Hoops: Forsythe eligible

[GeorgeThomasABJ]

http://www.ohio.com/blogs/ua-zips/universi...igible-1.340306

[Akron1]

Did he get the 4th year? Great news for this season!

[skip-zip]

I felt all along as if the conditions were right for a hardship. I would have been surprised if he was denied.

This makes the Quincy situation really hurt. This team could have really been super loaded, and possibly given us our best chance ever of going beyond the MAC. Hopefully, we can still make a run at that status.

[Class of 82]

Great, great news! A deep team just got even deeper. (I agree, though, skip, that the irony is that it makes the loss of Quincy loom even larger than it did.)

Pat's presence as a back-up should take a lot of pressure off of Zeke and free him up for the monster senior year we know he's capable of.

GO ZIPS!

[Sergeant Zip]

Did he get the 4th year? Great news for this season!

Joe Dunn said he did on the Big Time Sports Show on 1350 WARF. I didn't hear where he got the info.

[Zipmeister]

Did he get the 4th year? Great news for this season!

Based on the FIRST sentence in the blog, I'm thinking he got the 4 years.

[Akron1]

Based on the FIRST sentence in the blog, I'm thinking he got the 4 years.

At the time of the post, the blog wouldn't open. Thanks for your comment. It is nice to feel the love from another Zip fan.

[Quickzips]

Great news. Certainly much better than last weeks big hoops news, although I agree that it is going to hurt at times this year thinking of just how deep this team would have been with Q in the fold.

[Kangaroo Craig]

I wonder if coach Dambrot is considering playing him some at power forward. I would love to see the "twin towers" combination.

[akronzips71]

That is GREAT news! I can't wait for the season!

[LZIp]

Is the any way Quincy would be let back on the team assuming he comes back to the University in the Spring? There will still be a lot of ball left to be played...

[Dave in Green]

@LZip, the UA statement on Q said that his status with the university would be reevaluated "after May 12, 2013." His coaches and teammates want him back. But UA says the only way that happens is if he returns for next season, not the tail end of this season.

@Kangaroo Craig, I'm not authorized to speak on behalf of KD. But I think I can safely say that you will see Zeke and Pat on the floor together at times this season, and when they are, the Zips are going to present a problem for other teams that no other MAC team has ever dreamed of.

I think it bears repeating at this point for those who have not actually seen Pat Forsythe on a basketball court that he is not your typical mid-major 6-11 plodder who just occupies a lot of space. He's quick, agile, athletic and skilled. If he really wants it, he has future NBA potential. I'm still in a state of shock that the Zips will have two potential future NBA centers on the floor together this season. No guarantees, but the potential here is pretty stunning.

[akronzips71]

With those two on the floor the opponents will be taking a lot of three point tries. I hope this guy can rebound, that is the one area we have been weak in.

[LZIp]

With those two on the floor the opponents will be taking a lot of three point tries. I hope this guy can rebound, that is the one area we have been weak in.

Agreed. Forsythe being on the floor means minutes will be taken away from Tree, who is our best rebounder.

[RootforRoo44]

Agreed. Forsythe being on the floor means minutes will be taken away from Tree, who is our best rebounder.

I don't see why Tree(3), Forsythe(4), and Zeke(5) can't all be on the floor at the same time.

Having seen them all play, I can assure you that they are all quick enough and skilled enough for those positions.

[akronzips71]

I don't see why Tree(3), Forsythe(4), and Zeke(5) can't all be on the floor at the same time.

Having seen them all play, I can assure you that they are all quick enough and skilled enough for those positions.

I have to agree. That is a front line that can tear up the Mac.

[LZIp]

I don't see why Tree(3), Forsythe(4), and Zeke(5) can't all be on the floor at the same time.

Having seen them all play, I can assure you that they are all quick enough and skilled enough for those positions.

No way do I see Tree as being skilled enough to play the 3. Now Harney on the other hand..

[Class of 82]

I don't see why Tree(3), Forsythe(4), and Zeke(5) can't all be on the floor at the same time.

Having seen them all play, I can assure you that they are all quick enough and skilled enough for those positions.

I'm sure there will be all kinds of experimentation with line-ups, and you may well be right.

I still believe, though, that Pat's biggest value is going to be as Zeke's back up. With him ready on the bench, I think Zeke can play a lot more aggressively and assertively from the opening tip. While it might seem counter-intuitive, I actually think Zeke will foul less and rebound better without that overriding fear of early fouls that can become self-fulfilling, especially with MAC referees. And with Pat giving some quality minutes off the bench, Zeke can have more in the tank at the end of games.

However it all pans out, it's gonna be fun to watch, though.

GO ZIPS!!!

[lumberjack]

http://www.ohio.com/blogs/ua-zips/universi...igible-1.340306

In my opinion although Q will be missed I think the team will be in great shape. I also believe that the team will make it out of MAC play with this new addition and go deep in the post season for what I've seen this year. There are players that have shown only a fraction of their true potential.

