Elton Alexander on the Zips + Zeke

[Dave in Green]

Just posted on cleveland.com is a nice EA interview with KD on how he hopes to use Zeke next year:Zips + Zeke

[skip-zip]

Thanks Dave. That certainly satisfies my curiosity about how early we will see Zeke in action next year.I'm happy it mentions Sullivan as a projected player in the guard rotation next year too. He's got quite a track record, and I know quite a few people who know him, and his game. He should be able to do a lot of things for us. I hope the redshirt year has made him stronger, and even more ready to play at this level. If there was any surprise....it's that it lists Brett as a projected starter at forward instead of Nik C. I'm guessing it will be the other way around, but I will wait to hear more from the coaches on that one. I think the sky is the limit for next year. The only thing that's ever concerned me when thinking about next year is how well we will be defensively without Nate.

[zip37]

I THINK THERE IS LITTLE CONCERN ABOUT ALEX'S STRENGTH, KD TOLD ME HE BENCH PRESSES 300#.MY CONCERN AT THIS POINT IS WHETHER RONNIE WILL GET ANOTHER MEDICAL REDSHIRT, THEY ARE ALMOST AUTOMATICFOR ONE, BUT TWO IS UP TO THE BUREAUCRATS IN INDIANAPOLIS [NCAA HQ.], AND LIKE ANY BUREAUARCY, LITTLE REASONING GOES INTO A PARTICULAR DECISION. IF U OF A WAS A BCS SCHOOL PROBABLY A SHOO IN.REMEMBER THE JOKE IN THE LATE 80S-- THE NCAA WAS SO MAD AT U OF MICHIGAN, THAT THEY PUT U OF A ON PROBATION.

[Blue & Gold]

Thanks Dave. That certainly satisfies my curiosity about how early we will see Zeke in action next year.I'm happy it mentions Sullivan as a projected player in the guard rotation next year too. He's got quite a track record, and I know quite a few people who know him, and his game. He should be able to do a lot of things for us. I hope the redshirt year has made him stronger, and even more ready to play at this level. If there was any surprise....it's that it lists Brett as a projected starter at forward instead of Nik C. I'm guessing it will be the other way around, but I will wait to hear more from the coaches on that one. I think the sky is the limit for next year. The only thing that's ever concerned me when thinking about next year is how well we will be defensively without Nate.

Man, you hit on a couple things I was thinking myself. Next year I think we may miss Nate's presence a little more than we're anticipating - defensively. Hopefully Zeke will make our D even stronger though.I wasn't too surprised about Brett being listed as a starting forward in lieu of Nik Cvetinovic, because Elton had B-Mac listed at starting small forward while Nik is a power forward. And, not surpisingly, Elton had Chris McKnight listed as the starting power forward. I'm extremely excited about Nik's game and he'll surely be one of the first players coming off the bench.Could you give us more insight into Alex Sullivan's game? Is he a point guard or shooting guard. Lead guard? What does he like to do? Drive to the hole, shoot from the outside, etc.? Is he strong defensively? Thanks!

[zen]

"People want me bigger, but I don't want to get too big," he said. "I'm a 7-footer who's fast, and I don't want to lose that speed. I'll be there [in Akron] in the summer to work out. They haven't told me yet what I have to be prepared for. But I have an idea of what I have to be ready for."

Exactly what I have been saying. If you get impatient about bulking and try to do too much, you can actually be a detriment to your physical development. Sluggishness, injuries, joint problems.Don't get me wrong, I think he should be trying for a calorie surplus all year long, just not too much. ... and in the off season, heavier weight training. Hey Zeke....Go do some heavy squats and after your sets, go out and from a crouch try to jump as high as you can 10 or 20 times.It's killer on the legs but you get strength, speed, and a few more inches on your vertical

[tbozeglav]

