2011-2012 Report Card

[UAZip0510]

These grades are obviously opinion-based. I also factored in expectations and experience. For example, I'm not saying a player with a "B" is necessarily better than a player with a "C", just that they fulfilled expectations of their role on the team better.

Coaching Staff - B+ - With a loss in the MAC Championship game, they couldn't receive an "A", but that doesn't take away from the continued excellence of this group. Another 20+ win season (7th straight), another MAC Title game (6th straight), and the MAC Regular season championship, which, although isn't the prize we wanted, is still a good accomplishment. The staff, working with the 16th youngest D1 team in the nation, had to change their own ways to adapt to their players, and will have to continue to do so moving forward. Keith Dambrot is an excellent coach, an outstanding person, and a wonderful representative of our university and program. It put a smile on my face to hear him say he wasn't going anywhere last night in yesterday's postgame. Now they have to work this offseason to figure out how to get this team over the hump - winning more important non-conference games so they're a legitimate at-large possibility. On a side note, the work that Rick McFadden has done recruiting cannot be discounted. He played a major role in bringing Abreu, Treadwell, Harney, and Walsh to Akron, and continues to be important to this team as both a coach and a recruiter. Overall, our coaching staff did an excellent job this season. I'm excited to see what they can do with what will arguably be the most athletically gifted Zips roster in Zips history next season.

Zeke Marshall - Grade: B - I'll just re-post what I said in another thread. I think we need to stop expecting Zeke to be the savior of this program and accept him for what he is - an outstanding defensive player that can dominate on certain nights and be non-existent on others. He's never going to dominate consistently. He's not going to be a reliable scorer on offense. He's not going to be a 1st round pick in the NBA. That's just the reality of the situation. That's not to say he won't help us in a big way next year - having a seven footer out there is always a big advantage. I just think it's time to bring down our expectations a bit. Statistically, he'll probably provide something similar to what John Edwards gave Can't State in his senior season - 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2-3 blocks per game.

Edwards 2003-2004 (Senior) - 26 MPG, 13 PPG, 53 FG%, 67 FT%, 7 RPG, 3 BPG

Marshall 2011-2012 (Junior) - 26 MPG, 10 PPG, 53 FG%, 70 FT%, 5 RPG, 3 BPG

Considering Zeke made marginal improvements in scoring (9 PPG to 10 PPG) from his sophomore to junior year, I think Edwards' statistical production is a fair assessment of what we'll see from Zeke. If you remember Can't State's team that year, Edwards was an extremely important part of that team - so this isn't a knock on Zeke. He just wasn't "the man", and I think it's time we start realizing that Zeke might not be either. That role may go to Alex Abreu, who I thought was the Zips' MVP this season.

We all love Zeke. He is a special player in that he is not only an exceptional basketball player, but he's also a great human being and an accomplished student-athlete. He's an excellent role model for our university and our basketball program, and we'll miss him when he's gone. Maybe we just need to accept that Zeke is Zeke, and that's probably not going to change. It might be easier on both us and Zeke moving forward.

Nik Cvetinovic - Grade: C+ - Nikola will go down as one of the most colorful personalities we've ever had in this program. He was a valuable player for all four years of his career, with four trips to the MAC Title game and two trips to the NCAA Tournament during that time. He also joined the 1,000 point club, an outstanding accomplishment. With that being said, I can't call Nik's senior season anything but a disappointment. He regressed statistically, butted heads with the coaching staff and other players early in the year (including one instance where an assistant coach sent him back to the locker room in the middle of a game), and was inconsistent all year. He also ended his MAC career with a dud last night against OU. I'm not sure Nik was ever cut out for the "senior leader" role, and I think the added responsibility affected his game in a negative way. With that said, Cvetinovic represented us well and I wish him the best of luck in returning home to Serbia.

Chauncey Gilliam - Grade: C- - At times, Chauncey seemed to be his own worst enemy. He seemed to lack confidence in taking open looks and being aggressive to the hoop and played inconsistent all season. It seemed like he was starting to find his groove a bit toward the end of the year, especially in the two games against Can't State. That gives me a lot of hope for next season. I absolutely LOVE Gilliam's fire and intensity. If he can channel that energy, be aggressive to the hoop, improve his defense, and have confidence in his shot, he will be an important "glue guy" next season.

