is ok at Holmes. There were some rumors that Ric's teammate, Elijah Pittman, was heading to prep school but it was a bunch of hearsay started by his AAU coach. He had been talking to several prep schools such as Word of God and Patterson School in NC and was feeding Elijah and his mother some bad information. They all sat down and spoke with the coaches, admin, and teachers at Holmes and all is well now.

Ric's AAU coach is out of his life now and is no longer handling ANY of his recruitment which is great news for EVERYONE.

tornado

08-30-2009, 07:21 AM

thanks for keeping us all informed on Ric, and is his brother looking at BU?

Eta Rho

08-30-2009, 01:53 PM

thanks for keeping us all informed on Ric, and is his brother looking at BU?

I'm not too sure. I know UNC-Asheville is very interested in him and he plans on taking a visit there. Akron, Wright St, and North Carolina A&T have also inquired about him.

The thing that a lot of the college coaches want to see him do is score more. They all really like the way he rebounds for a 6'5 guard but want to see him prove that he can consistently knock down an outside shot.

real fan

08-31-2009, 12:30 PM

The one thing I know for sure is that if he comes to BU he will have every opportunity to become a great shooter and scorer because our players become better scorers the longer they play at Bradley because our coach is a great teacher on shooting the basketball .

SFP

08-31-2009, 02:05 PM

Ricardo Johnson is a 6'6" junior forward from Covington, Kentucky Holmes High School.

One of the best kept secrets in the class of 2010 is headed to take his first official visit. Ricardo Johnson, 6'4 combo guard from Covington, KY, will take off tonight to check out the campus at Bradley University.

Is he 6'4" or 6'6"? :lol:

Eta Rho

08-31-2009, 02:45 PM

Is he 6'4" or 6'6"? :lol:

Scout seems to over exaggerate at times with players' heights.

Having seen Ric not too long ago and standing next to him, he is a legit 6'5.

peoriaspitfire

09-03-2009, 11:59 AM

I never heard any news about how his visit went????

Da Coach

09-03-2009, 12:10 PM

Visit went fine. he did not commit, but he was impressed with BU.

Eta Rho

09-08-2009, 10:39 AM

From hoopsreport.com:

Ricardo Johnson Basketball Diary

By: Ricardo Johnson

This is the first part in a series of posts written by Ricardo Johnson about his life, recruitment, and pursuit of back-to-back KY State Championships.

In this edition Ricardo recaps last year, updates his recruitment, and gives us a look into the upcoming 2009-2010 season.

Dear Fans,
Last year’s state championship was hard work. Becoming a good basketball player and a good team isn’t easy. It takes working out every day. Doing the little things. Sometimes I’ll even do push ups and sit ups at home, knowing they’ll make a difference in my game.

How hard you work could help you reach your goals. It could result in winning awards such as a state championship, state tourney MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year. You could also be recruited by some of the top basketball programs in the country. Once upon a time, I was hearing from Xavier, UC, Oklahoma State, Butler and many more.

I recently took an official visit to Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Being my first visit, and traveling alone, I liked it. It reminded me so much of Covington and Cincinnati and how they are close to one another. To me the campus was like Holmes High School…on a hill, not too big, not too small, but just right.

This experience is so unique. I have more visits to look forward to.

I’m also looking forward to another hard working season and earning another State Championship. We can achieve it with the hard work of my teammates and the time we put in the gym.

I’ll keep you updated on my progress.

Sincerely,

Ricardo Johnson

tornado

09-08-2009, 11:23 AM

we greatly appreciate it!!

Eta Rho

09-10-2009, 10:42 PM

I hate to be the one to deliver the bad news, but I just got off the phone with Ricardo Johnson and he is off the board now....he committed to Ohio U earlier tonight.

National recruiting services, hoopsreport.com and scout.com, are both reporting the same thing.

mrcoachdude

09-10-2009, 11:02 PM

Best of luck to him at Oh U........

CABUFan

09-10-2009, 11:56 PM

Too bad, it sounded like he could have been a good player for us. Good luck to him. Any insight into what his decision came down to, Eta? Just curious.

