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Goose85
02-15-2012, 10:16 AM
IWB - There are two guys 6'8" at Whitney Young in Chicago in the 2014 class (same class as Looney). Both are in the top 25 (we all know that can change).

What is Buzz's relationship, if any, with the people at Whitney Young? Looking at that class (2014) we should have a number of open schollies; Gardner, J. Wilson, Blue, Jones, Otule (?). Seems the folks at Simeon like MU, hopefully Buzz and staff are doing well throughout Chicago.

IWB
02-15-2012, 11:07 AM
The two players you spoke of are Jalil Okafor and Paul White. I had been telling "people" about Okafor since he was in 6th grade (thanks ydouask). The kid was blowing up high school players back then, only to emerge as the #1 player in the nation. He is Emeka Okafor's nephew. For whatever reason, I do not believe MU is seriously in the mix for Okafor. Paul White on the other hand is a 6'8 PF that I think MU has a legit shot at.

Tony Benford: Tony is a major key here. Tony has put a huge focus on Chicago and it paid off with Simeon, and he is working hard to develop the same rapport with Whitney Young Tyrone Slaughter.

Buzz Williams: Here is where it gets interesting. While Tony is working hard to develop a relationship with Slaughter, Whitney Young has always seemed to have a good relationship with the Mac Irvin Fire. Buzz had built up a solid relationship with the late Mac Irvin, and that transferred down to his sons. Last year the Fire's roster included several players from both Simeon & Whitney Young...

Steve Taylor - Simeon '12 (Marquette)
Jelani Neely - Simeon '12
Jabari Parker - Simeon '13
Jermaine Morgan - Whitney Young '12
Thomas Hamilton - Whitney Young '12 (MU target)
Jalil Okafor - Whitney Young '14
Derrick Randolph - Whitney Young '12

And, midway through last June, they added another...
Paul White - Whitney Young '14 (Marquette target)

So, while Tony Benford and MU continue to work at building relationships with Tyrone Slaughter, I think the key is the relationship Buzz and MU have with the Irvin brothers.

Simeon should have been playing Whitney Young in the Public League Tournament Monday (yes, NCAA style, HS conference tournaments), but Whitney Young lost to Marshall on Friday. Simeon then beat Marshall on Monday, and now plays Orr on ESPN3 tonight at 8:30

Goose85
02-15-2012, 01:05 PM
I love the conference tournament idea. Wish Wisconsin high schools would do that, what a fun event.

IWB
02-15-2012, 01:29 PM
I agree - say you are West Allis Hale. You are slated to play Germantown in the state playoffs where you get slaughtered. You knew you weren't going to win, so your fans didn't come out anyway.

Well, now look at a conference tourney. You go up against West Allis Central in a packed gym with a chance to knock them off. You win and you take on Tokoto and The Falls. Won or lose, wouldn't that be better than playing the role of the first round sacrificial lamb in the playoffs?

Say you are West Allis Central - you win the conference tournament - then you go to state and lose in round 2. Without your conference tourney title, what are you looking back on, a win over a low seeded team in the playoffs?

There is a ton of talent in this state, they need to have more fun with it!