Brian Walsh - Grade: B+ - I love Brian Walsh's game. He brings energy, plays good defense, stays aggressive, and doesn't shy away from taking open looks. He was deadly from deep, shooting .455 on the season (42nd in the nation). Him stepping up was especially important with the dreadful season Brett McClanahan had. I'm excited to have him for two more seasons...I think he'll continue to get better and become one of the important leaders on this team.

Brett McClanahan - Grade: D- - Wow...what heck happened to McClanahan this season? I'm not sure if it was the Zips changing their style of play, off-the-court issues we don't know about, or mental quicksand, but an important piece to last year's MAC championship not only failed to create an impact this season, but he actually hurt us when he was on the floor at times. His PPG dropped from 10 to 4, FG% from 42 to 30, 3PT% from 39 to 29, FT% from 89 to 62...just incredible. The only reason McClanahan still gets a passing grade is because he did give us two decent and one really good season and represented the Zips well on and off the court. But man oh man, what a nightmare of a senior season.

Quincy Diggs - Grade: B - I'll admit to be a little bit biased on this one, as "Q" is one of my favorite Zips. He was MAC 6th Man of the Year and provided energy off the bench. He also stepped up and took charge of the offense at various times throughout the year when it became too stale. He still has mental lapses, which will hopefully improve next season. He had an excellent MAC Tournament, stepping up when it was most important. Quincy will be interesting to watch as a senior. He has the potential to be an elite player in the MAC. If the Zips can establish an effective backup point guard between Ibitayo and Betancourt, it should help as well, keeping Diggs at his natural position for the entire game.

Demetrius Treadwell - Grade: B+ - At one point early in the season, there were rumblings that Treadwell was on the verge of quitting the team. When he was arrested in late November, some - including myself - wondered if he'd make it through the season. The fact that he didn't quit and stuck with it and that Keith Dambrot stuck by him may change the course of the Zips basketball program...and Treadwell's entire life. Treadwell, who will hopefully be here for three more seasons, was extremely raw early in the season. Part of his problem was mental, part of it was lack of fundamental experience. He's still raw and still makes mental mistakes, but he gradually improved over the course of the season, both on and off the court. He eventually became an important role player, providing the Zips with toughness and rebounding down low. The sky is the limit for this kid. He'll turn 21 this November, but his 6'7", 225 lb frame makes him appear much older. His raw talent and athleticism is unlike any other Zips player in recent memory. It will all come down to how bad Tree wants this, and how much work he's willing to put in over the offseason. He has all the makings of a star in this league.

Nick Harney - B- - Like Treadwell, Harney is extremely raw, but also extremely talented. He took over a few games (Can't State at home), giving us a peek at what kind of potential he has. With his size and athleticism, he has the potential to be a special player. His post moves seemed to improve toward the end of the season, but he'll need to improve his ball handling skills and body control when making his move. Like Treadwell, Harney's potential will be up to Harney. He, like Treadwell, has the potential to be a star in the MAC.

Alex Abreu - Grade: A - Make no mistake - this is Alex Abreu's team. His early-season suspension was disappointing, but it also seemed to make him re-evaluate himself and what he needed to do to become the leader of this squad. Alex's all-around game improved tremendously, just look at the statistics:

2011-2012 - 30 MPG, 10 PPG, 5 APG, 2 SPG, 47 FG%, 44 3PT%, 82 FT%

2010-2011 - 20 MPG, 7 PPG, 4 APG, 1 SPG, 38 FG%, 38 3PT%, 74 FT%

Factor in that it was sophomore season and that he played through much of it at less than 100% and his improvements become even more impressive. Abreu also stepped up when it mattered most, hitting big shot after big shot in the MAC Tournament. After a full offseason of conditioning and coming back at 100% next season, I cannot wait to see what Abreu does. I think he will be our breakout player of the 2012-2013 season.

Incomplete - Deji Ibitayo, Josh Egner, CJ Oldham, Kyle Peterson

Team Grade: B - MAC Regular season champions, another MAC Tournament Championship game, but just a little short of what our expectation should be every single year - reaching the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully they make some noise in the NIT, but even an NIT Championship will fall short of that expectation. Here's to hoping the Zips come back hungrier, stronger, and better overall next year. Like this season, they'll again have the talent to not only win the MAC, but also make noise in the NCAA Tournament. Next year they just need to finish the job. Call me a homer, but I think they will, and we'll be dusting off our Dancin' shoes in March of 2013.

