Knox went on to explain how Jennings was very tired of the recruiting process but felt Arizona was the best place for him. “We’re in Arizona and he went by for an unofficial visit and he committed to Arizona.” This has been a long recruiting process and Brandon is exhausted,” Jennings’ mother, Alice Knox, began. So LaFleur, anxious to hear what’s on the other end, stands up and quickly leaves The Bunker to take the call. I say, ‘Wow, this is odd.’ It was one of those calls where you think, ‘Uh oh, something’s not right.’” “All of a sudden I get a call, and it’s from Brandon’s mother. “We’re sitting in a room called ‘The Bunker’ the morning after the tournament,” LaFleur recalls. On Monday, May 21, one day after Walker and the Gauchos had taken home the Arizona Cactus Classic title, Calhoun, LaFleur and the rest of the UConn coaching staff were sitting in an office they liked to call, “The Bunker.” While going over recruiting plans, LaFleur’s phone began to ring. Arizona even felt the same way - so much so that they called to inquire about Walker’s interest in their program that Sunday night, just hours after the championship game as the Gauchos waited for their red-eye flight home. So you have to continue to prove it.’ What better way to prove it than destroying the guy that they want? It was personal, and I say that with all due respect.”Īfter the Gauchos’ dominating performance, Walker, Richardson, Calhoun and LaFleur all were still under the impression that Jennings was going to UConn. The conversations that we would have with Kemba were, ‘We don’t think you’re good enough yet. “Huge chip on his shoulder,” Richardson said. Richardson says that played a major role in his Arizona Cactus Classic performance. As long as Jennings was in the fold, Walker would be forced to go elsewhere. Walker wanted to go to UConn, but it was Jennings who remained the Huskies’ top target. Our average margin of victory was about 20.” As humbly as I can say this, they punished those guys. “They had an opportunity to play Brandon Jennings, Larry Drew, Jrue Holiday and DeMar DeRozan. “That tournament was Kemba’s coming out party,” former Gauchos head coach Emmanuel “Book” Richardson said. Walker used it as an opportunity to prove he belonged with the nation’s best. Led by the 119th-ranked junior, the New York Gauchos tore through the event, going 6-0 as the future UConn star outplayed high-profile prospects like Jennings, Holiday and DeRozan in the semifinal and championship games. Jennings was very good at the Arizona Cactus Classic, putting up 44 points in one playoff game, amid a string of ridiculous offensive showings.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |