Recruiting Update: 5/7/12

PJ Hardwick

PJ is currently on a visit the University of North Texas. He lists SMU, TCU, UAB, and South Carolina as schools that have a lot of interest in him taking an official visit. "Every school has an equal opportunity" he said. Regarding his release from Mississippi State, PJ says that he did what was best for his family and that it's now I'm God's hands.

Josh Gray

I know I'm pretty late on this, but Josh Gray has signed with Texas Tech. I just didn't want to report something I didn't hear from him. Best of luck to Josh.

One on One: Jacoby Davis, Jr.

Jacoby Davis is a MSU basketball signee from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is currently attending school at West Charlotte High School.

Good-Win! Sports Blog-Jacoby, thanks for talking with us. Tell us about yourself.
Jacoby Davis, Jr.- I'm a family guy. I'm really close with my father. I love being in the gym. I'm really a funny person. I love meeting new people everyday and I'm a kid that's just striving to reach many goals in life.

G-W!SB- What can you bring to the MSU program?
JDJ- Hardworking, leadership, scoring when needed and just being that general on the floor to control the games. Plus being the best defender at all times.

G-W!SB- Tell us about your recruitment (other schools, besides MSU, and what they did to recruit you, etc. )
JDJ- My recruitment was everywhere. Meaning mid-majors and high-majors such as Western Kentucky, Hofstra, Jacksonville, Houston, Seton Hall, South Carolina, and Southern Cal.

G-W!SB- When did MSU come into the picture?
JDJ- Honestly about a week when coach ray got the job.

G-W!SB- What recruiting pitch(es) did MSU win you on?
JDJ- The Facilities and the fans actually knowing who I was when I came on campus.

G-W!SB- Can you talk about what you feel this program can achieve over the next 4 years?
JDJ- I think in the next 4 years it will be in at least 4 NCAA tourneys and have a couple SEC titles

G-W!SB- That's pretty ambitious. What reasons make you think your team can achieve a feat like that?
JDJ- We are hard workers and have a great coaching staff who are leading us in a great direction.

G-W!SB- When did you know you were going to sign with MSU? Was there a specific event?
JDJ- No. Just went with my gut and praying to God to help me make the best decision for me and my family.

G-W!SB-Well, I wish you the best of luck, Jacoby. Thanks for your time!
JDJ- Your welcome!

Thanks to Jacoby for his time and we wish him the best at MSU!
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Recruiting update: 4/25/12

Josh Gray

Josh Gray has narrowed down his field to his final 3 choices: Kansas State, Texas Tech and prep school. He recently visited Texas Tech this past weekend saying that he had a "great weekend". He was extremely complimentative of Lubbock and Tech saying that it was beautiful and that he couldn't have been anywhere better.

Trey Dickerson

Trey has truly enjoyed the recruiting process and is hoping to get some official visits set up by the end of this week. He wants to cut his choices down to his final 3 schools, but calls Duquesne his leader. He also mentioned that he was now receiving interest from Rhode Island. As of the 24th, Mississippi State has not contacted him to set up an official visit.

One on One: Derek Millinghaus

I recently interviewed Derek Millinghaus, a point guard from Schenectady, New York. He recently signed with St. Bonaventure, but his letter of intent was released, and he then signed with Ole Miss.

Andrew Toler: Would you mind explaining the situation with St. Bonaventure?
Derek Millinghaus: I signed with St. Bonaventure last year and I did not want to go there anymore because my family was moving down south. I wanted to be kind of close to my family.

AT: There's a lot of colleges down south! What made you choose Ole Miss?
DM: I chose Ole Miss because Coach [Andy] Kennedy has had a lot of good point guards during his career and I felt that he will push me to be the best player and point guard that I can be.

AT: Tell us about your recruitment to Ole Miss.
DM: Coach Kennedy has been at my games faithfully, so I felt that [Ole Miss] really wants me.

AT: I understand. Who are some players you look up to/feel your game is most like?
DM: I would say Chris Paul and Brandon Jennings.

AT: How is their game similar to yours?
DM: They are able to score and pass, and bring excitement to the game.

