Manhattan first year head men's basketball coach Steve Masiello hits the road for a nation-wide recruiting journey in July when he visits nearly 15 cities over a 20-day span in search of the next Jasper talent. Throughout his tour evaluating some of the top scholastic players across the country, Masiello will correspond with Jasper fans through his "On the Road" recruiting blog exclusively at GoJaspers.com. The blog will enlighten the Manhattan faithful with a first-hand report as his coaching staff seeks out the future of the program.
Masiello begins his travels in Philadelphia on July 6, and then will make stops in a variety of cities coast-to-coast, including but not limited several in the Tri-State region, Atlanta, Augusta, Ga., Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Orlando and Scottsdale, Ariz. to attend high profile tournaments in each area. Masiello's trip will come full swing concluding on July 31 when he returns to Philadelphia to attend the final scheduled showcase.
August 1, 2011
Upon the conclusion of July recruiting in my first year as head basketball coach at Manhattan College, I would grade our efforts as an A+. It couldn't have gone any better. As a staff we were able to view hundreds of prospects and see them in a variety of settings, from individual skill instructions to Elite Camps to AAU tournaments across the country. There were some players who we loved, some who are what we call "BMWs" (bear-more-watching), and there were some who did not quite make the list of what it takes to be a Jasper.
As August approaches, our staff's top priority will be honing in on our top-12 prospects, coordinating campus visits and working towards verbal commitments. The one issue we are going up against as a staff is that some of these young men have been recruited for multiple years by certain staffs. Because of these circumstances we are a new face to them. This seems to be our biggest obstacle in recruiting.
I can tell you that my excitement about the talent we are trying to bring to Riverdale is off the charts. Some of these young men understand it is not about the conference you play in, but rather is it the right fit and it is a stage where they can be seen. We are going head-to-head with some BCS conferences in recruiting wars.
Now 110 days into the job, it seems as if there are not enough hours in the day and our check list of things to get done continues to grow. Our staff cannot wait until the start of the school year. The freshmen will report on August 24 and the upperclassmen arrive the weekend of August 27-28. Classes will begin on August 29. For us, August 29 is like Christmas as preseason conditioning and workouts will begin.
Until then, stay focused!
Our though of the day is: Adversity only does two things to you, it makes you bitter or better. What is it doing to you?
Go Jaspers!
Coach Masiello
July 26, 2011
We are in full swing for the second 10-day stint of the July recruiting period. Covering numerous tournaments during this period becomes a challenge, because events are extremely spread out spanning from South Florida to Las Vegas.
Recruiting is truly a coast-to-coast event, so maximizing the way we utilize the staff is crucial to our success. NCAA rules permit only three coaches to be out. We want to make sure these young men understand how important they are and that our presence at games is noted. Conversely, coaches must also cover hundreds of games, so we cannot stay in one place. The summer circuit never seems to amaze me with all the happenings. From teams walking off courts to fights in the stands, or even coaches fighting with one another.
One thing I am very proud of and pleased with is the response we are getting about Manhattan basketball. It seems everywhere we go people know about the rich Manhattan tradition. Their curiosity is piqued and people always look to start a conversation about the Jaspers.
I just arrived in Orlando from the West Coast and I will be here covering several young men. I also could possibly return to the West Coast later this week, but that depends on how these games turn out.
Recruiting is a top priority this time of year, but what's almost equally important is taking care of the current roster and the people in the program. This can be tricky to balance. I try to have daily conversations with the players via texts or phone calls to gather updates on everyone.
Here are my thoughts on our current roster and the jobs these guys have done this summer:
Rhamel Brown has worked his body fat percentage below 9%, and he has done a great job in the classroom. The better physical shape he gets himself in, then the better year he will have. Rhamel has made tremendous strides on his offensive game, and we will look for him to be a major force.
Mike Alvarado has also made great strides, but he still has a long way to go. When Mike understands how important hard work and being a great teammate is to his development, then he potentially can be as good as anyone in our conference. Right now, Mike is in summer school and he is pushing himself to get into the best shape of his life.
Kidani Brutus possesses everything we can ask for in a senior as he leads with enthusiasm, hard work and a tremendous attitude. Kidani has lost 28 pounds and he is by far our hardest worker. He has done things the Jasper way. I look for him to have a big senior year and to be a major part of our success.
George Beamon has turned up the intensity with his work ethic over the last six weeks. He is doing a great job both in the classroom and as a teammate. George is a guy who loves to lead by example. We would love for him to be more vocal and he will become a very good all around player.
Roberto Colonette has made great progress in the training room. He has hit the court and is now doing basketball related activities. More importantly, I am very happy with the strides he has taken in the classroom and socially finding his niche with the team.
Torgrim Sommerfeldt had a rough couple months as his knees continue to bother him. We don't know if he will ever be 100%, but Torgrim is doing great things. He is ahead of schedule in our eyes. Torgrim gives us a major shooting weapon that we will desperately need.
