High-scoring Canadian guard commits to Warriors
With many of the top American recruits already signed, the Hawai’i basketball team went north of the border to find a gem.
Manroop Clair, a high-scoring combo guard originally from British Columbia, Canada, said he is committed to joining the Warriors for the 2012-13 season. Clair, who said he is “6-3 with shoes on” and 170 pounds, is currently a high school senior at Huntington Prep School in West Virginia.
“Hawai’i came after me hard and everything fell into place,” he said. “It seems like a good fit for my future in basketball and school wise, just everything.”
Clair’s original plan was to enroll at prep school for another year, and graduate in 2013. He changed those plans recently, and will be eligible to play for the Warriors as a freshman in the 2012-13 season.
“He’s actually listed on all the recruiting sites as a 2013 (graduate), so a lot of schools were looking at him for 2013,” said his AAU coach, Pasha Bains. “Only a few schools knew that he could actually come out in 2012 if he wanted to, and so Hawai’i recruited him for 2012 and I think it’s a good fit for both sides.”
Bains has coached Clair with the DRIVE basketball team on the AAU circuit for the past several years, including this year.
“He’s averaged 30 points a game for us against good competition, with guys trying to stop him,” Bains said. “He’s definitely exciting to watch. He’s the kind of player who puts you on the edge of your seat because he can do so many things and he’s a gamer.”
Bains noted that Clair has “outstanding” shooting range, but can also handle the ball.
“Because he can shoot it on an elite level already, he can contribute in that sense right away,” Bains said. “But he still needs to fill in to his body a little bit. He’s got the great basketball sense and knows how to play the game. I think he can really blossom into a solid all-around player on the D-1 level.”
Several other programs were recruiting Clair, including New Mexico State, Santa Clara, Weber State and Wyoming.
Clair said he is on track to complete his classes at Huntington Prep this semester. He has not made any official visits, but would still like to make take one to Hawai’i after finishing his classes.
He said he will sign an official letter of intent by the end of this week. Per NCAA rules, the Hawai’i coaches cannot comment on a recruit until the official letter of intent is signed and approved.
Here are a few video clips of Clair with the DRIVE AAU team:
HUGE COMMIT! Range like Jimmer & Steph Curry. Good looking north of the border, Gib. Might be the best player we’ve had from Canada since Carl English. Great potential. How dis he pull it off?
Now Armstead and Blakes next, please!!
wow.
so who left the team again???
josh there’s only room for one more recruit.
well, unless.
Great get! Now Gib coach them well and welcome them to UH MBB ohana, Spearman and Clair wow!! so far!..possibly Gerry Blakes , Armstead or a good wing 6’5″ to 6’7″ who can handle, defend and shoot some three balls..Gib fit them with the other very hard working returnees and incoming freshman and JC transfer. One more scholie to go..hopefully a surpirse..Know Gib wants to work with freshman, and he got a good one. !!!
Aaaah, just when it seemed troubling that this would be the second week in a row without any visiting prospects … voila! I’ll take a signed letter of intent by week’s end over any scheduled visit. But, yes, a 6-7 wing would put a nice cap on this class … assuming they all make it here. Really hoping Fotu lands by the second summer session. Thanks, Dayton.
a team of nations…
vander joachim – angola
davis rozitis – latvia
christian standhardinger – germany (also of filipino ancestry)
orel lev – israel
isaac fotu – new zealand
manroop clair – canada
and the americans
garret jefferson (of afro-american ancestry)
hauns brereton (of samoan ancestry)
brandon jawato (of indonesian ancestry)
jace tavita (of samoan ancestry)
brandon spearman (of afro-american ancestry)
keith shamburger (of afro-american ancestry)
caleb dressler (okay we needed one mainland haole boy)
now if we can find one 7’0″ oriental we would have it covered. (j/k)
…nuff said
sorry for the misspell vander joaquim.
Got to make sure this kid qualifies with his SAT’s and courses taken ! We hope Clair can make it into Manoa soon!
he’s been attending a prep school in socal. i don’t think that the gibber would make the same mistake twice.
sorry…not socal but huntington, west virginia.
yes!
I can already hear the ROOP, ROOP, ROOP chants from the crowd every time this kid hits bombs from beyond the arc.
