Josh Egner

[Z.I.P.]

I have good new for Zips fans. I went to a high school basketball game and saw a bunch of high school kids play, and one man. Seriously. There were a lot of baby faces out there, and one guy who looked like he was in his 20s. However you spell his name, Josh Egner is an impressive young player. I'll try to put down all my observations and thoughts.First, Egner was playing hurt. Both his ankles were wrapped, and he was clearly limping. But he played every minute of the game. Mark Henniger, his talented teammate who is going to Can't, spent a few minutes on the bench each half resting. Egner looked like he had enough energy to play back-to-back games without a breather on broken ankles. He is one intense dude. He was by far the best athlete on the floor. In warmups he was way above the rim on his layups.The next sign of his athleticism was when he took center court for the tipoff instead of his taller teammate, Henniger. Egner is a huge leaper, and easily controlled the tip. The Jackson offense was pretty basic: Henniger sets up inside, the ball is lobbed to him and he hits 3-footer after 3-footer over the shorter opponents. Henniger has a nice soft touch and good moves for a big man. I just don't know how well that will translate to D1 against players his own size. There's no question that Henniger is good. But he's not as intense as Egner, and my impression is that Egner would be more the kind of player that the Zips really need.Egner's outside shot was off tonight, probably affected by his sore wheels. But he has a nice looking stroke, and I suspect he'd be good for the occasional 3. His real strength is inside, where he's a beast. He fought for the ball like a warrior, and when he got his hands on it, it went down hard. Real hard. On one breakaway, they hit Egner with a pass and he went up over the rim and slammed it so hard that the backboard was rocking. It was an NBA quality slam.Egner also plays good defense. He's quick on his feet, and with his leaping ability, he's a devastating blocker. He really embarassed a couple of Green HS players with his perfectly timed blocks. And speaking of his feet, they're big. From way up in the stands you could see his feet were several sizes larger than anyone else on the court, including the larger Henniger. Don't know if that means that he has any growth spurts left or not. But even if he doesn't grow another inch, he plays taller than his height. He also has quick hands and got a few steals that reminded me of Linhart and Conyers. In fact, Egner strikes me as having a lot of the positive qualities of both Linhart and Conyers -- intensity, athleticism and smarts -- rolled into one package. Discussing Egner's intensity with one of the Jackson fans, he said that Egner had quite a temper. So he may have a little Cvetinovic in him, as well.Coming back to reality, this was my first HS basketball game in more than 40 years. It's hard to tell how a player who looked so good against HS competition will be in D1. But Egner clearly made a good impression on me. He's kind of thin and wiry, so he's going to have to spend time in the weight room. But he strikes me as really tough. He not only plays above his height but above his weight. He's wiry strong, and had no problem moving heavier players around under the basket.He definitely has a presence. The way he walks and carries himself was clearly different from anyone else on the court. He is a tough, hard-nosed player. The word intensity keeps coming back to me. He has that kind of intensity that was so obvious in Tyler Hansbrough. I'm not saying he's a Tyler Hansbrough, but he does have a little of that psycho look in his eyes.I don't think I'm the only one who thinks that the Zips could use a good injection of this type of attitude. I'm really hoping that Egner will hit the JAR running and start contributing right away. I think that all Zips fans are going to really like this guy.

Yo DiG,You got to rep the new hometown my man! Enough with the Polar Bears. How did our Bulldogs look? As a former freshman benchwarmer for the Orange and Black, I long for the olden days when Winter was a break from football, and a chance to beat Woodridge (twice even) to prevent having to play Canton McKinley in the opening round of the tournament.

[Dave in Green]

If you bleed Orange and Black, you don't want a blow by blow of what the Polar Bears did to the Bulldogs. Green HS has a decent varsity team, but not in the same class as Jackson and other powers. No future Zips players at Green HS, sorry to say.