GO ZIPS!!!!!!!!

[lumberjack]

You are out of your mind giving Chauncey a C-. You can have your own opinion but Chauncey was not allowed to play his game this season. For whatever reason it doesn't make sense. Listen to KD's post game interview after the Can't game. For the record UA lost every game Chauncey mins were compromised. He is much better than you know...

[akronzips71]

I agree, and Brian Walsh is also an A

He is not a work in progress, he is a true Div I Major-Major player. He was all over the court and gave his all. I don't expect much if any improvement, he is a complete player.

I also question your opinion of the coaching staff. It is possible they got the MOST out of what they had. There were some players in the MAC that were really better than anyone we had - or possibly have ever had. Cooper, Greene, Watt and a few others come to mind.

Yes, our guys are more athletic and longer than teams in the past. But I am not so sure they were playing under their potential - they may have been playing above potential. We will have to see what the off season brings, since they are all (except Nik) returning next year. Hopefully Harney and Tree will develop - they both made too many bone headed plays this year. I particularly recall Tree having the ball ripped away a couple of times last night - he is one strong dude, that should never happen. And Harney with the travels - again, practice makes perfect.

Overall I still give this team an A. They won the MAC and got the automatic bid to the NIT. OU knocked us out of the dance, but hey, between DJ and Baltic and Offut, they were a tough team, with (27) wins on the season!

Success is not measured ONLY by going to the Dance - lets face it, we only lost 4 games in the MAC all year out of 18. Sadly, we lost one that counts big - the last one. By one freaking point. After TWO questionable calls at the end. So live with it, it was an A year.

[wadszip]

Great post. I agree with almost everything. However, I will side with lumberjack that Chauncey deserves way more than a C- grade. When given minutes, he played very well.

However, lumberjack, lets face it. Chauncey is a three on this team, however you want to look at it. Alex Abreu is the 1, and was the best overall player this year. Walsh is the 2, and had a hell of a season. Chauncey is kind of stuck because he is an "NBA 2" who is a natural three in the MAC. and will have to split time with Quincy for minutes. Quincy also deserves a lot of credit for taking on that 6th man role, ala Cedric Middleton.

True, you can slide either Q or Chauncey to the 2 and Walsh to the 1 if Alex is out, but Alex needs to play 35 minutes per game at the 1, so that negates a lot of ability to shift roles. Plus, nobody can argue that Walsh didn't deserve the 30 he was getting, either. Basically, the minutes are a crunch. If you consider that there are only 15 available, give or take a few, when either Alex or Walsh aren't in the game at the 1 and 2, there is a log jam between Chauncey, Quincy and Harney for those remaining minutes (about 55 to be distributed between the three of them, and all three are 20-30 minute-a-game players). That jam could increase next year, considering every guy I mentioned is back plus there is a chance one of the freshmen will probably be more productive than what Nitro was.

That's a good problem to have, but only if everybody is on the same page. I think Quincy Diggs deserves a ton of credit for living with that reality and still showing up every night (though he did have a rough spot offensively at the end of the regular season). If Chauncey can 100 percent buy into a similiar role as what Q had this year (albeit as a starter), the Zips will be a very dangerous team, especially if Harney is able to play more minutes at the 4, which would increase Chauncey and Qs minutes on the wing and offset some of the production lost with Serb graduating.

Lets face it, there are only two guys returning on this team who can even think of potentially being NBA players ... Zeke and Treadwell ... and even Tree is a longshot at best right now. However, there are five guys who definitely can carve a living in pro ball if they can get over the fact that the NBA isn't likely going to be their calling (Walsh, Alex, Q, Chauncey and Harney) and buy into what is best for their current team.

Three of those guys seem to be on that page (Walsh, Alex and Q), while it's undetermined if Chauncey and Harney will join them.

Overall, though, I hope all those guys realize what they accomplished this year. They were an extremely talented but inexperienced team, but yet still nearly lived up to the lofty goal of bringing the Zips back to the tourney. They fell short, but if all are on the same page, we could be in for a special season next year.

[B4110]

Don't agree with everything said. i think the team played up to potential. i think the plan of attack in some of these games is the problem. U have to use what u have the proper way. Proper planning prevents poor performance. The players did the best they could with the guidance they had. The coaching staff has to find a way to get more movement on offense. all that athleticism is pointless to have if u don't use it.

