****Official Class of 2022 Recruiting Thread****

[cyclonehomer]

Does anybody have concerns about Lipsey being able to compete in the Big 12? He is obviously very talented, but given his size I wonder about his ability to dribble drive and get his shot off against bigger and much more athletic competition. Tyrese Hunter was quite a bit more highly ranked as a recruit, seems to be considerably more athletic and 'bouncy' and we have seen him struggle to get to the rim and finish this year. I don't want to make it sound like I am ragging on the kid, because I do think he can compete at this level and be at least a role player on a good Big 12 team by the time it's all said and done, but when I watch him play and take his size into consideration, I don't know what makes a guy like Lipsey a no brainer and a guy like Bowen Born an MVC guy. There doesn't seem to be a lot of difference in their game IMO, and if anything Born is a much better shooter.

With you on a lot of this except the Born comparison. Lipsey's athleticism and frame gives him a much better chance to make it at this level. I'm not as high on him as some others it seems, mostly because I don't think you can play both him and Hunter at the same time very often and I think Hunter probably plays more and more as he grows as a player. Both guys are true PGs, so I think Lipsey fills a hole the roster currently has as a backup who can make things happen on offense a lot better than the current backup PG situation. Maybe Hunter can play off the ball a bit as it seems he's probably the better shooter of the two, but I feel like I'll need to see it work in a game before I really can count on the two of them playing together.

Who knows? Maybe Lipsey just has an it-factor and can't be kept off the court?

 

[ForeverIowan]

I don't know him personally so I can't speak to his character. Being an AHS grad, I have watch a fair amount of Ames High basketball over the years. It was painful to watch him ask Bubu, Mike Weber and Tamin Lipsey to slow the ball down and run a half court set with a Wooden Award winner, First Team All-American, #1 HS recruit and multiple pro basketball players not get out and run and gun.

2008-2010 Ames should have set every scoring record in the state. Downs was adamant on grinding out possessions and running a half-court set with multiple Ferrari's.

Again, he may be a great man but I think he finds more joy winning 45-30 games than 75-50.

Fair enough. More than one way to skin a cat though. To a man Im sure Vance is coaching in the best interests of those kids and just wants them to win. I cant imagine he cares about any stats other than winning. Lipsey and Lueth were both elite defenders this year.

 

[isucy86]

Does anybody have concerns about Lipsey being able to compete in the Big 12? He is obviously very talented, but given his size I wonder about his ability to dribble drive and get his shot off against bigger and much more athletic competition. Tyrese Hunter was quite a bit more highly ranked as a recruit, seems to be considerably more athletic and 'bouncy' and we have seen him struggle to get to the rim and finish this year. I don't want to make it sound like I am ragging on the kid, because I do think he can compete at this level and be at least a role player on a good Big 12 team by the time it's all said and done, but when I watch him play and take his size into consideration, I don't know what makes a guy like Lipsey a no brainer and a guy like Bowen Born an MVC guy. There doesn't seem to be a lot of difference in their game IMO, and if anything Born is a much better shooter.

No more concern than with any recruit.

I don't see a comparison between Lipsey and Born. Over his first 2 years at UNI, Bowen has averaged less than 2.5 assists per 30 minutes. He's also not a guard who is going be a stat stuffer from a steals or rebound perspective.

Born is a shooting guard. The appropriate comparison for Born on the current ISU roster is Brockington, Grill or Kalscheur. Over Born's 2 years at UNI he is a 34% from 3 points. So both Brockington & Grill are better shooters. Gabe not so much from 3, but this past season he did shoot 48% from 2- not too shabby for guard.

I am not writing Lipsey off as a PG scorer like Hunter, Halliburton or Morris. But he can be an elite Big12 PG by being a floor general on offense and an solid defender.

 

[Hayes30]

Does anybody have concerns about Lipsey being able to compete in the Big 12? He is obviously very talented, but given his size I wonder about his ability to dribble drive and get his shot off against bigger and much more athletic competition. Tyrese Hunter was quite a bit more highly ranked as a recruit, seems to be considerably more athletic and 'bouncy' and we have seen him struggle to get to the rim and finish this year. I don't want to make it sound like I am ragging on the kid, because I do think he can compete at this level and be at least a role player on a good Big 12 team by the time it's all said and done, but when I watch him play and take his size into consideration, I don't know what makes a guy like Lipsey a no brainer and a guy like Bowen Born an MVC guy. There doesn't seem to be a lot of difference in their game IMO, and if anything Born is a much better shooter.

Tamin was a borderline 5 Star/high 4 Star before his injury. He won a gold medal with team USA as an underclassmen. Those 2 things alone put him above Bowen even right now. Lipsey is 6'2 and all of 190 pounds. Born is barely 5'11 170.

 

[dafarmer]

Does anybody have concerns about Lipsey being able to compete in the Big 12? He is obviously very talented, but given his size I wonder about his ability to dribble drive and get his shot off against bigger and much more athletic competition. Tyrese Hunter was quite a bit more highly ranked as a recruit, seems to be considerably more athletic and 'bouncy' and we have seen him struggle to get to the rim and finish this year. I don't want to make it sound like I am ragging on the kid, because I do think he can compete at this level and be at least a role player on a good Big 12 team by the time it's all said and done, but when I watch him play and take his size into consideration, I don't know what makes a guy like Lipsey a no brainer and a guy like Bowen Born an MVC guy. There doesn't seem to be a lot of difference in their game IMO, and if anything Born is a much better shooter.

