MBB Recruiting: 2015 3* Kyle Ahrens commits to MSU

Submitted by ypsituckyboy on

Ohio shooting guard Kyle Ahrens commits to Michigan State: Ahrens, a 2015 guard from Versailles, Ohio, wrapped... http://t.co/TXAtaqOymt

— Spartans News (@SpartansMLive) June 6, 2014

Ahrens looked like a contingency plan if Grandstaff went elsewhere (as he did), but with the MAAR/Dawkins signings, the developments surrounding Eron Harris, and the glut of 2016 talent UM is in on, I think the coaches' plans changed. I really like Ahrens and think he'll be a good one. Knock down shooter with plenty of athletic upside. If he makes a full recovery from his broken leg, I think he could be thorn in our side down the road.

blueandmaizeballs

June 6th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^

Them signing him is good for us cause he is a guard and mSU is in on a lot of the same guys we are and this kid IMO isn't as good as the other guys.   I believe he was a secondary plan and now 2 guys Michigan had has contingency plans signs with 2 other big ten schools.

WolvinLA2

June 6th, 2014 at 12:50 PM ^

Exactly.  MSU's recruiting was going nuts up until a few years ago.  They had at least one 5 star in just about every class (Payne, Dawson, Harris) and other highly rated guys mixed in there.  In the last couple years, they haven't done much of anything on the recruiting front, and that just happens to be when Michigan has been winning.

WolvinLA2

June 6th, 2014 at 2:01 PM ^

It's  hard to know what the real head-to-head recruiting battles are in basketball because coaches don't offer as many kids and they only offer kids they know are interested.  If someone like McGary of Irvin had grown up an MSU fan or shown a lot of interest, Izzo would have offered them, because it's not like he had better prospects at their position in their class.  Same with Kam Chatman.  Probably same with Derrick Walton - if he hadn't committed to UM as early, I bet MSU offers because they didn't take a PG that year or the year before, and both of their commitments were late in the process (and weren't very good).  

It's kind of like saying Shane Morris wasn't a head-to-head win over MSU, simply because he committed to us super early.  

BJNavarre

June 6th, 2014 at 2:11 PM ^

That's all true, but I'm not sure if any of Beilein's recruits would have gone to MSU if Michigan was still terrible. I'm guessing maybe Walton, but that's about it. Irvin isn't really Izzo's kinda player. GRIII would have been just as likely to go to an Indiana school once he exploded on the scene. McGary would've gone to Duke. All the other guys are outside of midwest or not big enough recruits for Izzo (or previously for Izzo).

UMaD

June 6th, 2014 at 2:27 PM ^

If MSU really wanted Morris they could have offered him. Commitments don't prevent offers, as exemplified by Michigan's recent offers to commited players.  There's no shame in it because a recruiting "loss" is not any more damaging than a recruiting "didn't participate".

It is possible, even likely, that Morris suppressed his offer list by openly having eyes for only one school, but it's also possible that he was overrated by the recruiting sites and not as impressive to other college coaches.  The truly elite players will get dozens of elite offers, even if they've expressed their love for one school.

 

Michigania

June 6th, 2014 at 4:35 PM ^

Well if you knew what you were talking about here, you'd know that Dantonio and msu was quite hard after Morris.... and still tried to pull him away even after he committed to Michigan. Just because an offer isn't public doesn't mean they don't want him.... they definitely went head to head with us... and they LOST.

Danwillhor

June 7th, 2014 at 9:46 AM ^

but want to clear up the Morris thing. msu never stopped recruiting him and had his highly touted LB commit friend on him all the time (Morris got in his ear for a second late in the game to no success ha). In fact, after he committed he would go to msu for things and md always spoke to him, luring him with (what Morris thought to be) obviously "I'm not getting you so I'm going to drone on about a new walk-on OL we just signed for you" type pitches. So much so that Morris does a pretty sweet impression of md. He was offered and very wanted.

BlueCube

June 6th, 2014 at 12:59 PM ^

The balance of power has shifted. I don't know why some on here don't want to accept it. Due to losses to the NBA and transfer this year they may end up above us but the long term tradeoff of possibly having 3 players taken in the first round is going to be huge. Izzo has very few players go early. That's going to have an impact on his recruiting.