[The Hip Zip]

I agree with most here, KD himself stated that Chauncey had made sacrifices for the good of the team this season. I'd probably give him an incomplete because the total package has yet to be seen.

I just hope like hell that he gets turned loose a little next season. It bothered me that in a game where we struggled to find any offense that CG spent most of the night on the bench. On the drive, CG and QD are among the best finishers that I have EVER seen at UA. I am already anxious to see them on the floor much more next season in an offense that should be geared up to feature their talents.

[lumberjack]

Great post. I agree with almost everything. However, I will side with lumberjack that Chauncey deserves way more than a C- grade. When given minutes, he played very well.

However, lumberjack, lets face it. Chauncey is a three on this team, however you want to look at it. Alex Abreu is the 1, and was the best overall player this year. Walsh is the 2, and had a hell of a season. Chauncey is kind of stuck because he is an "NBA 2" who is a natural three in the MAC. and will have to split time with Quincy for minutes. Quincy also deserves a lot of credit for taking on that 6th man role, ala Cedric Middleton.

True, you can slide either Q or Chauncey to the 2 and Walsh to the 1 if Alex is out, but Alex needs to play 35 minutes per game at the 1, so that negates a lot of ability to shift roles. Plus, nobody can argue that Walsh didn't deserve the 30 he was getting, either. Basically, the minutes are a crunch. If you consider that there are only 15 available, give or take a few, when either Alex or Walsh aren't in the game at the 1 and 2, there is a log jam between Chauncey, Quincy and Harney for those remaining minutes (about 55 to be distributed between the three of them, and all three are 20-30 minute-a-game players). That jam could increase next year, considering every guy I mentioned is back plus there is a chance one of the freshmen will probably be more productive than what Nitro was.

That's a good problem to have, but only if everybody is on the same page. I think Quincy Diggs deserves a ton of credit for living with that reality and still showing up every night (though he did have a rough spot offensively at the end of the regular season). If Chauncey can 100 percent buy into a similiar role as what Q had this year (albeit as a starter), the Zips will be a very dangerous team, especially if Harney is able to play more minutes at the 4, which would increase Chauncey and Qs minutes on the wing and offset some of the production lost with Serb graduating.

Lets face it, there are only two guys returning on this team who can even think of potentially being NBA players ... Zeke and Treadwell ... and even Tree is a longshot at best right now. However, there are five guys who definitely can carve a living in pro ball if they can get over the fact that the NBA isn't likely going to be their calling (Walsh, Alex, Q, Chauncey and Harney) and buy into what is best for their current team.

Three of those guys seem to be on that page (Walsh, Alex and Q), while it's undetermined if Chauncey and Harney will join them.

Overall, though, I hope all those guys realize what they accomplished this year. They were an extremely talented but inexperienced team, but yet still nearly lived up to the lofty goal of bringing the Zips back to the tourney. They fell short, but if all are on the same page, we could be in for a special season next year.

I disagree that Chauncey isn't pro potential. He played as a freshmen for 30 mins a game putting up big numbers on people already in the NBA, a captain in his 2nd year, and was drawing solid interest from scouts in those 2 years prior to getting to Akron. He was a high major recruit same as Walsh with ACC, Big East, Big 12 and SEC along with some high mid majors on the list A-10, CAA and etc. He's also a PROVEN scoring threat and is one of if not the best scorer on the Akron team shooting over 50% FGA as a freshman and 40% in his second year with nearly 700 points in two years at UMBC. You wouldn't have seen it because the politics of the game at Akron shadowed his true potential. You make your assessment over this first year here at Akron when he came there was expecting to be a totally different player one that I've never seen since I coached or watch him play in the last 15 years. He has a game similar to that of Dwayne Wade, Kobe, and Charles Barkley but is not allowed in KD's controlled system of play. I've watch and have tapes on this kid scoring 30 plus on the Morris twins, Tyreke Evans, Corey Fisher, Sam Young, and many more (go ask somebody). For some reason KD recruited him knowing this but demanded that he play a different style when he got to Akron. This is not the same player I know and there is no benefit for him not. He has a ton of experience where he makes everyone around him better and most of all he is unselfish, which I can't say about the majority of the team. KD support my argument when he mentioned this on the post Can't game press conference the night before the championship. To me and Chauncey this doesn't make ant sense and as a person really close to him that really piss me off. I know one thing if it wasn't for him you would have lost more games had he not saved your butts. As a matter a fact if you had him and Treadwell in the place of Walsh and Nick down the stretch of the Ohio game you would be going to the dance right now you ungrateful naive people. He has hit more big shots in games in the last two years than the entire Akron team did this year. KD won't let him do what he does and its not on Chauncey. You only know what is right in front of you not the true story.

