Lack of Knowledge?
WEM - please find me the players that have been overlooked by big schools from these Class B towns. I am currently a coach, in a different state, that is the size of ND Class B schools.I also was an average at best ND Class B basketball player and a college athlete of a different sport. I've been doing this for 13 years and have had kids recruited for various sports at all three NCAA levels. If we have a kid that has the passion to play (any sport), we'll exhaust our resources and networking abilities to get kids chances to play. Regardless of level. D1, D2, D3, NAIA, or JUCO. If coaches aren't willing to do that, then that's on the coach. And it has NOTHING to do with salary. None of us are giving up time with our families, increasing our prep time (remember most of us have a REAL job - in the classroom), taking hours to plan practice, watch film, make game plans, travel around from school to school on non-game nights to scout, for the money. We do this for the kids that have a passion to compete in the sports that we love. Coaches that do this for money or for ego are quickly exposed and do not, nor should last long. Thanks to Hudl, Krossover, YouTube, or just the old burning of a DVD, film is easy to share and takes minimal effort. Also, if a player is unwilling to walk-on, that's on the kid and shows their lack of true passion for the sport. Numerous walk-ons receive scholarships every year around the country. If you want to play and have the ability you can find a spot, scholarship or not. If a scholarship is the only goal, than the game is not of a high enough importance.
Overlooked?
NDSU, UND, SDSU, USD are not going to be missing on kids in the Dakotas or Minnesota. If they find a borderline kid, they'll help to "stash" them at a JUCO for one or two years to see if they develop. Remember, how often the college coaches carousal spins, college coaches love what they do, but they also need to win to stay employed. They are not going to miss kids that can play. Take a look at the rosters of Minnesota State - Moorhead since Coach Walthall arrived. He's not missing small school or big school guys that can play at the D2 level. Next season, he'll have players from Milnor, Braham (MN), and Browerville (MN), all less than 200 students. The same can be said for Minot State, Mary, Augie, USF, etc... they're going to find kids to help them win.
Again, as stated before, if these guys are being passed up we'd be seeing these guys performing well at our small college ND schools.
Take Mr. Bussman for example. He was a heck of a Class B player and averaged just under 10 a game at VCSU as a freshman. He transferred and walked on at MSU-M and now plays 6 minutes a game in only 19 of their games. I use him, because I love the kid's attitude and work ethic, and have personally watched him work with young athletes at MSUM basketball camps, but there's a huge difference between the North Star and the NSIC. (Side note - if he stayed at VCSU IMO he'd been a 2-3 time all conf guy - I hope he finds an increased role at MSU because he's easy to cheer for)
If other Class B kids aren't making it at the NAIA level, you're not going to see them making it at high levels.
Scoring 20 a game at the Class B level is not equal to doing the same at the ND Class A level and for sure not the same as doing it at the MN Class 3A or 4A level. (Also remember that only Minot, the Bismarcks, Davies and West Fargo would be 4A schools in MN - South, North and others would be 3A schools, Wahp & DL would be 2A schools in MN - Sometimes I think we forget how much ND lacks population in comparison).
Another example would be the 2013 Mr. Basketball argument:
As I recall many Class B folks that thought Mr. Hagler was the clear cut winner and blamed Class A bias for the eventual AJ Jacobson win. I thought that Hagler was a tremendous HS player and has had a nice career for the Jimmies. Jacobson, also a tremendous HS player has had a similarly nice career at NDSU. In fact if you look at their stats they're very comparable:
http://gobison.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5362http://www.jimmieathletics.com/roster/17/1/5728.phpJust as in high school, if they traded places in college would the stats be as similar. Would Hagler be putting up his Jimmie numbers at SU? Would Jacobson only be putting up his SU numbers in the North Star? I think there'd be a huge difference. Size, skill, etc.... play into all of this and in that matter most Class B kids just don't compare.
The only two years that I have disagreed with Mr. Basketball when it should've gone to the Class B kids were 1999 when I thought Kraft was a better HS player and if his feet don't give out would've been a better college player and 2003 when I thought Craig Nelson was the better HS player and college prospect. His college assist to turnover rate while being the floor general for one of the all time greats in Coach Meyer makes me feel vindicated.
I think we also forget the math involved:
Of the more than one million high school athletes across the United States, fewer than 5 percent go on to play sports in college, and fewer than 1 percent go on to play at the division I level.
So to answer your question. Yes, I've been through this and do enjoy the process. We don't have to agree and if you've been scared by wanting more than is earned or given, I'm sorry. It not cool to have kids that want more than others are willing to give them, especially if they've been engaged in becoming well rounded student-athlete. I encourage those kids to find a level. D3 & NAIA are great spots to play sports and go to school. I love Class B basketball but the depth of athletes is not there and some of the top end guys are not big college material. Enjoy the product and the passion for what it is.
Back to studying so I can drop the "Lack"