Wishing Rev Zeke would weigh in on HS recruit Caleb Tanner

[hokiepro]

Oh and as I type this...he just went for 46 more points tonight vs. Giles.

[949hokie]

IMHO he's a walk-on at best at VT. I know the local people would love to see him at VT but that's not a reason we should give him a scholarship. We have enough Will Johnsons and Adam Smiths.

[Cvillehoops13]

Something left out of this conversation is that Rowsey is a much better player than Tanner - also, Rowsey was considered a low major caliber recruit (academic situation probably held him back somewhat in that) and that was after "selling his soul to an AAU coach", Rowsey played Boo Williams 16u and Team Loaded 17u, that means every school in the country saw him play.

GC is right, Caleb is a kid who can be a difference maker at a D3 or D2 with the right fit - GC is also right that Tanner wouldn't start for every team in the ODAC. Caleb is not quick enough to be a division 1 point right now and doesn't have the size to be a 2 at a high level. Do I think he could play in a system like VMI's? Yes I do but look at VMI's freshman difference maker this year - QJ Peterson, he played on the top post-grad team in the country, led his HS team to a state title, is similar in size to Tanner but is much more explosive with similar shooting range - and that's what VMI is recruiting.

I think with a prep year Tanner could adapt his game to playing with guys that size and speed and sneak in to maybe a school like VMI, The Citadel, Presbyterian etc as a specialty shooter but that's the caliber of player he is - Rowsey's quickness and ball handling gave him a higher ceiling and even he would be really struggling in against ACC caliber points night in and night out.

None of this is an attack on Tanner, he's a great kid and a great story, I think it's wonderful he has so many advocates and he's obviously a kid who LOVES basketball, but that doesn't make him an ACC guard. If he would walk-on at VT they would be crazy to say no but otherwise you just can't take that much of a chance on a kid.

If you think VT should be after fundamental kids who can really shoot then hope the staff pursues Kenny Williams or Nick Sherrod from Richmond, those are two kids currently considered mid-major recruits who have every skill that Tanner has but are bigger and more athletic.

[Diehard Hokie]

Something left out of this conversation is that Rowsey is a much better player than Tanner - also, Rowsey was considered a low major caliber recruit (academic situation probably held him back somewhat in that) and that was after "selling his soul to an AAU coach", Rowsey played Boo Williams 16u and Team Loaded 17u, that means every school in the country saw him play.

GC is right, Caleb is a kid who can be a difference maker at a D3 or D2 with the right fit - GC is also right that Tanner wouldn't start for every team in the ODAC. Caleb is not quick enough to be a division 1 point right now and doesn't have the size to be a 2 at a high level. Do I think he could play in a system like VMI's? Yes I do but look at VMI's freshman difference maker this year - QJ Peterson, he played on the top post-grad team in the country, led his HS team to a state title, is similar in size to Tanner but is much more explosive with similar shooting range - and that's what VMI is recruiting.

I think with a prep year Tanner could adapt his game to playing with guys that size and speed and sneak in to maybe a school like VMI, The Citadel, Presbyterian etc as a specialty shooter but that's the caliber of player he is - Rowsey's quickness and ball handling gave him a higher ceiling and even he would be really struggling in against ACC caliber points night in and night out.

None of this is an attack on Tanner, he's a great kid and a great story, I think it's wonderful he has so many advocates and he's obviously a kid who LOVES basketball, but that doesn't make him an ACC guard. If he would walk-on at VT they would be crazy to say no but otherwise you just can't take that much of a chance on a kid.

If you think VT should be after fundamental kids who can really shoot then hope the staff pursues Kenny Williams or Nick Sherrod from Richmond, those are two kids currently considered mid-major recruits who have every skill that Tanner has but are bigger and more athletic.

Good info, but I can't help but think of Stephen Curry every time I hear something about a high school shooter being too short, too slow, etc. Isn't this pretty much what they were saying about Steph coming out of high school?