[wadszip]

Following is a little regular season statistical comparison between Egner and Henniger. Keep in mind that Henniger is the focal point of the Jackson offense and plays mostly a few feet from the bucket, while Egner plays mostly on the wing except when Henniger is on the bench. So Henniger gets more close-in, high-percentage shots as well as more opportunities for rebounds:Player .................... Pts .......... FG % ..... RebJosh Egner ............ 13.3 ........ .568 ....... 7.5Mark Henniger ....... 20.6 ........ .620 ...... 8.9Neither player has a high enough number of assists, free throw percentage or 3-point shooting to appear on the list of top players in these categories.In most of the discussions about the abilities of these two players, the following points are generally mentioned:Henniger is more polished, steady and even-tempered, and is a better overall HS performer with good D1 potential.Egner has more raw athleticism, explosiveness and volatility, and has more potential D1 upside if he has good coaching to polish his skills and channel his emotional energy.Kind of ironic that Can't is getting the preacher's son and UA is getting the volatile one. Canton Rep ArticleJackson plays Massillon in a sectional tournament game Friday, March 5, at 6:15 pm at the Canton Memorial Civic Center.Special note: For those who are concerned about properly spelling players' names, even those going to Can't, Henniger is widely misspelled as Henninger. I had picked up the wrong spelling from a bad source, and have now corrected it in all of my previous posts.EDIT: Rebounds were transposed and are now corrected.

A friend of mine has been following the Jackson program for the last four years. I've been asking him about the two players. A lot of what you said is spot on. After last year, he was convinced Egner had the higher upside of the two. However, from talking to him, it sounds like Henniger has improved tremendously. He raves about how smooth Henniger's game is. Henniger has also been carrying the Jackson team (while Egner has provided that nice second option.) He still loves Egner's upside, but seems less convinced that Egner will turn out to be the better college prospect. But that's not to discredit Egner. I think it more has to do with him now believing both will be very productive college players. With all that said. I was critical of the program's lack of athleticsim after the VCU loss. Egner will bring an above the rim game. That's something this program needs. So I wouldn't trade the two if given the chance. I asked my friend if he thougth Egner's above the rim game can translate to the college level (or is he just dunking over, for the most part 6-1 high school kids). He thinks Egner can. He said it is tough to find a comparision, but said he may be a slightly less athletic Rex Chapman. He wasn't trying to compare their overall games, Egner is at least 2 or 3 inches taller, just jumping ability.If we can even come close to getting somebody who can leap like this, we're in great shape

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwLCwfOu1q4...feature=relatedP.S. Part of the reason Henniger is more polished is because he is a 4-year varsity player. Egner really came out of nowhere his Sophomore year and then starting turning heads last year. P.S.S. I think your premise of building a team around a few athletic superstars and some solid role players is valid. But using the 2008 Olympic team is a horrible example of that. When it's all said and done that team will have 9 Hall of Famers (LeBron, Kobe, Wade, Dwight Howard, Bosh, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Carmelo and Jason Kidd), two Hall of Very Good players (Boozer, Michael Redd) and one role player (Tayshaun Prince) ... though you can argue Prince belongs in the Hall of Very Good category.The Spanish team, which gave the U.S. all it could handle, is a better example of that. Superstars were Pau Gasol and Ricky Rubio ... with solid role players like Calderon, Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, etc.

[Hilltopper]

Yo DiG,You got to rep the new hometown my man! Enough with the Polar Bears. How did our Bulldogs look? As a former freshman benchwarmer for the Orange and Black, I long for the olden days when Winter was a break from football, and a chance to beat Woodridge (twice even) to prevent having to play Canton McKinley in the opening round of the tournament.

