Stafford Trueheart

Canisius High School 2 time state champion and WNY Player of the year signed LOI with Hofstra.  Joe Mihalich is still making it happen in WNY for a team that went 24-10 last year.  

Another local kid, 6'-7" jumps out of the gym.  No interest or offer from Niagara.  We can't continue to lose local talent without even a sniff.  Far better pedigree then anything we brought in this year.

I know for a fact the local High School coaches are becoming confused by Niagara and it's lack of desire to take local talent.

Small write up on Truheart

Stafford Trueheart - Canisius, Senior

20.8 PPG  /  10.5 RPG  /  2.7 APG  /  2.5 BPG

The 2016 CC MVP and a First Team All-Centercourt selection for the second consecutive season.  A dominant high school player who always delivered the biggest moments in the biggest games.  The unquestioned leader & best player on the best team in WNY.  Very good at interior passing and kick-outs to the perimeter.  Tremendous instincts and anticipation as a shot blocker.  Good decision maker that can dribble out of trouble and assist with breaking the press.  Led Canisius to back-to-back Manhattan Cups, after earning All-Catholic Player of the Year honors in Class A.  A two-time CHSAA state champion with the Crusaders.  Took Canisius to consecutive appearances in the Federation Tournament of Champions.  Undefeated against opponents from WNY in his junior and senior seasons.  Voted All-Catholic Player of the Year.  Selected MVP of the Tom Keenan Memorial Tournament. First Team Centercourt #BOOM Squad & First Team All-Centercourt Defender selections for a second straight season.  Career 1,000 point

Trueheart was right in our backyard, would have been a huge addition to Niagara, and to know he didn't even get a sniff from our coaching staff is maddening. Does Chris Casey have such an ego he ignores the obvious, just to be different? And to lose Trueheart to JAM is just salt in the wound.

I've had it implied to me by local HS coaches when talking about Niagara that some college coaches refuse to recruit locally because they don't like having to deal with all of the headaches that come with having family and childhood friends in the area (like Crumpton getting in trouble at Canisius). Not saying that's for sure what's happening, just something that's been mentioned.

Thanks, Mike, I appreciate the feedback. I've also heard via the grapevine that Trueheart is kind of a tweener.

NU had 0 chance at this player.
NU didn't express interest due to the fact that they would be laughed at.
The excuse "we don't want the head ache"... I don't buy it. They brought in a kid who had an arrest record longer than the whole freshman class. That is just a weak excuse to cover Caseys pathetic team.

Locally, NU sports is a punchline now. It's embarrassing



Our players from far off seem to get in plenty of trouble. Trueheart comes from a great private school and what I'm told has a good family.

msm29 wrote:

I've had it implied to me by local HS coaches when talking about Niagara that some college coaches refuse to recruit locally because they don't like having to deal with all of the headaches that come with having family and childhood friends in the area (like Crumpton getting in trouble at Canisius). Not saying that's for sure what's happening, just something that's been mentioned.

Such a short sighted mindset , totally self serving with no regard to the best interest of the program or in generating interest among the locals . A JAM assistant once told me when questioned about local talent that JAM didn't want the hassles associated with playing time that can sometimes arise with family and friends being in attendance .

It's one thing to be uninterested in a player because of limited talent , however , to ignore local talent because it may inconvenience you is ridiculous .

I wish NU would play several money games that would allow them the resources to pay off the remain time on Coach K-sey's contract . He needs to go ASAP !!!!!!!

At NUs current state they are likely even too lowly for w money game


RPI killer

It has become a sad state of affairs at NU and the effort is severely lacking. Here's the VERY scary part, I think Dukes combined with Scott will get them to 8-10 wins this year and it will be looked at as progress inevitably delaying the ax for a few more years essentially allowing NU to fall into the Division 1 basketball abyss which is a very difficult place to ever come out of.

Next local kid to not go to NU, to not get offered by NU will be Dom Welch of Cheektowaga. He's going to finish his high school career as WNY career scoring champion. Hasn't heard from NU, is a 4* recruit, top 10 player in NYS and you don't even contact him. Took an unofficial to St. Bonnie, wants to stay home, and NU makes no run?

That excuse of we don't want local kids too much potential for trouble is a joke. Local talent should be the core for small D1 teams. If not the core you have to supplement your efforts with local talent. Where I come from the saying was "We cant win if we lose our hometown boys."