Eta Rho

09-11-2009, 08:32 AM

Too bad, it sounded like he could have been a good player for us. Good luck to him. Any insight into what his decision came down to, Eta? Just curious.

I didn't really discuss it much with him but I plan on talking with him over the week end for a segment I'll be doing on my blog. When I get the information, I'll pass it along.

I do know Ohio Coach John Groce was at his house last night though for an in home visit, so I'd say that had something to do with his decision.

thefish7

09-11-2009, 09:07 AM

Best of luck to Ricardo... Don't really get the decision, but college decisions are complicated and kids can have lots of reasons to pick where they go. I wish him well in his college and basketball career.

tornado

09-11-2009, 09:35 AM

if he wanted to play closer to home, he has made a fine decision, and likely he'll get playing time right away.

SFP

09-12-2009, 12:55 PM

I was thinking of why besides distant he would rather go to Ohio then BU. Simple reason would be that JL never promised him of starting. Next year will be SM and AW's senior year and we all know they will both be playing at least 25+ mpg. at his positions. The following year would also be tough one for him to crack with Jake at the 2 and Wilkens at the 3. I'm not saying he would not be able to but I bet it will be easier for him at Ohio to be playing right away. I wish him luck but I bet at one point in his career he'll really wonder what if I was a bit more patient?

Bradleyguy10

09-13-2009, 01:37 PM

SFP

09-13-2009, 09:21 PM

I'm sure this kid could've challenged TB for playing time...at the very least he would've been next off the bench with 15 to 20 mpg his sophomore year and then the go to guy his junior and senior year...that's the way it should be really in an ideal system.

Please challange TB at the 4???? NO the guy will be a 2/3 player at the next level at 6'5". TB will also be a Junior and there is no way this guy or any Freshmen that we can recruit will really challenge TB IMHO.

Bradleyguy10

09-13-2009, 09:34 PM

How tall was TW and how tall is TB...if I'm not mistaken TW was 6'5" and a rebounding machine....that's what I thought.

SFP

09-14-2009, 01:42 AM

How tall was TW and how tall is TB...if I'm not mistaken TW was 6'5" and a rebounding machine....that's what I thought.

You can have your opinion I'll have mine but I'd take TB any day over Ricardo right now! How can you compare someone who has shown that he can right now play at D-I level and someone still in HS. TB will be a stud this year and believe me he'll be that much better next year and the year after. Ricardo would have had the opportunity to line up next to TB as a starter his Sophomore year.

BTW - TW was a junior when he started playing at BU and most of us wish he played the 3 at his height.

Eta Rho

09-14-2009, 12:35 PM

Several things came in to play when making this decision:

Distance- Ricardo is very close to his family and playing in Athens at Ohio allows his parents, friends, and other family the opportunity to still come and see him play. Also, with Akron recruiting his brother JJ really hard, there's a chance they could end up in the same conference and playing against one another.

Playing Time- Ricardo will see playing time right away and likely will come in and start. You guys can argue that he might not have seen much playing time as a freshman, but I'm fairly confident the coach of BU would have found somewhere for him on the floor. Let's not forget Ricardo will run the point for Holmes this year at 6'5. I don't know too many coaches who wouldn't want a pg with that kind of size, strength, and athleticism. Espn rates Ricardo as a Grade 90 prospect and the #46 SG in the country.

ESPN's scale of 90-100 gives the following defintion:
90-100: Immediate Impact Prospect
Player demonstrates rare abilities and has the potential to start as a freshman for a national, top-25 program.

Maxpreps.com also lists him as the 83rd best prospect overall nationally in the c/o 2010.

The final and deciding factor was Ohio's recruiting class for last year and this year. According to ESPN's ratings, they got the following prospects over the past two years:

2010
Ethan Jacobs 86 (C #55)
Ricardo Johnson 90 (SG #46)

2009
Ivo Baltic 88 (PF #58)
DJ Cooper 87 (PG #39)
James Kinney 85 (SG #97)
Marquis Horne 85 (SF #75)
Reggie Keely 85 (PF #106)

Not overly impressive, but for a MAC team, two pretty solid recruiting classes.