[lumberjack]

I agree with most here, KD himself stated that Chauncey had made sacrifices for the good of the team this season. I'd probably give him an incomplete because the total package has yet to be seen.

I just hope like hell that he gets turned loose a little next season. It bothered me that in a game where we struggled to find any offense that CG spent most of the night on the bench. On the drive, CG and QD are among the best finishers that I have EVER seen at UA. I am already anxious to see them on the floor much more next season in an offense that should be geared up to feature their talents.

Thank you Hip Zip

[taxpayer]

Lumberjack - thanks for elevating CG by cutting down his teammates. I'm sure he was terrific in high school, prep school and UMBC but he isn't there, he's here now; playing against a higher level of talent. He is also playing with other talented young men and can't take 15 shots a game; there are too many other options. To make a statement like you did about NC and BW is loser talk. My opinion is this: CG's minutes will increase when he learns or decides to participate in the teams' defensive systems. He is a good on the ball defender but gets lost when off the ball. You need to look in the mirror man, your words and are insulting to the other players on this team. I guess all the comments on this board are part of the conspiracy and ol' boys network you refer to.

I certainly hope CG's attitude is better than yours; your attitude is a cancer.

[bUAkronG]

I disagree that Chauncey isn't pro potential. He played as a freshmen for 30 mins a game putting up big numbers on people already in the NBA, a captain in his 2nd year, and was drawing solid interest from scouts in those 2 years prior to getting to Akron. He was a high major recruit same as Walsh with ACC, Big East, Big 12 and SEC along with some high mid majors on the list A-10, CAA and etc. He's also a PROVEN scoring threat and is one of if not the best scorer on the Akron team shooting over 50% FGA as a freshman and 40% in his second year with nearly 700 points in two years at UMBC. You wouldn't have seen it because the politics of the game at Akron shadowed his true potential. You make your assessment over this first year here at Akron when he came there was expecting to be a totally different player one that I've never seen since I coached or watch him play in the last 15 years. He has a game similar to that of Dwayne Wade, Kobe, and Charles Barkley but is not allowed in KD's controlled system of play. I've watch and have tapes on this kid scoring 30 plus on the Morris twins, Tyreke Evans, Corey Fisher, Sam Young, and many more (go ask somebody). For some reason KD recruited him knowing this but demanded that he play a different style when he got to Akron. This is not the same player I know and there is no benefit for him not. He has a ton of experience where he makes everyone around him better and most of all he is unselfish, which I can't say about the majority of the team. KD support my argument when he mentioned this on the post Can't game press conference the night before the championship. To me and Chauncey this doesn't make ant sense and as a person really close to him that really piss me off. I know one thing if it wasn't for him you would have lost more games had he not saved your butts. As a matter a fact if you had him and Treadwell in the place of Walsh and Nick down the stretch of the Ohio game you would be going to the dance right now you ungrateful naive people. He has hit more big shots in games in the last two years than the entire Akron team did this year. KD won't let him do what he does and its not on Chauncey. You only know what is right in front of you not the true story.

Thank you for referring to the Zips teams as "you guys"

Clearly you are not an actual Zps fan. I understand CG is your boy but I agree with taxpayer, your attitude is horrific. This board would be much better without you.

But hey at least I know to not to read any of your posts again.

[bigzipguy]

Hey, everyone I love the Zips too. BUT everybody just take a deep breath!!! People have different opinions.

[tpsjugglerdude]

Why are grades posted when the finals havn't been taken yet?