I THINK THERE IS LITTLE CONCERN ABOUT ALEX'S STRENGTH, KD TOLD ME HE BENCH PRESSES 300#.MY CONCERN AT THIS POINT IS WHETHER RONNIE WILL GET ANOTHER MEDICAL REDSHIRT, THEY ARE ALMOST AUTOMATICFOR ONE, BUT TWO IS UP TO THE BUREAUCRATS IN INDIANAPOLIS [NCAA HQ.], AND LIKE ANY BUREAUARCY, LITTLE REASONING GOES INTO A PARTICULAR DECISION. IF U OF A WAS A BCS SCHOOL PROBABLY A SHOO IN.REMEMBER THE JOKE IN THE LATE 80S-- THE NCAA WAS SO MAD AT U OF MICHIGAN, THAT THEY PUT U OF A ON PROBATION.

caps lock broken?

[zip37]

UAZM-- NOPE, JUST LIKE JOHN HANCOCK, WANT MY STUFF LARGE ENOUGH THAT THE KING WILL NOT HAVE TO PUT HIS GLASSES ON TO READ IT.

[johnnyzip84]

UAZM-- NOPE, JUST LIKE JOHN HANCOCK, WANT MY STUFF LARGE ENOUGH THAT THE KING WILL NOT HAVE TO PUT HIS GLASSES ON TO READ IT.

LBJ reads this forum?

[Dave in Green]

UAZM-- NOPE, JUST LIKE JOHN HANCOCK, WANT MY STUFF LARGE ENOUGH THAT THE KING WILL NOT HAVE TO PUT HIS GLASSES ON TO READ IT.

The King does not read this forum. We peasants find it easier to read posts that use proper English with upper and lower case letters.

[Roo]

I think the one thing many people need to understand is that, Zeke is going to take some time to develop. He isn't going to be able to step in here right away and be a dominate force. He did well in HS, his potential is through the roof, but we really need to be patient with him.I don't think he starts his first year here, but he should play significant minutes off the bench and let the game come to him. Don't try to force him to play a style of game he may not be used to. I don't think he is anywhere near ready to play offense at this level, I most certainly think his defense is there. But lets stay patient, bring him along slowly, and watch him blossom.We have a team that just went to the NCAA tourney, we aren't losing any bigs and we had some good youth in our bigs on the roster already. I think Zeke is going to be a special player for us here at Akron, but I think many are expecting way too much because of his high ranking out of HS. Give the kid some time and I believe he dominates the MAC if developed properly.

[zippy5]

We have a team that just went to the NCAA tourney, we aren't losing any bigs

hahaha we didn't have any bigs.if you think the 35th best player in the country isn't going to start in the MAC, you're out of your mind, im sorry.

[RootforRoo44]

We have a team that just went to the NCAA tourney, we aren't losing any bigs

hahaha we didn't have any bigs.if you think the 35th best player in the country isn't going to start in the MAC, you're out of your mind, im sorry.

Well i agree, i dont believe he will start either. I think it would be foolish to start the season throwing him in like that. Dambrot is smart about things he will ease him in and get him prepared to be the dominant player he could be.

[Zipsrifle]

We have a team that just went to the NCAA tourney, we aren't losing any bigs

hahaha we didn't have any bigs.if you think the 35th best player in the country isn't going to start in the MAC, you're out of your mind, im sorry.

Well i agree, i dont believe he will start either. I think it would be foolish to start the season throwing him in like that. Dambrot is smart about things he will ease him in and get him prepared to be the dominant player he could be.

I think there is a chance he'll start out of the gate. Didn't Humpty start this year?

[tpsjugglerdude]

We have a team that just went to the NCAA tourney, we aren't losing any bigs

hahaha we didn't have any bigs.if you think the 35th best player in the country isn't going to start in the MAC, you're out of your mind, im sorry.

Well i agree, i dont believe he will start either. I think it would be foolish to start the season throwing him in like that. Dambrot is smart about things he will ease him in and get him prepared to be the dominant player he could be.