Don't let Dave mislead you, the Bulldogs are on a roll. http://www.ohio.com/sports/high_school/86504652.html

COPLEY TWP.: The boys basketball teams at Green and East play contrasting styles, yet both were effective Thursday night in Division I sectional finals at Copley High School.Green defeated Barberton 72-52 in the second game, mainly by using a half-court offense, and East beat Nordonia 70-36 in the first game by deploying an up-tempo offense and disruptive defense.Green (14-8) and East (15-6) advance to play each other in a district semifinal game at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Copley.

http://www.ohio.com/sports/prep_stats/86504632.html

Tournament ScoreboardThursday's ResultsCopley Division I SectionalEast 70, Nordonia 36Green 72, Barberton 52

[Dave in Green]

Hey, I said Green HS had a decent team. But with a 14-8 record, you just can't put them in the same class as Jackson and other powers. Congrats to Green for winning a round or two in the state tournament.On the subject of role players in the 2008 U.S. men's Olympic team, it does sound absurd when you name all those great NBA players and say some of them were role players. But that's exactly what the coaching staff said they were going to select. Redd, for example, was brought in exclusively for his 3-point shooting. When you pick a dozen players from the top basketball league in the world, it's hard to think of any of them as role players. But the coaching staff looked at several of them in that light for the specific roles they were selected to play on the Olympic team rather than as all-around great players.

[Dr Z]

If we can even come close to getting somebody who can leap like this, we're in great shapeP.S.S. I think your premise of building a team around a few athletic superstars and some solid role players is valid. But using the 2008 Olympic team is a horrible example of that.

We did. Jimmal Ball. His vertical was insane. Correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't it 51". He was in SI with his vertical next to him in a college preview one year.What is Josh's vertical, does anybody know?

[Dave in Green]

The best example I can give you of Egner's vertical is that during warmups for the Green HS game he would amble up to the basket at about half speed, make a leisurely jump, drop the ball in the bucket and slap the backboard with the palm of his hand at least 6 inches above the rim. It was obvious that he had more in reserve.It's funny about all those high numbers you see for vertical leap. They're a lot like published player heights, and don't always stand up in combine testing. For example, the High Major Scoop folks held a top 100 combine last November at Walsh College. Neither Egner nor Henniger were tested. But perhaps the top recruit from the class of 2010 was -- Jared Sullinger (#91 in the pdf document linked to below). His vertical leap was measured at 26.4 inches. The biggest leaper in this group of high potential players was 5-11 Trey Lewis (#108 on the list) at 34.6 inches.It looks like the Zips' Mike Green is on this list (#96). First thing I noticed is that he measures 6-5 and not 6-6. Green's vertical was measured at 25.8 inches, which is roughly mid-pack for this group.High Major Scoop Top 100 Combine ResultsBy the way, here's what High Major Scoop had to say about Egner after he signed with the Zips:Josh crashes harder than 99% of the kids that play basketball and he has a very high motor, a undeniable love for the game and a confidence and a passion that you just don't find in most kids these days. Like every young player he still needs to continue improving his offensive skill set and fundamental handle, but he will make up for that with his ability to defend, jump, rebound and run the lanes.Maybe it isn't so far-fetched to think of Egner as a Tyler Hansbrough type of player in terms of passion and motor, but with better vertical.

[Dr Z]

I would like to know Josh's vertical.I don't know if you ever seen Jimmal play, but his vertical stat was not inflated. I wish this listed his vertical.

The University of Akron's dynamic sophomore point guard Jimmal Ball (Canton/Timken) is profiled in Sports Illustrated's College Basketball preview issue which is on newsstands this week.Ball and Eastern Michigan's Earl Boykins represent the Mid-American Conference in a survey of the nation's best under-6' players. A two-page spread dedicated to these small stars includes Aaron Hutchins of Marquette, Terrell McIntyre of Clemson, Shawnta Rogers of George Washington, Tyson Wheeler of Rhode Island and Ball. The magazine's cover boy is Duke guard Steve Wojciechowski. Boykins, who hails from Cleveland (Central Catholic), is singled out for a feature story.Ball is the youngest of all the "small" players profiled. The 5-10, 170-pounder has been tabbed first-team preseason All-MAC, as selected by the MAC News Media Association. He averaged 17.1 points per game a year ago and was among conference leaders in scoring, three-point goals, assists and steals. Ball played the final month of last season with a fracture in his lower back and still earned selection to three Freshman All-America teams. He was the unanimous choice for MAC Freshman of the Year.Akron opens its 1997-98 season November 22 at 10th-ranked Xavier. Ball hit for 44 points in a 113-111 triple-overtime loss to the Musketeers last December 21.

