FromdaBurgh

I know he'll be here next week...can't say for sure this weekend tho. Anyone know? Sadly I fear the worst.It is my understanding that Payne is not coming this weekend because he is going to be playing in the PITT Jamfest here in Pgh. I do believe that he is still interested in Akron...but like I told someone else, you have to allow for the "human" side of him to feel a little disappointed and hurt by Boals leaving. Does it mean that he won't consider Akron...personally, I don't think so. Remember, his coaches LOVE Akron and they know that he will be able to "connect" with LBJ here at Akron. Now, does THAT make a difference I THINK SO!! Just my opinion ZipNation...but I believe everything is going to work out for the good of Zip basketball. BESIDES....Zeke will be on the campus during the LBJ AAU Tourney....where..as most of you know, Payne will be playing. Don't be surprised if you see a 7 Footer come walking into an All-Ohio Red game to give support to Mr. Payne...I'm just sayin ya!!! Ya hear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know RIGHT.....how funny!!!!!!!!!!! I've always said I wanted to live in Arizona...but DANG...not until he gets into the NBA!!

OK..ZipNation..well although his high school season has come to an end. Zeke has been selected to play in the Florida Senior Showcase this weekend (he flies out tomorrow). You can check out the roster at http://www.seniorshowcase.net/ALSO...they will be STREAMING LIVE...the basketball game. So for those of you who would like to see how Zeke has progressed...take a moment and check out the link and enjoy the game...HOLLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well...the rumors are TRUE!!! Coach Boals is leaving for Ohio State. He spoke with Zeke last night and Zeke is completely fine with it. I think that unlike the freshman players such as Humpty, Nickoli and the like who have established a deep, deep, and very close relationship with Boals; Zeke on the other hand, although he has and will keep a close friendship with Boals, did not have that "next level" relationship with him as a player/coach. Having said all of that let me say this...Zeke told Coach B that he completely understands the decision he made and that he is fine and that in his "humanity" although he hurts it doesnt mean that he (Zeke) is going to walk away for UA...so for any person who may be wondering...Zeke is here to stay!!!!I personally was very sadden at the news, although I completely understand and respect his decision..(because in the end he HAS to do what is best for him and his family) if the truth be told..it still doesnt take "the sting away" Zips basketball is going to thrive, prosper and be a force to be reckoned with both now and in the future so keep your heads held high ZipNation...lets say goodbye and good luck to Coach B and lets get ready for 09-10 season and another MAC Championship and NCAA Tourney run! Who's with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????

Dave, I can tell you from Zeke's standpoint that the LBJ factor did not have much of an impact. His decision was based more on the quality of the education, the university (campus) and the coaching staff of Akron. The LBJ factor is an added bonus.As far as Zeke is concerned LeBron's connection to Akron had no affect on his decision to come to Akron. As a matter of fact, LeBron is not Zeke's "favorite" player....Ssshhhh..don't tell LBJ! What influenced Zeke was the relationship he established with Coach Boals and Coach Dambrot, the campus environment and the academics.

I would like to pose this question to the entire ZipNation...What IF Coach Boals DOES LEAVE...what do you all think will happen to the program? Do any of you think that Coach D is capable of bringing in another quality assistant to replace him or do you think that the program will fall to the wayside???Just curious...

Uhm....I think I'm going to have to go with Zippysgotagun...on the LBJ question...that just could have been the reason... YIKES!! Is he mad??!!! I sure as heck wouldn't be...He can pay for his degree and several others. Come to think of it, I want to go back and get my bachelors...feelin generous LBJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GC 54,Any chance of Zeke making Mickey D's All-America team/game? Would love to see him on ESPN.No..he wasn't invited. Here is the link to the 2009 roster. The game will be played on April 1 in Miami. http://www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com/#/2009

