clarkwgriswold

It's imperative that they get some depth at the bigs. You can't rely on a 6'3" guys to be your primary backup big. I don't even mean starting highly impactful starting bigs but somebody who can step up behind Enrique and provide minutes and fouls. As an example, a guy like PCCC's Payton. I don't see a traditional big being successful as a starter as Enrique for all of his talents cannot play away from the basket and two guys like that would jam up the offense. Ideally, we'd get a backup big or two and add a stretch 4 (ala Xeyrius) that can stretch the floor and rebound. As for this year: Castaneda- I realize he dropped off somewhat towards the end of the season but I think that had more to do with teams watching two years of video, coaches figuring out effective defenses against him and having no offensive help outside. This is a .500 at best without him. Grade: A. Freeman- best big man in the conference forced to play with little or no help down low. He not only performed this year but continued to expand in his role as a team leader. Grade: A. Hankerson- there have been many negative comments about him on here but the reality is that he was thrust into a role that no one anticipated. He is clearly best as a solid role player not as a primary scorer. Dawson's injury and Hunter's frequent disappearance made him the #3 guy on a team where he should have never been considered more than the 4th or 5th best player. I think we'd be content with his numbers as the 4th or 5th guy on the stat sheet. Grade: B-. Hunter- Sammy, Sammy, Sammy... I think we all hoped he would be Xeyrius 2.0, a stretch 4 with a great shot who could also have an inside presence. The comment from the Marshall color guy about him not being able to perform when you can smell popcorn was both hilarious and very insightful. He showed promise in games late in the season but his season was a disappointment overall. Grade: C-. Tribble- the most tenacious player on the team and maybe the team's smartest player. Unfortunately, his shooting technique is obviously so engrained that it's become unfixable. Opponents have figured it out and have sagged off of him all season. Fortunately, he makes up for it with is versatility and defense. I'd love his intensity off of the bench. Grade: B. Clarke- showed his promise after coming off of injury. He's never going to be an All-MAC guard but when he makes good decisions he is solid and serviceable. Grade: C. Nate Johnson- maybe the most talented all around player in the team. However, he has maddening mental lapses and sometimes just disappears on the floor. Hopefully, these go away with age and experience. Plays much bigger than 6'3". If he can avoid the mental lapses and his on the court judgment improves, there's no reason he can't develop into an All-MAC player as a Zip. Grade: B-. Tavari Johnson- shows great promise but I fear he may be on his way to the transfer portal. I believe he could really flourish in a John Groce offense as he matures. However, I fear his inconsistent use may lead him to look for what he believes are greener pastures. Grade- B-. Lyles- did well when called upon, but he needs to develop the ability to move out on the floor if he's going to develop further. Also suffered from the occasional mental lapse. If Bandaogo was here I suspect he may have had a redshirt year. Grade: C+. Mitchell- another candidate for the portal. I think we all anticipated a breakout at some point that never came. He was just a R-Freshman so there's still time, I'm just get a feeling it won't be here. Grade- Incomplete. Mayfield- who knows what we have here. He needs some supplements and the weight room for now. Grade: Incomplete. Wilson- this kid knows his role. Best towel waiver and cheerleader on the team. Grade: A+. Wish list- a good stretch 4, a decent sized guard who can score and one or two decent backup bigs.

I'd like to get the kids some floor time, but they're not getting the NIT and I don't see them spending $27,500 to play in some half-@$$ed tourney like the CBI.

At the end of the day, as much as it pains me to say it, the Zips got beat twice in a week by a better team. Superior and deeper talent prevailed and Mr. PInky had his kids ready. As much as I don't like the attitude and behavior of some of their players, I'd give NWAkron's right arm for the effort and skill set of a guy like Jacobs.

Well, here we are, a week or more earlier that we had hoped but pretty much where many of us had predicted in the pre-season early predictions/projections thread. This team suffered from very early on from a lack of depth and talent beyond X and Enrique. It had two elite MAC top 5 players and otherwise no one above an average MAC talent. On the positive side, this team had character and heart. The kids were very likable, always played hard and you never got the sense that criminal charges were on the verge of ruining the season. I'd take one Greg Tribble over ten Nick Harneys. Dawson's injury and Bandaogo's departure put this team behind the eight ball early on. Dawson is not likely to lead the team in any major statistical category but he has an edge/fire no one else on the team possesses. You need a guy or two like Tyler Cheese and Channel Banks that have a little of that streetfighter edge to them down the stretch. As long as Groce is here the Zips will be competitive. This team had holes. Part of that's attributable to bad luck (e.g. Dawson, Bandaogo) some of it is attributable to a lack of success on the recruiting trail. I'll address individual players in a future post, but I would say in advance that none of the players suffered from a lack of effort. Inattention occasionally, poor judgment at times, but I never saw anyone dogging it. May the recruiting and transfer gods be with us.

Well.......****. I'll post the 2022-2023 Looking Back/2023-2024 Looking Ahead thread tomorrow. This needs to settle in a little.

When VonCameron Davis is making 3 pointers against you it's not your night.

Lucky to still be in this one. The is where Dustin Ford, the Zips defensive coach, earns his keep.

Personal conduct and hygiene are not strong points for the Flashes.

Defense - "oh, you meant in dollars. I meant in rubles."

I think there are two keys for the Zips tonight. First, come up with something that gets Carry out of sorts like their defense in the championship game last year. Second, they can't let PCCC's bigs go off. The Zips are already outnumbered at the 4 and 5. They can't let a guy like Payton have a bog game like they did at Brimfield. The situation gets even more dire if Enrique gets in foul trouble.

...and with that, Buffalo gets relegated.

Buffalo pressure forcing the Zips to go to their 10 man rotation.

Whetsel should be the second northern New York State basketball coach to end his career this week.

The MAC commissioner just issued a statement that if Buffalo does not keep this within 20 points or if Evan Wilson enters the game, they will be required to add a direction to their name.

Isaac Jack- 6 minutes played, 5 personal fouls. Yikes.

Not to take anything away from the Zips effort, but this is the worst Buffalo team I have seen in a long time. I think today's ugliness is a sign of the weakness of the MAC this year.

I'd agree that "Wire Fraud" certainly has a scarier sound to it than it often actually is. 👍

He was charged though an information which means: 1) he is cooperating and 2) usually part of that cooperation is pleading to it. If so, hard to argue it was overcharged when he's essentially agreeing to it.

Damn! Romeo charged with federal wire fraud. https://www.cleveland.com/akron/2023/03/former-st-vincent-st-mary-university-of-akron-star-romeo-travis-charged-with-wire-fraud.html

OU is definitely growing up at the right time.

Thanks for staying on top of this.

That's called "transfer portal" prep. LOL. Actually, it's in their union agreement to talk each other up. Coach Jackson earned a lot of loyalty and respect from her players and counterparts. That's a real credit to her.

I don't think most of us are ****ing on KD. There's just a feeling amongst some that after 6 years it's time to move on.

I thought it was telling the year KD sat his Duquesne team down after the season and told them that it was going to be "his way or the highway for the next season" and a good portion of them chose the highway.

From the confines of the esteemed Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in beautiful downtown Cleveland, Ohio, Reghi expresses his considerable gratitude for the veritable plethora of complimentary statements.