[Dave in Green]

I did see Jimmal, and he was pretty amazing. Can't find a number on Egner, but I'll keep looking.To put vertical leap in perspective, following is a link to a list of high leapers. Interesting comment on the site is that the average NBA vertical leap is only 28 inches, with MJ the highest at 48 inches. That makes the 60 inches by non-NBA player Kadour Ziani pretty unbelievable. But who knows if they were all measured using the exact same method. After checking out the following link, try a search on Kadour Ziani, who's a professional slam dunker. There are some pretty interesting videos of him in action.Vertical Leap Records

[wadszip]

I'll add some insult to injury after tonight's performance by the Zips. After my last post, I called my buddy, who I hadn't talked to in about a month. He mentioned that he was going to the Jackson-Massillon game tonight at the Canton Civic Center. I asked him if he would give me a breakdown afterward of Egner and Henniger. Jackson rolled. Henniger scored 32. Egner scored 2 (and got a techical for hanging on the rim after he missed a put back dunk).Well, I just got off the phone with my buddy a little bit ago and he raved about Henniger. Again talking about how smooth he is on the court. He added that the more he watches, the more more impressed he is with Henniger and the less impressed he is with Egner (and he was super high on Egner last year and thought he had the brighter future). My buddy said Egner just hasn't improved his game and while he has the athleticism to play D1 ball, the rest of his skillset isn't coming around like he thought it would and he plays too out of control. He went as far to say that Egner may not even be the second best player on the team. That could go to the point guard ???? DuPont, who I guess had 13 assists and hit a couple of 22 foot three pointers. He said DuPont may not be quick enough to be a D1 player, but has a big body and can shoot the ball (sounds to me like a Jami Bosley type).I will admit, I've never seen Egner play, but what's a little disconcerning to me is 1. I trust my buddy's opinion (he has no ties to Can't or Akron and calls everything like he see's it) and 2. He isn't judging off of one performance. He has seen these two play 20-plus times the last couple of years.I still like the thoughts of Egner's athleticism, but let's hope that he can pick up his development. And I think all of us (myself included) should temper our expectations of him next year. He may take a while to develop into a rotational college player, while Henniger sounds like will be ready to contribute next year at Can't.Dave,I see where you are getting at with your U.S. Olympic team comparison, but there is a difference between stars willing to accept a role (like some of the Olympians) and true role players.

[Dave in Green]

I agree that my example of the U.S. Olympic team was not the best. As was pointed out, some of the Olympic teams from other countries make better examples.As far as Henniger and Egner, nothing about their most recent performances surprises me. I think I read somewhere that Henniger had 44 straight games with a double-double. No matter how you cut it, that's amazingly impressive.The key is how both players' attributes will transfer to the next level. Either one could turn out better than the other, or both might end up contributing about the same to their respective teams. As a Zips fan, my hope is that Henniger has peaked and that Egner will grow more when faced with the new challenge of college players who are closer to him in physical abilities. There just aren't any guarantees, so all we can do is look at all the positive and negative data and hope for the best outcome.The Zips could use injections of both reliable shooting and more athleticism, so both Henniger and Egner could have filled a Zips' need. But the Zips should get their reliable shooting injection from Dakotah Euton, who has also recorded many double-doubles in HS. He's about the same size as Henniger, has performed at a higher competitive level than Henniger and can hit outside shots at a high percentage as well as rebounding and scoring close in like Henniger. As far as I know, Henniger rarely takes an outside shot as he always plays close to the bucket. That would be Zeke's role at UA.Given a choice between signing Euton and Henniger or Euton and Egner, I think the Zips made the right choice to try to cover two different needs.

