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Ali Ali

I always got the sense with Noah that his recovery was as much mental as physical. He looked to be back on the floor with regard to speed, movement, etc. but seemed hesitant/reluctant and unaggressive after this return and for the rest of his tenure with the Zips. Great kid.

I'm curious as to how Groce and the coaching staff are approaching this process. Last year, everything was mute until Ali's announcement, and then Aziz after that. Ali entered on March 30, Aziz March 31. I still expect at least one or two on the current roster to enter. These graphics/edits they're sending out point to this being a new strategy they're trying out with their exit interview process. I would love to hear how it works. Is the coaching staff utilizing some sort of NIL contract to lock the players in? Is it simply their commitment to wanting to play at Akron and finish what they started? Again, this is all speculation, I'm just very curious. I was hoping and expecting for all of the guys that have "committed" to return, but the season just ended 5 days ago. Coach must have used that bad taste that's still in their mouth to fuel them to stay here. I'm also wondering how much that Ali and Aziz transfers may have to do with this new strategy. It has been reported that the staff was blindsided by both. Maybe now they're making sure everyone's concerns are laid out on the table early in this process before the players all go away for the spring. Again, Ali's announcement last year came 2+ weeks after this point. Another possible theory is selling the program to portal recruits. He wants these guys' word that they'll be back. Anything helps when you're trying to sell the product of winning and success. They could tell anyone that walks in that Freeman, Dawson, Hunter, Tribble are probably coming back, now they can definitively point to these things and say "look how badly these guys want to finish the job." Any other theories? I just think this is really damn cool. A job well done by this coaching staff and program. I was pretty dejected these last few days, seeing all the coverage of the MAC's NCAA tournament representative. I think it should be us. It looks like these guys do too. I enjoyed this season thoroughly, but it's great to see a solid core of guys aren't satisfied with how it ended either. Just like that, my excitement level for Zips basketball is back!

Your mom is a Kent fan.

Dawson https://www.instagram.com/p/CpyeXXtOquE/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

If Groce thought Mosengo or Prather would have been able to help the team this year they would have played. There is no more stashing players away for the future as redshirt's.

A good watch as always. They replay every angle of Greg's block in the semifinal game and it is absolutely glorious. If we had pulled that one out, it would go down as an unforgettable moment in the rivalry, and as one of the biggest moments of the tournament had Akron been able to win Saturday. That play was sweet, the Kent fans around me were shockingly complaining that it was goaltending, but it may be the cleanest block like that I've seen since June 2016, or so

I don’t understand why people are so down on Tavari. He was a true freshman out there playing. You can’t compare him to LCJ when we first saw him. He had a year at Long Beach State (which stat wise was similar to Tavari this year) and he had to sit out a year, but practiced with the team and learned the system and culture). I’m not saying he will be LCJ, but don’t write him off.

Everyone on this board can now breathe and look forward to next year. (LOL)

From July '22 a nice little Rivals.com article on Darrion Baker one of the most pleasant surprises at this month’s adidas 3SSB Championships in South Carolina, Darrion Baker spent his time at the event proving that he might be a touch under-recruited. The 6-foot-8 forward flashed high-major athleticism and the ability to guard most positions on the floor while also showcasing a versatile skill set that should translate to the next level. Baker, who handles the ball well for his size and position, can knock down looks from deep and impact the game in the high-post. He recently spoke to Rivas.com about his growing offer list and which schools are in the mix.

Marvin Musiime-Kamali? 🤞🤞🤞

I wonder if this was a result of Groce being straight with him about what his role with the team would be next year. Either way hopefully this frees up that much needed scholarship for a veteran pg.

Is his decision one i should respect?

Going into that game multiple players told me the whole team didn't want to play and had checked out. What a depressing way to end the season at home that year. That year Shaka Smart's VCU won the CBI and used that success to help get them to the Final Four the next year.

All great points. Is the graphics team the same team that does them for football? If so, those people are earning their paychecks/experience. Both programs have really stepped up their social media game. Tribble, Dawson, and Hunter aren't surprising returns. Hunter would have to sit out a year if he left, Tribble is basically an Akron lifer with a limited skill set that only Groce can get the most out of, and Dawson is coming off an injury with limited transfer potential I'd assume; he also has the connection from Huntington Prep with Fulford. Freeman is the key to all of this. Him returning creates the stability this program needed after multiple offseasons of roster turnover. I'd be fascinated to hear the behind the scenes with him staying. He seems so genuine and simple, it could be that he just loves being at Akron, with Groce who gave him his big shot. It could be the program found some NIL money for him. It could be a combination. Would be interesting to hear the details. Everyone else on the roster is fair game to stay or leave. I don't believe there's a restriction on any of them, so we'll see which ones share a "Run It Back" graphic and which ones enter the Portal. Opening a spot on this roster for a veteran guard to replace X has to be the hope for anyone who watched this team last year. Ideally, I'd like 2 open slots on the roster for veteran pieces, since we have quite a bit of youth from the 2022 and 2023 classes.