McKeesport's Marshall headed to 2 all-star gamesBy JOHN SANTA, Daily News Staff Writer03/26/2009Just when Zeke Marshall thought his high school basketball career was over, McKeesport Area's standout center has learned he will lace up his size-19 shoes at least two more times before heading to college.The 7-foot University of Akron recruit - who averaged 14 points, nine rebounds and eight blocks per game this season - will play in two all-star games in April.AdvertisementMarshall will play in the Orlando Classic in Florida on April 18, then appear in the Roundball Classic at Geneva College one week later.The Orlando Classic pits Florida's high school all-stars against some of the best college prospects from across the United States."Online, they show all the players going down there," McKeesport coach Corey Gadson said. "It looks like a who's-who. So I guess they are trying for the best players from around the country."He's really excited. They treat (the players) first-class. They fly them down there, put them up in the hotel and they have a slam-dunk contest and three-point competition."The weekend festivities will take place in Orlando's Freedom Hall. Marshall is slated to participate only in the all-star game.Whether he will don a Superman cape, like the Magic's Dwight Howard, or dress in a kryptonite green Tigers uniform, as Knicks guard Nate Robinson did, and participate in the dunk competition remains to be seen."I don't know if he'll do it," Gadson said. "I'll have to ask him. That would be great."After competing on a national stage, Marshall looks forward to returning home and finishing his high school career against the best players from the WPIAL on April 26 at Geneva's Metheny Fieldhouse."He was telling me about the roster and who's on the team," Gadson said. "It's also a who's-who here in Western Pennsylvania."The Roundball Classic features the best seniors in WPIAL Class AAAA playing against the finest from Class AAA.

Zeke, right now, weighs 220. He is going back into the gym this weekend in preparation for his trip to the Senior Showcase in Florida. I'll send you guys a link to the site when they put Zeke's pic up and profile up.

For those of us who dont have the fortune to be in Portland right now to support our Zips. If you don't know, and I'm sure you all do, you can go to "cbssports.com" and watch a live video stream. They also have where you can get their live blog updates.LETS GO ZIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LETS GO ZIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LETS GO ZIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her..." Proverbs 31:28. I really am a blessed woman and very greatful for all of my children. They are an extension of who I am and Zeke speaks volumes on my behalf. I cannot and will never complain about that!!

And he's got a great mom!Ooooooo...I'll send you that $20 we talked about for that wonderful plug... SIKE!!! You guys are wonderful. Cannot wait to come to the JAR to see Zeke play..

For those of you who I could not send the actual hard copy to here is the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/...tory?id=3902970

Well, ZipNation..you know if I could come to OH I would not hesitate to come and support the team. So know that I will certainly be listening to it on the radio. Hey..can someone send me the link or will it be on 1350??? If so, I have that saved in my "favorites".

I LOVE THE 2nd one....He just sits on the kids shoulders...CARRY ME!! THOU SERVANT....CARRY ME!!!!!!

Hey ZipNation...check out this YouTube video of Zeke dunking during a playoff game this year.

If I may..allow me to address a comment by DaveInGreen..." I'd like to hear what Zeke prefers to do on the offensive end. Hopefully he would say he'd much rather be passing to the open man and getting assists for his teammates' buckets than scoring tons of points himself. On the offesive end, I really think that Zeke's passing will be more important to the team than his scoring. He only needs to score enough to cause the defense to collapse on him when he gets the ball. Then it's just a matter of finding the open man. Wood was really good at finding the open man and kicking the ball back out. Zeke is half a foot taller than Wood, and will have a penthouse view for finding the open man."Dave..I want you to personally know that YOU have tapped into the very THOUGHTS of Zeke. That is EXACTLY how he thinks on offense. Because he knows that he is coming onto a team that has some CRAZY shooters...Zeke is going to have a field day...looking to pass the ball to them. Zeke has always been of the mindset that he would rather get the ball..pull the defenders to him and then pass it back out to the 3 pointer or drop it down for the easy layup. The hardest thing for Zeke to get use to doing, this year, was to score on the inside...HOWEVER...when he realized that HE had to score....AND his point guards actually got the revelation also that they needed to get the ball to him so he could score..he ended with 20 + points each game. Soooo....I'm glad to see that you all are excited about Zeke coming and I too am just as excited..but I do also appreciate the fact that you ALL realize that Zeke is an "INCOMING FRESHMAN" and along with the adjustments of college basketball, he will also be adjusting to "college life" in general. Most, if not all of you know that it is difficult for a "normal" freshman student to adjust to college life and all of the responsibilities that come along with it...but to have added on top of that change..the pressures of being a "highly touted" recruit (according to the reports I've read)...makes it a little more difficult (if I can use that adjective)..not to mention that..and this has to stay between us...ZEKE IS A MOMMA'S BOY!! SSShhhhh!!!!! Don't tell noone I said that!! will make things even more intriguing for the big guy. So, I would say...be excited..because the last conversation I had with Zeke...(which was last night..LOL!!) He talked about looking forward to playing in the Zips uniform. Get ready ZipNation. Zeke is getting ready to go back into the gym, conditioning, training and getting his mind wrapped around what it is going to take for him to improve and make an impact at the "next level" AND beyond!! BTW...guess who is on the cover of ESPNRise Magazine for Western PA??? Here is the photo..If anyone wants a copy of the mag..shoot me your mailing address and I'll send it out to you. The article is AWESOME and there are more pics on the inside. You all would be proud. I sent 5 copies to Coach Boals. Holla Back..Zipnation!!!

