Ooooooo boy did the Cats have a weekend!!
Shamir Bogues, a 6-4 guard from Killeen, TX who played the last three years for Tarleton State, committed to the Catamounts this evening, with two years of eligibility remaining. Ever since Vermont reached out several weeks ago, this it the commitment I have been hoping for. Bogues visited Vermont this past weekend and I have been obsessively checking twitter ever since. He is exactly what the Cats needed. Bogues is an ELITE defender. He has made the WAC all defensive team two years in a row and has averaged two steals a game during his career. For context, his 159 career steals would already place him seventh on the career list at Vermont. He will immediately be a defensive player of the year candidate. As you might imagine with those defensive numbers, Bogues is a incredible athlete who is lightning fast and plays above the rim. He has tremendous length and physicality which he also uses to score at the rim on the offensive end. Bogues has steadily improved his offense each year and had a career offensive season last year shooting 53% from the field and making 36% of his threes (17/47). Where he really does damage is in the post, using curls and cuts and his length to finish around defenders. Think the way Vermont used Dylan Penn and Robin Duncan as guards scoring in the paint. Pairing him with Jace Roquemore gives Vermont two very versatile guards who can rebound and make plays. Bogues is an absolutely perfect fit in the Vermont system especially with some of the adjustments the coaching staff made last season. With the addition of Bogues the Cats have done an excellent job replacing production on both offense and defense. It is especially exciting because Bogues, Roquemore, and TJ Long have two seasons of eligibility left. This is the commitment that puts the Cats over the top and gives them the pieces to make another title run. What an incredible week of recruiting for the Cats.
Agree 100 percent sounds like RD with more offense add an arena no telling where the program can go
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Arena is the missing piece.
DeleteWhen they get these kids on campus, it’s amazing what they do. Great job to coaching staff of painting a winning culture. Do we see a few non conference games in Texas this year? The way they went to Cali last year?
ReplyDeleteAssuming last scholarship fills out big man depth?
These kids coming in have played big minutes for their former teams, hope there are enough minutes to go around! But they are all coming from programs that got bounced early in their conference tournaments so maybe they have eyes set in NCAAs!
Nice job Vermont. Can’t wait to see last recruit and non conference schedule.
I would expect a Texas game or two over the next couple seasons. I think the last scholarship will most likely be post depth but it might also be someone who would sit out this season since the minutes are jam packed. I am sure part of the recruiting pitch is that there are no egos or guaranteed roles in the Vermont program and buying into doing whatever it takes to win is required to be a part of it. I am sure the players that have committed want to win and make the tourney even if it means a few less minutes.
DeleteThis one feels like a major score for the Catamounts. Great size and athleticism for a guard. The last couple of additions will give the coach options to play fast and aggressive. They also bolstered their shooting with earlier additions. Any word on adding a big?
ReplyDeleteBogues certainly had several other options so he is a major score for sure. With the additions I do think they are going to try to get out in the open court even more. Nothing solid on who they are looking at for the last scholarship.
DeleteGo Cats Go!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
Delete🏀💚💛🏀
ReplyDeleteGo Cats Go!
DeleteAny word if beagle is in the mix?
ReplyDeleteOn April 13th Beagle announced he decided to stay at Albany for his sophomore season.
DeleteCorrect. He is back with the Great Danes.
DeleteAny more info on Joba? He has skills that none of the bigs in the last 7-8 years have had. If he buys in and can ride out year one, he can be even more special that what Davis was.
ReplyDeleteI agree that his ceiling is very high. His combo of smooth footwork, athleticism, smooth shooting stroke, and shot blocking instincts make him a tremendous prospect. Could be a very special player.
DeleteThere is confirmation that Veretto is back
ReplyDeleteYep
DeleteI don’t want to cast shade on Bogues but I went and looked at his individual games, especially out of conference since the WAC isn’t what it was when the Utes and Lobos etc battled it out back in the 90’s, and he seemed to run into foul trouble or fouled out a ton. His scoring and amount of shots taken was very inconsistent which I think can be attributed to his foul trouble. It actually is a good comparison to Finn as in Finn was a very aggressive defender who often took himself out of the game with early needless fouls. I just hope Becker and co. can repeat the success they had with Sullivan. My thoughts in general are that they’ve reloaded well and now it will be about finding the right rotations and figuring out who will play what minutes. One can argue that the only proven entity is Deloney. It’s possible that Matt V doesn’t find the same magic as last yr but at the same time Ileri can continue to make major strides. Do Skipper and Alamutu make an impact this yr and does TJ take it to another level. Does fiorillo play important minutes or does joba slip in. The last spot is going to be interesting but if they can steal that kid from Santa Clara then I really like the talent on the roster!
