Hernol Hall picks Cincinnati

Hernol Hall, who is one of the nation's top junior college prospects and considered USF among his final four schools, has decided to take a scholarship to Cincinnati.

Hall, a 6-foot-10 center from Lon Morris College, said Sunday that the chance to play in the Big East with an established program was his primary reason for picking the Bearcats over offers from USF, Gonzaga and Oklahoma.

"I think it's a good place for me," Hall said. "I just chose them because I liked them the most."

Hall said the decision came down to Cincinnati and Oklahoma, and said he valued Cincy over USF because he feels the Bearcats have a better team right now.

"They win more games than South Florida," he said. "I'm not saying USF isn't going to have a good team this season. I think Cincinnati is better right now."

The Bulls will now turn to other options to bolster their depth in the post this season, counting on LSU transfer Kentrell Gransberry at center and Valparaiso transfer Aris Williams as the likely starters in the frontcourt.

Just as a note, I'll be off this week, but expect more on the blog next Sunday. Have a good week ...

Comments

[Anonymous]

i don't get it. did they even try to fill out the roster? why would mccullum put himself in a position to have unused scholarships? does he think he'll get the chance to use them next off season?

[Anonymous]

This is a total kick in the nads. CRM's recruiting is definitely suspect, and I think this season is "do or die."

[Greg Auman]

First, a correction: USF will have five scholarships to play with next season.I understand why you'd want to sign an extra body with these last two scholarships, but it's slim pickings out there this time of year. The spring signing period is usually weak -- this is the odd recruits who didn't get picked then. Rather than reach and have a scholarship spoken for for two or four years, McCullum's banking on being able to get more with it next year. He said there was a high school forward who had made grades unexpectedly, but that's a position USF has good depth at, so he'll wait until next year to address it. Bring a kid in this year who wants to play and can't get enough minutes, he'll transfer out and make the problem worse ...

[bullballa]

I can understand letting one schollie roll over for the next recruiting year, but when we've been as depth depleted as we've been, I would never have expected that we still would not sign at least one more player to help our depth. I know our record has been deplorable, but getting to play in the Big East, in a warm climate, at a large university, why is it such a hard sell? We could always fill a roster when we were C-USA or Metro or Sun Belt. Why not now that we are in the best conference in the nation? I really respect CRM's coaching ability, but what is the story with recruiting? Is all the recruiting left up to the assistants, and this is why we're in the position we're in? What's the real story Greg? Does CRM do much recruiting? Or is it mainly the assistants?

[Anonymous]

The basketball program is a joke. McCullum has to be the worst recruiter in college basketball. If we don't see a drastic improvement this season he should be fired immediately after the season and find some young aggressive coach that can recruit. McCullum obviously can't.

[Anonymous]

at least the new coach will have at least 4 scholarships to use right away, and considering how McCullum runs his players it could be more like 6 or 7 available scholarships by next march

[Greg Auman]

You're right, bullballa. I talked with Robert McCullum tonight, and barring anything unexpected, the Bulls are done recruiting for this season. They'll have two scholarships unused right now, which will give them four to use for next season's class.

[bullballa]

"other options," are these known commodities? I've not known of any other options out there. It seemed as if they were putting all their eggs in one basket with Hall. If they couldn't sign him then they wouldn't sign anyone else for this next season.