[CraftyMFer]

As a former teammate of Jimmal Ball, I can tell you that his vertical leap was around 35''. I watched him test it every year in preseason. Vertical leap testing, as done at the combines, are not always good indicators as to how high an athlete can jump. Jimmal could obviously fly. The best leaper that I ever played with by far. The true vertical test, is a standing, feet side by side, jump straight up. The athlete is not allowed the standard 1 step and jump. This makes it very difficult to get very high, even for Jimmal. As for Henniger and Egner, I have mixed feeling about them. I have said from day 1 that Henniger has a good shot to get to score 1,000 points at Can't. He is very smart, disciplined and really good around the basket. He has a nose for the ball, always seems to get lose balls and rebounds around the basket. I love his game. Great kid, great family. He will be a great student-athlete at Can't, something Geno needed desperately for their program. Egner is a stud athlete. Very long, very good shot blocker. Great offensive rebounder. Be ready for lots of put-back dunks over the next 4 years. Tough kid with an attitude, but in a good way. He is cocky and most opposing teams and fans hate him, but he feeds of that. He will bring an attitude, big time athleticism and toughness to Akron that they desperately need. I can guarantee he will quickly become a fan favorite if KD can channel his emotions to benefit the team, which I think he will be able too. I dont see Egner as a 1,000 point guy, but he is the guy Akron needed more of the 2 players, if that makes any sense. I would take them both on my team.

[wadszip]

Looks like Egner bounced back from what I would imagine had to be his worst game of the season against Massillon earlier tonight in a District Semi against Lake. Jackson won, though from reading the article, it wasn't easy. Lake actually held a double digit lead at half.From the Massillon IndependentEgner, the Bears’ 6-foot-6 University of Akron recruit, was huge all night, as he scored 12 points and controlled the lane with 14 rebounds and four steals. Shull finished with 12 points. "We just had to play in the second half," Egner said. "I don't know what it was but we were tight in the first half. We weren’t playing the way that had gotten us to 19 wins this season. We just had to relax and play."----Off topic, but does anybody know why Lake HS is called Lake HS when there is no lake anywhere near it? It seems to me that Uniontown Retention Pond High School is more appropriate.

[Blue & Gold]

Wadzip, there actually is a good-sized lake in Lake Township. Congress Lake - with Congress Lake C.C. - is, I believe, where Lake got it's name.

[zippy5]

All three of our recruits are still playing, correct? recruiting some winners, I like it.

[Z.I.P.]

Looks like Egner bounced back from what I would imagine had to be his worst game of the season against Massillon earlier tonight in a District Semi against Lake. Jackson won, though from reading the article, it wasn't easy. Lake actually held a double digit lead at half.From the Massillon IndependentEgner, the Bears’ 6-foot-6 University of Akron recruit, was huge all night, as he scored 12 points and controlled the lane with 14 rebounds and four steals. Shull finished with 12 points. "We just had to play in the second half," Egner said. "I don't know what it was but we were tight in the first half. We weren’t playing the way that had gotten us to 19 wins this season. We just had to relax and play."----Off topic, but does anybody know why Lake HS is called Lake HS when there is no lake anywhere near it? It seems to me that Uniontown Retention Pond High School is more appropriate.

I'm partial to Superfund Cleanup Site High. Environmental engineering perspective.

[apalmison]

"I'm partial to Superfund Cleanup Site High. Environmental engineering perspective." First (and only?) CERCLA reference on Zipsnation! Love it!

[Hilltopper]

Jackson wins again. Egner makes key plays to win game.http://www.cantonrep.com/carousel/x1336914...-district-title

But Hoover missed its final six shots, including Evans’ desperation heave at the buzzer. Seconds before, Josh Egner’s block on a Cory Veldhuizen 3-point attempt basically sealed the remarkable defensive effort and punched Jackson’s regional ticket — the program’s first in nine years.

Hoover ran a pick-and-pop with Evans and Veldhuizen on the right wing, hoping to get Veldhuizen loose after setting the screen. But Egner was right there.“I saw him going to pump fake, so I was able to stay down,” he said. “I knew he had to take the second one, and I was able to get it.”

Egner finished with 16 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

http://www.cantonrep.com/stark/jackson/x99...mpionship-hopes

And Josh Egner, who measures at 6-6 but plays closer to 7 feet, jumped out of the gym and swatted the dream killer.

