Elite JUCO guard Bobbitt expected to visit this weekend
Roderick Bobbitt led all junior college players in steals during the 2013-14 season. The University of Hawai’i basketball program would like to make him a steal of a recruit for the 2014-15 season.
Bobbitt, the top all-around player on the top-ranked junior college team in the country last season, is expected to make an official visit to UH this weekend. The 6-foot-3 combo guard averaged 15.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists steals per game for Indian Hills Community College (Iowa) this past season. His 3.7 steals per game ranked first in the nation for junior college players. He also shot 47.2 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from 3-point range, and 77.1 percent on free throws.
Indian Hills was the No. 1-ranked junior college team for much of the regular season. The Warriors eventually advanced to the JUCO Championship Game, and placed second. Bobbitt did not play in the championship game due to an arm injury.
Bobbitt had two 30-point games last season, made seven 3-pointers in another game, and recorded a rare triple-double of 17 points, 10 assists and 10 steals in another game.
Missouri and Oklahoma are among the other schools after Bobbitt, according to jucorecruiting.com.
There are some Hawai’i ties that could influence Bobbitt’s recruiting. Indian Hills is the same junior college that brought Brandon Spearman to Hawai’i. Bobbitt and Spearman were teammates at Indian Hills during the 2011-12 season. Spearman just completed his senior season at UH.
Bobbitt is from Oakland, California. Prior to the 2012-13 season, he transferred to City College of San Francisco to be closer to home. He sat out that season as a redshirt, but was still teammates with current UH guard Quincy Smith.
Bobbitt transferred back to Indian Hills after the 2012-13 season.
Below are a couple of highlight videos featuring Bobbitt:
Cool. So will he redshirt and how many years of eligibility does he have left? 1?
he’s a juco transfer. would play this coming season.
In that first video, no one is over 6’4″. Kinda dulls the shine of him driving to the basket, seeing that the defense are just munchkins.
Another thing, that first video doesn’t highlight any of his defense wtf? 3.7 steals per game and no defense highlights?
I’m dubious. We all should be. But I’m willing to gamble on someone in juco having 1 elite skill. I was just hoping to see it. Maybe it’s in the second video…
Well there is one defense highlight, I’m ashamed I didn’t mention it because I loved it at the beginning when he swats a shot into a cheerleader’s face. I’d lose it if he did that 3.7 times per game. But he doesn’t even do it 3.7 times per YouTube mixtape video.
Horse: might be a real get for UH…Oklahoma and Missouri interested in him too!
In video Bobbitt knows how to play ball. He was on the number one ranked at one time jc team in the USA.
SPEARMAN AND QUINCY know him..we shall see,, also 6’10” big was on visit a week or so ago..
possible shore up frontcourt and backcourt shooting defender in Bobbitt..at this late stage of recruiting. ? Any good bb players welcomed!!
What about we go after that teammate (#1) of his with the high top fade at 0:35-0:40? I was afraid he turned into the chunky guy later at 0:46-0:50, but Chunk is #44.
I still haven’t watched video #2. Doesn’t start as hard, what can I say.
Someone asked about Tyler Harville the preferred walk on from Kentucky. Led the state of Kentucky in made threes his senior year and averaged 19 a game. Then went to the best prep league on the country last year in New England (NEPSAC) and set a league record with 125 made threes. Averaged 18 points. Unlimited range and very quick release. Considered one of the best pure shooters in the country. Needs to gain another 7 to 10 lbs.
exact clone of Brandon spearman…hopefully more bouncy and better shooter
Hmmm. Interesting developments at Arizona State, which today announced the hiring of Bobbitt’s coach at Indian Hills … Gib Arnold’s cousin. Hopefully, it’s not a package deal as ASU reportedly may be losing shooting guard Bo Barnes (the former ‘Bow) and its point guard, who could be replaced by …. Gerry Blakes, former UH signee whom I believe might have redshirted last season or is an incoming player at ASU.
clyde:
Imagine, I think Biggs, Blakes and Barnes , Coleman might have Jrs. or Srs. this year?
yes, UH could have used Bo Barnes outside shooting and Gerry Blakes all around PG/SG game with size. However, Gib has to look to NOW, so Nevels, Smith, Shamburger, Filipovich, Jawato, Bobbitt? have to step …I believe they will.
Now Gib has to lock down that Big, if it is the 6’9″ or 6’10 or 6″11″ guys they have had their sights on, good gets. Fill the void of losing Standhardinger 6’8″ and Rozitis 7’0″ who really caused problems with his height and agility.
Probably that is the biggest concern, the frontcourt, another PF and hybrid shotblocking PF,C would really help, probably from JC ranks or overseas..Just my guess!
