The Book: 2006-2007 Ragin' Cajuns Basketball

[RaginEsquire06]

That certainly wasn't from a recent interview.

Cooke was not asked to come back.

Could you please tell us more on this situation? What the heck is going on with some of the kid's with so much talent.mental illness?

[BirdofParadise]

Could you please tell us more on this situation? What the heck is going on with some of the kid's with so much talent.mental illness?

What's to tell?

The coaching staff made several decisions on players. They decided to not invite Cooke to return.

Coach's decision.

[studentfan]

The reason everyone is asking is that there was so much hype about this kid and now your saying he's not even going to step foot on the basketball court. Everyone is wondering why he's not coming back when he was talked about so much.

[paulpaul2]

marquis cooke was not asked back because of academic reasons, he had an altercation with a music teacher last semester that is very good friends with robert lee, he also left campus before finals and did not take any of them so he wouldnt be eligible to play anyways. thats the story

[RonMexico]

marquis cooke was not asked back because of academic reasons, he had an altercation with a music teacher last semester that is very good friends with robert lee, he also left campus before finals and did not take any of them so he wouldnt be eligible to play anyways. thats the story

Another classic case of having more talent than the law allows, but not being intelligent enough to keep your effing head screwed on straight.

unbelievable.

[DaddyCajun]

marquis cooke was not asked back because of academic reasons, he had an altercation with a music teacher last semester that is very good friends with robert lee, he also left campus before finals and did not take any of them so he wouldnt be eligible to play anyways. thats the story

Thanks for the info. It is another sad case of a kid not being a well rounded round baller. Life is much more than sports and some of these kids don't have this instilled in their upbringing.

DaddyCajun

[Jeaux]

Ron Briscoe just reported on the Delphi board that the Cajuns Signed Bradon Dison. Here's my list so far. Anyone with more info please help.



2006-07 Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns
Men's Basketball Roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown (Previous School)

1 Ed Turner G/F 6-7 180 Sr.-JC Buffalo, N.Y. (Central Florida CC)
4 Maurice Barksdale G 5-11 176 Sr.-JC Baltimore, Md. (Blinn College)

22 Ross Mouton G/F 6-2 197 Sr.-2L Lafayette, La. (St. Thomas More HS)


34 Adam James F/C 6-9 255 Sr?.-1L Lafayette, La. (St. Thomas More HS)

45 Valentino Hart F 6-8 216 Sr.-JC Freeport, The Bahamas (Cowley County CC)

31 Rhett Hebert G 6-1 181 Jr.-RS Erath, La. (Erath HS)

Most of these return from last year. But that status of some are still uncertain. Add to these

David Dees G 6-5 ? Jr. trans. Dayton, Oh (Liberty)

Abray Milson F/C 6-9 235 Jr Lafayette, la (Southern Id.)


5 Damon Forest PG 6’3 Central HS Baton Rouge, LA

6 LaRyan Gary GF 6’6 Carencro HS,

13 Courtney Wallace PF 6’8 Woodlawn HS Baton Rouge, LA

15 Randall Daigle PG 6’0 Northside HS Lafayette, LA

18 Willie Lago 2G 6’3 West St. Johns HS LaPlace, LA

19 Tyren Johnson GF 6’6 West St. Johns HS LaPlace, LA

With Dison that gives us 15 for next year, correct?

[Clutch0364]

Ron Briscoe just reported on the Delphi board that the Cajuns Signed Bradon Dison. Here's my list so far. Anyone with more info please help.



2006-07 Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns
Men's Basketball Roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown (Previous School)

1 Ed Turner G/F 6-7 180 Sr.-JC Buffalo, N.Y. (Central Florida CC)
4 Maurice Barksdale G 5-11 176 Sr.-JC Baltimore, Md. (Blinn College)

22 Ross Mouton G/F 6-2 197 Sr.-2L Lafayette, La. (St. Thomas More HS)


34 Adam James F/C 6-9 255 Sr?.-1L Lafayette, La. (St. Thomas More HS)

45 Valentino Hart F 6-8 216 Sr.-JC Freeport, The Bahamas (Cowley County CC)

31 Rhett Hebert G 6-1 181 Jr.-RS Erath, La. (Erath HS)

Most of these return from last year. But that status of some are still uncertain. Add to these

David Dees G 6-5 ? Jr. trans. Dayton, Oh (Liberty)

Abray Milson F/C 6-9 235 Jr Lafayette, la (Southern Id.)


5 Damon Forest PG 6’3 Central HS Baton Rouge, LA

6 LaRyan Gary GF 6’6 Carencro HS,

13 Courtney Wallace PF 6’8 Woodlawn HS Baton Rouge, LA

15 Randall Daigle PG 6’0 Northside HS Lafayette, LA

18 Willie Lago 2G 6’3 West St. Johns HS LaPlace, LA

19 Tyren Johnson GF 6’6 West St. Johns HS LaPlace, LA

With Dison that gives us 15 for next year, correct?

LaRyan Gary will be ineligible

[Cajun Express]

LaRyan Gary will be ineligible

Yep, but he will get better in the future, speaking of this year, UL has just signed a kid named Dison who I think every one will be happy with, note the schools after him, I doubt there will be an academic issue. Our point guard just got a lot better because of he has another weapon to pass to.

From our old friend Ron Brisco:

By Ron Briscoe, Southeast Regional Basketball Report & Scouting Service

Folks it took a while, but Robert Lee's Ragin Cajuns basketball staff led by assistant coach Rennie Bailey got it done. The Cajuns basketball team signed one of the best shooters from Louisiana and Texas in 6'5 guard-forward Brandon Dison.

