Scholarship Chart

[Illini Zip]

5 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Not all that surprising. I said on a post back in January or February that I felt Sayles would transfer because he's good enough to be a 25 minutes guy in a conference like the American East. Coincidentally that's exactly what conference he ended up going to.

 

I am not that familiar with the American East Conference, but I see they are home to the giant slaying Retrievers of University of Maryland, Baltimore County. 

[Checkmate]

Hey guys, Stony Brook season ticket holder here. I'm curious if you could tell me what kind of player we're getting in Sayles. What videos we could find from HS were a bit underwhelming, but that he got decent bench minutes for you suggests that he can be a factor here somehow, even if it isn't in the scoring column. Dustin wouldn't lead us astray, right?

 

Thanks in advance, Zips!

Edited April 22, 2020 by Checkmate

[akronzips71]

35 minutes ago, Checkmate said:

Hey guys, Stony Brook season ticket holder here. I'm curious if you could tell me what kind of player we're getting in Sayles. What videos we could find from HS were a bit underwhelming, but that he got decent bench minutes for you suggests that he can be a factor here somehow, even if it isn't in the scoring column. Dustin would lead us astray, right?

 

Thanks in advance, Zips!

Hello fellow Long Islander!

Sayles had some good minutes at the end of the season.

He is not generally a good rebounder, tends to slap at the ball rather than pull it down.

He also can be unreliable underneath, missing some bunnies.

But like I said, he did play well at the end of the year, and might be a good player for you. He finished on a positive note for sure. Might fit in better in a different system.

[Let'sGoZips94]

4 hours ago, Checkmate said:

Hey guys, Stony Brook season ticket holder here. I'm curious if you could tell me what kind of player we're getting in Sayles. What videos we could find from HS were a bit underwhelming, but that he got decent bench minutes for you suggests that he can be a factor here somehow, even if it isn't in the scoring column. Dustin wouldn't lead us astray, right?

 

Thanks in advance, Zips!

 

You're getting a great team member in Sayles. He was recruited by our old coach, Keith Dambrot (LeBron's high school coach). During his freshman season, he had an unfortunate wrist injury. A technical was called on either him or another Akron player for supposedly hanging on the rim for too long, and during a later breakaway dunk, Sayles let go of the rim too early with a lot of forward momentum. He did a flip and landed on his wrist; the injury seemingly derailed his career. Dambrot ended up leaving after that year I believe, but Sayles stuck with our new coach (and his staff including Dustin Ford) and the Akron program. His wrist was never quite right, and this past season was the first year he was fully healthy. He showed a lot of promise his freshman year, but we haven't seen TOO much of him until this past season when he fell a bit on the depth chart. I think the speed of the game is the biggest thing he has had to overcome after the injuries, but he's a talent, there's no doubt about that. I don't believe Dustin would make a connection between Geno and Sayles if he didn't believe Sayles could be a contributor for his brother. Sayles sticking with Akron through the coaching and system change (Dambrot and Groce run completely opposite systems and there were quite a few players that ended up leaving Groce's program early on) says a lot about who he is as a person, his mental toughness, etc. The athleticism is there, and if he's given the opportunity, I think he could be quite productive for Stony Brook. 

 

Edit: Sayles was recruited by KD but never played for him. KD left before Sayles' freshman year. 

Edited April 22, 2020 by Let'sGoZips94

[kreed5120]

1 hour ago, Checkmate said:

Hey guys, Stony Brook season ticket holder here. I'm curious if you could tell me what kind of player we're getting in Sayles. What videos we could find from HS were a bit underwhelming, but that he got decent bench minutes for you suggests that he can be a factor here somehow, even if it isn't in the scoring column. Dustin wouldn't lead us astray, right?

 

Thanks in advance, Zips!

 

He has displayed pretty good footwork in the post, but has lacked touch finishing near the rim. Perhaps playing against smaller front courts will help. Overall, he didn't play big minutes for us, but down the stretch he played with lots of effort on both ends when you did get in. I think it says a lot because a lot of other upperclassmen would pout and look to transfer midseason if they weren't getting the minutes they were wanting. In the American East I can see him averaging something along the lines of 8 points and 6 boards if he's able to get 20-25 minutes of playing time. 

[Checkmate]

Very much appreciated, guys. We've lost some key contributors to transfer – 3 and D guy to Bucknell, big shot blocker to a mid-high D-I – but I'm hoping that we gain some physicality and energy with Sayles (in practice and in 2021) and a grad transfer from Mt. St. Mary's, even if they aren't scorers.

[NWAkron]

2 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

You're getting a great team member in Sayles. He was recruited by our old coach, Keith Dambrot (LeBron's high school coach). During his freshman season, he had an unfortunate wrist injury. A technical was called on either him or another Akron player for supposedly hanging on the rim for too long, and during a later breakaway dunk, Sayles let go of the rim too early with a lot of forward momentum. He did a flip and landed on his wrist; the injury seemingly derailed his career. Dambrot ended up leaving after that year I believe, but Sayles stuck with our new coach (and his staff including Dustin Ford) and the Akron program. His wrist was never quite right, and this past season was the first year he was fully healthy. He showed a lot of promise his freshman year, but we haven't seen TOO much of him until this past season when he fell a bit on the depth chart. I think the speed of the game is the biggest thing he has had to overcome after the injuries, but he's a talent, there's no doubt about that. I don't believe Dustin would make a connection between Geno and Sayles if he didn't believe Sayles could be a contributor for his brother. Sayles sticking with Akron through the coaching and system change (Dambrot and Groce run completely opposite systems and there were quite a few players that ended up leaving Groce's program early on) says a lot about who he is as a person, his mental toughness, etc. The athleticism is there, and if he's given the opportunity, I think he could be quite productive for Stony Brook. 

