USF's men's basketball team will play in the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico in December, giving a homecoming to rising senior guard Jesus Verdejo.
USF has signed on as one of eight teams in the Shootout, which will be held Dec. 20-22 and hosted by Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. Four other teams are confirmed: George Mason (whose coach, Jim Larranaga, goes way back with Stan Heath), Murray State, Florida Atlantic and Oral Roberts. The tournament is run by Sport Tours International, which ran the Daytona Beach tournament where USF beat Florida State this past season. USF's women's team played a tournament in Puerto Rico in 2005.
Recruiting news? An encouraging update on Juan Pattillo, the 6-foot-7 forward from College of Southern Idaho who is considering USF. His coach, Barret Peery, said he expects to sit down with Pattillo on Monday to line up official visits. "I think they'll definitely get a visit," he said of USF, listing Oklahoma and Oklahoma State as other top suitors for the Las Vegas native, along with San Diego State and Colorado State. He said West Virginia and UMass have shown a late interest as well.
USF will have coaches at both major junior college national tournaments this week, with Stan Heath at the Division II juco nationals in Danville, Ill., (where Mott guard Jeremie Simmons will play) and assistant Dan Hipsher will be in Hutchinson, Kansas, at the Division I nationals, where Chipola forward Gary Flowers is playing. Of course, there could be other recruits they're watching there as well ... More hoops recruiting to come later today.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
Jesus probably will appreciate that. However, we need to win that tournament- Mason and Oral Roberts are always in the NCAAs, so we can get some prestige out of it.
Posted by: Dave W | March 19, 2008 at 04:08 PM
Coach Taliaferro was a GREAT HS coach in Detriot and he has been paying his dues as an assitant for the last 7 years under Stan and now under Jeff Capel.
He has the ability to really relate to young men.Guys such as Al Jefferson, Dwight Howard, Thad Young, Charles Rhodes, etc. all LOVE the man and the high praise they all give him is well deserved.
If Stan had 2 guys on his staff like Coach T then USF would have no problem battling the rest of the Big East for top talent year after year.
Posted by: The Champ | March 19, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Good thoughts, Champ. Taliaferro, by the way, was on a short list published for candidates for the opening at Toledo.
Posted by: G.A. | March 19, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Puerto Rico here I come.
Posted by: flsportsfan83 | March 19, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Seem like I read where Heath and his former team played in and won this small tournament a few seasons back.I know he has won 2 holiday type tournaments with one being in Olando,Fl for sure.
As for as the recruiting goes Juan Pattillo is by all reports an immediate impact player on the next level and would fit well in the system here.Getting a visit is all that one can hope for and it gives usf a chance to show off what they have and can offer.
Side note is at least OU will not negative recruit against USF and Heath with Stan's good friend and former asst coach on staff there.However Taliferro can really, really recruit.
Posted by: The Champ | March 19, 2008 at 11:47 AM