I think there is a chance he'll start out of the gate. Didn't Humpty start this year?

No Humpty out of the gate was a backup for Ronnie and only took over after he was injured.

[Valpo Zip]

I am just trying to immagine the reaction of the crowd when Zeke comes into the game 6 minutes into the first half of our first home game next year.GameChanger should have a video camera on hand.

[ksu sucks]

I am just trying to immagine the reaction of the crowd when Zeke comes into the game 6 minutes into the first half of our first home game next year.GameChanger should have a video camera on hand.

Ha, I never thought about that. Standing ovation? That might be over the top. But definitely can picture some applause from the more educated zips fans.Which makes me start thinking(that's never a good thing)...if I see any seven footers walking around campus next year I'm going to be tempted to ask for an autograph. I was eating at Rob's the other day and I could've sworn Nate Linhart was eating close to me and my friend. My friend told me I was delusional, which isn't very far off either. Whoever that kid was, he finished off his clam chowder way too fast.

[GoZips]

Keep in mind Zeke's raw potential. Now, factor in the excellent college level coaching of KD, JB, RM and TW. Zeke's best is front of him.This is the beginning, not the summit of Zips basketball.

[Zipsrifle]

We have a team that just went to the NCAA tourney, we aren't losing any bigs

hahaha we didn't have any bigs.if you think the 35th best player in the country isn't going to start in the MAC, you're out of your mind, im sorry.

Well i agree, i dont believe he will start either. I think it would be foolish to start the season throwing him in like that. Dambrot is smart about things he will ease him in and get him prepared to be the dominant player he could be.

I think there is a chance he'll start out of the gate. Didn't Humpty start this year?

No Humpty out of the gate was a backup for Ronnie and only took over after he was injured.

Oh, well, maybe not. I don't claim to be the #1 Zips BB fan...

[Dave in Green]

I think everyone will agree that Zeke will be starting before next season is over. We're just guessing here about how deep into the season we'll be before Zeke gets his first start. It could well be the first game of the season based on what KD told EA:He may not be there yet. But for the growth of the program, we have to play him, if he's close. If we're going to take the next step, you have to have that extra size.It all depends on how quickly Zeke develops from a high school player into a D1 collegiate player. We know he'll make freshman mistakes, and we know it's unlikely he will be a dominant force from his first game. But it's almost certain that such a highly rated high school big will be able to contribute starting with the first game of the season, and that he will be a starter early in his freshman season.

[ZippyRulz]

We could just put our big team out there (Zeke, Bardo, Swiech, Chris & a PG) and see what happens :blink:

[WinZip]

We could just put our big team out there (Zeke, Bardo, Swiech, Chris & a PG) and see what happens :blink:

Put in Zippy..he made a layup at the mascot game. I wanna see Bardo do that!His vision might not be that great but his defensive presence is...oh God wait, Zippy's a girl!

[Valpo Zip]

Now, factor in the excellent college level coaching of KD, JB, RM and TW. Zeke's best is front of him.

I'm not sure how that excellent college level coaching has worked with Bardo and Swiech... but i hope zeke will be a different story.

[Roo]

We have a team that just went to the NCAA tourney, we aren't losing any bigs

hahaha we didn't have any bigs.if you think the 35th best player in the country isn't going to start in the MAC, you're out of your mind, im sorry.

