Trove: Now we have touched on a lot of guards and wings, but it would also be great to get your perspective on some guys being looked at for the frontcourt, guys which seems like a shorter list given how Holloway wants to play. Two of the bigger names that jump out are Baye Fall and Assane Diop. They were both on campus this spring, but it still seems like it’s a huge uphill battle to land them as Arkansas under Eric Musselman has been an absolute recruiting force lately.
Cassidy: Yeah, it seems like they’re both headed that way. I would bet a significant amount of money that they are both going to Arkansas. It seems like they want to play together.
Fall is a good player, but he still has a ways to go. Let’s put it this way, he’s one of those guys that can be a little bit inconsistent from an effort standpoint. You can see him and be wowed by him and then you can see him and tell that he’s just not trying. That is going to kind of be the battle with Fall.
I like Diop a lot. I think he does a lot of things really nice things on the court. He's a real athletic guy, a three-level scorer. He provides a bunch with his length, he can guard almost anyone on the floor, one through four. You don’t want him on a one for too long, but he can stay in front if he gets caught in a switch or something. I don’t see Seton Hall getting either of them because if Arkansas wants them, then they’ll take them. But it doesn’t hurt to be mentioned with them.
Trove: I think Diop had recently cut his list of schools to eight and Seton Hall stuck out like a sore thumb. It was the only small school and the only school in the Northeast I believe. You have to be in to win it though.
Cassidy: It’s the same thing that Jerome Tang is doing at Kansas State right now. You see these guys, these first-year head coaches, they have to get their name out there. I think if you asked The Hall staff if they think they’re going to get Fall and Diop that they would say they no. But it does provide some clout to be mentioned. It helps because people see that, other recruits see that and if they are good enough for them then maybe I should be checking them out.
Trove: In this type of scenario, it wouldn’t hurt to bring in a lesser ranked player after them and tell them we had Baye Fall and Assane Diop in, but we like your game and potential a little bit more. Who knows, might get the lesser recruit to really feel the love and commit on the spot. Now another big that seems much more attainable is Papa Kante. He has visited and the last I checked it seemed like he had narrowed it down to Seton Hall and three Big 10 schools – Rutgers, Maryland and Michigan. Where do you see him committing?
Cassidy: He’s one where as far as he’s headed, it’s tough. I don’t think he’s going to take anymore visits. I talked with him at Peach Jam and it seemed like he was closing in, so I would expect a decision from him pretty soon. He told me he was going to go back to where he’s from [Senegal] and talk to his parents and they were going to pick a school. I would expect a commitment in the coming weeks.
I know Michigan liked him, but I don’t know if they are going to press for him. Rutgers and Maryland are teams that aren’t impossible to beat out here. I think Maryland is Seton Hall’s biggest competition there.
Trove: The Seton Hall staff certainly has some connection to Senegal recruiting Kante alongside Fall and Diop. They also brought in a transfer from Illinois State as a depth piece, Abdou Ndiaye, who is originally from Senegal.
Cassidy: I don’t know what the connection is, but there has to be something there. I would imagine it will pay off for them eventually.
Trove: Another big that is interesting is Brandon Williams from Christ the King and PSA. I’ve heard he’s a versatile guy, who is still coming into his own. I read that UCLA and Houston were gaining interest, which is certainly a feather in his cap. What do you think about his game and how likely it is for him to sort of stick around the Tri-state area?
Cassidy: He’s definitely one to watch. He’s kind of a tough one as far as his game goes. He’s a little bit like Fall where it’s a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde situation. He's not a great shooter, but you do like to see that he is comfortable taking shots. He wants to become a better shooter and when you're projecting him it’s how much better can he become outside of the paint? It’s encouraging to see that his stroke doesn’t look bad. It’s just not completely there yet. As far as Seton Hall’s chances, I think they are pretty favorable. Based off of conversations I’ve had with him, I think part of him wants to stay around the Northeast. I know St. John’s was involved with him as well as Hofstra, Pitt, Nebraska, Missouri and maybe Creighton. I can’t remember who else. I would be surprised if he went all the way out to say a UCLA.
Trove: Another big who seems like an attainable target is Michael Nwoko, a 6’10 center from Prolific Prep in California. I think interest in him started to increase after he averaged nearly a double-double, 12 points 8 rebounds, for Canada at the FIBA U18 Americas Tournament in June. Have you seen him play? What do you think about his game?
Cassidy: He’s starting to come on and it’s changed the perception of him I think. He's just gotten a little bit better offensively. He's always been a pretty versatile defensive guy that changes shots both in the paint and out on the perimeter. The question marks for him are how good are his hands and can he finish around the rim? He's obviously proven he's gotten better. He’s a guy whose trajectory is going well, I think he will move up in the rankings a little bit, but probably not a ton just because of his limitations on offense still. I am not sure where he is focusing in terms of schools, but he could be a fit for Seton Hall.
Trove: The last two bigs I wanted to touch base with you about are a couple of bigger names where Shaheen Holloway may have his work cut out for him. First is 2023 forward Isaiah Miranda, who has some ties to the area being from outside Philly, but his high ranking seems like he may be out of reach. Where do you see him ending up?
Cassidy: I saw him play with the Rhode Island Elite this year and he’s really become a guy who can stretch the floor. He’s tall, 6’11 if not 7’0, and he can really shoot it. He’s turned into a better player than I thought. He’s such a matchup problem at that size. His jumper looks weird, but it goes in and he’s comfortable with it. He creates his own shot too, He’s become a better ballhandler for his size. That is kind of why the national ranking is going where it is going. He’s developing into a seven-foot Swiss army knife which is why you are seeing the bigger schools get involved. Kentucky was kicking the tires on him, I don’t think that is going to ever develop, but he has some other high-end options. It’s certainly an uphill battle for Seton Hall.
Trove: The last recruit is 2024 power forward Derik Queen from Montverde Academy. There is a built-in connection there with Montverde head coach Kevin Boyle being Shaheen’s high school coach at the then St. Patrick’s School. I believe Queen just missed out on making the USA U18 National Team and was the last player cut. Being a top 30 or so player nationally, how do you see his recruitment unfolding?
Cassidy: What might help Seton Hall with him is that he’s been hurt a little bit. The interest in him has waned in some respects because he’s been hurt and he’s carrying some weight that he needs to shake off. I think he added on some additional weight because of the injury, but when he’s at his best he is an absolute animal because he is a strong, strong kid. He finishes around the bucket real well. He knows what he is, he’s not going to try and float to the perimeter and shoot threes. He can handle the ball pretty well, he takes guys off the dribble and dunks everything. The biggest play is going to be staying healthy and taking some weight off because once he leans out he can be a force. I wouldn’t say Seton Hall is the favorite for him here, but I think they are more in play than people would think.
Trove: It is one of those things where it is a blessing and a curse. You have to be happy he’s flying more under the radar than expected, but at the same time you wish it wasn’t due to the detriment of injuries and added weight.
Cassidy: When you’re a first-year head coach you have to find those types of guys. Those are the types of guys that build a program. You have to take a chance on them because they can pay big dividends. They can help launch your program.
