Hall in Running for Gary Flowers

The best player inside the Prudential Center during Sunday's Seton Hall-Monmouth game wasn't wearing a Pirates jersey, and he wasn't wearing a Hawks shirt, either.

Gary Flowers, a 6-9, 205-pound power forward from Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla., was seated in the recruits section watching Seton Hall, one of his top two options.

"Flowers is a heck of a player," Chipola coach Greg Heiar said by phone. "He's long, he's got a 7-3 wingspan. He's very versatile. He can shoot and score on the block. He can impact the game defensively. He runs the court. He can guard five positions on the floor. He's a special player."

Flowers. a native of Dallas, initially committed to Oklahoma State out of Genesis One Christian in Mendenhall., Miss. He averaged 17.3 points and 8.7 rebounds during the 2004-05 season and was ranked the 43rd-best player in the country according to Rivals.

"Gary is somebody we’ve always liked,” OSU Head Coach Designate Sean Sutton said then. “He’s always been a very talented player, and he’s a tough competitor that plays with a lot of energy. He’s a tremendously gifted athlete that plays multiple positions. He’s improved his skill level and has always been able to shoot the ball well.”

“If you compare him with players still out there, Gary Flowers is one of the top four or five prospects in the country,” added recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons. “He was rated as one of the five best power forwards in our top-100 NBA Camp in June of 2004. He had a great senior year. Now, he’s gaining more experience at a prep school.”

“Gary Flowers is a very bouncy, live body, athletic guy who can play both forward spots to bring some versatility,” said Dave Telep of Scout.com. “He had a really strong summer and has gotten better since his senior year.

Still, Flowers' tenure at OSU did not last long. He was suspended from the team in September 2006 for violation of team rules. He was reportedly arrested then in Stillwater on a marijuana possession charge. He also was reportedly ticketed that summer for speeding and did not have a valid driver’s license or proof of insurance. He transferred to Chipola in January 2007.

Flowers cannot sign with any school this fall because of an NCAA rule stating that a player must be in his third full semester of JUCO before committing. He could commit at any point, but could not sign until next spring.

Heiar said Flowers was basically down to South Florida and Seton Hall, and that he enjoyed his visit to Newark on Sunday.

"We're keeping it pretty tight-knit. South Florida, Seton Hall. There's not too many schools right now," he said.

"He seems to like what Seton Hall has to offer," he added. "He really enjoyed it. The important thing is for Gary to get with the right people.

"We met (Seton Hall assistant) Coach Derm Player a couple years ago and stayed in touch with him. He did a good job of staying in touch with one of my assistants. We've talked to Coach (Bobby) Gonzalez a few times on the phone."

Heiar and his staff dealt with Gonzalez before when 6-8 sophomore Joey Cameron transferred from Seton Hall to Chipola. Cameron recently committed to Fresno State and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

"They were great getting us the transcript on a timely basis," the coach said.

Seton Hall has one scholarship remaining for 2008, two if Chris Smith does not return to the program.

Comments

[merge]

Talk about hitting rock bottom. We're supposed to be happy about recruiting a kid who is not Big East caliber?

And there is something about going for JUCOs that makes a program look bad. Leave the JUCOs to Rutgers, as Rutgers is trash. Seton Hall shouldn't have to go the JUCO route.

[shupat]

Hey NCAAball,

It's good to know you still have a pathological fixation on SHU and RU. Keep up the good work.

[shu09]

If we make the NIT I am going to have a parade. That is how low my expectations are for Seton Hall. We aren't quite as bad as Rutgers, but we aren't good either.

At least Gonzo is a better coach than Fred Hill. Fred Hill is the worst.

[seton75]

why are we the only team involved (along with USF) if this kid is so good?

[shu09]

Kid got kicked out of OSU, which takes some skill (Oklahoma State is where Doug Gottleib ended up after he was arrested for credit card theft).

I don't know about this kid. Seems like a real trouble maker. Lots of trouble with the law.

[1oldshu]

shu09-

Why would you bring up coaching again? We here at Seton Hall have the least respected coach in the league in GONZO. All the BE coaches laugh right at him (ref: recent Star Ledger article). At least Fred Hill is respected for his invaluable contributions and leadership within winning programs here in the Big East.

GONZO, what a boob, keeps dreaming that the Manhattan 1st round upset of FLA years ago, before FLA’s championship players even started shaving, was all HIS coaching. HE says HE beat Billy Donovan. What a load this GONZO is, taking a 1st round upset against a team that obviously looked past his little MAAC team, and then strutting around like a drunken idiot. Sure wonder if the Princeton coach that upset DEFENDING champs UCLA in NCAA 1st round was so dismissive of his players.

GONZO is a classless buffoon and the sooner he goes back to the MAAC and play against Siena, Fairfield, St. Peter's, etc. the better for our SHU.

Wait a second, GONZO lost to St. Peter's here at the SHU already.

[shu09]

Fred Hill is a joke, and a bad one at that. Fred Hill has never coached in any sort of tournament, conference or national. He has a 3-13 record in Big East play. He is the worst.

Fred Hill is a bad coach.

Gonzo is at least decent. Gonzo has won NCAA Tourney games (against Billy Donovan).

Gonzo will lead us to the promise land of the NIT while Fred Hill will have you guys missing the Big East Tourney every year. (oh wait, Fred cried hard enough and now he gets to play in it next year. I heard they are going to rename the first round of the BET the Fred Hill Charity Classic Sympathy Round.)

[shu09]

Fred Hill tried to get the Sienna job a few years ago and was denied. That's how bad Fred Hill is. Sienna didn't even want him!!

[RedTeam94]

Fred Hill is the worst coach in the Big East. Everybody knows that, even Rutgers fans.

SHU09, I am sooo pumped that we have the Fred Hill Charity Classic Sympathy Round of the Big East Tournament these days. I was afraid that we would never see Rutgers in the BET again. But Fred cried and cried and cried and got his way. At least Fred is good at crying, because he is terrible at coaching.

[1oldshu]

You're making the Hall look bad with your rub-ballish comments.

[rubball2]

FRED HILL IS THE WORST COACH I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!

[RU82]

Hey ncaaball2,

If you insist on polluting Adam's blog, could you at least come up with some new schtick? The current diatribe has become very tired. Stop settling for mediocrity. You are a world class internet troll. None more pathetic anywhere. Your game is slipping.