2012-2013

[UAZip0510]

The first seven rotation players are locks:

SR-C-Zeke Marshall

JR-F-Demetrius Treadwell

SR-F-Chauncey Gilliam

JR-G-Brian Walsh

JR-G-Alex Abreu

SR-6-Quincy Diggs

JR-7-Nick Harney

The remaining five roster spots will be filled by Josh Egner, Deji Ibitayo, Blake Justice, Carmelo Betancourt, Jake Kretzer, and Reggie McAdams.

I can honestly see major improvements from each of the first seven. The key to our success next season may depend on 2-3 of the last seven listed becoming reliable rotation players.

[Big Zip]

The key to our success is beating OU. They return just as much and beat our brains in at OU then beat us again tonight.

[Valpo Zip]

While Can't and Buffalo should be reloading, OU and Toledo should be really tough. I can't believe that OU had no seniors on that team.

[UAZip0510]

I think we'll be much better next season. Abreu, Treadwell, Harney, and Gilliam should take big steps forward. Walsh is already a solid starter. The team seemed to finally gel a bit over these last three games...hopefully that carries over into next season.

[skip-zip]

The key to our success is beating OU. They return just as much and beat our brains in at OU then beat us again tonight.

Unfortunately, they return EVERYONE !!

[UAZip0510]

Unfortunately, they return EVERYONE !!

Bring it on. They beat us two out of three this year, but tonight could have gone either way. These are two pretty evenly matched teams. I think Abreu, Treadwell, Harney, and Gilliam will all elevate their games to new levels next season and we'll be much-improved. I hope we do get a rematch...I want revenge.

[The Hip Zip]

I think that Josh will be a nice addition to the rotation. He gives us another big with some great hops and should get plenty of minutes.

[Derrt]

I really hope Deji works on his ball handling this summer. We really need a true back-up PG.

Zeke- Needs to hang with Tree ALL summer. Maybe some of that toughest will rub on him. And some of Zeke's Calmness will rub off on Tree.

Harney Definitely needs to work on ball-handling for sure. I am not sure how to work on passing to others so i'll leave that there.

Walsh- um not sure he is good money right now

Chauncey-work on defense

Q- Needs to work on his jumper

Alex- cant teach height so um I guess he is good money too.

[Dave in Green]

It's time for Zips fans to realize that while Can't may be UA's longtime rival in basketball, they are now just a distraction. Our deepest passion for beating another MAC team needs to be redirected against OU.

Not only has OU denied the Zips the NCAA tournament bid 2 of the last 3 seasons, their players and fans are infinitely more unlikable than our closer neighbors.

The road to the NCAA tournament next season for the Zips goes through Athens. If we can't regularly beat OU, we're not likely to do any damage in the NCAA tournament, either.

The Zips and OU bring back a similar number of regular players next season. Our players need to improve more than their players.

[Quickzips]

The old guard of Zips basketball under KD 1.0 is officially gone. With Serb and Nitro graduating the "tough, high basketball IQ, undersized and below average athletic ability" type of players that KD 1.0 brought in are pretty much all gone and the transformation will be complete. Those of you wanting to look more like Can't will have gotten your wish.

Now for the bad news. OU is around with the same mentality that brough KD 1.0 so much success, and we haven't proven at all that we can beat them. Be careful what you wish for. Remember, Can't came into this year returning 4 seniors and all but one player out of a rotation that was within an eyelash of beating a KD 1.0 team for a trip to the NCAA's. How did that work out for them?