Well with Gib, and he knows the deal….guys come and guys go, NOW is when he has to develop team to reach NIT and NCAA’s consistently, that scheduling possible top 20 teams, a couple a year. is a good start to get SOS much better, Gib headed in right direction..Just NCAA thing, over with and done, so UH MBB team can keep on moving on up!
clyde: sorry for my typos!
Imagine, I think Biggs, Blakes and Barnes , Coleman might have BEEN Jrs. or Srs. this year?
yes, UH could have used Bo Barnes outside shooting and Gerry Blakes all around PG/SG game with size. However, Gib has to look to NOW, so Nevels, Smith, Shamburger, Filipovich, Jawato, Bobbitt? have to step up big time over summer…I believe they will.
We need some defense too. as we see annually in the ncaa T, good guards can play on both ends of the court. his numbers illustrate he is a complete product with athleticism that he applies from basket to basket. further, he is being pursued by several credible programs. I cant say he is a cant miss but I can point out that Coach Gibb is evolving in his level of recruiting selections that he is targeting at the guard positions.
more importantly, did he or didn’t he take a recruiting trip to the beach at waikiki?
sometimes with social media and these young guys, recruits visiting, within their visit, they are committing and tweeting. Wonder how visit went with 6’10” big last week, and now with 6’3″ combo guard flying back to mainland USA, very soon will know, Gib and staff really working hard these last few weeks, see if LOI signees by April this week, is it on April 16- May 21 spring signing, with scholarship agreements,(A FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP TOO), just not signed in early Nov LOI date or Spring, or being signed by mid term transfers like a certain Big from the SEC who is going to UH now.
Recruiting, aaaahhh, really gets the basketball juices going, Really believe returnees Valdes, Thomas, Smith, Nevels, Shamburger, Jovanovich and Fotu, along with hopefully healed Jawato, are going to get really better, and along with Negus, Jankovich, Fleming, and maybe two more new recruits, a Big, and the best avaialbe, shooter , create own shot, combo athletic bballer, UH will be primed, especially having Fotu, and the 3 returning guards, Smith, Sham and Nevels with their experience in system together one year, UH should be locked and ready to Ball!
Hope that Gib has a couple more recruits lined up to visit this April , if others don’t decide on UH, always possible , the recruiting prospect trippers.
However, UH MBB team, really does well in promoting Hawaii and the experience, if you are going to be part of High Major team and hardly play in cold weather Mainland USA, you might as well come to nice weather and be able to play right away, and if you can contribute an upgraded Offensive and Defensive ability to help UH win, why not Hawaii? As Negus is want to say!
Hope that Gib gets the Big , shot blocker athlete, long, and the best O and D athlete available, UH needs help to protect rim, and firepower, really good FT and 3 point shooter, create own shot, athlete, Gib locks up those two, next year, UH can have much more than 20 wins, and shoot for BWC regular and BWC tourney titles, NIT guaranteed, and NCAA bound if they are hot in March 2015!
2nd vid has been watched.
A lot of catch-and-shoot 3s in there. They all happen in transition. But what UH needs is someone who can make 3s out of an offensive set, when the clock is running down. We already have Shamburger pumping up 3s at the beginning of the shot clock. I have a feeling this guy gets a good look due to losing his man in transition. What about when he doesn’t get a good look? When the defense is locking down, and the offense hasn’t been able to work a shot for Fotu? Can he shoot with a guy on him?
And I only see one pseudo steal around 1:20. I guess statistically it’s a steal, but it’s just a real sloppy inbound pass that bounces right to him. How legit are these 3.7 steals?
We already know UH is in good position when the game is fast tempo. We need help when the game tempo gets slowed. Dubious.
But can he defend and prevent penetration? That’s the big question.
Offensively, he looks very similar to Spearman but with a better shooting touch. Looks like a nice commit for UH. UH is definitely deep at both guard spots.
Not sure where Bobbitt fits in the rotation though…. I’m guessing he’ll cut into Quincy Smith’s playing time as 6th man initially. If he has good handles, he may even take some of Sham’s minutes if Sham goes into a slump or foul trouble.
I think Sham, Nevels, Fotu and NWC are locks as starters. The 5th spot is up for grabs. Gib could put in Javonovic or Mike Thomas, or maybe he goes 4 guards like how Boise St operates.
With the current roster make up, The teams that will give UH issues are big teams or teams that put an emphasis on crashing the offensive glass. Much like this year.
UH is going to excel vs uptempo teams and games where they can force teams to play faster than their normal. I can see UH getting a bunch of blowout wins, but struggle in the low scoring games where opponents successfully slow the pace.