AT: What excites you the most about playing for Ole Miss?
DM: The passion the fans have for ther school, being able to play in the SEC, and having a chance to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

AT: How do you feel about Ole Miss's current roster? Who are you excited about playing with?
DM: I feel that we have a lot of pieces to make it far next year, probably even the Final Four. I'm excited about playing with everyone on the roster.

AT: Do you feel like you could be the missing link to the Ole Miss offense?
DM: Yes, I think that I'm the type of guard that they need.

AT: What kind of guard does Ole Miss need?
DM: They need Derrick Millinghaus! [Laughs] Ole Miss needs a guard that attack the basket well, shoots well, and will do anything to help his team win.

AT: Thank your for taking the time to talk to us. I'm an Ole Miss fan, so I'm looking forward to seeing you play. Hotty Toddy!
DM: Alright thank you. I appreciate it.

Thanks to Derek Millinghaus for interviewing with me. He is a great guy and I hope to do it again soon.

One on One: Trey Dickerson

Price High School (CA) Point Guard Trey Dickerson sat down with the Good-Win! Sports Blog to discuss his past, present, and future basketball career.

I HIGHLY recommend that you watch this video. However, if you don't have time here are the highlights.

Good-Win! Sports Blog- Give us your top 5 school choices.
Trey Dickerson- Mississippi State, Duquesne University, Hofstra University, Quinnipiac University, and Southern Cal.

G-W!SB- I'm putting you on the spot here. If you had to, rank those schools you mentioned earlier.
TP- 1. Mississippi State 2. Hofstra 3. Duquesne 4. Quinnipiac University 5. Southern Cal

G-W!SB- Can we talk to you again maybe? Keep up with your recruitment?
TD- Sure! Let's talk in about a week or so!

Thanks again to Trey for talking to me! He's an awesome guy and I'm really looking forward to talking to him again. Here is him dunking (He's 6'1".)

One on One: Michael Roy

Friday night, JUCO point guard for John Woods Community College, Michael Roy, took time to sit down and talk to me about his basketball career, past, present and future. During the interview we discussed future college choices, his basketball skills and other interesting things.

If you can't watch the video or don't have time to, here are the high spots below. Otherwise, I highly recommend that you watch the interview. Thanks again to Michael for talking to me!

Good-Win! Sports Blog-Tell us about what sets your game apart from everyone else.
Michael Roy- I'm an all-around player. I work on all parts of my game from defense to offense.  But my main goal is to get my defense up on a high level so I can guard anyone that the other team puts in front of me. Since I'm short at 5'8", I think that working on that can make up for my height. By doing that, I can show people that I shouldn't be underrated like I am.

G-W!SB-  Can you tell us some schools that you feel you would be a good fit at?
MR- I feel like I would be a good fit at LSU, Northwestern (State University), and Nebraska. I've been watching those 3 schools since I was a kid, so I've always looked up to the players at those schools. I've always thought about those 3 schools like, "I want to be wearing that jersey right there". So I've set goals to play on a Division 1 or Division 2 level.

G-W!SB- Most people would see being 5'8" as a  disadvantage. Can you tell us why it's not a disadvantage?
MR- First off, I'm a physical guy, so don't think you can push me around on the court. So to get past my height, I just push myself harder. I motivate myself to work harder My strength, my speed, and my ability to guard make up for my height.

Here are Michael's highlights for his senior season in high school. If your interested in setting up an interview, contact me!

One on One: An Interview with P.J. Hardwick

P.J. Hardwick is a Mississippi State signee attending school at the Christian Life Center Academy (Miami, FL). Below, he talks with me about his recruiting process, Mississippi State, the former MSU coaching staff and more.

Good-Win! Sports Blog- P.J., first let me thank you for taking some time to talk to me. You just recently signed with MSU, can you  tell me about you're experience being recruited?
P.J. Hardwick- It was a great experience and it was actually a long process. It has its ups and downs, but I'm glad to be a Bulldawg.

G-W!SB- So were you always a Bulldog? Or were there any other schools in the mix?
PJH- Plenty of schools were in the mix, but I narrowed it down to my main three and made a decision. MSU, South Florida, and Texas A&M.