[BirdZip]

I disagree that Chauncey isn't pro potential. He played as a freshmen for 30 mins a game putting up big numbers on people already in the NBA, a captain in his 2nd year, and was drawing solid interest from scouts in those 2 years prior to getting to Akron. He was a high major recruit same as Walsh with ACC, Big East, Big 12 and SEC along with some high mid majors on the list A-10, CAA and etc. He's also a PROVEN scoring threat and is one of if not the best scorer on the Akron team shooting over 50% FGA as a freshman and 40% in his second year with nearly 700 points in two years at UMBC. You wouldn't have seen it because the politics of the game at Akron shadowed his true potential. You make your assessment over this first year here at Akron when he came there was expecting to be a totally different player one that I've never seen since I coached or watch him play in the last 15 years. He has a game similar to that of Dwayne Wade, Kobe, and Charles Barkley but is not allowed in KD's controlled system of play. I've watch and have tapes on this kid scoring 30 plus on the Morris twins, Tyreke Evans, Corey Fisher, Sam Young, and many more (go ask somebody). For some reason KD recruited him knowing this but demanded that he play a different style when he got to Akron. This is not the same player I know and there is no benefit for him not. He has a ton of experience where he makes everyone around him better and most of all he is unselfish, which I can't say about the majority of the team. KD support my argument when he mentioned this on the post Can't game press conference the night before the championship. To me and Chauncey this doesn't make ant sense and as a person really close to him that really piss me off. I know one thing if it wasn't for him you would have lost more games had he not saved your butts. As a matter a fact if you had him and Treadwell in the place of Walsh and Nick down the stretch of the Ohio game you would be going to the dance right now you ungrateful naive people. He has hit more big shots in games in the last two years than the entire Akron team did this year. KD won't let him do what he does and its not on Chauncey. You only know what is right in front of you not the true story.

UMBC record:

2008-09: 15-17

2009-10: 4-26

I choose winning.

Don't get me wrong--I love watching Chauncey play, and I think he can be a valuable member of this team. I am, however, a huge proponent of "team". Yelling at your coach, bad mouthing the other players--not so much a fan of that.

[Dave in Green]

My 2 cents on Chauncey Gilliam:

I believe that KD recruited CG as a shooter in the mold of Brett McKnight. KD likes having an instant offense guy who can step in and hit shots when the Zips' offense is sluggish.

Typically, designated shooters have the most problems on defense. CG earned increased PT throughout the season by improving his defensive play, and by the end of the season I thought he was playing much better D than early in the season.

I think that CG has made a major effort to fit in with the team. Rather than shooting every time he gets his hands on the ball, he makes an effort to find the open man. He seems to struggle at times on pulling the trigger when he is open, which is unusual for a shooter. I attribute that to adjusting to the Zips game plan of knowing exactly when he's expected to shoot and when not to.

If you look at the graphs of CG's performance throughout the season, almost every positive trend line moves steadily up, including shooting percentage. I think it's important to see how much CG has improved over the course of the season as he's gradually become more comfortable playing in KD's system.

Toward the end of the season I started having a lot of confidence in CG's 3-point shooting. He scored some big-time shots at critical times. And I think CG has a beautiful and deadly accurate tear drop (or runner) shot that he hits for a high percentage.

I would say the C- average might have fit CG's performance earlier in the season when he wasn't yet comfortable with KD's system. But by the end of the season his performance improved up into at least the B- range. Again, look at the graphs of CG's performance that can be called up on statsheet.com and the upward trends are all obvious. Final grades should be biased more toward performance at the end of the season rather than the beginning.

There's no need to trash any of CG's teammates or the coaching staff to build him up. The Zips have a lot of good players right now, and they all play important roles in overall team performance. When looked at objectively, as opposed to through the eyes of a close friend or relative, CG's performance stands on its own.

I personally have a lot of confidence that if CG continues to work on doing what KD wants him to do, he will be a major contributor next season and get even more PT.

[zippy5]

Chauncey had a choice, either play 35 minutes on a lousy team, or sacrifice some minutes and come to a great program. He chose the latter. He bided his time, and with Nik and McClanahan gone, he'll get his minutes next year. The only time "politics" comes up is when family members get pissed and cry to everyone about their kid/cousin/brother/whatever not getting enough run. He'll get his next year, on hopefully an even better team.

[Derrt]

Im so hard!!!

Signed the GodFather

[UAZip0510]

You are out of your mind giving Chauncey a C-. You can have your own opinion but Chauncey was not allowed to play his game this season. For whatever reason it doesn't make sense. Listen to KD's post game interview after the Can't game. For the record UA lost every game Chauncey mins were compromised. He is much better than you know...

