[ZachTheZip]

2011 Recruiting Class (hopefully) replacing McNees, Roberts, Brett McKnight and Bardo

Dylan Ennis: 6'0" PG-Lake Forest Academy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLm2RlOYztU

Jakarr Sampson: 6'7" SF-Akron St. Vincent St. Mary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHd5UFNchcg
Keep an eye out at 2:06 for his steal and breakaway layup if you want a real pretty play.

Markus Crider: 6'6" SF-Wayne High School-Huber Heights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0SAOYYHK1Y

Traevon Jackson: 6'2" SG-Westerville South
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HmKnp1UxAM

Athleticism problem solved. And btw, these are all players with reported offers from the Zips. Ennis is already verbally committed.

I think you might be leaving out Perry henry from your predictions.

[Blue & Gold]

Wow, JaKarr is an absolute dunking machine; one of those players who wants to humiliate you by posterizing you. Wow. If I might be so bold as to critique his game, he does need to work on his post moves. But he can handle the ball & runs the floor like a guard. What a player.

And, btw, Antonio Hearn is one of the best little point guards I've seen in quite a while - not that I watch a ton of high school basketball - and he's only a sophomore! Reminds me of Antwan Lavendar.

[Blue & Gold]

I saw more dunks tonight than I've ever seen in a high school game - and all by a single player... JaKarr Sampson.

But my hero for the night is Kenmore 5'8" PG Antonio Hearn - best all-around player on the floor. He almost led Kenmore to the come-from-behind upset win. And he's only a SOPHOMORE!

[vmd9]

2011 Recruiting Class (hopefully) replacing McNees, Roberts, Brett McKnight and Bardo

Dylan Ennis: 6'0" PG-Lake Forest Academy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLm2RlOYztU

Jakarr Sampson: 6'7" SF-Akron St. Vincent St. Mary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHd5UFNchcg
Keep an eye out at 2:06 for his steal and breakaway layup if you want a real pretty play.

Markus Crider: 6'6" SF-Wayne High School-Huber Heights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0SAOYYHK1Y

Traevon Jackson: 6'2" SG-Westerville South
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HmKnp1UxAM

Athleticism problem solved. And btw, these are all players with reported offers from the Zips. Ennis is already verbally committed.

c'mon man three out of four of them have 4-stars! haha I would be happy with 2/4 on that list, but even just getting that would be a stretch

Seriously though, I think if somehow by the grace of God we go this recruiting class NO ONE in the MAC would even have a chance against us, especially with the classes of 2009 and 2010 being on the team too. This class would rock the college basketball world, but still we are only dreaming

[Quickzips]

2011 Recruiting Class (hopefully) replacing McNees, Roberts, Brett McKnight and Bardo

Dylan Ennis: 6'0" PG-Lake Forest Academy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLm2RlOYztU

Jakarr Sampson: 6'7" SF-Akron St. Vincent St. Mary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHd5UFNchcg
Keep an eye out at 2:06 for his steal and breakaway layup if you want a real pretty play.

Markus Crider: 6'6" SF-Wayne High School-Huber Heights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0SAOYYHK1Y

Traevon Jackson: 6'2" SG-Westerville South
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HmKnp1UxAM

Athleticism problem solved. And btw, these are all players with reported offers from the Zips. Ennis is already verbally committed.

c'mon man three out of four of them have 4-stars! haha I would be happy with 2/4 on that list, but even just getting that would be a stretch

Seriously though, I think if somehow by the grace of God we go this recruiting class NO ONE in the MAC would even have a chance against us, especially with the classes of 2009 and 2010 being on the team too. This class would rock the college basketball world, but still we are only dreaming

I have only seen one of the three rated at 4 stars and that is Sampson. Crider and Jackson are both generally looked at as 2 or 3 star players, which isn't bad. Still, I think we are realistically in the race for all 3 of them. Sampson would clearly be the biggest steal if we could land him, but I am actually most intrigued by Crider. The kid reminds me a lot of Conyers with a little more developed game offensively.

As for the comment about Henry, I couldn't find a youtube video of him, hence I left him off the list in favor of Jackson. I really think we will need a SG or two out of this class as we will be losing Roberts and McNees. I would like to grab up a guy like Henry, Jackson or Remy Abell from Kentucky who is in the 6'3" to 6'5" range. IMO that is the biggest thing we are lacking on this team is some size at the guard positions. Ennis will help out being a PG who I see listed anywhere from 6'0" to 6'2" with athletic ability to spare.