G-W!SB- What was the biggest factor in your decision to pick MSU?
PJH- I picked MSU because it was a family atmosphere, coaches were loyal and honest and I would have a opportunity to start as a freshman. The SEC is also a great conference for exposure.

G-W!SB- I'll get back to the exposure thing, but I have a question a lot of people would like to hear you answer. How did you feel when you heard that Coach Stansbury had  resigned? And did it make you rethink your signing with MSU?
PJH- I was shocked! Coach Stansbury and Coach Grant recruited me. And yes, it did make me rethink some more, but I'm a pretty loyal guy. I haven't heard from Coach Ray, but I plan to ASAP. Then I will make my final decision. (Note: PJ told me later that night that he spoke with Coach Ray.)

G-W!SB- Hmmm... That's interesting. You would think that Coach Ray would have contacted his possible starting point guard for next year. Especially if Josh Gray doesn't go to state next year. Speaking of Josh Gray, how close are you to the other signees?
PJH- I don't know (the other signees) personally, I just know them. But I am close with Josh (Gray).

G-W!SB- Did you watch or hear Coach Ray in his press conference?
PJH- I was working out, but my dad told me about it. I heard he said some positive things.

G-W!SB- He said he didn't know how to lose. You don't know how to lose either, right?
PJH- I'm a winner and a natural born leader. Even now I'm about to go workout.

(At this point in the interview Hardwick stopped to go workout. Everything prior to this was around 5 pm on 4/2/12. We resumed later at around 7 pm later that day.)

G-W!SB- You're close to Josh Gray, can you tell me what's probably going through his mind right now?
PJH- I'm not sure.

G-W!SB- That's okay. Earlier in this conversation, you said that the SEC was a great conference for exposure. With that kind of exposure, what does the world learn about P.J. Hardwick as a player next year?
PJH- The world will know the name P.J. Hardwick this time next year. Mark my words. Not only one of the best point guards in the conference, but in the country!

G-W!SB- Let's say with that excellent exposure you get drafted into the NBA. If you could pick a team to play for, who would it be and why?
PJH- Miami Heat because thats where I'm from.

G-W!SB- Yeah, I should have seen that one coming. Okay, two more quick questions.
1) You think we can do this again about this time next year? I want to hold you to your prediction.
PJH- Sure we can. I like to help others.

G-W!SB- Okay one more.
2) You gonna follow your boy here on twitter?
PJH- Haha I'll see what I can do.

G-W!SB- Okay P.J., I look forward to talking to you next year. Thanks for all your time!
PJH- No problem, my man! God bless.
______________________________________________________________
On a personal note, I would like to once again thank P.J. for his time. P.J. was truly a nice guy and made me feel like he sincerely appreciated my questions. I wish him the best wherever he ends up playing basketball.

A New Era in Mississippi State Basketball: Rick Ray

Forward: I promise you that I was so close to naming this piece: "Old Dogs Learn New Rick". So close.

Mississippi State Athletic Director Scott Stricklin was expected to name a new head coach for the men's basketball team sometime this week, but it wasn't expected to be another guy named Rick. Former Clemson assistant coach Rick Ray was announced as the next head coach of Mississippi State's men's basketball team via Twitter by Scott Stricklin. To say the least, Rick Ray's name was not discussed by the media or fans as an expected candidate for the job. But here's the question most people are asking: What did Scott Stricklin see in Rick Ray to name him the next men's head coach at Mississippi State? Here's what I think Stricklin saw.

Note: Everything anyone says at this point, except for facts (i.e. Rick Ray is the next men's basketball coach at MSU) is speculation. And don't let anyone else make you believe any differently.

1. A Fresh Face- Personally, I don't think you can underestimate this factor. Most of the MSU fan base felt like it was time for a change, and the best way to do that was to hire someone "unexpected". I'm not sure I disagree with Stricklin. It has been 30 years since Mississippi State has had a coach from outside of the program (Bob Boyd from the University of Southern California).

