SIU signs PG from Evansville Harrison

[GoPurpleAces]

As reported in the Evansville Courier and Press:

Harrison point guard Kendal Brown has verbally committed to play basketball at Southern Illinois.

The senior-to-be averaged 15.4 points and 2.6 rebounds as a junior, leading the Warriors to a 13-9 record this past season.

Salukis coach Chris Lowery played his high school ball at Harrison before playing for SIU. Now headed into his fifth season, Lowery led Southern Illinois to the NCAA tournament his first three years as head coach.

Playing AAU ball for the Evansville Basketball Club, Brown caught the attention of a number of Division I programs this summer, but opted to commit to SIU. Lowery attended a number of Brown's games over the past year.

Read the complete story with Brown's own thoughts on the Salukis in Wednesday's Courier and Press.

[UE-BBALL#1]

Interesting signing. This kid has played significant varsity minutes since his freshman year. However, he isn't up to the quality of the types of recruits SIU has been signing, and I don't see him as any type of contributor until maybe his junior year. He's a hard worker though.

[upsaluki]

Interesting signing. This kid has played significant varsity minutes since his freshman year. However, he isn't up to the quality of the types of recruits SIU has been signing, and I don't see him as any type of contributor until maybe his junior year. He's a hard worker though.
He'll probably be backing up Dillard at the point for awhile. He won't be expected to jump in next year because we have Tony Freeman for that year. I wouldn't be surprised to see him redshirt.

[AceFan]

Brown commits to Salukis
By Drew Bruno (Contact)
Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Saying it was the best choice for his family, Harrison guard Kendal Brown decided on Monday he would verbally commit to play basketball at Southern Illinois University.

While he didn't single any relatives out, it's probably safe to assume Salukis coach Chris Lowery, a cousin on Brown's mother's side of the family, is chief among them.

In Brown, Lowery will get Evansville's top prospect in the 2009 recruiting class if the point guard does indeed sign a binding letter of intent. The early signing period is in November.

And in SIU, Brown will potentially join a Division I program that has made it to the NCAA tournament in three of Lowery's four seasons as head coach.

"I'm excited," Brown said. "... It's not that far from home, and the chemistry is great with the coach there."

That connection goes beyond basketball. Brown has known Lowery since the former was "just a little kid".

Lowery played for Harrison before he, too, attended Southern Illinois. He served as an assistant at SIU and Illinois before becoming head coach.

But once Brown reached high school, the relationship with Lowery evolved beyond cousins.

By his sophomore season, Brown was receiving letters from the Salukis. As a junior, he set Harrison's single season record with 5.9 assists per game. After a junior season in which he led the Warriors with 15.4 points, 5.3 assists and 2.6 steals per game, Brown and his high school team attended SIU's team camp.

Soon after, Brown had a scholarship offer.

After that, Brown spent the rest of the summer on the AAU circuit with his Evansville Basketball Club team. Named MVP of one tournament, the recruitment increased. So did the pressure to choose.

"I really didn't want to worry about it anymore," he said. "I was thinking about it every day."

Instead of letting that linger, he made a decision. According to Harrison coach Bryan Speer, Evansville, Wright State, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Loyola and Illinois State had also offered scholarships, and Brown said Butler and Purdue had shown recruiting interest.

Despite his 5-foot-8 frame, Speer sees potential for Brown to prosper down the road.

"Obviously his athleticism is as good as any player I've coached or been around," Speer said, citing his lateral quickness and explosiveness off of the floor. "He has the basketball IQ and the work ethic which makes him a pretty complete package.

"There's not many weaknesses there."

Those skills earned Brown a place as a member of the South Six Junior Indiana All-Stars this summer. After participating in an exhibition against the seniors in June, Brown said he was planning on playing football for Harrison this fall — after playing quarterback as a sophomore, he sat out his junior season to focus on basketball.

Now, though, he's not sure, and it might hinge on what is suddenly something beyond just family advice.

"I'm more focused on basketball than ever, now," Brown said. "I'll have to see what (Lowery) thinks."

[UE-BBALL#1]

I'm about 99% sure that UE did not offer him a scholarship, so it was either hush-hush or the coach just enjoys talking.

[doinit salukistyle]

Point guard, and assists record are two terms I like to see together with saluki recruits.

This seems to be a decent signing.

[Chairman of the Boards]

Point guard, and assists record are two terms I like to see together with saluki recruits.

This seems to be a decent signing.


Small clarification... this appears to be a nice commitment.

