Two local UC basketball commits could lead to top-ranked 2024 Bearcat class

When 6-foot-7 wing Rayvon Griffth, then of Taft High School, committed to play for Coach Wes Miller's University of Cincinnati Bearcats in May 2022, he mentioned there might be more to come.

"I've definitely got dudes on the phone," Griffith said.

Griffith left Taft for Arizona's Compass Academy, just as 6-foot-9 post player Tyler McKinley of Walnut Hills left for Branson, Missouri's Link Academy. The two kept in touch and Thursday, June 8, McKinley became UC's highest-rated recruit with local connections since Withrow's Yancy Gates. According to 247Sports.com, McKinely is rated slightly higher than Griffith and still has another year of high school ball.

If you're wondering, one-year wonder Lance Stephenson was UC's highest-rated recruit ever and the only five-star. To be fair, the ratings systems are relatively recent, so many players prior to Mick Cronin's era aren't listed. Orlando guard and incoming freshman Jizzle James is UC's top-rated recruit on the current roster.

Now what?

After just a year at Link, McKinley was regarded as the top recruit at his position in Missouri. Just as Griffith knew McKinley through competition, McKinley knows four-star point guard Jase Richardson through competition. Though he recently cut his list of suitors to eight, Richardson told On3's Joe Tipton that four schools have been in heavy pursuit. One of those schools is Cincinnati. The others are Alabama, Michigan State and Stanford.

McKinley and Richardson were on the same team in the recent Pangos All-American Invite-Only Camp. Richardson is 6-foot-3 and the son of former NBA player Jason Richardson. Out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, he is the current No. 2 player in Nevada according to 247Sports.

Could there be another piece?

If you follow recruiting circles, you may have heard of 6-foot-8, 215-pound Flory Bidunga from Kokomo, Indiana who not only is the top player in Indiana, he's currently No. 4 in the nation among 2024s according to 247Sports.com. It just so happens Bidunga was at the same All-Star Camp as Richardson and McKinley and the 247Sports staff currently sees him as a future Bearcat. It may not hurt that Bidunga's AAU team, Indiana Elite, is run by Mark Adams, father of UC Associate AD/Basketball Drew Adams. Adams is from Indiana and has college coaching experience with the Hoosiers, Bradley, New Mexico and the Bearcats.

Early on the 2024 class is ranked No. 21 overall, but adding all three blue chips could significantly change that and would be a major Big 12 recruiting boost.

Would you go to a bowl game in Mexico?

This week the Big 12 Conference announced the launch of Big 12 Mexico, the Conference's first international extension that will see Big 12 men's and women's basketball, women's soccer and baseball games held in Mexico. Big 12 Mexico's first contest will be a men's and women's basketball matchup between Kansas and Houston, held in Mexico City at Arena CDMX in December of 2024. Following the launch of Big 12 basketball in Mexico, Big 12 women's soccer and baseball will participate in exhibitions against clubs from the region.

Additionally, the Big 12 will explore establishing a football bowl game in Monterrey, starting in 2026. This would be the first bowl game ever held in Mexico."Mexico is a natural extension to the Big 12 footprint, and I'm thrilled to introduce Big 12 Mexico as the Conference's first-ever international presence," said Commissioner Brett Yormark. "Through Big 12 Mexico, our student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international setting, and our Conference will have the chance to showcase our brand across Mexico."

While Cincinnati's Bearcats could be involved, five current and future Big 12 Conference campuses (Baylor, Houston, TCU, Texas and Texas Tech) are located less than 400 miles away from Mexico, while the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have campus extensions in Mexico City.

Translation: the fan base in Monterrey might prefer the southwestern schools.

Fred from France is First Team

University of Cincinnati track and field senior Fred Moudani-Likibi broke the UC shot put program record to earn First Team All-America honors on the opening day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships inside Mike A. Myers Stadium on Wednesday.In his first career appearance at the outdoor nationals,  Moudani-Likibi did not disappoint with a throw of 20.54m (67'4.75").  He capped off his stellar season by placing third overall the men's shot put to earn outdoor First Team All-American status.In a storybook ending, Moudani-Likibi broke the record on his final throw of the competition. "This means a lot," Moudani-Likibi said. Being able to come to Cincinnati and have a great coach Susan Seaton help me to do what I do at a Division 1 level, especially after spending time in the JUCO system, is really nice."The Savigny-Le-Temple, France native became the first men's Bearcat to earn All-America honors in the shot put in program history. Moudani-Likibi has had a year to remember as he now earned both indoor and outdoor shot put First All-America honors and was the indoor and outdoor American Athletic Conference shot put champion. He also broke both UC and AAC indoor and outdoor shot put records and set the French National Indoor shot put record.

Head football athletic trainer promoted

University of Cincinnati AD John Cunningham announced on Friday the promotion of Aaron Himmler to Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine.

He will continue his role as the athletic trainer with the football program and will now oversee the sports medicine and athletic training department, including 13 athletic trainers, a physical therapist and two physical therapy residents.

Himmler enters his 11th year at UC and his eighth year as the athletic trainer for football. He is also the current president of the Greater Cincinnati Athletic Trainers’ Association.

“We’re thrilled to promote Aaron to lead our sports medicine team here at the University of Cincinnati,” said Brad Pike, Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director, Health and Wellness. “Aaron is an expert athletic trainer who has proven to be a capable and dynamic leader. Most importantly, he has a passion for student-athlete care. He goes above and beyond for our athletes, and we know he will do an outstanding job in this extended role.”

Himmler has served as the football athletic trainer since 2016, working with teams that have won two conference championships and gone to five consecutive bowls, including the 2020 Peach Bowl and 2021 Cotton Bowl Classic in the College Football Playoff.

He started at UC by serving as the athletic trainer with the baseball team from 2013-15. Prior to UC he was head athletic trainer at Beechwood High School.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Presence of UC's Griffith, McKinley might mean more top recruits