2. Someone Respected in the College Basketball Community- I will admit that I had never heard the name Rick Ray until today at about 5:15 pm. But after reading some of the comments that were made tonight by fellow coaches, I will admit that I am impressed. Tennessee head coach believed that "MSU did its homework and reached out to a qualified coach". Purdue head coach Matt Painter, under whom Ray coached for 4 years at Purdue, said of Ray, "Rick Ray is a tireless worker and a fierce competitor." It goes further than that. All-American Robbie Hummel said that coach Ray will "do a great job at Mississippi State". These people are just a few examples of the people that regard Ray highly.

3. A Good Recruiter- Not to be confused with "The Recruiter (AKA Rick Stansbury)". At Purdue, Ray brought in the best recruiting class in school history. Ray helped bring one of the top recruiting classes in 2007, boasting none other than Robbie Hummel. 

4. A X's and O's Coach- Personally, I don't believe that Rick Stansbury wasn't a good X's and O's coach. However, it was a common complaint. Here's what current Clemson coach had to say about Ray, "He's an extremely talented guy, a very hard worker, and a really good basketball coach. X's and O's are at a very high level. He knows how to coach the game."

But perhaps the most important thing that Stricklin saw in Ray was something was something that, oddly enough, was something that was not present. 

5. "Rick fits the model of head coach we have sought to bring into our program over the last several years"- After reading all of the press release that Mississippi State released this afternoon, the statement above, written by Scott Stricklin, caught my attention. In my interpretation, Stricklin is saying that Ray fits the model for the type of coach he wants at Mississippi State, which apparently Stansbury didn't fit. It's possible that Ray did not have some of the characteristics that other candidates had. (Not really sure what that is at this point though.)

But, like I said, all of this is speculation. But this is not speculation in my mind: Scott Stricklin got his man. Let's see if Ray can get his first win today at the press conference. That would be a start.

SEC Basketball Preview

The non-conference basketball season is over (for the SEC at least), with a few exceptions. And before I actually start the "real" preview, let's recap what has happened to this point for each team.

SEC STANDINGS (I've put them into categories)

TOP TIER
1. Kentucky (14-1, #2 AP)- Kentucky. That's about all you need to know about this team. They look like Kentucky. They play like Kentucky. They win like Kentucky. Their only loss came this buzzer beater to now #12 Indiana.  Other than that, they have just taken care of business.

2. Mississippi State (13-2, #15 AP)- A surprise team to most, Mississippi State has had some quality wins (Texas A&M, Arizona, West Virginia) and a (semi?) disappointing loss to Akron.

3. Florida (12-3, #13 AP)- Florida has had a great non-conference season, adding some good resume-building wins(Arizona, Texas A&M). Their three loses were all (mostly) understandable (@ then #3 Syracuse, @ then #3 Ohio State, and 2OT to Rutgers).

4. Alabama (11-3, received 1 vote in AP poll)- If you want to see a team that was over-hyped in the preseason, take a good look at Alabama. They were ranked as high as 12th. They lost to now #9 Georgetown, and seemingly started an uncontrollable spiral downward (3 losses in 4 games). They now seem to have that under control.

MEDIOCRE AND/OR UNDERACHIEVING

4. Arkansas (11-3)- This team has played a rather soft- preseason schedule. They were not expected to win any of their 3 losses (Houston, then #10  UCONN, Oklahoma). They have lost team-leaders PF Marshawn Powell to injury and Rotnei Clarke to transferring to Butler.

5. Auburn (10-4)-  Auburn is mediocre and overachieving. Losses include Seton Hall, (a good) Long Beach State University, UTEP (UGLY!!!), and a 29 point loss to Florida State. Notable Wins: South Florida, Hawaii (Do those even count?).

5. LSU (10-4)- An all-around inconsistent team. I can't decide if they're on the rise or if they just get lucky every now and then. Losses: Coastal Carolina, Northwestern, University of South Alabama in OT, then #23 Virginia. Good Wins: then #10 Marquette.

5. Ole Miss (10-4)- Just a plain, old mediocre team. With losses to then #19 Marquette, Southern Miss, Middle Tenn. State University, and Dayton, it is not going to get any easier to win for Ole Miss now. As of today, Ole Miss's leading scorer Dundrecous(sp?) Nelson was booted from the team for, as he stated under oath,  "unlawfully and willfully used paraphernalia to ingest or inhale a controlled substance." Notable wins include: Miami, Penn State, TCU.