I think your rotation for next year will look something like this:

Starters:

PG-Abreu (28 minutes)

SG-Walsh (24 minutes)

SF-Gilliam (18 minutes)

PF-Treadwell (24 minutes)

C-Marshall (30 minutes)

Bench:

PG-Betancourt (12 minutes)

SG-Ibitayo (8 minutes)

SG/SF-Diggs (26 minutes)

SF/PF-Harney (20 minutes)

PF/C-Egner (10 minutes)

Redshirts:

McAdams

Kretzer

I expect to see an improvement from Abreu as his knee and back will have a chance to heal over the summer, and he should come back in better condition. Walsh, Gilliam and Diggs pretty well are who they are at this point in their careers. I don't expect to see much improvement, or much drop off from them. Treadwell and Harney will have to take a big step forward as they will have much more responsibility without Serb around to lean on when their inexperience leads to a bad night. Zeke will be the key. It is going to be his senior year. We are going to be relying heavily on him. He is going to have to develop his scoring touch and continue to work on staying out of foul trouble. As he goes, so will go the Zips. I expect Betacourt to come in and have an impact, as he will give us another true PG for when Alex isn't on the floor, and will allow Q to play more as the secondary ball handler where he is better off. Ibitayo will be relied upon to come in for a few minutes each night and play tough defense on our opponents best perimeter player. Egner will be expected to be Mike Bardo with less height and more athletic ability.

[zippy5]

And some of Zeke's Calmness will rub off on Tree.

I hope not

[GP1]

Now for the bad news. OU is around with the same mentality that brough KD 1.0 so much success, and we haven't proven at all that we can beat them.

I think this begs the question. Is OU a better team than us right now and going into next year? I'm not saying they are head and shoulders above us, or even above us for that matter. Are they an ever so slightly team than the Zips? Are they not better than the Zips and just had the cards fall their direction last night? I don't know what to make of it. I believe we are better but did not prove it on the floor. Proving it on the floor is all that matters though.

Here is what we know:

1. We beat OU playing our style of game at the JAR this year.

2. OU beat the Zips playing their style of game in Athens.

3. OU beat the Zips playing the Zips style of game in the MAC Championship.

To me, it is more impressive when one team can beat another not playing their style of game, but the style of the other team. It is an impressive way of winning as it shows a teams ability to adapt to adversity during a game. The Zips delivered a 7-0 punch late in the game last night and OU recovered and pulled out the win. I really thought the Zips were going to pull it out during that 7-0 run as they were in the zone of what they do best.

[UAZip0510]

I don't understand how we haven't proven we can beat them. We did once already, and yesterday's loss was a one point game. You're talking like they are head and shoulders above us and it's just not true.

[GP1]

I don't understand how we haven't proven we can beat them. We did once already, and yesterday's loss was a one point game. You're talking like they are head and shoulders above us and it's just not true.

Read again with particular attention to sentence 3.

[skip-zip]

I don't understand how we haven't proven we can beat them. We did once already, and yesterday's loss was a one point game. You're talking like they are head and shoulders above us and it's just not true.

They've beaten us 5 of the last 6 times they've played us, including a few blowouts, and two championship games. Wouldn't we talk as if we are dominating them, if the shoe was on the other foot ?

[Let'sGoZips94]

I think this begs the question. Is OU a better team than us right now and going into next year? I'm not saying they are head and shoulders above us, or even above us for that matter. Are they an ever so slightly team than the Zips? Are they not better than the Zips and just had the cards fall their direction last night? I don't know what to make of it. I believe we are better but did not prove it on the floor. Proving it on the floor is all that matters though.

Here is what we know:

1. We beat OU playing our style of game at the JAR this year.

2. OU beat the Zips playing their style of game in Athens.

3. OU beat the Zips playing the Zips style of game in the MAC Championship.

To me, it is more impressive when one team can beat another not playing their style of game, but the style of the other team. It is an impressive way of winning as it shows a teams ability to adapt to adversity during a game. The Zips delivered a 7-0 punch late in the game last night and OU recovered and pulled out the win. I really thought the Zips were going to pull it out during that 7-0 run as they were in the zone of what they do best.

No. They are the luckier than us, though. That one-handed 3 by Cooper proved that. They were throwing up shots like that and made the, whereas we threw up legit shots and just couldn't make them. It happens. I don't think the better team won last night, I think the luckier team did.