ClearEyesFullHart

June 6th, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^

Izzo has been moving on several guys not quite impressive enough for a Michigan offer.  I don't know where all the MSU optimism is coming from.  Izzo is returning (on paper)  http://mgoblog.com/diaries/tom-izzo-and-more-less-fallacy his worst team ever.  If they think Michigan dominated them for the last four years(6 out of 9), wait till they see the next four. 

LSAClassOf2000

June 6th, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^

As you know, this is one of those sites where you do have to be very careful what you wish for, of course, but if you really would like to set the bar and do so without help from myself or another mod, the current lowest total is held by "Q" and is -1,000,000,021, so while you have a way to go, it might be doable. 

MGoLogan

June 6th, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^

Nice pickup for MSU but it did seem that they were in on a few more talented kids.  To me Ahrens is a slightly less talented version of 2016 recruit Kyle Guy from Indianapolis Lawrence Central. 

MGoLogan

June 6th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^

I don't know if I would say a lot bigger.  Guy is probably about 6'3" now, but Ahrens does have more bulk.  I was just saying they seem to have similar type games.  They both are above average athletes, though I would say Guy is a better athlete, and they both are among the better shooters in their respective classes.  Ahren's ceiling isn't quite as high as Guy's, in my opinion. 

Brian

June 6th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^

That seems like quite a reach at this point in the process. Guy's only other power conference offer was BC, and then he had a couple mid-majors in Dayton and Xavier. AFAIK he wasn't really impressing on the AAU circuit. 

Probably says something about Eron Harris, too.

Arlo Pear

June 6th, 2014 at 1:00 PM ^

I immediately thought of Russell Byrd when I saw Ahrens committed to MSU. Beilein recruited Byrd he chose MSU. Luckily that hasn't come back to bite us so far. He also helped swing momentum @ MSU after a weak attempt at taunting GRIII. Hopefully it works that way.

Lucky Socks

June 6th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^

I agree with you that he could be a thorn in our side, but Michigan cannot possibly take them all. I feel comfortable with the guys we're pursuing and I'd rather see MSU pick up an Ahrens than a Brunson (not that they can't have both).



Just saying, we're gonna play against good talent and Ahrens could be a Stauskas...or he could be Russell Byrd.

UMaD

June 6th, 2014 at 12:54 PM ^

If he was committing to UM instead of MSU he'd be the next brilliant find, the next Stauskas or Levert.  But, since he's committing to MSU, he's a "reach" and the next Russel Byrd.

Michigan has the better program and the better coach, but MSU still gets good players.

Like Bess, Aherns is a guy that Beilein had significant interest in. I'd consider that a nice stamp of approval.  I'd rather MSU picked up guys like Trice, who Beilein was never interested in.

BlueCube

June 6th, 2014 at 12:59 PM ^

Beilein picked him up. Beilein and company have shown a huge ability to maximize talent quickly. Izzo doesn't have that track record. His results came from getting top recruits and getting them to stick around for 4 years.

To me it's not about the player but what I think the coach can make of that player so yes I would have liked him if he came to Michigan.

UMaD

June 6th, 2014 at 2:16 PM ^

Same went for Trey Burke, Caris Levert, and, frankly, every player Beilein has landed with the possible exception of McGary and Stauskas.

The point is, just because a guy isn't on the first tier of elite players/offerees doesn't mean he's not going to make an excellent player.

Again, I'd much prefer Izzo grab guys that Beilein is NOT interested in, because I have that much respect for Beilein's evaluation skills.  It wouldn't surprise me at all if Aherns and Bess are MSU's best players in 2-3 years.

ldd10

June 6th, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^

MSU has had relatively sub-par recruiting classes by their standards the last two years, but they do have Deyonta Davis committed for 2015...who is a 5 star on ESPN and a likely consensus 5 star by everyone soon.  Kid is a dominant big man...very Paynesque.  Ahrens looks good if he stays healthy.  If Swanigan, Eric Davis, or a few others pop to MSU that they are in good shape on...they'll have an elite class.  Very good start for them with Davis and Ahrens.

BlueCube

June 6th, 2014 at 1:30 PM ^

so many very good players are coming to town. I think there is a good chance we will hear some good basketball  news in the next week or so.