5. Vanderbilt (10-4)- If you want to see another over-hyped team, look no further than Vandy. A consensus top-10 basketball team in the preseason. Losses: Cleveland State, then #11 Xavier, then #6 Louisville, Indiana State Sycamores (yes, they are the sycamores). Wins: BLOWOUT @ then #13 Marquette.

THOSE EASTERN TEAMS THAT WILL BE LUCKY TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING

6. Georgia (9-5)- Inconsistent. Notable Wins: Notre Dame, USC. Losses: then #18 CAL, then #12 Xavier, Colorado, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech

7. South Carolina (8-6) Even more inconsistent than Georgia. Bad losses, but hung with then #2 Ohio State until after halftime. Notable Wins: Clemson. Losses: then #1 UNC, USC, Providence, then #2 Ohio State, Elon, Tennessee State(!!!!!!!!).

8. Tennessee (7-7)- Just bad. Dealing with the NCAA doesn't help either. Notable Wins: none. Losses: then #6 Duke, then #8 Memphis, Oakland, then #17 Pittsburgh, Austin Peay, College of Charleston. It may be a long year for the Vol faithful.

PREVIEW

Well now that our recap is complete, I'm gonna preview the SEC season. Complete with best and worst case scenarios, NCAA tournament and NIT chances, and my Pre-SEC season- ALL SEC- Team.

1. Kentucky. This is not a hard choice. Easily the most talent in the SEC.

Best Case Scenario: 16-0. Hey, it could happen.

Worst Case Scenario: 12-4. Are there even 4 teams in the SEC that could hang with Kentucky?

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, 1 seed. 2 seed at worst.

2. Mississippi State. One reason I have MSU over Florida is the easier schedule. The second reason wears jersey #3.

Best Case Scenario: 13-3. MSU will drop some close ones and maybe one they aren't supposed to.

Worst Case Scenario: 9-7. Another late-season collapse leads to a disappointing season.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, anywhere from a 3 seed to a 7 seed.

3. Florida. Just continues to be a solid basketball team under Billy Donovan.

Best Case Scenario: 14-2. All wins except two close ones to either Kentucky, Mississippi State, Vandy, Alabama

Worst Case Scenario: 8-8. An injury to Kenny Boynton would kill UF.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Yes, 3 seed to a 9 seed.

4. Alabama- Will hopefully improve since the non-conference schedule.

Best Case Scenario: 13-3. This Alabama team is known to play great defense. If they get hot... LOOK OUT!

Worse Case Scenario: 8-8. A lack of effort can become contagious on a team.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? On the bubble, could be anywhere from a 8 seed to a 13 seed

NIT? If they don't get an NCAA berth, look for Alabama to host a NIT region.

5. Vandy- I think they will get better.

Best Case Scenario: 12-4. They basically return all the key clogs from an excellent team last year.

Worst Case Scenario: 8-8. Ezeli could get reinjured. That would be very bad.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? On the bubble, Vandy as a 9 seed is very possible. Heck, Vandy as a 7 seed is very possible.

NIT? Well if they don't make the NCAA, look for Vandy to host.

6. Arkansas. We're gettin' on down the list.

Best Case Scenario:11-5. They play a very potent full-court defense. They could get hot.

Worst Case Scenario: 7-9. Injuries could stack up on a team that already only plays 9 scholarship players.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? If they make a run in the SEC season and go fairly deep in the SEC tourney, they could be anywhere from a 10 seed to a 13 seed.

NIT? Very likely.

7. LSU. A team that has definitely improved from last season.

Best Case Scenario: 10-6. Trent Johnson could finally wake the sleeping Tigers.

Worst Case Scenario: 6-10. Another LSU basketball season.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Probably not, but if they make a (unlikely) run in the SEC tourney, it IS possible.

NIT? Extremely likely.

8. Ole Miss. Andy Kennedy will probably be on the hot seat by the end of the season.

Best Case Scenario: 11-5. Jelan Kendrick could step and be the star he's capable of being.

Worst Case Scenario: 6-10. Lack of depth could hurt the Rebs.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? Probably not, they would probably have to win the SEC tourney to grasp a 12 seed.