I don't see how they beat us at our game? Isn't their style shooting 3s? That's what they did, didn't they? I think if they were to beat us at our game, they would have to beat us in the paint.

Going into next year, I think we are going to be the most complete team in the MAC, and one of the best mid majors in the country.

Starting 5:

C: Zeke

PF: Treadwell

SF: Gilliam

SG: Walsh

PG: Abreu

6: Diggs

7-10: Betancourt, Deji, Harney, Egner.

3-4 guards on the team, 5 fowards on the team, and Zeke.

Name another team in the MAC that will be able to contend with that. Ohio is the only team that comes to mind, but if Groce leaves, so might some of their players. I really think Akron is sitting pretty with this NIT experience coming up and these recruits coming in. Go Zips!

[Big Zip]

They've beaten us 5 of the last 6 times they've played us, including a few blowouts, and two championship games. Wouldn't we talk as if we are dominating them, if the shoe was on the other foot ?

I agree. Last nights game was a 1 point loss but OU was in control the entire game...or so it felt.

[UAZip0510]

Read again with particular attention to sentence 3.

...read it again. They beat us in a game that was played in our style....by one point. Again, I'm not sure how that means we haven't proven we can beat them when A) We already did once, The game yesterday could have easily swung the other way. No doubt the Bobcats will be the team for us to beat next year, but I think we're overrating how good they are because of leftover emotion from last night. Our teams are about even, and should there be a rematch next year, it will likely be decided by less than 4 points.

[UAZip0510]

I agree. Last nights game was a 1 point loss but OU was in control the entire game...or so it felt.

It was back and forth but if anything, I felt like Akron had control of the game until about the 6-7 minute mark.

[UAZip0510]

They've beaten us 5 of the last 6 times they've played us, including a few blowouts, and two championship games. Wouldn't we talk as if we are dominating them, if the shoe was on the other foot ?

We're talking about this year and next, correct? What they did against Brett McKnight and Steve McNees has nothing to do with what happened this year or what will happen next year, especially considering how different this team is from previous years.

I realize OU has been a bad matchup for us. I was the one that started the thread a few months back pointing that out. But if we're looking at this year, no, they aren't dominating us. We beat them at home. They beat us at home. They beat us on a neutral court by one point. They return everyone, we return all but one important rotation player (Sorry Brett). On a neutral court, the teams are about as even as it gets, and I expect it to be the same next year.

[UAZip0510]

Looks like OU might have a new transfer coming in:

http://www.athensohiotoday.com/blogs/bobca...1871e3ce6c.html

If you're not aware, Green is a forward who is transferring from Missouri. Mizzou confirmed he was leaving the program and said it would release him from his scholarship on Jan. 3.

Green, a long, athletic, 6-foot-8, 220-pounder from Toronto, played little for the Tigers throughout the non-conference schedule and averaged 3.0 points and 3.1 rebounds this season. Green was unable to crack into Missouri coach Frank Haith's seven-man rotation. The Tigers, a top-10 team this season, added three front-court players during the NCAA's early signing period.

Green played at United Faith Christian Academy in Charlotte, N.C. during his prep days and signed with Missouri in November 2009, but suffered a ruptured Achilles' tendon the following January. Green had surgery and was still not at full strength when Mizzou started the 2010-11 season.

Green took a redshirt during the 2010-11 season, and was listed as a redshirt freshman prior to leaving the club in early January.

So where does Ohio fit it in? Green was on campus in Athens last weekend, and caught the Bobcats' win over UNC Asheville last Saturday night from the front row behind the Ohio bench.

Ohio coach John Groce, per NCAA regulations, can't comment publicly on a potential recruit or transfer until they have signed. The Bobcats currently have one open scholarship -- it became free when guard Joe Mitchell left the program prior to fall quarter 2011 -- and could in theory add Green in time for the start of spring quarter. Because Green left prior to the winter grading period, he would be eligible starting in Jan. 2013.