Just goes to show you don't know much about basketball...Bardo and Nikola were coming along pretty nicely as the season went on and they are young players. We dont have much height, much to the reference to Dambrot's quote on the need for height since McKnight will be at the four. He is a solid post player that can step out and hit the J.Like others have said, I do not doubt at all that Zeke will start at some point. My only point is that people are expecting the world out of this kid and it takes bigs a lot longer to get adjusted to the college game than guards. Humpty came in and was able to start, but who was behind him? Ronnie was hurt and McNees came on strong late, but struggled early. So there was nobody there. We have a pretty solid presence of young post players in the mix here.If you want a good example, the Ohio State Buckeyes had no player over 6'8'' that played meaningful minutes last season. The recruit the #1 player in the Nation in BJ Mullins. He came in and just wasn't ready for NCAA basketball. So he played 20 min a game and started a total of two games the entire season. Mullins played Ohio DI basketball and avg 28 PPG and 15 RPG. His game is head and shoulders above Zeke. Zeke is no where near ready to play at this level on offense. It is going to take time. And being in the MAC, we can do that because we already have a strong team and good young post players. He may start by the end of the year, but right away, we need to ease him into the game because it will take a big adjustment to get used to going from HS kids to DI basketball. Regardless of what conference it is.

[GoZips]

I'm not sure how that excellent college level coaching has worked with Bardo and Swiech... but I hope Zeke will be a different story.

I will defend the coaches. I see these kids in practice. Neither of them puts in the effort necessary toexcel as a division one player. Bardo, more than Swiech works on his game. After two years of weighttraining Swiech still looks like the Pillsbury doughboy. You understand me up to this point?A coach can teach over and over. It is up to the player to develop. Under different circumstances, thatis, if the were a great need for their services the coaching staff would light an even larger bonfire undertheir azzes. They, not the coaches, play themselves on to the bench.Sure, I am darn disappointed that huge, wide body such as Steve Swiech puts so little effort into improving.It is on Steve to improve. And, frankly, he has not. Bardo seems to be making small gains. Mike needs to learn how to play like a big man. That is, keep theball high off the floor, be forceful, rebound, attack. Instead, Mike tends to lay back and let the game come to him. One player did greatly improve this year. Steve McNees. Frankly, I figured Steve for the deep end ofthe bench. He proved me wrong. He worked hard at his game. He became an important part of thesuccess story this season has been. Steve did a great job.In Zeke the coaches have what they have been looking for ... a student of the game. Zeke will deliverbecause he has the personal desire.

[zippy5]

We have a team that just went to the NCAA tourney, we aren't losing any bigs

hahaha we didn't have any bigs.if you think the 35th best player in the country isn't going to start in the MAC, you're out of your mind, im sorry.

Just goes to show you don't know much about basketball...Bardo and Nikola were coming along pretty nicely as the season went on and they are young players. We dont have much height, much to the reference to Dambrot's quote on the need for height since McKnight will be at the four. He is a solid post player that can step out and hit the J.Like others have said, I do not doubt at all that Zeke will start at some point. My only point is that people are expecting the world out of this kid and it takes bigs a lot longer to get adjusted to the college game than guards. Humpty came in and was able to start, but who was behind him? Ronnie was hurt and McNees came on strong late, but struggled early. So there was nobody there. We have a pretty solid presence of young post players in the mix here.If you want a good example, the Ohio State Buckeyes had no player over 6'8'' that played meaningful minutes last season. The recruit the #1 player in the Nation in BJ Mullins. He came in and just wasn't ready for NCAA basketball. So he played 20 min a game and started a total of two games the entire season. Mullins played Ohio DI basketball and avg 28 PPG and 15 RPG. His game is head and shoulders above Zeke. Zeke is no where near ready to play at this level on offense. It is going to take time. And being in the MAC, we can do that because we already have a strong team and good young post players. He may start by the end of the year, but right away, we need to ease him into the game because it will take a big adjustment to get used to going from HS kids to DI basketball. Regardless of what conference it is.

Bardo was coming along nicely huh?and your point about humpty has nothing to do with this. He wasn't the #8 player at his position coming into the year. Zeke is a five star recruit, and he will impact the MAC from the start. KD will make him earn the starting spot, but I have no doubt by the time the season starts he will be our starting 5 man. Who would you include in our "solid presence of young post players in the mix?" Chris Mcknight, and Nikola? That's about all we have down low....Zeke will start over Nik, imo. But Nik will surely get many minutes also. Anyway, this is a good problem to have