NIT? Almost definitely.

9. Georgia. They have a tough schedule.

Best Case Scenario: 10-6. They could get lucky. That's all I've got.

Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. Like I said, they have a tough schedule. Kentucky X2, Florida X2, MSU, Vandy X2

NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.

NIT? Probably.

10. Auburn. Just a inconsistent team.

Best Case Scenario: 9-7. They could win most of their home games and maybe two or three more.

Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. It's Auburn basketball.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.

NIT? Maybe. I'm leaning towards no.

11. Tennessee. The only thing that separates UT from South Carolina is the talent level.

Best Case Scenario: 10-6. They DO have talent. Just some poor coaching.

Worst Case Scenario: 4-12. Bad coaching. It happens.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.

NIT? Maybe. They would have a better chance of making it than Auburn just for their namesake.

12.South Carolina. Just bad. Just really, really bad.

Best Case Scenario: 8-8. They could win the easy ones.

Worst Case Scenario: 2-14. Now THAT would be bad. Like fire your coach midseason bad.

NCAA TOURNAMENT? No.

NIT? Nothing is impossible.

Pre-SEC season-ALL SEC-Team

PG: Dee Bost, Mississippi State

SG: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt

SF: Doron Lamb, Kentucky

PF: Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State

C: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

Any comments/ thoughts/ questions? Thanks for reading!

The End (And the Beginning of Something Special)

Basically, football season is over. Yes, there are bowl games, championships, all-star games, and even coaching controversy,but nothing will ever replace the empty void left in me on Friday nights and Saturdays. And since I must acknowledge this, I will recap this past season to help cope with the emptiness that is the end of football season.

High School Football

I had the pleasure of going to all but one of the Madison Central football games(missed the Greenville game), and I have never been more proud of being a Jag. The Jags DESTROYED teams on the ground by essentially running about 5 plays. It is tough to not make it past the North State Championship game for the 4th year in a row, but the Jags will recover and regroup this offseason like they always do. This season was not short of drama for MC. The Jags started off 0-2, beat rival NWR 52-20 in a hyped-up, televised game, and lost a close game against the eventual 6A state champions, Olive Branch, in the North State Championship game. But let me tell you one thing. If you thought the Jags were talented this year, wait till next year. The Jags sophomore class is as talented as any in the school's history. The sophomore class has won its conference the past three years with a combined record of 24-0. Olive Branch will have lost most all talent by next year. South Panola will be just as much of a non factor next year. Look for the Jags to make a run at their first 6A championship ever.

College Football

Both Ole Miss and Mississippi State had disappointing seasons. The good news for Ole Miss? The season is over and you have hired a new coach who has pumped new life into the nearly dead football program. So the question posed to you, Ole Miss fans, is: Are Hugh Ready?(PUN. NY) State's disappointing season was highlighted earlier in the season with a close loss to Auburn. There were several games decided by very few points. Who knows? A few different outcomes on plays, and State might be a 8-4 team.

Southern Miss football was not a disappointment. Recording the schools most victories in a season and a C-USA championship had Larry Fedora's name popping up like Dan Mullen's at nearly every school without a coach. Since then, Larry Fedora has accepted the job at the University of North Carolina.

Conclusion

Thanks for following my blog with me the last couple of weeks for football and other things. I hope this was as much fun for you as it was for me. I'm looking forward to next year and possibly expanding the blog's coverage to more schools than just MC.  It's time to shift gears to basketball and baseball. Hopefully I will be covering MC in these sports as well (as often as possible).

Finally, it will be tough to continue to write here (seeing as baseball and basketball are not exactly the king sports in Mississippi). I will try to write as often as possible. However, lots of information will be passed through twitter. So as soon as you're done reading this go to twitter and follow me @GOODWIN_SPORTS.

A proposition. If you are at all interested in writing for the blog (no matter the opinion), contact me on twitter. If you would like to write for your high school sports team, I would be more than happy to use that on my blog. I would love to make this a place for eveyone's opinion and not just mine.

And on a personal note, I would like to thank everyone for their continued support. The thoughts and comments have meant a lot to me. Continue to read and develop your own personal opinion of all things in the world. Thank you so much.