Is Green on his way to Athens? I haven't yet been able to track down Green for confirmation, but a source close to the situation indicated that Green would in fact be joining the Bobcats.

Again, this hasn't been confirmed with Green himself but from what I understand Green will be with Ohio starting this spring. Green was supposed to make a final decision by Wednesday, and was reported to be trying to decide between Ohio and Valpo.

As a player, Green fits the mold of what Groce typically looks for in a forward. He was athletic and explosive prior to his injury, and should be able to run the floor in Ohio's up-tempo style. Similar in build to former Bobcat DeVaughn Washington and current Ohio players TyQuane Goard and Ivo Baltic, Green should have a chance to play right away.

[UAZip0510]

On a side note, aside from Michael Green has anyone heard about any players leaving the program? The only possibility I could see is Blake Justice. I don't see him getting significant playing time anytime in the near future.

[UAZip0510]

Found an interesting link concerning Betancourt:

http://www.boricuasballers.com/index.php?o...king-like-a-pro

Betancourt, a former member of the Puerto Rico Junior National Teams, decided to do a Prep year in order to get stronger and polish a few areas of his games; he decided to do so at CJEOTO a Prep school in New Jersey.

Carmelo was not completely satisfied with his experience, had already been cleared by the NCAA Clearing House and wanted to work on his game full time, so he decided to head back to his home town in Guaynabo during the middle of the fall semester.

The risky decision made by Carmelo is not one that any athlete can do, since it requires a lot of discipline and mental toughness to be able to monitor your workouts and motivate yourself day in and day out. The Akron coaching staff provides him with different weekly workouts and Betancourt follows them step by step.

A typical week for Carmelo consists of two a days, six days of the week and a weight room visit four to five days of the week. During his morning workout Carmelo works on his ball handling, passing, defense, speed and agility, as well as making 500 shots before he leaves the gym. Then he heads to the weight room to complete the sets and reps that are in his workout packet. After doing his first two workouts, Betancourt goes home and relaxes for a few hours before heading back to the gym and working on his game once again.

When asking Carmelo about his conversations with the coaches at Akron, as well as his progress, he stated the following; “The coaching staff is very eager to get me on campus already. They are expecting big things from me and want me to be ready to play key minutes for them as a freshman. Coach keeps emphasizing the importance of me knocking down the three-point shot consistently, something that I have been working on. As for the workouts, I am already seeing results. I’m up to 179 lbs., decrease my body fat percentage, and have increased my stamina as well as my speed. ”

We also asked Betancourt if he felt that he made the best decision by heading back home to work out; here is his response; “No doubt, like I stated before I feel stronger and my shot is falling consistently. I’m ready to get on the floor, win some games and ignite Zips Nation.”

Betancourt is expected to play some minutes as the backup PG to Alex Abreu as well as play alongside his fellow Puerto Rican. This will make them one of the smallest backcourts in the country when both of them are on the floor; but they will also be one of the toughest ones as well. Carmelo and Alex are both very quick and aggressive guards who swarm the opposing guards with tough full-court man to man defense.

Make sure you add Akron to your list to watch and pay close attention to this backcourt combination in the Mid-American Conference during the 2012-2013 season.

[GP1]

I don't see how they beat us at our game? Isn't their style shooting 3s? That's what they did, didn't they? I think if they were to beat us at our game, they would have to beat us in the paint.

I meant a low scoring defensive game. The Zips played good defense (not great) and still lost. Akron had 16 turnovers and with good defense was able to be within one point of winning. It was our game to win and we didn't.

[GP1]

They beat us in a game that was played in our style....by one point. Again, I'm not sure how that means we haven't proven we can beat them when A) We already did once, The game yesterday could have easily swung the other way.

Please read again with particular attention to the English language. There isn't a word in my post that says we couldn't beat them.