ReplyDeleteFoul trouble will certainly be something for Bogues to work on but I think his offensive role will be more defined on the Cats than it was a Tarleton State. I think that the players they have added in the portal are proven entities and that is what makes this reload exciting. The players they have added aren't reclamation projects or guys you are hoping break out. They added two 30mpg starters in Bogues and Rocquemore, a conference 6th man of the year in TJ Long, and a experienced 4 year player in Mills. Veretto had almost the exact production that he had during his freshman year at Delaware so I would put him in the proven category as well. Ileri will continue to be a defensive stopper. I think Hurley will make a jump but Skipper and Alamutu are probably still a year away. Joba might be more college ready after a prep season and could push for minutes early on. Fiorillo is a huge question mark but will at least provide leadership and experience. Braun from Santa Clara has quite a long list of suitors and because he started his career at MIssouri it would seem to me that he would jump back to a power 5 school but you never know. Getting Deloney back was a huge win for the culture as he will be able to set the tone for the new guys.
DeleteWhat kid from Santa Clara?
ReplyDeleteParker Braun
DeleteSo a week or so ago I saw a “way too early” Lunardi bracketology that had UML getting the bid and 14 or 15 seed. Now the other day, same Lunardi gives UVM the bid and a 13 seed. What changed? Shamir Bogues committed. Or was it a departure of talent from our rivals?
ReplyDeleteLowell has yet to make any new additions to their roster and Vermont adding Bogues was big so that is what caused the changed.
DeleteSo I’m getting excited for next year!
ReplyDeleteI am as well!!
DeleteAny word on where Smith and Ochoa are playing next year?
ReplyDeleteSmith is transferring to North Carolina Central University and there has been no info about Ochoa's recruiting so far.
DeleteOchoa has committed to USC Upstate
DeleteAny chance Ochoa comes back and fills last scholarship?
ReplyDeleteIt seems unlikely but you never know!
DeleteI hope Ochoa changes his mind and stays.
ReplyDeleteMaybe
DeleteAny leaks on out of conference opponents yet?
ReplyDeleteSo far they have been announced as a team in the Myrtle beach invitational in November (3 games 3 days tourney) and will have return games for some of the teams they played this season. Right now at Toledo in December.
DeleteIt's been very quiet on the UVM recruiting front for the last scholly??
ReplyDeleteI think it being the end of the portal and the Cats looking for a very specific fit, it has kind of been a waiting game. Now that portal has closed I would expect news in the next week or so as rosters around the country are starting to look more finalized.
DeleteIdeally a big man that is willing to red shirt a year. Let him learn the defensive rotations. They will already struggle to find minutes for 10 guys…. 6 guards - Deloney, Jace, bogues, Hurley, long and mills. 4 bigs - Veretto, Nick F, Fayele and Joba. They need to convince someone on the program and the winning and get them to learn for a year. They already have Skipper and Alamuntu that will have a hard time seeing the floor.
ReplyDeleteThere are really three paths with the last scholarship. One would be a best HS player available who is willing to redshirt (most unlikely of the options) Second would be a post with 3+ years of eligibility who can use this year to get adjusted in a backup role. Third, would be a 1 year big who will have a prominent role to help bridge the gap for Joba to get up to speed. The minutes always work themselves out through injuries or ineffectiveness. Skipper and Alamutu are probably still a year away. Fiorillo is a real question mark going into next season and Ileri is best suited as a defensive specialist. As we saw last year it is hard to predict production from freshman so I am sure Vermont would like more depth in the post for this upcoming season.
DeleteI see Fairfield Big Man Supreme Cook has entered the portal. Rising Junior, 6'9" 225, plays hard, 13 pts and 8.5 boards ,nice moves around basket, not a three point shooter. Probably looking at a Power Six school, but who knows?
ReplyDeleteYeah. It feels like he is destined for a high level.
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