I appreciate your support of your friend or family member. Chauncey is one of my favorite Zips players, and I do see him stepping up big time next season. With that being said, I think a C- is fair for a guy who played inconsistently all season. We can agree to disagree.

[lumberjack]

Lumberjack - thanks for elevating CG by cutting down his teammates. I'm sure he was terrific in high school, prep school and UMBC but he isn't there, he's here now; playing against a higher level of talent. He is also playing with other talented young men and can't take 15 shots a game; there are too many other options. To make a statement like you did about NC and BW is loser talk. My opinion is this: CG's minutes will increase when he learns or decides to participate in the teams' defensive systems. He is a good on the ball defender but gets lost when off the ball. You need to look in the mirror man, your words and are insulting to the other players on this team. I guess all the comments on this board are part of the conspiracy and ol' boys network you refer to.

I certainly hope CG's attitude is better than yours; your attitude is a cancer.

I don't care what you think. You don't know me. I never put anyone down. Its who is hot that night and who is not nothing personal. This talent is no different cross the country,,What a butt!!!

[roopride]

I think CG is a player and gald to have him as a ZIP. I hope he feels like a team member and can do some big things.

[lumberjack]

I never trashed anyone I just said in my opinion Chauncey has been a good closer better than what you guys have seen. So when Chauncey reads this post I can tell you he will be hurt and pissed for he knows why he appear confused because he was forced to play outside of himself. All his life he's been a creator and finisher except for at Akron. And for the record he has never been a selfish player but very humble which he got from a great family (strong but sensitive). Its also inconsiderate for you guys to say such a hurtful thread giving him a C-, in light of coming of a big lost where he had to watch it slip away while being on the bench, and especially when you don't know all the facts and all the sacrifices he made coming there. And to me he sacrificed more than others on his team as some were not required to. The way I see it if one sacrifice for the team then all should sacrifice. So in your argument you said Walsh and Tree is better than Chauncey but that was OK. But when I said Chauncey is better than Walsh and Serb suddenly I'm a cancer. Well if thats the way midwesterners interpret things so be it. This is not slavery and in the northeast its OK to voice your opinion without being attacked for it. In addition I feel Chauncey wasted his time at Akron this year frankly and I'm not happy with his role he played, the coaching staff, and school and thats the bottom line AND you guys didn't deserve to have him. You have your reasons for feeling the way you do as in C- grade and so do I while totally disagreeing with the B- as well. I trained him to be a complete player and he is better than you give him credit for and that alone makes me very angry. Also when you write BS like grading players than you should be on the phone in the middle of the night when Chauncey calls thinking that the fans hate him and they don't understand the politics of the game. Just because he plays for your school doesn't give you the right to say and do whatever you want unless you want a fight on your hands via conversation. This post was stupid, childish. immature as well as selfish and most of all invited all the peckers to respond. You don't know that half of it. For the record UMBC beat Toledo two years in a row from the MAC so quit trashing UMBC. Chauncey still have friends there and he still loves the school. The program has been in a slump lately and mainly because Chauncey left to be a Zip. I simply said go to the press conference post Can't St. and hear from the coaches mouth why Chauncey's role was limited. There was a lot of time money spent to get him at a place where he could be a complete player to be sacrificed just to loose in the end. I'm not crying just saying. Also the more you guys hate me the better I feel. You guys are funny...

[lumberjack]

Chauncey had a choice, either play 35 minutes on a lousy team, or sacrifice some minutes and come to a great program. He chose the latter. He bided his time, and with Nik and McClanahan gone, he'll get his minutes next year. The only time "politics" comes up is when family members get pissed and cry to everyone about their kid/cousin/brother/whatever not getting enough run. He'll get his next year, on hopefully an even better team.

I'll take that...and when you grow up you will understand...

[zippy5]

For the record, I think Chauncey is a great kid and a great teammate. If you raised him, job well done. I just think this isn't the way to go about it, but to each his own.

[roopride]

I also like Chauncy. I think he has been a great addition to a deep team. Hope you both hang in there. Remeber our grading doesn't really matter.

[lumberjack]

For the record, I think Chauncey is a great kid and a great teammate. If you raised him, job well done. I just think this isn't the way to go about it, but to each his own.

I'm a spokes person for him and won't let anyone put him down or talk smack about him. He comes from good stock (athletic, educated, and financially well off). I know the family well...met them and love them.

[Derrt]

Still

This was a funny thread.