[Edgeman]

Good info, but I can't help but think of Stephen Curry every time I hear something about a high school shooter being too short, too slow, etc. Isn't this pretty much what they were saying about Steph coming out of high school?

Pretty much.

[hokiepro]

Good info, but I can't help but think of Stephen Curry every time I hear something about a high school shooter being too short, too slow, etc. Isn't this pretty much what they were saying about Steph coming out of high school?

Exactly my point...his stats in Roa Times: 140-150 FTs, 164-312 FGs for 52.6%. 42.3 ppg thru 12 gms, he had 46 in game 13, so he's around 43 ppg.
He's 35% from 3 in 117 attempts...so he takes < 10 threes per game

[RapmasterAC]

Good info, but I can't help but think of Stephen Curry every time I hear something about a high school shooter being too short, too slow, etc. Isn't this pretty much what they were saying about Steph coming out of high school?

Yes, and what % of guys that have those deficiencies in high school turn into Stephen Curry? Less than 1%?

Literally the only reason people can legitimately second-guess not offering Curry a scholarship is because of his pedigree. Does Tanner have a NBA father?

I bet there are guys around the country who are filling up the hoop this year who won't be playing D-I in college. The game is so much faster at the high-major level of D-I.

I say offer the kid a walk-on spot. I feel like it's coaches' jobs to keep in touch with these kids too, so if he does go to Hargrave and defy the odds we'll be in a good position.

I think it would be irresponsible to be offering a kid who isn't D-I ready to an ACC program where the coach needs immediate help from incoming scholarship players. If we can't find anyone to give it to that rates higher than a low-major/D2/D3 prospect then we are truly F'd as a program.

[Cvillehoops13]

Good info, but I can't help but think of Stephen Curry every time I hear something about a high school shooter being too short, too slow, etc. Isn't this pretty much what they were saying about Steph coming out of high school?

Two things - Steph was still considered a D1 kid, just not a high-major guy - that's a large gap between his eval and Tanner's. Secondly Curry was evaluated that way his junior year because that's where a lot of high-major recruiting really happens, by his senior year his game had changed enough that you could tell he was a good pickup for Davidson and he just kept improving and improving, I've seen Caleb many times this year, twice in attendance with low-major coaches and he's still a guy fighting for a scholarship.

The next point is that just because Steph Curry improved rapidly late doesn't mean you can recruit assuming all undersized shooters will turn into a player of that caliber, just like you can't assume all undersized post players will grow and turn into David Robinson or that all players cut from their varsity team will become the next Michael Jordan.

[hokiepro]

Another point about Rowsey...he's on track to be Big South Rookie of yr averaging 16.3 ppg for UNCa. Seth Curry played in the same conference as a fr and averaged 20.2, then transferred and averaged 17 at Duke.
I'm not even saying Rowsey and Tanner will be as good as the Currys, but being within 4 ppg of their avg ppg wouldn't be bad at all. I'd take that.

[hokiepro]

Two things - Steph was still considered a D1 kid, just not a high-major guy - that's a large gap between his eval and Tanner's. Secondly Curry was evaluated that way his junior year because that's where a lot of high-major recruiting really happens, by his senior year his game had changed enough that you could tell he was a good pickup for Davidson and he just kept improving and improving, I've seen Caleb many times this year, twice in attendance with low-major coaches and he's still a guy fighting for a scholarship.

The next point is that just because Steph Curry improved rapidly late doesn't mean you can recruit assuming all undersized shooters will turn into a player of that caliber, just like you can't assume all undersized post players will grow and turn into David Robinson or that all players cut from their varsity team will become the next Michael Jordan.

I understand all that. It is undeniable that his shooting skill is unique because of the consistency with which he scores. In fact your point isn't far from mine. I think where our program is right now, he's worth the risk to take because he will be a 4 yr player who at least will give us a scoring threat depth wise at worst, and at best he could develop into a double figure scoring perimeter threat who can make FTs...and potentially energize local fans.
I do think he should go to Hargrave for an upgrade in competition. Perhaps give him a standing walk on the invitation and make the scholarship contingent on how he does at Hargrave