Monmouth U men's hoops news from NJhoops.com with comments from Steve Keller of the National Recruiting report
6 foot 8 Mendham Sr. Nick Del Tufo has made his college choice. The post prospect has decided to stay close to home and play at Monmouth University next season.
Del Tufo was a All Star at 5-Star Camps the past two summers. On the AAU circuit he played for the NJ Xpress and was named Honorable Mention All Tournament at the Gym Rats Invitational.
He was ranked among the top 60 seniors in the state in the June NJ Hoops Newsletter.
I just spoke with Steve Keller of the Neptune-baased National Recruting report who said - "Nickie's got good size, good strength, good skills and finishes some around the basket. Also can spot up and shoot. He's kind of like a 3-4. He played for the NJ Xpress AAU team this summer and ..they did well, and he kind of came on and was a big part of that.''
Keller said he has Del Tufo rated a low D-1 prospect. Keller said there are two juniors on the Xpress...that potentially could be better, 6-7 Pat Sullivan from Delbarton and 6-8 Billy Oliver from Chatham. Keller said if Monmouth could get one of those players next year that will be a good move.
My take - the kid's not a steal like perhaps Rickie Crews but MU needs to rebuild the front court after this year and he could be another piece of the puzzle.
Del Tufo was a All Star at 5-Star Camps the past two summers. On the AAU circuit he played for the NJ Xpress and was named Honorable Mention All Tournament at the Gym Rats Invitational.
He was ranked among the top 60 seniors in the state in the June NJ Hoops Newsletter.
I just spoke with Steve Keller of the Neptune-baased National Recruting report who said - "Nickie's got good size, good strength, good skills and finishes some around the basket. Also can spot up and shoot. He's kind of like a 3-4. He played for the NJ Xpress AAU team this summer and ..they did well, and he kind of came on and was a big part of that.''
Keller said he has Del Tufo rated a low D-1 prospect. Keller said there are two juniors on the Xpress...that potentially could be better, 6-7 Pat Sullivan from Delbarton and 6-8 Billy Oliver from Chatham. Keller said if Monmouth could get one of those players next year that will be a good move.
My take - the kid's not a steal like perhaps Rickie Crews but MU needs to rebuild the front court after this year and he could be another piece of the puzzle.
posted by Tony Graham at 11:57 AM
2 Comments:
Sounds like another MU big man 'project'.
If so, why do we continue recruiting these type kids. Doesn't a free ride thru college get us a higher quality recruit?
If only recruiting was that easy. I have never seen this kid play so I have nothing more to go on other than Keller's remarks.Steve wasn't down on the kid. Just didn't think he was a a major coup but that he can contribute down the road. Be interesting to see how he and his high school team fares this year and what progress he makes. Remember, he's only going into his senior year in high school. I have heard him described as a Russ Anderson type. Russ, as you may recall, was a solid player who developed as he went along, not spectacular but hard working, good rebounder, played tough defense, and was a member of two MU NCAA Tournament teams. Big men are the hardest to develop and the most difficult for teams of Monmouth's level to recruit and also obtain at an immediate high level. Even though John Bunch is far from a finished project his size makes him unique. I would say the two big kids MU has now - 6-9 "Dutch" Gaitley and 6-10 Adam Dobriansky are definitely works in progress (I have watched them personally at MU's pick up games) but both will probably redshirt this year ( I know Dutch will) and they will be all the better for it. Kevin Owens is a good example of sitting out (redshirting) a first year and becoming a more than capable NEC post player over the next four. Now, if things work out for Rickie ""The Rookie" Crews, as I have said, he could be special but we'll have to wait and see. I understand you want a big man finished product right away but they are the hardest to come by.
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