Outstanding…Great Surprise …Good Handles… Outstanding Range…Passes Smart …
May be Tough to Zone Hawai’i for very long with shooters like it seems we have…
Seems like we need somebody to man the point. If Gib has only one more scholarship I hope he gets a good point guard, UNLESS….Al, maybe John Ursua plays BB and delays going on a mission. We need a leader out on the floor. Too bad we have to wait one year for Shamburger.
But, Clair has ungodly range and can handle the ball pretty well.
What can’t he do?
We should round up the international flavor by getting a point guard from Australia. Just hoping.
Current San Antonio Spur PG, Patrick Mills, formerly from St. Mary’s is from Australia.
Actually, pretty sure Gib after athletic wing. SF who can defend, shoot, finish and is all in to win as TEAM. Hauns at 6’6″ appears to be the only SF we have.
Go get em Gib!!
Unless you are thinking of Christian S. as SF, I guess..with athletes coming on board from 6’3″ to 6’9″ perhaps now getting recruits who can play 1 through 4, with Vander and Caleb, Davis as 4 and 5′s.
Hey , just happy we got Clarit so far!!
Sorry my bad, not Clarit…correction: Clair!!
Cleanair scored over two THOUSAND points a day!
this CURRY is hot.
only $100 to reserved one season ticket. max allowed four.
c’mon, Aaric what you waiting for?
i hope orel and clair can be the best 3 point duo in hawaii history…not to mention spearman. brereton. jawato. not sure tavita and stanhardinger
Good news….that being said, will coach Gib’s game plan put restraints on the shooters?
Will coach Gib only let the dogs out when in desperate situations, and not allow them to do what they do best in any situation(s)? Granted that there needs to be some form of organized flow and control. Just my thoughts on how the coach will use the talent(s) of his new recruits?
Ho if this guy is as good as advertised Gib nabbed a good one. Always good to have a guy who can get his own shot off. It was tough at times to wach the offense last year. It was always dump it in to Vandar. Even Zane was more of a spot up guy or catch and put on the floor. Shaq was able to get his own, but he was kinda undersized and he’s gone. I wonder it he’s from the same Huntington High as OJ Mayo? Great get Coach Gib, but we gotta get em to stay 4 years! GO BOWS!!!
Da roop, da roop, da roop is on fire!
Nice get again Gib. I am fine with the recent departures as we just have to believe in what Gib is putting together. Yeah, myself included has come to doubt a few things but we don’t know the behind the scenes and chemistry in the lockerroom. It’s more important to built the program with talent + character and I think we are still working it out. You build and recruit based on the 3-4 year plan not the 1-2 year plan.
I was reading a Wichita State blog that was saying how Roop was high on their radar but looking onto 2013 to lock him up. Looks like Gib swooped in and took him early.
Things are shaping up. So nice to be relevant for a change on the college bball scene. Can’t wait to see how this all translates to W’s!
I think most would be o.k. IF Gib can start signing one and dones, if the done means NBA…
(I think sooner or later he’ll get at least one who “knows” (and has strong agreement fom NBA coaching staffs);
IF you’re just planning to work on your game for one season, other than competing for a National Championship,
Why wouldn’t you wanna hang in Hawai’i…?
Two and Pros is probably o.k., too
(like Joston or Carl English might have been under a coach, like Gib, who’ll play freshmen who produce …
If there is another signee this season,, you Know he’ll likely be Really Good…
NEXT?!
life is complicated; enjoy while you can.
Coach Gib Arnold’s talent is above average (lucky to find) :
— is a bargain comparably (there are many rich division 1′s).
— loves Hawaii (people we need).
— good person (high moral standard).
— progressive (well rounded mindsets – starting to attract good players).
— tough-love (to weed-out under-performer).
— over-react (neglects human-sensitivity at times).
— mBBALL successes (with good TEAM – beginning to take shape).
good TEAM has to be “conforming-to”:
— loves Hawaii.
— NCAA requirements.
— UH athletic student’s Handbook (responsibilities..)
— coach-able.
— respectful.
— overall progressions.
let’s go OHANA!
n2o4joy…Nice summary, very true. Both coach and players have to work TOGETHER..and as above posts say, things are shaping up…I just don’t see the past NCCA mess of the seventies in this edition of UH MBB. IT is very above board..LIVE and LEARN. Wish well to UH, Gib and all those hard working guys who stick it out with team an coach. JUST WIN and they will come…!
Who’s Afraid of The Big Bad Transfers?