I wondered how long before we had another born thread.

 

[Hayes30]

Lowest floor: Watson (Bad AAU season and not challenged at his high school level)
Highest floor: Eli King (Mr Basketball of Minnesota likely)

Lowest ceiling: Lipsey (mostly do to size)
Highest ceiling: Watson (6'8", guard abilities and at least a 7' wingspan to guard 1-5 in small ball. Could be a HIGH level 3 and D player).

Lipsey being 6'2 190 is small?

 

[Tpups21]

Lipsey would’ve had more big-time offers if not for his torn ACL. Reminds me of Tyus Jones with the way he plays on both ends of the court.

 

[cyfan92]

Lipsey being 6'2 190 is small?

Not small at all for college.

 

[Drew0311]

What grudge do you hold on Vance Downs? Tremendous coach and an even better man. Head coach of arguably the two best Iowa HS teams ever.

I don't know the guy but being the coach of the players he had both years, Does not qualify him as a good coach. My daughter could have coached the Barnes/McDermott/Palo team to a championship.

 

[Halincandenza]

Lipsey would’ve had more big-time offers if not for his torn ACL. Reminds me of Tyus Jones with the way he plays on both ends of the court.

He has had plenty of time since his injury to garner more offers and they didn't come.

 

[Tpups21]

He has had plenty of time since his injury to garner more offers and they didn't come.

Sounds like you’re not a fan.

 

[Kaner04]

He has had plenty of time since his injury to garner more offers and they didn't come.

I think it was pretty well known he was ours to lose. Kind of like the McCaffrey brothers but without the nepotism

 

[Halincandenza]

Sounds like you’re not a fan.

Oh I like him but I think of him as a glue guy. Someone who can come off the bench for a couple years, play defense and distribute but then maybe as an upper classman be a good traditional PG. I just think he was thought of very highly when he was pretty young because of how he was physically at that age. But he just didn't progress to keep up with that. So I don't think he would have had a ton of offers even absent the injury.

 

[cyclonehomer]

Oh I like him but I think of him as a glue guy. Someone who can come off the bench for a couple years, play defense and distribute but then maybe as an upper classman be a good traditional PG. I just think he was thought of very highly when he was pretty young because of how he was physically at that age. But he just didn't progress to keep up with that. So I don't think he would have had a ton of offers even absent the injury.

I agree with your evaluation. Obviously I'd love to be wrong and he comes in and sets the world on fire, but I just can't see more than a backup to Hunter as long as neither guy is even an average shooter from distance. I just don't see the fit with both on the court all that often. Backup PG is a massive need, though, so I expect him to be playing consistently next year, but also think him being from Iowa, let alone from Ames, is inflating a lot of expectations that Lipsey is gonna be playing a lot more in a lot bigger role than I think is realistic given his recruiting profile. I know recruit rankings and offers aren't gospel, but I don't think they're completely worthless either.

Want to reiterate, I like a lot about Lipsey's game and think he'll be a great Cyclone. I just expect a smaller role early in his career mostly because Hunter is as good as he is and will likely be playing more and more.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

I agree with your evaluation. Obviously I'd love to be wrong and he comes in and sets the world on fire, but I just can't see more than a backup to Hunter as long as neither guy is even an average shooter from distance. I just don't see the fit with both on the court all that often. Backup PG is a massive need, though, so I expect him to be playing consistently next year, but also think him being from Iowa, let alone from Ames, is inflating a lot of expectations that Lipsey is gonna be playing a lot more in a lot bigger role than I think is realistic given his recruiting profile. I know recruit rankings and offers aren't gospel, but I don't think they're completely worthless either.

Want to reiterate, I like a lot about Lipsey's game and think he'll be a great Cyclone. I just expect a smaller role early in his career mostly because Hunter is as good as he is and will likely be playing more and more.

Bubu got quite a bit of run as a walk on his FR year, but probably more out of necessity than anything.

 

[heitclone]

Physically Lipsey and Born aren't even comparable. If Born was 6'2 190, he'd be playing p6 ball like Lipsey.

 

[CloniesForLife]

If Lipsey is a good ball handler and smart distributor (low TOs) there is definitely a good role for him on the team as currently constructed.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Physically Lipsey and Born aren't even comparable. If Born was 6'2 190, he'd be playing p6 ball like Lipsey.

It's my bad. I was under the impression that they were more comparable in size. I thought I had seen Lipsey listed as short as 6'0'' somewhere but of course can't find that now.

 

[allfourcy]

Besides his primary role of being a distributor as a point guard, thus a back-up to Hunter, maybe he will work on his shot some more and can develop into a more reliable outside shooter? Is it too late in the development for that? I wouldn't have a clue if that's possible or not. But obviously during high school that wasn't his strength, so he ran the team and did what he's best at, for the team. His athleticism on the football field has been echoed on this board, so I would think some of that would translate to the basketball floor.

 

[Final42b]

If Lipsey is a good ball handler and smart distributor (low TOs) there is definitely a good role for him on the team as currently constructed.

He is exceptional at both and on top of that he might be one of the fastest players we have ever had. The only thing he needs to improve is his shot and he has fundamentally good form so I see it improving quickly.