Interview with MU men's hoop recruit George Barbour from Torrance, Calif
George Barbour, 6-7, 220 pounds, from Torrance, Calif. High School has signed with Monmouth University
Late Wednesday I spoke with Barbour. Here is the bulk of that interview:
TG: George, do you know about how many points, rebounds, you averaged this year?
Barbour: I didn't play that many games because I've been hurt for most of the sason. I would say on average like 19 points (per game).
TG: About how many games did you play and how many games were you out?
Barbour: I played about 10 games this season. I was coming back from knee surgery, I came back, pretty much recovered. Two games after I fully recovered and started doing good I broke my foot so I was out for another four weeks.
TG: A frustrating year for you right?
Barbour: Yeh, pretty frustrating, I got to come back and finish it up strong.
TG: George, about what did you average as a junior?
Barbour: About eight or nine points. We had Deon on our team (6-8 Deon Thompson) and he's at North Carolina now.
TG: How many years did you play varsity?
Barbour: I was on varsity three years, I started the last two.
TG: George, how did you become involved with Monmouth?
Barbour: Our travel coach knew coach Calloway and he told him about me. They were already out here looking at another player (Jermaine Smith). They came down to see me and he liked me.
(Soon after Barbour visited Monmouth).
I liked the school. I like the schedule and everything. They look like a good team. They have a chance to go back to the (NCAA) Tournament. They had great people. The guys on the team were good. I liked the coaches. I thought I would fit in pretty good.
TG: Had you ever heard of Monmouth?
Barbour: I had seen them in the Alaska Shoot Out. They're a small school but I had heard of them.
TG: Did any other schools offer you a scholarship?
Barbour: I think Boston U. was about to but I had a lot of interest from other schools.
TG: What other schools were you scheduled to visit?
Barbour: San Francisco.
TG: What sort of a player are you?
Barbour: I'm pretty athletic but I can also bring the ball up sometimes, too, to help break pressure. I'm really athletic. I can face up soemtimes and sometimes I can back them (the defenders) up.
TG: How are you on defense?
Barbour: This year I was like the main offensive player. Last year that's (defense) all I did - play defense, I'm pretty good on defense.
TG: What are your plans for this summer.
Barbour: I want to come out and play out there in the summer league. I have to talk with my parents about it.
(End of formal interview)
Then, thanks to Jay Gomes of njhoops.com, I was put in touch with with Dinos Trigonis who ran a showcase (listed below) last month:
2007 Fullcourt Press Senior Showcase Report: Part I
By Dinos Trigonis
(April 2, 2007)
The 2007 Fullcourt Press Senior Showcase was held on Friday March 23rd at Cerritos College (Cerritos CA) and there was plenty of unsigned senior talent present. On hand were several NCAA Division II, III, NAIA and JC coaches as well as scouts like Dinos Trigonis (Fullcourt Press), Gerry Freitas (Hoop Review), Etop Udo-Ema (Fullcourt Press & Hoopmasters), Jorge Calienes (C-Sports) and Dave Keefer and Dave Rogahn (California Preps). Here in Part I of a two part report, we focus on several players who stood out:
George Barbour 6’7” Sr. Torrance (Torrance CA)
Intriguing power-forward runs floor well and is active on the glass.
I asked Trigonis about Barbour. Trigonis: ""He's an agile forward, athletic. He was hurt a large part of the season which limited a lot people from seeing him. But he's a nice prospect.
He's got a nice body, his Dad is real big. He could be 6-7, 235. He's the kind of a guy who can face up and post inside. He's very mobile. For the mid-major level or below he's a good player.''
Late Wednesday I spoke with Barbour. Here is the bulk of that interview:
TG: George, do you know about how many points, rebounds, you averaged this year?
Barbour: I didn't play that many games because I've been hurt for most of the sason. I would say on average like 19 points (per game).
TG: About how many games did you play and how many games were you out?
Barbour: I played about 10 games this season. I was coming back from knee surgery, I came back, pretty much recovered. Two games after I fully recovered and started doing good I broke my foot so I was out for another four weeks.
TG: A frustrating year for you right?
Barbour: Yeh, pretty frustrating, I got to come back and finish it up strong.
TG: George, about what did you average as a junior?
Barbour: About eight or nine points. We had Deon on our team (6-8 Deon Thompson) and he's at North Carolina now.
TG: How many years did you play varsity?
Barbour: I was on varsity three years, I started the last two.
TG: George, how did you become involved with Monmouth?
Barbour: Our travel coach knew coach Calloway and he told him about me. They were already out here looking at another player (Jermaine Smith). They came down to see me and he liked me.
(Soon after Barbour visited Monmouth).
I liked the school. I like the schedule and everything. They look like a good team. They have a chance to go back to the (NCAA) Tournament. They had great people. The guys on the team were good. I liked the coaches. I thought I would fit in pretty good.
TG: Had you ever heard of Monmouth?
Barbour: I had seen them in the Alaska Shoot Out. They're a small school but I had heard of them.
TG: Did any other schools offer you a scholarship?
Barbour: I think Boston U. was about to but I had a lot of interest from other schools.
TG: What other schools were you scheduled to visit?
Barbour: San Francisco.
TG: What sort of a player are you?
Barbour: I'm pretty athletic but I can also bring the ball up sometimes, too, to help break pressure. I'm really athletic. I can face up soemtimes and sometimes I can back them (the defenders) up.
TG: How are you on defense?
Barbour: This year I was like the main offensive player. Last year that's (defense) all I did - play defense, I'm pretty good on defense.
TG: What are your plans for this summer.
Barbour: I want to come out and play out there in the summer league. I have to talk with my parents about it.
(End of formal interview)
Then, thanks to Jay Gomes of njhoops.com, I was put in touch with with Dinos Trigonis who ran a showcase (listed below) last month:
2007 Fullcourt Press Senior Showcase Report: Part I
By Dinos Trigonis
(April 2, 2007)
The 2007 Fullcourt Press Senior Showcase was held on Friday March 23rd at Cerritos College (Cerritos CA) and there was plenty of unsigned senior talent present. On hand were several NCAA Division II, III, NAIA and JC coaches as well as scouts like Dinos Trigonis (Fullcourt Press), Gerry Freitas (Hoop Review), Etop Udo-Ema (Fullcourt Press & Hoopmasters), Jorge Calienes (C-Sports) and Dave Keefer and Dave Rogahn (California Preps). Here in Part I of a two part report, we focus on several players who stood out:
George Barbour 6’7” Sr. Torrance (Torrance CA)
Intriguing power-forward runs floor well and is active on the glass.
I asked Trigonis about Barbour. Trigonis: ""He's an agile forward, athletic. He was hurt a large part of the season which limited a lot people from seeing him. But he's a nice prospect.
He's got a nice body, his Dad is real big. He could be 6-7, 235. He's the kind of a guy who can face up and post inside. He's very mobile. For the mid-major level or below he's a good player.''
posted by Tony Graham at 12:12 AM
10 Comments:
This earlier from Jay Gomes of njhoops.com
It looks like we jumped the gun a bit last week with our report that Monmouth had landed a commitment from 6-foot-9 former Irvington star Jermaine Smith. The big man the Hawks did get was 6-foot-7 George Barbour from Torrance High School in California. Monmouth had offers out to both big men, and while Smith did want to attend the West Long Branch school, it looks like Barbour beat him to the punch.
Barbour was a Top 40 Junior All Star at the Full Court Press Spring Showcase and attended the Pangos All American Camp.
Reports are that he is a good athlete, with a good wing span who can play both forward positions.
MU could have had BOTH Barbour & Smith?
With talent like this lying around at this time of year can you tell me WHY is MU offering scholarships out early to guys who come in as 'projects', become red-shirts as freshmen, and wind up as 'role players'?
This is why we're in the situation we're in.
MU had one scholarship left. Barbour was first to accept and MU decided to take him rather than wait on Smith who had not committed.
Smith then called to say he would like to come to MU but it was too late.
That's how I understand it anyway.
Now..I guess you're saying MU should not have handed out one or two scholarships in November.... (DelTufo, Hett).
At that time Smith was not on their radar screen far as I know.
Tony,
What I'm trying to say is -- why does MU give out scholarships early to guys who are clearly going to be 'projects' (like Del Tufo), when these guys have little or NO other offers, and will probably br around for the late signing period if MU is still interested then? It's like picking a guy in the 1st round of the NFL draft who will obviously be available in the 4th round.
At least scan the landscape and see what else is available at that time. If MU had done so, we'd be bringing in both Smith & Barbour!
You make a valid point.
I don't know, however, if Deltufo is a red-shirt candidate (we'll see when he gets here) or if he was projected to be - a project as you put it - when they signed him.
I think you're being a little tough on the kid. Can we just see how he looks in Sept-Oct. and how their roster shakes out??
And you never know if that "fourth rounder" is still going to be in that slot in the spring.
Deltufo as a red shirt was not what was indicated to me at the time whereas Adam and Dutch were generally figured to be RS candidates from the get go.
Good point though. That's what recruiting is all about.
I like the point being made here. Getting an early verbal from a well-recruited and highly thought of player is one thing. But giving out scholarships early to guys with little interest from other schools will burn you most of the time.
Ok..I like the point, too, but you're assuming too much.
Just because a kid is not highly recruited does not mean he is doomed to be a so-so player or non contributor.
Chris Kenny..for one, signed early and was not that highly recruited....I don't think you can throw the blanket statement out there that it will burn you "most of the time"...
Though Kenny was a guard - schools....especially at the NEC level will take a chance at a "big man" 6-7 or taller, during the early signing period.
I see Barbour had knee surgery and a broken foot within a year of each other?... hopefully he doesn't turn into another Yaniv Simpson.
Re Barbour - you are correct on the injuries. I talked with his coach last night..if I ever get a chance I will post the heart of that interview.
He (Barbour)is 100 percent the coach told me..and playing AAU ball as we speak. He also played at MU when he was here and was said to be very impressive.
Coach said Army (George is a good student!), Fla Atlantic, BU, and USF were all interested in him when he signed with MU....
Coach said he was under-recruited because he didn't play much this year ...
Any way..health wise..he's supposed to be fine as we speak..
I don't want to get MU fans too optimistic here but he seems to be a definite impact player as a freshman...still he'll only be a freshman.
George said he does plan to play ball here this summer..more on that I as find out about it.
Also...MU coaches have nooo plans to red-shirt DelTufo as we speak. Now..anything can change..but they feel he can contribute right away.
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