Bulls get '09 commitment from 6-foot-4 guard

Stan Heath is still working on finishing his 2008 recruiting class, but the Bulls have their first commitment for 2009, as Shaun Noriega, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound shooting guard from North Port, committed to Heath on Wednesday afternoon.

"It's a program on the rise and I really want to help them out," said Noriega, a third-team all-state selection who averaged 24.9 points per game as a junior in helping North Port to a 21-7 record. "The location was great, and the academics and the coaching staff were great, too. In college, I want to be a guy who can hit 3s and make big shots."

Noriega, who hit 85 3-pointers as a junior, was also being strongly recruited by Butler and Washington State, and North Port coach Curt Allen said he expected more big schools to jump on Noriega after a strong finish to his junior season in which he averaged nearly 30 points over his last 10 games.

"Shaun is a real loyal, hard-working kid with a great shot," Allen said. "He probably takes 300, 400 shots a day in practice. He had a checklist of everything he wanted from a college. The first thing was education, and he wanted a place where his family could see him play. The wanted to play at the highest level, and when you put all that together, he's excited about South Florida. And now that he's decided, he can just work on becoming a better player over the next year."

Noriega comes from an athletic family, as his father Gilberto was a professional boxer in Mexico; his older brother is a golf pro in Naples. He plays with the Tampa-based Florida Team Elite program in AAU and will be in Ohio for a tournament this weekend.

Comments

[AGW]

I admit that I was being very optimistic, but I wrote that if we get Riek OR Ben-Eze that would be great. Same went for Beverley OR Wallace. Then, I stated if we ONE of the JUCO small forwards out of the three. So thats not too optimistic. Thats 3 out of 7 players.

[The Champ]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh my bad G.A. I was so much in a hurry to write that while I had to get ready to go to work.

"Pens", "Pins", "Pens", "Pins", "Pens", f***it!I guess when you are as good as me people try to find the smallest error or mistake to be critical of, even though it is WEAK.Lord knows they have nothing else.

[G.A.]

Pins and needles. Pins. And I'm not even going to touch "Pipefream."

[reality]

DAVE W, YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. Douby as good as he was, was not able to get Rutgers to the Dance. Rutgers hasnt been to the Dance since 1991.

DOJO is really good, but he is doomed here as well.

Year 1 had 3 wins? Year 2 would be a MIRACLE if they had 3 wins. Year 3 verbals so far are a 6 3 guard, just what we need, another guard!

RIEK is a Pipefream unless Stan is getting some money from a booster to pay off the Africans. Even then, Riek would have to pass a test and his academics are of the third world variety.

Can anyone answer why kids like AKOL and some others out there like Sean Kilpatrick and Chris Turner and I am sure many others go to these prep schools and dont take the SAT or ACT every month. They should be taking these tests every other week until they get the required score. It boggles my mind why these kids wait until June.

[Dave W]

Here's thing: Why would a top assistant (like Taliaferro) come here? It's just such a tough place to succeed (an acknowledged fact) that guys are rightfully afraid.

I think a good hiring strategy would be guys who are failed head coaches, especially from conferences like the A-10. Those guys get jobs because of one outstanding trait (often recruiting ability) but can't put it all together, making them ideal assistants. A young hotshot won't be signing on to coach us anytime soon.

As for my pessimism, having watched USF basketball for 4 years, I just have a tough time seeing us ever able to get out of the mire. The BEAST is so tough every year, and Heath is basically starting from scratch. If we become an NIT regular, that will be quite an accomplishment. To wit, Rutgers is located in a far more fertile place for basketball talent and has a longer history, and yet they probably will never be a BEAST contender, either. Douby was pretty good, and Jones will have a similar career as him. We will probably have peak years, but the NCAAs are a very distant dream.

[The Champ]

Once Reggie Hansen and Byron Samuels are replaced and hopfully soon, Heath may hire a guy that is a masterful Xs and Os coach and a great developer of talent.Put him on the bench with Hipsher and that is quite a bite of knowledge USF will have.Do not underestimate the importance of great game planing and the chemistry you get from playing the game the right way.Knowing what to do and when to do it a big part of having success.

The other assistant needs to be a TRUE BULLDOG RECRUITER, a GO GETTER!

BTW on a side note, even while being benched by Heath these past couple of weeks, Hansen still managed to mess up.Cannot say what he did but he handicapped the program in an important area.Yes he is doing more harm to USF then good.

[The Champ]

Dave W if AGW has his hopes set to high then without a doubt you have yours set to low.Jones senior year and the best USF can hope for is an NIT berth.I thought USF played in the Big East not the NBA East.

Coach Heath thinks the 3rd year is when things will come together and I haven't seen anything to suggest other wise.

There are many factors that will have an effect on USF's future and one I will list below.

[The Champ]

AGW I logged some of the names you just dropped to research for later.

Once again the Beverley situation all depends on his MOM.Now I guess this will remain an issue until the school semester is over so there will be opinions on the matter both ways until then.

The story on Rivals has USF awaiting word on Simmons this weekend after he takes his visit to OSU.Frankly I don't know why my buddies on Rival would run that headline and story.Put it this way, if Simmons picks USF over The Ohio State University it will be one of the biggest upsets in recruiting in recent memory.I won't totally close the door on him, but it would be stunning to me if Simmons says he is coming to USF.I highly doubt Heath and Hipsher are sitting on pens and needles awaiting word on Simmons as Rivals suggest.

Remember this, Simmons would have joined Espinosa as an early signee of USF's if Reggie Hansen had done his job of recruiting him like he was told, and that is a FACT.

[Dave W]

AGW, that's a nice idea, but it's way too optimistic. Getting either Ben-Eze or Riek would be the biggest coup in our recent history, and even then, both have a lot to prove. I think what is more likely to happen is maybe Heath gets one or two good guys, but ultimately will not be able to piece together a good team until Jones is a senior, with "good" being defined as the NIT.

[AGW]

PG - Mercer/McMillan/Howard
SG - Beverley/Noriega
SF - Jones/ Bush (other JUCO)/Wallace
PF - Akol/Espinosa/ (Stud Frosh.)
C - Riek/Ben-Eze/Teague

That is the lookings of a real Big East team and actually a possibility. You could take out Riek and input Clanton, Green, Olsen, Kirk, Baines and you would still have a good 5 man F/C rotation. Same goes for Beverley or Wallace, you could take one of them out and put in a Bush, Dodson, Hobson or Bolding and we would still field the best team in USF history and have a "REAL" chance to go to the NCAA tourney. That is what we have to possibly look forward to at USF. So, look to the future and believe in Coach Heath, give him 4-5 years to build this program and I believe that by year 4 he will have a postseason birth under his belt and maybe two.

[AGW]

I believe that Stan Heath is looking good in terms of being competitive in 09-10'. I have heard that he is looking at Eric Wallace as a transfer from OSU, as well as, Patick Beverley from Ark. although I have heard from others that's dead, I have heard otherwise and is still a very real possibilty. Add that to our chance to get Ben-Eze, Akol and Riek. If we get one of these players, it might create a trickle down effect. Add that to the fact that I have heard that we are already scouring the JUCO ranks for a wing forward for 09'. Watch out for Darrington Hobson, Jenirro Bush and Darnell Dodson. I have also heard we might inquire about Melquan Bolding, former Louisville verbal. We are also recruiting Dante green, Keith Clanton, Donovan Kirk and Terell Baines in 09'. If we land half of these guys we will be postseason bound. I am just glad that we have players of this calibar even considering us, whereas before that was not possible. Give Coach Heath kudos for at least that much.

Is Ben-Eze still taking visits? If not, what is he waiting for?

[Manuel Noriega]

My nephew will beat down the Big East competition like the U.S. armed forces beat me down.

[AGW]

Is there any way that Beverely comes to USF? I know his mom has been against it, but he seems intent on following Coach Heath. Can he sway her mom? Also, is Riek a 08' or 09' recruit?

[Herman Momart]

My Dad can beat up your guys Dads.

[mike]

i doubt you have the knowledge that the champ has

[reality]

Batman, I am just the counterbalance to Champ, fair and balanced, my friend. I am Simply Sean Hannity to his Colmes.

You uninformed USF basketball fans
need to know what is really happening out there. YOu have guys saying we are getting the Fab 5 recruiting class and suddenly people believe it. I am just trying to keep you guys honest.

Batman, do you really think I am just making up what I type? Maybe you should watch some AAU ball, or go to some games, then you can be knowledgeable like me and The Champ.

[BATMAN]

Reality do you always have to post right after The Champ does?

He seems to bring a lot of good information and updates about USF, and all you seem to bring is bull%$#! and a waste of time.

I would much rather read the things that matter about USF without having to see your crap on this GREAT BLOG.Stop stinking up the place!

Besides the Champ there are plenty of other good writers on this blog to.I'm glad I found this site.

[reality]

Best player in SWFL in 09 I hope you mean Champ????

Jelani Hewitt and Dago Pena are both better but in different classes.

[The Champ]

The best player in SW Florida and one of the best shooters in the entire '09 class.Luv those shooters!

[Dres]

NICE!

His AAU team is Florida Elite