"Saying it was the best choice for his family, Harrison guard Kendal Brown decided on Monday he would verbally commit to play basketball at Southern Illinois University."

:salukis:

P.S. Just a small pet peeve of mine. I've found that it's never a 'done deal' until the player has been signed, sealed and delivered.

[WSUbballer]

Small clarification... this appears to be a nice commitment.

"Saying it was the best choice for his family, Harrison guard Kendal Brown decided on Monday he would verbally commit to play basketball at Southern Illinois University."

:salukis:

P.S. Just a small pet peeve of mine. I've found that it's never a 'done deal' until the player has been signed, sealed and delivered.

Good catch.

doinit isn't too fond of following athletics. He's more into the off-topic garb that runs this joint. Give him a break. He hasn't been in the basketball forum in a while.

[upsaluki]

I'm about 99% sure that UE did not offer him a scholarship, so it was either hush-hush or the coach just enjoys talking.

According to Rivals both ISUred and UE offered (http://hickoryhusker.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=83176)


COLLEGE CHOICES INTEREST OFFER VISIT RECRUITED BY
Southern Illinois (solid verbal) X COMMITTED
(7/23/2008) None
Wisconsin-GB None X None
Wright State None X None
Purdue None None
Butler None None
Evansville None X None
Illinois St. None X None
Loyola Chicago None X None

Here is who UE has offered according to Rivals
Jauwan Scaife - 6-2/- Muncie, IN NR Ball State
Point guard Stars RR Ht/Wt Hometown Rank Schools
Kendal Brown - 5-10/170 Evansville, IN NR Southern Illinois
Shooting guard Stars RR Ht/Wt Hometown Rank Schools
Justin Clark - 6-5/175 Independence, MO NR list
Tyler Koch - 6-4/190 Winchester, IN NR Wright State
Power forward Stars RR Ht/Wt Hometown Rank Schools
Errick Peck - 6-6/210 Indianapolis, IN NR list

[UE-BBALL#1]

According to Rivals both ISUred and UE offered (http://hickoryhusker.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?Sport=2&pr_key=83176)




Here is who UE has offered according to Rivals

That list was updated today, I would assume based on the newspaper article. As of yesterday the only teams rivals had listed were SIU and WGB.

[doinit salukistyle]

Small clarification... this appears to be a nice commitment.

"Saying it was the best choice for his family, Harrison guard Kendal Brown decided on Monday he would verbally commit to play basketball at Southern Illinois University."

:salukis:

P.S. Just a small pet peeve of mine. I've found that it's never a 'done deal' until the player has been signed, sealed and delivered.

you're right...i should have learned from josh tabb

[Aegyptus]

Don't like this one.

Bringing on family ... not good. Plus, this kid doesn't impress me that much.

[UE-BBALL#1]

I really think Brown fits the former Saluki mold. I don't think he will ever develop into an offensive threat in the college game. But he can play gritty defense and be smart with the ball. He could be a kid that is a positive contributor in a few years.

[MoValley John]

Don't like this one.

Bringing on family ... not good. Plus, this kid doesn't impress me that much.

I was kind of wondering the same thing. He might turn out to be a great player for the Salukis, but based off of recent Saluki recruiting successes, this really doesn't seem to fit the caliber of player Southern Illinois is chasing. All I could think was maybe a bit of nepotism was at work.

Hopefully, it pans out.

[upsaluki]

Don't like this one.

Bringing on family ... not good. Plus, this kid doesn't impress me that much.

He's a distant cousin. I don't think they hang out at BBQs a\or anything like that. I think he'll be a nice fit. I guess he was taking it to Joe Bertrand at out summer team camp. He's supposed to be very fast. Both of our points are going to be undersized, but I like them both.

[AceGargantua]

He's very quick. When he was Harrison's quarterback, the offense was for him to take the snap and run like hell. Good kid, too.

[MoValley John]

He's a distant cousin. I don't think they hang out at BBQs a\or anything like that. I think he'll be a nice fit. I guess he was taking it to Joe Bertrand at out summer team camp. He's supposed to be very fast. Both of our points are going to be undersized, but I like them both.


What on Earth is a distant cousin? I know my "first" cousins. I don't know what the hell a second cousin is. And then you get into that removed crap. What gives? Does this mean that in Arkansas Brown could marry Lowery's sister or something?

[AceGargantua]

He'd be legally obligated to marry her.

[skinny_uncle]

If nothing else, a 5-8 kid who can dunk should be a lot of fun to watch.

[MSNSaluki]

It's nice to see the greatest recruiter on the planet can lure his cousin away from Wright State.:salukis: