Wednesday Cardinal Couple -- Summer ball winds down for the Class of 2014

WEDNESDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

(Staff hero Jenny O'Bryan fills us in on the latest on recruiting in today's column. With her ear to the wall, eyes on the feeds and nose to the grindstone...Jenny is always looking for the latest news and always produces.) 

"V Dub" is on everyone's radar

The final summer evaluation period is underway starting Tuesday, July 23 and ending Monday, July 29.  For the class of 2014 it is the end of their summer basketball careers.  Coaches will be fanning out to D.C, Louisiana, Georgia, and many other events to look for the next big game changer. 

We have been talking about rising seniors (class of 2014) that are on Louisville Women’s Basketball radar.  Jatarie White, Victoria Vivians, Gabby Green, Myisha Hines-Allen, Imani Tillford, Mariya Moore, Natalie Romeo and Kortney Dunbar, to name a few. 

We will soon be hearing about unofficial and official visits as these young athletes start to trim their lists and make decisions about their futures.  Louisville will get a few more athletes ready to join Sydney Brackemyre and Ariana Freeman at the YUM Center.  The early signing period is fast approaching and this class could be wrapped up before the season starts. 

While a lot of attention is being paid to the rising senior class, coaches are also watching younger athletes at these events creating lists of talent, and potential spotted on the court, that match the needs of the program in the future years. 

Two names surfaced during the early evaluation period that had offers extended to them by Louisville.  Keep in mind the coaching staff cannot talk about a recruit until they have signed with the school.   The earliest a student athlete can sign is in the fall of her senior year.  So where does the information come from?

Social media has made this information available to enthusiasts, like myself, probably to the chagrin of college coaches everywhere.  Student athletes, their parents, club coaches, and scouting services all tweet about the goings on in the basketball world.  Scouting services dole out information to the general public via twitter when they hear it. 

UofL wants to know what
Brown can do for them.

In the class of 2015 wing Taylor Brown was recently offered a scholarship by Louisville Basketball.    Brown plays summer ball with fellow Louisville recruits  Hines-Allen and Tilford from the New Jersey Sparks basketball program. 

I cannot find much in print about Brown, however, the attached video shows her doing it all for her high school team.  Given it is a highlight reel, you are only going to see the good stuff, but there is plenty of that to see!  Brown is pulling down rebounds, finishing in the paint, making jumpers as well as 3 balls.  She has a real nice hi-lo pass to get the assist.  She looks like a baller and I look forward to watching her name as her recruiting heats up. 
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKp0c11a0fU

The other name coming out of the early evaluation period is Dekeriya Patterson out of Florida.  What makes Patterson unique is that she is in the class of 2017.  Before you have to stop and count on your fingers, she is a rising freshman in high school.  This youngster has not even played her first high school game, and yet Louisville has offered her.  Following her club director, Kenny Kalina, on twitter, it looks like new Assistant Coach Sam Purcell is very high on this rising high schooler.   The below is an excerpt from Kalina on his website:

Many have already seen that Louisville has offered Patterson and while that is impressive, her play has been just as impressive. Patterson has a skill set of a college sophomore already and has yet to play a high school game. With deep range and a taste for the big game and big shot there is no one you would rather have with the ball at the end of a game than her. Look for her continued development at Dunbar on the defensive end and maturity to turn her into a must have player in 2017.
 

Does this description remind you of anyone?  "Deep range, big game, big shot"  "ball in her hands at the end of a game".  While I was not following recruiting back when Shoni Schimmel was going through the process, this youngster sounds a lot like the Schimmel we know now.  This kiddo is not yet in high school.  Wow, do I look forward to watching her high school career. 
 

For all you other recruiting junkies out there, this will give you a few names to follow.  I think we have a faithful reader and commenter in Florida, maybe he will hear more about her than us and keep us abreast of the news.  (Joe, are you reading this?)


-Jenny O'Bryan