Before Egner’s block saved Jackson’s 55-52 victory, he swatted a layup by a driving Evans. It was Hoover’s best — Evans attacking the basket — against Jackson’s best — Egner protecting the basket.

[Dave in Green]

Huge game on the line, and Egner blocks 2 shots in the last 20 seconds.

Based on what he told his Jackson team before the game, you think coach Mike Fuline has anything in common with KD?

“Play defense with passion like there’s no tomorrow,” Fuline said. “Guess what? If you don’t, there is no tomorrow.”

I think Egner is going to arrive at UA preprogrammed to fill the hole in the Zips lineup that will be left by Jimmy Conyers after Conyers plugged the hole left by Nate Linhart.

[Z.I.P.]

Huge game on the line, and Egner blocks 2 shots in the last 20 seconds.

Based on what he told his Jackson team before the game, you think coach Mike Fuline has anything in common with KD?

“Play defense with passion like there’s no tomorrow,” Fuline said. “Guess what? If you don’t, there is no tomorrow.”

I think Egner is going to arrive at UA preprogrammed to fill the hole in the Zips lineup that will be left by Jimmy Conyers after Conyers plugged the hole left by Nate Linhart.

I'm not going to get too wishful about THAT prospect. It appears that Egner is a very different type player than Jimmy, and will be more of a 'high post' position - more of a 4? What has been so valuable about Conyers this season -- from the four games I saw him play on TV -- is that he's the only player besides Humpty who is capable of slashing to the basket with any quickness. That ability creates variations away from the default Akron offense, of clearing out for a three-point shot and hoping for the rebound on a miss.

After watching the Ohio debacle, it became more clear that the team desperately needs that talent from the guard spot --the talent that Mr Anthony Hitchens brings to the floor for, at best, 1/3 of the time. Without a slasher, Akron is a completely one-dimensional ballclub. So, tell me who is going to fill THAT whole?

[Dave in Green]

Conyers was not an exact replacement for Linhart, and Egner won't be an exact replacement for either of them. I think that Conyers was stronger in the paint and Linhart was stronger at the wing. I don't really know where Egner will be at his best. We'll have to wait and see how he develops.

As far as a slasher guard who can reliably put the ball in the bucket, I just don't see anyone on the Zips current or future roster who can do what the very best slasher guards have been doing to the Zips. But that's not the end of the world. We always covet what we don't have. We should spend more time appreciating what we do have.

I don't care if the Zips don't have a guard who can drive to the bucket a dozen or more times in a game and walk away with field goal and/or free throw points more than 50% of the time as long as the Zips have other options to score more points than their opponents.

How many teams covet a 7-foot center who can reliably shoot unblockable skyhooks?

[Quickzips]

Humpty is a guy who has the ability to slash to the basket. The problem he has is finishing and hiting his free throws. That and the fact that we are trying to make him into a jump shooting off guard when his natural position is at the point where he has the freedom to slash to the basket and be creative. Honestly, there are times I wonder if Humpty is a square peg trying to go into a round hole around here.

[Dave in Green]

More than you wanted to know about Josh Egner (hint: Megan Fox and meat loaf).

Massillon Independent Link

[Dr Z]

I would like to know Josh's vertical.

I don't know if you ever seen Jimmal play, but his vertical stat was not inflated. I wish this listed his vertical.

Well here is sort of an answer to my question. I happen to golf with a bunch of Jackson alumni yesterday and one of the guys I was golfing with told me that the rumor is that Josh has a 40" vertical. I'm only repeating what I heard somebody say, I didn't get a chance to measure him myself, so don't hold me to this. I would hope that somebody in the media can find this out for sure. Or maybe GoZips can ask KD if it's true or not.

[Dave in Green]

I hear that golf outings are a great place to hear rumors, especially on the 19th hole. But a link to a Canton Repository story was already posted on ZN.O stating that after increasing his leaping ability by working out at High Intensity Training in Green, Egner's vertical leap has been measured at 37 inches.

ZN.O Link