It wasn't too many years ago Niagara Wasn't a secondary thought to UB and St. Bonnies when recruiting. Now it's not even the same league.

His job is guaranteed ! As I have stated before, he's not going anywhere. The word and adjective "rigged" has been used often lately, but its a good one to define the Casey situation at Niagara. Obviously he has no PRIDE, which is where Trueheart IS going.

Casey will be at Niagara for at least 15 years, or until Maher leaves, whichever comes first. Our 20 win seasons are now 20+ losing seasons. I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic.

For anyone who hasn't heard of him, Welch is a stud. From what I've seen/heard, far better than Jordan Nwora, who has something like 26 offers.

bigdaddy25 wrote:

It has become a sad state of affairs at NU and the effort is severely lacking.  Here's the VERY scary part, I think Dukes combined with Scott will get them to 8-10 wins this year and it will be looked at as progress inevitably delaying the ax for a few more years essentially allowing NU to fall into the Division 1 basketball abyss which is a very difficult place to ever come out of.

Next local kid to not go to NU, to not get offered by NU will be Dom Welch of Cheektowaga.  He's going to finish his high school career as WNY career scoring champion.  Hasn't heard from NU, is a 4* recruit, top 10 player in NYS and you don't even contact him. Took an unofficial to St. Bonnie, wants to stay home, and NU makes no run?  

That excuse of we don't want local kids too much potential for trouble is a joke.  Local talent should be the core for small D1 teams.  If not the core you have to supplement your efforts with local talent.  Where I come from the saying was "We cant win if we lose our hometown boys."  

It wasn't too many years ago Niagara Wasn't a secondary thought to UB and St. Bonnies when recruiting.  Now it's not even the same league.

NUSuperfan wrote:

His job is guaranteed !  As I have stated before, he's not going anywhere. The word and adjective "rigged" has been used often lately, but its a good one to define the Casey situation at Niagara. Obviously he has no PRIDE, which is where Trueheart IS going.

Casey will be at Niagara for at least 15 years, or until Maher leaves, whichever comes first. Our 20 win seasons are now 20+ losing seasons. I'm not pessimistic, I'm realistic.

You're spot on Superfan , Casey's hiring was definitely "rigged" . For those who think otherwise , just ask Tom Crowley . The fix was in from the very onset . Maher needs to ask himself if not for his relationship with Casey , would Casey's resume have merited even the slightest consideration ? Congratulations Maher , you really hit a home run in hiring a coach who is a mere 28 losses from a 100 losses after just three seasons . In addition , he's had the most transfers in DI during his embarrassing tenure . A job well done !!!!!

I think saying Casey's tenure will span 15 years is a stretch, but he most certainly will serve out the remainder of his contract through the 2018-19 season, giving him 6 years as head coach at NU. By then his record will be something like 50-140 and even Fr. Maher will have to throw in the towel. I can dream, can't I?

The Maher-Casey, St. John's connection is obviously a strong one, and me thinks that the job is Casey's for as long as he wants it. Now if wins and losses are the barometer for mid and low major coaches seeking career upgrades, then Casey is going nowhere; but it doesn't matter as Niagara (Maher) will see to it that 'ole K-sey has a nice cushy home at Niagara, win or lose. Maybe it won't be 15+ plus years, but it will be for as long as there is the Maher-Casey relationship at NU.

NU of course lives in the dark ages
They fail to realize parents and players have google

Who in their right mind would send their kid to NU if other chances presented themselves? The answer is no one.

Any parent who sent their kid to play for Casey is borderline negligent...

NU is going to have another disaster of a year and nothing will change. Except there will be less folks in the stands

But who gives a hoot right? We are the idiots. We don't know anything.

I bought season tickets for Notre Dame football this year. I'll be driving 16 hours road trip or flying (when bills are home on Sunday's)... I won't attend 1 NU sporting event and campus is Exactly 1.3 miles from my house.:: pathetic. Just pathetic situation at NU

One of the few bright spots in NU athletics is women's lacrosse, and I predict coach Wendy Stone will eventually get offered a job by a bigger program and Niagara will just let her go. It's the Niagara Way.

Yes I agree! Women's soccer is also a good squad!