One thing that I will say for Mr. Pinky that has somewhat tempered my criticism is that Groce says positive things about him. I think we can all agree that Dakich is a tool and a troll.

funny post from the Toledo board: RE: MBB NIT: Rockets at UM (Yesterday 07:57 PM)inductchuck16 Wrote: Michigan coach getting a little too comfortable with RayJ in that postgame chat. TK saw the same thing everyone else in the Toledo section saw and stared at J. Howard as he walked off the court toward the locker room. He did not look like a happy camper!

This happens every couple years where a school starts renovations as soon as the season ends and then gets an NIT bid. Kentucky went to Robert Morris just a few years ago (and took the L).

I have no idea on his academic status, but he's been in college four years. Could he be a potential grad transfer?

Akron really has dominated the Pink Fraud. He’s still a few games under .500 against Akron, and despite back to back 2-1 seasons against Akron, he’s still at .500 against Groce. Groce has also beaten him by double digits 3 times, and Akron’s wins the last two years have been so lopsided that they outscored Kent in all three games combined. He started 0-4 against Akron, with his first win coming the day after the Abreu ordeal. That record became 1-5 before long, and was 3-8 going into the 2015-2016 season.

Bawling, bawling dammit! I don't want to think about Pinky or Can't balling in any respect.

And here it is. Seriously, this is the Akron paper.

I'm guessing there is both a lot of truth and a lot of revisionist history going on here. Let's face it: (1) Both Sampson and Senderoff have gone on to better things in the last 15 years. (2) If Dakich knew so much hanky-panky was going on at his alma mater, I'm sure the NCAA would have gladly listened and threw the perps under the bus. Instead the NCAA wrist slap for both was for illegal cell phone calls -- that became NCAA legal shortly afterward. That said, if Sampson and Senderoff are such bad coaches, what does that say about Dakich, who can't sniff a basketball job. Daffy Dan was a great sideshow and coach his first tour of duty at BG ... but once he accepted/turned down West Va. he kind of showed his true colors. And when he went back to BG his players never respected him again. That Sampson, McCallum and Senderoff all became head coaches after Indiana's NCAA sanctions says more to me about the severity of the miscues, ... just as Dakich' failure to land another head job speaks for him. I'm sure Indiana would have hung all three (Sampson-McCallum-Senderoff) out to dry w/the NCAA if that would have cleaned out the Hoosiers closet. But it didn't happen. We all have opinions about the quality of their coaching ... but the fact at least Sampson and Senderoff have had a relatively high level of success for a long period of time kind of speaks for itself. And for the most part over the years I believe the Zips vs. Senderoff have had the better of the matchups ... which is what really matters.

I hope this post sets the ZN.o record for likes.

He at the very least needs to develop a midrange game this offseason before NBA scouts would bother looking at his tape. The NBA game is much more a guard driven league compared to college. There aren't many bigs in the league with limited range anymore as teams don't want the driving lanes clogged. What Freeman has going for him is he's a capable defender on guards so he does fit the positionless basketball mantra the league is moving towards.

Mikal Dawson just posted on his Instagram, will be staying in Akron

Toledo falls at Michigan, 90-80.

I find that encouraging pertaining to Dawson’s health.

Thats our legend! (in my crying Terrell Owens voice). Hell yes!!

I respect his decision.

A bunch of my fellow posters have short memories. Other than the NIT, most of the Zips participation in these other tournaments have left us with a bad taste in our mouths.

For completely different reasons, eff Shaka Smart. My blood boils just hearing that azzwipe's name. Not that I have any strong feelings about him. I'm just glad Detroit Mercy isn't in there to allow Davis to fraudulently steal the scoring record.

I love the end of a Zips basketball season in how it brings out people we never otherwise see on ZipsNation- people that come to p!$$, moan and b!+ch after a loss and those who come to celebrate and bask in success. The most amusing are those who are actually in both groups.

Emoni Bates got to know him pretty well

Tribble was in the gym and worked HARD. MANY videos posted by him daily in the gym. That's not the issue. It's strictly a mechanics issue that is too engrained in muscle memory, and that's ok. We don't need him to be a shooter. He just needs to continue to work on his handles (which are more than adequate), finishing at the rim, defense, and passing. He's not a hinderance on offense when we have 2-3 other players on the floor that can shoot. Freeman, Tribble, and 2-3 guys who can shoot is perfect.

Tribble has the lowest turnover rate of any of the regular starters and was occasionally the point guard so I am not concerned with his dribbling. He has a high dribble but his dribbling is fine.

Quit. Recruiting. High. Schoolers. And. Redshirting. Them. @NWAkron I see your confused reaction emote, so I'll explain. We got nothing out of Mosengo. This team needed another bigger body, another scoring threat, and we have no idea if Mosengo would've filled either of those needs. Instead, he got a year of free education, free physical development, free basketball knowledge, etc., all on the University's dime, and now he's going to take all of that elsewhere. In the era of the open Transfer Portal, if a high schooler isn't expected to contribute at least a little bit from day 1, that scholarship would be better used on a more experienced Transfer who would then be locked into the Akron jersey for multiple years unless he wants to sit out a year. I don't understand redshirt anyone in this era of the Portal.

Bryan Trimble left Missouri State in late January for "personal reasons" and has not played since.