Sayles fell at the Bowling Green home game in Groce's first season.

[Zip JD]

8 hours ago, Checkmate said:

Hey guys, Stony Brook season ticket holder here. I'm curious if you could tell me what kind of player we're getting in Sayles. What videos we could find from HS were a bit underwhelming, but that he got decent bench minutes for you suggests that he can be a factor here somehow, even if it isn't in the scoring column. Dustin wouldn't lead us astray, right?

 

Thanks in advance, Zips!

Sayles tended to get pulled quickly for missing defensive assignments and not rotating on defense.  He also never seemed to box out.  Most, if not all, of his minutes were due to injuries and foul trouble to our other bigs.  Groce mentioned several times during the season that Sayles didn't get into games due match up issues. 

 

During the bad fall referenced earlier in the post, he hit his head and appeared to be knocked unconscious.  He never seemed like same player after that and never seemed to re-adjust to D-I basketball.  Sayles always appeared to be a hard, working good kid.  When he announced he was leaving the program, he sent a message thanking the team, program and fans.  Everyone here is rooting for him to have the best possible ending to his career.  I hope Stony Brook is a good fit for him. 

 

What does your fan base think of Geno? 

[clarkwgriswold]

10 hours ago, Zip JD said:

Sayles tended to get pulled quickly for missing defensive assignments and not rotating on defense.  He also never seemed to box out.  Most, if not all, of his minutes were due to injuries and foul trouble to our other bigs.  Groce mentioned several times during the season that Sayles didn't get into games due match up issues. 

 

During the bad fall referenced earlier in the post, he hit his head and appeared to be knocked unconscious.  He never seemed like same player after that and never seemed to re-adjust to D-I basketball.  Sayles always appeared to be a hard, working good kid.  When he announced he was leaving the program, he sent a message thanking the team, program and fans.  Everyone here is rooting for him to have the best possible ending to his career.  I hope Stony Brook is a good fit for him. 

 

What does your fan base think of Geno? 

 

 

Also, do you know where Geno does his banking?  We have a community college a county over that would like to attach his accounts.

 

Sayles isn't going to light up the scoreboard but there's no reason he can't give you 15 to 20 minutes, 6-8 points and 4-5 boards a night.

[1981 grad]

I agree that Sayles should have a great senior year.  Akron had a talented team last year and won the MAC.  Sayles was our third center and usually saw limited minutes or no minutes.   The problem with being the 3rd center is that there is little room for error.  Toward the latter part of the season he was playing well and getting minutes.  During one of the last games a player beat his man and Sayles was under the basket and never made a move to block the shot or contest the layup.  Groce yanked him.  I don't think I saw him in the lineup after that play.

 

However, even with limited minutes he was always cheering his teammates and seemed to have a great attitude.  He got recruited as a back to the basket center.  However, Groce wanted faster play and used the center to set screens and cut the basket.  Sayles lost weight and tried to play the up tempo even though he seemed to struggle finishing at the basket.  (our starting center also struggled to finish around the basket but played great defense)

[Illini Zip]

Zips add Aziz Bandaogo.

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by Illini Zip

[Illini Zip]

Zips add Michael Wynn.

 

 

[akronzips71]

Isn't Wynn a transfer who has to sit 20-21?

[LZIp]

1 hour ago, akronzips71 said:

Isn't Wynn a transfer who has to sit 20-21?

Yes. Still counts as a scholarship.

[NWAkron]

Wake Forest suspends Sharone Wright, Michael Wynn vs. Pittsburgh

Jan 3, 2020

Associated Press

Facebook

Twitter

Facebook Messenger

Pinterest

Email

print

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest sophomores Sharone Wright Jr. and Michael Wynn have been suspended for Saturday's game at Pittsburgh.

The team announced the one-game suspensions Friday, saying they were for "failing to uphold the standards of Wake Forest Basketball." The school didn't elaborate on specifics in its statement.

Wright is averaging 3.4 points while Wynn is averaging 1.3 points for the Demon Deacons (7-5, 0-2 ACC). It will be Wake Forest's first game since beating North Carolina A&T on Dec. 21.

[Illini Zip]

I am all for second chances (See Kendrick Nunn). We don't know what Michael Wynn did at Wake Forest, but he needs to take this opportunity seriously. Next stop, irrelevance.

[kreed5120]

It was a 1 game suspension for who knows what. I wouldn't read too much into it. Now if he had multiple suspensions or was kicked off the team, that would draw some red flags for me. 

[Blue & Gold]

40 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

It was a 1 game suspension for who knows what. I wouldn't read too much into it. Now if he had multiple suspensions or was kicked off the team, that would draw some red flags for me. 

+1.  1 game doesn't worry me about the kid's character.  He was just being a young man.

[NWAkron]

2 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

I am all for second chances (See Kendrick Nunn). We don't know what Michael Wynn did at Wake Forest, but he needs to take this opportunity seriously. Next stop, irrelevance.

absolutely, Wake Forest is the fall back school for prep school kids who don't get into Ivy League or UNC, Duke, etc.  Groce and Co. are going to offer him a supportive and solid environment to succeed.

[zippy5]

Guys it was one game. He might very well have just skipped class or practice. It'll be okay

[Illini Zip]

Zips add Kobe Mitchell.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2020 by Illini Zip

[akronzips71]

All we need is an actual season

[Illini Zip]

Zips add Nate Johnson.

 

 

[Illini Zip]

Zips add Sekou Sada Kalle.

 

 

 

 

[LZIp]

Another question I'd be curious to get an answer on. Unlike in football, there a no annual scholarship limits in basketball I believe. I also am of the understanding that winter sports will not count against a player's eligibility this season (thus seniors should be allowed t come back next year). How many scholarships are allowed to add/what is the new max while COVID-19 allowances are in place?