This Coming Season Versus Last Season
(OR even All Previous Five Seasons):
- Athleticism ++
- Height ++
- Physicality ++
- Scholastics + (?) Apparently, see IF ALL get Past the Gauntlet of UH Adm. Off.)
- Attitude + (Apparent – Character To be seen)
- Leadership +
- Team Focus VS Self-Focus + (?Probably more Team than Self versus previous two teams, esp. with more Leaders On-Board…)
- BB Skills ++
- Range +
- Experience + (Transfers & Fr appear to have wider AAU & Int’l Exp.)
- Experience in the System + (versus this point for previous teams — Eight Players with at least one semester on team, LY=7)
Lookin’ Up … and “Somehow” still got one more (to choose) to give …
It’ll be nice to be favored to Win (more/most) Games …
Now it probably is about time to Upgrade the Schedule …
Hilo, Alaska, Puerto Rico Tourneys ?
(to build Tourney Strength and Tenacity On The Road…)
——————
SO … when numerous programs are experiencing multiple transfers, why is “this” a problem ? We used to sign five to eight recruits most or every year in the previous 25+ years’ JC-Based system (where you get maximum 2-3 years ROI) …
Getting two relatively productive years from three of four players (i believe Shaq and wish them all well) is a Real Positive — they helped this program through a real Tough Start-Up Transition …
Comment Not Necessarily Factual: i Think it is Considerate & Gracious to allow or assist an employee (or basketball player) the option to Request a Transfer or Resignation so that they have a better chance to hook up with the next Program or Job …
ALL of the departing players have been positively coached up for one to two years and can help some other programs …
IT would appear … This One is Rising Faster Than That ….
I guess Aaric Armstead is out of the picture seeing how UH got a commitment from Clair??, probably a better player all-around anyway….O-Canada!!
Armstead is 6-5 and would fill the need for an athletic wing (2-3 spot) that we are looking for. We have one scholarship remaining. We’ve been on in him for awhile… and the longer it takes to get him on a visit here… the less likely it is we sign him.
i’m ‘thinking’ Shooting Guard (6-4) Armstead is one of the Talents that could convince Gib to give up his last scholarship (but Clair probably beat him to the SG scholie) ….
To get the last one, it would need to be ‘before’:
- Any of the Shooting “Forwards” who can play 2-3-4,
coach says he’s still working with;
OR
- one of the “overseas” players Qualifies & Commits
From what i can tell Aaric should “Qualify” as a Player you Don’t “PASS” on ….
But even he got to beat The Clock….
———————-
Speaking of O’ Canada & Clair Skies but still raining threes – you don’t see Range like that (@ 40%) too often, outside of Duke / Kentucky Country, esp. “available” …. What a “Get” !
Kids don’t need to take a visit to commit, Clair hasn’t visited. Don’t be surprised if Armstead commits.
Aaric is a high-profile recruit, who has tons of publicity online.
the whole Armstead family is convinced that how terrific he is and that they deserve more (the decision maker, probably)!?.
speculating that by holding back longer, the “biggies” will make their bids. the bigger the better, will jump right into it then (Kentucky.. got name, yet?).
All-American dream. why not? wonderful (perfectly entitled to)!
Aaric’s Rating: 3-star.(of the 3 mentioned, or others.. no news about any visit reported, yet).
from the Internet, a Cali kid has a 5-star rating gotten most of the Pac-12 U’s offered!
a kid interested in Hawaii ’cause he loves Hawaii primarily (sold). or;
he respects Coach Arnold, wants to be under his wings, that’s secondary (volunteer), and
contact recommended, or stats met need (real recruiting), third. lastly
any combinations of or all of the above may lead to commitment, then signed (celebration time).
we are D1.. but, though we luckily overcame Xavier by 1, struggled, even came from behind with D2.. lost to USF. ain’t no powerhouse!
with the recruiting skill of our coaches and some luck, some good players blessed the TEAM.
the classy Hawaiian people are wholeheartedly extending their welcome and Aloha to them.
we especially appreciative of the fact that they expressed: “this is home away from home”, “as part of the family”, commits without visit (that’s determination)!
as for those others who we sorrily have to missed, we are grateful still for their interest in us at all, and accept and respect their rightful decisions, may their future be bright.
Mahalo!
Honestly the competition this kid looks like he is playing against looks horrible…. Well see if he can get those shots off when an athletic guard is on him????
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