Tigers change their recruiting strategy
Coaches first doing more evaluating due to staff turnover
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — The University of Memphis coaching staff has gotten an eyeful this week of fourstar prospect Terry Larrier, a sweet-shooting, 6-8 swing man from the Bronx — but Larrier can’t say the same of the Tigers.
Though coach Josh Pastner has been at his games at this week’s Nike EYBL Peach Jam, Larrier didn’t mention Memphis off the top of his head Friday.
That’s not surprising, given the Tigers’ strategy during an unusual offseason marked by coaching staff turnover.
Unlike at last year’s Peach Jam, the Tigers coaches are doing more evaluating than seeing to be seen. It’s not just about being visible to a few key prospects but casting a wider net. They are trying to fill a second straight large recruiting class, and the tournament this year — along with the neighboring Peach State and Elite Youth Invitational events, and other tournaments nationwide — is the more preliminary stage.
“I think we’re probably doing more evaluating at this year’s Peach Jam than previous years because of the timing of it all,” assistant coach Aki Collins said. “We have a working list of prospects that we’ve seen throughout the course of the year. Now we’re focusing in on their actual skill set and how they fit in.
“After this weekend, we’ll have a better idea of which direction we want to go.”
It has been an unusual offseason in that Pastner replaced two assistants — including star recruiter Damon Stoudamire, who left for Arizona — and, as of May, was still working on his 2013-14 roster. As a result, he and his staff haven’t had the same amount of time as last year to devote to 2014 recruits until this week in North Augusta, S.C.
It doesn’t help that the Peach Jam is being played a week earlier this year.
Last year, for example, the Nike tournament fell in the middle of the July evaluation period. That gave the U of M a handful of events to decide priorities heading i nto the prominent week-long event.
“This period is called by the NCAA an evaluation period,” Pastner said. “And we’re evaluating. That’s what we’re doing. I would rather — the times have changed. Sometimes, by the time summer is over, if you haven’t been on the kid a whole year ago, you’re late. But I’d rather be late and not get a kid than take a kid early and be wrong.”
This year’s Peach Jam and surrounding tournaments have taken on a new meaning for Pastner and his staff. For the Tigers, last year’s tournaments in South Carolina were about reaffirming their interest in specific prospects.
This time, how potential targets play in the tournaments will decide who’s worthy of interest.
“We had targeted earlier because we needed such a big class (last year),” Pastner said. “We’re just doing a lot of evaluating. I think it’s important. You’re seeing guys in a team element play against great competition, and from there, you’re able to see if it’s the right fit and if we’re the right fit for them. Then you gotta go recruit them.”