Djibril Coulibaly is probably the busiest this summer with his job, workouts, summer school, internship, etc. He has a full plate in front of him. Djibril is hard on himself and he is a perfectionist. He is a great teammate and puts winning at the top. Djibril will be a major factor in our success and the attitude of our team.
Mohammed Koita is coming off the injured reserve. It seems almost half our team has spent time there before. Mohammed is a guy who we feel can surprise the whole conference with his ability to play, his strength, and his toughness. He is doing a good job in the classroom, so we are very happy with where he is.
DeCarlos Anderson is doing terrific for a freshman, but we cannot allow him to be a freshman in order for us to have success this year. He will need to play like a poised veteran. Like all freshman, DeCarlos has his good days and his bad days. We need to find a way to limit his bad days and increase the good ones. DeCarlos is another young man who is extremely hard on himself and takes everything personal. Whether it is either in the classroom or on the court, he always wants to be the best what he does.
Donovan Kates probably has made the most strides of the freshmen. Since reporting to campus he is socially adjusting and he is doing a very good job in the classroom. Donovan's body fat was at 17% when he arrived and now he is closing in on his goal of 10%. He has concentrated on improving his strength and getting in top shape.
Emmy Andujar has been a pleasant surprise. He is going to be another great player from the Rice High School family. The most impressive thing about Emmy is not how good he is, but how humble and hard of a worker he is. We look for Emmy to be a major impact, not only because of his skills, but because of his winning ways and attitude.
Ryan McCoy, Kevin Laue and Liam McCabe-Moran will be attending Summer School Session 3. We are excited about them getting on board with our strength workouts and academic program.
We truly believe that championships are won in the off season. Our guys are improving everyday to meet our team goals and expectations, and we are making personal sacrifices for the sake of the team.
Thought of the Day: Make sure every time you attempt to do something you give it all you have. You never know what tomorrow brings.
This brings me to a tragic story as one of my former college teammates Desmond Allison was murdered on Monday. Not only was Desmond the best athlete and the toughest competitor who I have ever played or coached with, but he was an even better person. Desmond had a way with people. His charismatic personality and smile will be missed. Desmond was everyone's big brother and he wanted to see others achieve greatness. Desmond is in our thoughts and prayers.
Coach Masiello
July 20, 2011
The first 10 days of recruiting were an absolute success. Our staff was able to see a variety of players by covering over 15 events. Per NCAA rules, we are required to take a five day break, during this time our staff has had the opportunity to get organized, revaluate our needs, and assess the players who fit our needs best.
This is a very busy week in Jasper Nation. Summer school Session II is coming to an end, in which 11 players attended and have done a tremendous job. Session III gets started next week and we will have four to six players attending.
Our staff will hit the road again on July 22nd covering from Orlando to Las Vegas and everything in between. I will start the final leg of my July travel schedule with a luncheon for the alumni in Spring Lake, N.J., which I am very honored and excited to attend. Then I will fly through the night heading to the West Coast where I will follow our top six prospects from this period. I will cover Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Scottsdale, Ariz., Orlando, Washington, D.C. and the Tri-State area.
Coach Masiello
July 14, 2011
We are beginning to see signs that the recruiting period is winding down. It is the eighth straight day of basketball and all the hard work is starting to take its toll on the players. Their excitement and intensity is not quite the same as it was on day one. This is the time when basketball junkies and the people with the most mental toughness separate themselves. I find it interesting how the losing teams always seem to be the most tired and the winning teams always seem to be fresh.
To give you an idea of just how crazy the particular AAU fan is, upon checking into Augusta there were no rental cars left in the whole city. Not only is every head coach in attendance, from Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, among the other top programs, but so are the top college basketball media members.
Our staff is doing an outstanding job with their organization by knowing where every prospect is, and they are well aware of who we have a chance to get.
On the home front, here is an update for our program, currently there are 11 guys in summer school working on academics and getting in great shape. I am a firm believer that ones hard work from June to November will determine what happens in March. These are the months that can separate one from the rest of the pack.
"The secret to success is knowing something everyone else doesn't."
Coach Masiello
July 13, 2011
I am currently in North Augusta, S.C., attending the Peach Jam, which is one of my favorite events during the summer. It is a really great showcase to watch these young men compete in a team setting where winning is at a premium. Two players have separated themselves from the others, and they both would look terrific in the Jasper Green.
It is always interesting to see the different games coaches play in order to draw players' attention while evaluating them. I like to call it the "game within the game". Whether it is an outfit they wear, the location they choose in the gymnasium, or even their strategic exit from the facility coinciding with the time a player leaves. Regardless of the tactic, these are all legal strategies in the recruiting game. However, I don't believe these strategies are necessarily helpful in landing players.
Over the past several days, Coach Grady, Padgett and Burno have evaluated hundreds of prospects. Our coaching staff evaluates each player's strengths and will then determine how it correspond with our needs. I am specifically starting to zone in on the three to four guys who will help the Jaspers play on the third weekend in March.
"The harder you work and believe in something, the harder it is to give up and let that belief die."