I agree to a certain extent...I know that the coaching staff really don't want to put "to much" more weight on Zeke because of his quickness. He is currently at 225..perhaps another 15-20 pounds on him will make a huge difference in his ability to box out those guys..but my question for u "trumpet" is how "quick" are those big guys? That is going to make all of the difference. Zeke runs up and down the court very quickly (which will work to his advantage) and can probably beat them in transition.

Was this an upset?Sort of. McKeesport had the lead going into the half. But then they had some really stupid turnovers and then the ref called a REALLY, REALLY bad foul against McKeesport that got Mt.Lebo to the line. He missed both shots...and we could have tied the game. That shot was ABSOLUTELY...LUCKY!!!!

just be careful not to get too rowdy... we don't want the police escorting you out of the JAR like they did to that one guy at the women's game.Uhmmmm......(in my best Patrick voice)---24.. They won't throw me out..PINKY SWEAR!! HE! HE! HE!

Wow, Mama Zeke! We may need to get you seats with the Rowdies!!! YOU BETTER KNOW IT!! I ABSOLUTELY want tickets so I can sit with the ROWDIES...I've been good all of the times I've been there so far..but just wait until Zeke puts on that Zips uni....IT ON--NO HOLDS BARRED--ALL OUT WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like Zeke is getting ready for the MAC. The only difference is, in the MAC after getting hit in the crotch, he will be called for charging.How about that FOOLISHNESS!! It would probably happen too. Zeke was PISSED OFF after that..because it was done deliberately..they better be glad I'm a CHRISTIAN mother because I started to run on that court,slap the kid and then call him a HOMO!! LOL:) (no offense to anyone on this board who lives an "alternative" lifestyle!!)

Actually he is going to be on ESPN Rise. Not sure exactly when it is coming out. Sometime in Feb (I think at the end of the month)

OMG....Guys..thank u sooo much for your love. We had a WONDERFUL time..and it certainly didnt hurt that we SPANKED Cant. It made the trip all that much sweeter... The trip home wasnt as bad as it was coming up. We actually ran straight into the snow storm. It was almost a white out.My daughter just Looovveeesss Zippy. So, thanks for those photos..she is going to love them!! I'll tell you all this:During the first half..Zeke kept saying if HE was playin..Can't wouldn't have gotten their first 10 pts..cause (and i'm quoting) "I would have blocked all of those shots--they wouldnt be able to come inside...they would have to make all of their shots from the perimeter and they are horrible shooters". That #55 for Cant...is a DIRTY player..I told Zeke he's going to have to give him one really, really strong and powerful "bow" one good time to get him out of the game. He is nasty..that #55. Zeke said, "he's weak and slow". He was paying close attention and talking much stuff.Thanks ZipNation....it was wonderful and I ALWAYS enjoy coming up.