Dison, a Louisiana native was forced to play his senior year of high school basketball in Texas, after hurricane Katrina ruin his family home outside of New Orleans.

Brandon was rated by Southeast Regional Basketball Report & Scouiting Service as the 30th best player from the Southern Region, and the 20th best player from the of state Texas. Brandon, was also rated the 15th best player in the Houston merto area, by SERRB.

Brandon played ball for three years at Archbishop Hannan HS in Meraux, LA, before moving to Spring, TX to play his senior year at Westfield HS, under one of the best high school basketball coaches in the state and nation, in Larry Brown.

Coach Brown, told me last December, that Brandon was the missing link in his basketball team. He, said "Brandon is the best player on our basketball team". "One reasons we had an outstanding season at Westfield HS, this season was because we added him to our basketball program".

Westfiled was rated last season as one of the nations top 25 high school basketball teams by USA-Today. Westfiled won its first 36 games before losing in Class 5A regional finals to Kingwood HS, which end their season with a 36-1 record.

Brandon had it down to Tulane, Texas A&M, and Baylor, before signing with the Cajuns.

Brandon was a silver lining for Westfield HS, and lets hope he will be a silver lining for the ragin cajuns basketball program.

[paulpaul2]

Its is unlikely that Maurice and Valentino will be back, Turner will be a walk on.

[MiamiCajun32]

Thanks for the info. It is another sad case of a kid not being a well rounded round baller. Life is much more than sports and some of these kids don't have this instilled in their upbringing.

DaddyCajun

Robert Lee seems to get overly excited about things at times. He proclained Cooke to be the best player in the Sunbelt the moment he takes the floor. But then when PREDICTABLY Cooke never takes the floor (just like at his last 2 schools), it is hard to even get an explanation as to why he is off the team.

I hope this new freshman class pans out in the long term, but things look quite bleak in the short term. I don't think the Cajuns can compete at a high level unless they can bring in blue chip transfers (their only way to get blue chippers - kind of players that top 25 programs want), but bringing in such transfers can backfire re chemsitry.

Last year Lee had 3 players who will play pro ball and although there were holes on the team, he could not do what proven top coaches do routinely, figure out how to win, or at least play consistently.

Two seasons ago set us up with Lee for a long time. I hope Lee turns out to be a great coach and all is for the best. But 2004-05 was not so much Lee as it was OG, Wade, and Mitchell. I believe that just about any college coach could have coached that team to a sunbelt title. They played great against Louisville, no doubt, but they could not play consistently that well for most of the season.

I am concerned that this next season will be a 12-16 type affair. It seems that we have returned to the losing days of the last few Fletcher seasons. And there is a bottom line in all of this. If the Cajuns can't even have winning seasons or just barely finish above .500, then no matter how great everyone's attitude is and such, it is a losing proposition. Unfortunately, it seems we are headed in that direction - mediocrity.

[Clutch0364]

Its is unlikely that Maurice and Valentino will be back, Turner will be a walk on.

I was told Coach Lee said in an interview that Maurice and Valentino will be back. Darragh the Australian transfer will not be back and JT Fields will also not be back.

[MiamiCajun32]

I was told Coach Lee said in an interview that Maurice and Valentino will be back. Darragh the Australian transfer will not be back and JT Fields will also not be back.

I wonder why the Australian kid bothered to spend over a year at UL, waiting for his chance to play, and then just walking off. Was he kicked off the team? Again, another a highly touted point guard gone.

I thought going into this season that the Cajuns would struggle a lot in the post, but would have stellar point guard play. Guess not. I also guess that Woodfox was never really a threat to make it back for his sophmore year.

Seems like it is a bit silly to even make it newsworthy when a particular player signs out of high school or transfers because the odds are against any particular one player actually playing one minute.

[MiamiCajun32]

Its is unlikely that Maurice and Valentino will be back, Turner will be a walk on.

I find it interesting that Turner will be a walk on. Was he basically told that he could not come back unless he played without a scholarship? Can coaches take away scholarships like that? He had a very dissapointing year, based on expectations of him, but surely is still one of the better players on the team, even if not a starter.

Seems like Lee was excited to go the transfer and jc route, but did not like the result last year, so now he wants to do it long term, with bringing up freshman class for a few years. Unfortunately, it may be a long ride for a few years until the cajuns are good again. Even when these current freshman and sophmores are juniors and seniors, are they even talented enough to get the job done? Recruiting a top 15 player from Houston may not be good enough.

[Cajun Express]

I find it interesting that Turner will be a walk on. Was he basically told that he could not come back unless he played without a scholarship? Can coaches take away scholarships like that? He had a very dissapointing year, based on expectations of him, but surely is still one of the better players on the team, even if not a starter.

Seems like Lee was excited to go the transfer and jc route, but did not like the result last year, so now he wants to do it long term, with bringing up freshman class for a few years. Unfortunately, it may be a long ride for a few years until the cajuns are good again. Even when these current freshman and sophmores are juniors and seniors, are they even talented enough to get the job done? Recruiting a top 15 player from Houston may not be good enough.

Ever hear of the fab 5? Michigan got to the final four their first year and won it all a little later. I think the guys that are coming in with the ones we already have will provide for a very good year, with a lot more upside in the Sun Belt.

Your view seems to be that Coach Lee is not focused, but he was smart enough and focused enough to recognize the junior college players he brought in were not going to work out and cut his loses qucikly. I have a lot of confidence in this coach. I suggest you get a personal one on one with him and you will come away with a lot of respect for his intelligence and knowledge.

As for his assement of players that have not played. I think the questions were put to him and he gave an assement of their basketball skills. It is up to the players to get thier class work done. Unlike Jesse he will not tolerate misbehavior very long.