Even if we don't get some of these guys, there is still plenty of talent on our radar for this recruiting class. Anton Grady, the 6'8" PF from Cleveland Central Catholic would look very nice in blue and gold. Stevie Taylor from Gahanna Lincoln is a bit on the small side but all the reports say he has mad PG skills. Crider's teamate PG Travis Trice. The aforementioned Henry and Abell.

[scoop]

Akron was probably there to watch a # of players, however I believe assistant Coach Lamont Paris has developed a good relationship with JaKarr and his mother. I read where JaKarr has been offered by Mich St. and Ohio St. So, needless to say it will be a challenge to land a player like JaKarr. But, I believe Coach Paris was responsible for bringing in the likes of Jimmy Conyers, Nate Linhart, Steve McNees, etc. Akron should have a legitimate shot at landing JaKarr. Quietly, Coach Paris has been at the heart of Akron's recruiting efforts!

Any thoughts?

[zipboy]

I am hopeful. Lamont has been with Dambrot from the beginning. While it is somewhat of a long shot, the guy is at least coming to games which is a good sign.

[Quickzips]

I expect a very good 2011 recruiting class from the Zips regardless of whether or not we land Jakkar. IMO, Sampson would be the giant cherry on top. I am more hopeful after reading that Coach Paris has a working relationship with the Sampson's. Recruiting is so much about building relationships with kids and their families within the limited guidelines of the NCAA rules. If our top recruiter has a good relationship with a kid it will go a long way. This is nothing close to a lock, but I would say our chances have to go up with this kind of information.

[Roo]

I actually was playing against Jakarr last night....he is going to be a senior next year IIRC...

With that said...he needs a lot of work. He would need a lot of time if he wanted to contribute to a Big Ten team. He is rail thin, can't do much but dunk, but he is super athletic. He has the potential to be a very good player. Get a little bit bigger, add a mid-range jump shot and some post moves. Depending on how much he gets better over the next year, I really feel like he should be playing at a Horizon, Atlantic 10, CUSA type level. I think Akron would be a great school for him to shine. I remember playing against Raymar Morgan and saying the kid was ready, no doubt about it. I def do not get the feeling with this kid. I have a feeling if he goes big ten you may not hear about this kid again except for being a role player, situational starter his last two years in school. But then again, I have seen kids with that kind of potential just blow up once they get real coaching and trainers.

[zippyman23]

"Jakarr Sampson says Xavier leads Cincinnati, Dayton, Kentucky, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Tennessee. At this point the Volunteers and Wildcats haven't offered."

http://georgiatech.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1073478

[RootforRoo44]

Jakarr Sampson leaving St V.

For Joyce, however, the situation is a bit more cut and dry. He charged that Brewster recruited Sampson with the aid of one college in particular, Xavier University in Cincinnati. Joyce said colleges taking this route regularly has become a problem. ''They want to pull kids away so they can have more control,'' he said.

[Z.I.P.]

Jakarr Sampson leaving St V.

For Joyce, however, the situation is a bit more cut and dry. He charged that Brewster recruited Sampson with the aid of one college in particular, Xavier University in Cincinnati. Joyce said colleges taking this route regularly has become a problem. ''They want to pull kids away so they can have more control,'' he said.

What were his grades like? Was he in danger of being a non-qualifier? All I can think to say is, at least he didn't take his talent to South Beach, that would be formulaic.

[zippyman23]

Jakarr Sampson leaving St V.

For Joyce, however, the situation is a bit more cut and dry. He charged that Brewster recruited Sampson with the aid of one college in particular, Xavier University in Cincinnati. Joyce said colleges taking this route regularly has become a problem. ''They want to pull kids away so they can have more control,'' he said.

What were his grades like? Was he in danger of being a non-qualifier? All I can think to say is, at least he didn't take his talent to South Beach, that would be formulaic.

It was highly unlikely that he was going to qualify.

[akronad]

Personally,I love the fact that Sampson left. Joyce talks about the kid being recruited to play there. That's like the pot calling the kettle black.

[ZachTheZip]

He just verballed to St. Johns.