[Dave in Green]

Assuming that Zeke averages about the same number of minutes per game as last season (26), that would leave 14 mpg for a backup center. From what I've seen so far, I believe that as Pat adapts to the Zips' system he will make a compelling case for playing more than 14 mpg. But I think at least at the beginning of the season while Pat is making a case for more PT, he probably will not be on the floor very often alongside Zeke.

The most important time for the twin tower approach would come in post-season play, when the Zips are likely to go up against bigger, stronger teams than during the regular season. In the big games, I'd expect to see Zeke playing 30+ minutes as long as he avoids foul trouble. If Pat has proven himself by then, he could be up to 20+ minutes. That could put them on the floor together for 10+ minutes. All speculation at this point, of course.

As for rebounding, we all know that Tree is a beast. He ranked #11 in the country in offensive rebounding percentage last season at 16.7%. In 7 games at WVU last season prior to his injury, Pat had an offensive rebounding percentage of 20.6%. That would have made him the #2 player nationally in offensive rebounding percentage had he played a full season at that rate. When Tree and Pat are on the court together, they are going to own the boards.

[Bubba4three]

I don't see why Tree(3), Forsythe(4), and Zeke(5) can't all be on the floor at the same time.

Having seen them all play, I can assure you that they are all quick enough and skilled enough for those positions.

That would make for some intriguing matchups against Ohio when we essentially have 3 guards on the floor in Cooper, Kellogg, and Offutt.

[BirdZip]

That would make for some intriguing matchups against Ohio when we essentially have 3 guards on the floor in Cooper, Kellogg, and Offutt.

One of the things that has irritated me when we play Ohio these last couple of years is that Cooper would continually dice through the lane and not once get put on his back by a hard foul. If someone was continually doing that to my team, at least once I'd give him a reason to think twice about it. Maybe Forsythe will step up in that regard and remind the guards who owns the lane. Volkswagens vs. Mack trucks...

[Class of 82]

Assuming that Zeke averages about the same number of minutes per game as last season (26), that would leave 14 mpg for a backup center. From what I've seen so far, I believe that as Pat adapts to the Zips' system he will make a compelling case for playing more than 14 mpg. But I think at least at the beginning of the season while Pat is making a case for more PT, he probably will not be on the floor very often alongside Zeke.

The most important time for the twin tower approach would come in post-season play, when the Zips are likely to go up against bigger, stronger teams than during the regular season. In the big games, I'd expect to see Zeke playing 30+ minutes as long as he avoids foul trouble. If Pat has proven himself by then, he could be up to 20+ minutes. That could put them on the floor together for 10+ minutes. All speculation at this point, of course.

As for rebounding, we all know that Tree is a beast. He ranked #11 in the country in offensive rebounding percentage last season at 16.7%. In 7 games at WVU last season prior to his injury, Pat had an offensive rebounding percentage of 20.6%. That would have made him the #2 player nationally in offensive rebounding percentage had he played a full season at that rate. When Tree and Pat are on the court together, they are going to own the boards.

Hi Dave,

Great observations, imo.

As for the Twin Towers bit, I expect we'll see it some, but I don't really know if that's the identity this team needs to be its best. I wanna see us use our depth and athleticism to run people out of the gym on offense, press people to death on defense, and generally make playing Akron about as much fun as harvesting honey without a beekeeper's suit. I want a take-no-prisoners approach that steps on opponents' throats from the opening tip and does not let up until the last buzzer. Even without Quincy, I think we've got the personnel to do just that.

[akronzips71]

Hi Dave,

Great observations, imo.

As for the Twin Towers bit, I expect we'll see it some, but I don't really know if that's the identity this team needs to be its best. I wanna see us use our depth and athleticism to run people out of the gym on offense, press people to death on defense, and generally make playing Akron about as much fun as harvesting honey without a beekeeper's suit. I want a take-no-prisoners approach that steps on opponents' throats from the opening tip and does not let up until the last buzzer. Even without Quincy, I think we've got the personnel to do just that.

One of the big issues we had last year was an inability to score at times. That is where "twin towers" could save our bacon. It will be very hard to defend two seven footers around the hoop. It will always be a huge threat, and possibly will open up outside shots.

[Bubba4three]

One of the things that has irritated me when we play Ohio these last couple of years is that Cooper would continually dice through the lane and not once get put on his back by a hard foul. If someone was continually doing that to my team, at least once I'd give him a reason to think twice about it. Maybe Forsythe will step up in that regard and remind the guards who owns the lane. Volkswagens vs. Mack trucks...

That is I feel as a Cavs fan when Lebron would run to the hoop and then get a light foul. Put him on his back. The moment I will always remember in Zeke vs DJ is in one of our tourny matchups with maybe 4 seconds before half following an Akron bucket DJ took the ball basket to basket and put it in right around Zeke as the half expired. Zeke is a great player, but at that point I was convinced we had the better great player in DJ.