Personally, I think Ge'Lawn Guyn (Charlotte) and Josh Sewell (Miami,OH) also played a part in where Ricardo chose to go to school. Both of those two players are top 5 in KY and chose smaller schools over big name programs as well because of immediate playing time.

jeffsu

09-14-2009, 12:40 PM

Da Coach

09-14-2009, 12:56 PM

Nice article about Ricardo-
http://queencityhigh.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=988215

I have heard that he told the Bradley coaches he really liked Bradley, but his decision came down to Ohio being closer.

Bradleyguy10

09-14-2009, 04:44 PM

You can have your opinion I'll have mine but I'd take TB any day over Ricardo right now! How can you compare someone who has shown that he can right now play at D-I level and someone still in HS. TB will be a stud this year and believe me he'll be that much better next year and the year after. Ricardo would have had the opportunity to line up next to TB as a starter his Sophomore year.

BTW - TW was a junior when he started playing at BU and most of us wish he played the 3 at his height.

I don't understand why you are attacking me? The argument was about his height being 6'5" and him not being able to be a 4 with TB. I made an argument that in our system the 4 was TW @ 6'5" and now our 4 is a 6'6" sophomore who hasn't started a game. He would fit in well in that position. Yes I'd have liked TW and now TB to start at the 3 but their 3pt shooting isn't up to par to be the 3.

I said he could challenge TB not take over. As a matter of fact I said he'd be a back up to TB until his junior year. By me saying he could challenge TB in now way diminishes TB; that's just what I thought about RJ's potential, and to be perfectly honest you are being a bit presumptive about TB as well. It's not like he's had an infinite amount more of DI experience than RJ...that kid hasn't even started for us yet. I hope that TB will have a huge year but I still think RJ would've had a brilliant career at Bradley. And of course you'd take TB "right now" over RJ...so would I...because we have a better idea of what he brings. I'd still like RJ to come here to see what he could bring.

SFP

09-14-2009, 05:38 PM

Bradley10guy - Sorry you are right. I missed read your first one and I agree with you. I was thinking you said he would challenge TB right away. I'm hoping that we start recruiting guys that are taller and athletic to play the 4. It would be nice to have someone over 6'6" playing that position defensively. I'm hoping that JW can play that role next year. Imagine an interchangeable group at the 3-5 position with WE - TB - JW - JP - MK!

Eta Rho

09-14-2009, 06:02 PM

So for once we're the dreaded BIG program where someone may not be able to play immediately? My how the tables have turned this time.

He sounded like a player who would at least crack the rotation for some time (5-10mpg) right away filling in for part of Chris Roberts' role. Could really see him developing even more and really taking off after that.

Nonetheless, I wish this guy the best. I hope we can play them sometime while he's there to see him in person!

Good luck on your senior season, Ricardo!

Ricardo would have played right away at Bradley. He just wouldn't have started like he most likely will at Ohio. As I stated earlier and Dacoach points out in the post below, distance was one of the biggest deciding factors on his decision. Ricardo and his mother have a very close relationship and her being able to see him play at home was a big reason for him choosing Ohio.

Nice article about Ricardo-
http://queencityhigh.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=988215

I have heard that he told the Bradley coaches he really liked Bradley, but his decision came down to Ohio being closer.

Ric really did like Bradley. When I spoke to him about his visit there, he had nothing but great things to say about the campus, coaches, and overall experience. It wasn't an easy decision for him, but it was one that he, his family, and coaches thought would be the best situation for him to continue his career.

shaunguth

09-14-2009, 06:42 PM

Ric really did like Bradley. When I spoke to him about his visit there, he had nothing but great things to say about the campus, coaches, and overall experience. It wasn't an easy decision for him, but it was one that he, his family, and coaches thought would be the best situation for him to continue his career.

And really.....that's all you can ask a kid and his support group to do!

Good luck to RJ; I would love to see him in person at Carver someday.

tornado

11-06-2009, 08:51 AM

Ric's team should be pretty awesome this year!
http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/2009/11/checking-in-covington-holmes.html

amckillip

11-06-2009, 09:24 AM