Coach Masiello
July 12, 2011
Now that we are in the heart of July, we are starting to get a good feel for what we want. We are developing a thorough list of the 2012 and 2013 class. Our goal is to have roughly 7 players at each position on our depth chart for recruiting, which gives us a pool of 35 priority guys. If we land 2 to 3 of these priority guys, it would be considered a terrific class. You have to have a much larger overall list because those 35 players can go in a hurry for a varity of reasons. As a staff, there are about 9 or 10 guys that we agree are impact guys we are heavily involved with.
One of the downsides to July recruiting is the hectic travel. With that comes a lot of car rides. After a long car ride with one of the assistants, I have decided to take out an extra life insurance policy and I strongly advise he not drive anyone on our staff!
"If you're going to be a champion, you have to be willing to pay a greater price."
GO JASPERS!
Coach Masiello
July 11, 2011
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One thing that consistently continues to amaze me is how four different coaches can watch the same player and have such different opinions. One of the hardest things about our job is that we can never see one player enough. No matter how good I might think a player is, if my staff disagrees with me it will be my decision. Conversely, no matter how much the staff likes a player, if I don't like him it will affect our decision to recruit him. That's why the most important thing is to evaluate these young men in as many settings as we can.
There is no pure science to the art of recruiting. The more you see someone the more they will reveal their true colors. As we enter the week we will be tackling events in Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Georgia and South Carolina. Laundry, clothing and frequent flyer miles are all valued commodities right now. To understand the intensity of our recruiting efforts here is an example to paint the picture, one of the assistants is in the same city as his wife and hasn't even taken her to dinner, which makes him a great assistant, but a bad husband!
"The pain is temporary, but success will last forever."
Go Jaspers!
Coach Masiello
July 10, 2011
The good thing about July is we can see a lot of great players, but one of the most frustrating things you will observe as a coach are young men who think scoring is what this game is all about. Along the way, the value of winning has almost seemed to become secondary, and as recruiters it can make our jobs very difficult.
As we continue to evaluate these young prospects we can't become enamored with talent. Players with less talent, but a high IQ can get the same job done as a player with very good talent and no IQ. I am very excited about the upcoming events, because we get to see the players in a team setting rather than an All Star or Elite Camp format.
Manhattan Basketball Thought of the Day: Your attitude determines your altitude.
Go Jaspers!
Coach Masiello
July 8, 2011
As the first set of camps come to an end, we are finally allowed to get some feedback from the recruits as they are released from the events. We have been on the phone with recruits from the early morning hours, and so far the feedback has been very positive about the Manhattan Basketball program.
As we talk to these young men, we are trying to find out: the next event they will attend, where they stand with the status of their recruitment and if they have what it takes to be a Jasper.
Coach Burno traveled through the night making his way to Chicago as
Coach Padgett is covering the Kentucky/Indiana region. Coach Grady is taking care of the home front in New Jersey, and I will hit six states in the next 48 hours.
One thing that is consistent in the game of basketball, as we saw in the NBA Finals, regardless of who has more talent, the team with the right attitude and mind set is more dangerous than a team with superstars.
Thought of the day for Manhattan Basketball: The secret to life is not to do what you love but to love what you do!
Go Jaspers!
Coach Masiello
July 7, 2011
Day 2 was a total success for the Jasper Nation as we covered Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Reading, Pa., and any other nook and cranny we thought might have a player. As we search for our next future Jasper, the one thing we agreed upon is we are looking for toughness and guys who can shoot the basketball. It is amazing how many sins shooting can make up for. It can make an average player look like a very good player.
Another interesting stat that we are keeping an eye on is deflections, which is a measurement of intensity on the defensive end. We saw one young man today get 11 in one quarter, which may be a record.
It seems as if our pool of talent is expanding everyday and it appears we will have plenty of options to choose from. Remember our motto, "Excuses are a sign of weakness". The bottom line is get it done!
Go Jaspers!
Coach Masiello
July 6, 2011
It's almost 11:30 p.m. and Day 1 of recruiting is coming to an end. It's been more than an 18 hour day and the staff feels like they could be working through the night.
Day 1 was definitely a success as we have evaluated a bunch of potential Jaspers. I saw an abundance of talent in Philadelphia, and even though the art of passing and defense seems to be forgotten in AAU basketball, the raw talent is obvious.
At Manhattan we want much more than just talent. We grade the young men on skill set, attitude, body language, intensity, toughness and their ability to find ways to win. The highlight of the day was when John Wall, Jason Terry and Jameer Nelson showed the young men what winning is all about in their guest appearance.
Its time to get the schedule for tomorrow morning, meet with the staff and in the words of one of my former bosses we are going to sleep fast.
GO JASPERS!
Coach Masiello
July 6, 2011
This is 'Day One' of 20 on the road for Manhattan Basketball! Our job is to seek, search and seize America's best talent. Today started with a 4:30 a.m. wake up as our first game is at 8:30 a.m. in Philadelphia. The staff is eager to get into the gym and get to work.
As this journey goes on, the strength of Jasper Nation and your support will get our staff through it. We need every one of you to keep your eyes open looking for our next Jasper!
Thanks in advance for all your support.
Coach Masiello