2013-14 Basketball Rags

[legendofzippy]

People are forgetting that Nick and Tree are actually only juniors academically.

Tree is likely a high NBA draft pick after his senior campaign.

Quincy is working his tail off with hope of getting picked in the next NBA draft. If he plays well he has a better chance than Zeke.

The freshmen are a "stud" class. Sell none of them short. However, they are Freshmen competing for playing time against a

group of talented, veteran players. Their time to shine is in the future.

Treadwell is the best player in the conference. Due to the pecking order rule; Javon McCrea is a senior and Tree is a Junior.

The "rabbit puncher" will get the votes for POY from the media wonks.

Official practice begins Tuesday, October first. Then it will all start to be sorted out.

side note: The Freshmen brought a lot of individual talent to the team. How well they have learned to play together, especially

on the defensive side of the ball is bringing smiles to the coaching staff.

I think you're highly underestimating how difficult it is to make an NBA roster.

Why would Quincy have a better shot than a 7 footer? And good lord don't start the blame the media stuff. Javon is a great player. If he wins POY he'll have deserved it.

I like our players, but let's focus on defending the MAC crown.

[Derrt]

Why would Quincy have a better shot than a 7 footer? And good lord don't start the blame the media stuff. Javon is a great player. If he wins POY he'll have deserved it.

I laugh at your doubt in Q's draft ability. See

[legendofzippy]

I laugh at your doubt in Q's draft ability. See

Ok, but I asked why he would be a better prospect than Zeke, which was the original statement.

But I'll bite. Quincy is a very good player, but based on what I've seen in the past, he won't be drafted.

[Dave in Green]

Much as I'd like to, I can't buy into the highly optimistic speculation that any of the current Zips is "likely" to go high in the NBA draft after their senior season. I think it's realistic to say they have a chance if everything goes right. But it's going to depend on how much they improve between now and the end of their senior season. Of all the current Zips, Q and Tree have shown the most potential so far to possibly move on to the next level.

Focusing in on Q first, he showed flashes of brilliance in his junior season, and seems to have returned this season with a burning desire to be the absolute best he can be. Like Tree and McCrae, I think he also has a shot at MAC POTY. In the NBA, his size probably limits him to the backcourt. His greatest potential in the NBA would be a combo guard who could backup both the 1 and 2 spots. I think it's possible he could get a shot near the end of the draft if he has a brilliant season. But the reality is that there are a lot of outstanding players with similar abilities to Q in college basketball, many of whom play for bigger-name teams. I'm rooting for Q all the way. But he's going to be fighting high odds. I think it's more likely that he gets a chance to prove himself overseas and earn an NBA shot.

Tree is a beast as a power forward at the college level. Like Q, he's shown flashes of brilliance. But he's slightly undersized compared with most of the top 4s in the NBA. Switching to the 3 at the professional level would require Tree to have a reliable long-range shot, which he's never shown and seems unlikely to develop playing the 4 for the Zips. So I think Tree is boxed in to the 4 spot, and will have to develop into an exceptional rebounder and defender with a reliable short-range shot to have a chance at the NBA. It would help if Tree were to be among the college leaders in rebounding, which is what got Paul Millsap drafted as a slightly undersized 4 who regularly outrebounds taller NBA power forwards.

I think we Zips basketball fans are really fortunate that with Zeke, Q and Tree, we will go through 3 NBA drafts in a row where we have at least a chance of having a Zips player drafted. Just having the annual discussion helps elevate Zips basketball. Many college basketball programs never have a single player with anything close to NBA potential.

[GoZips]

I laugh at your doubt in Q's draft ability. See

I speak truth knows the effort and dedication Quincy is putting in. Quincy works a lot harder than Zeke ever did.

Q's ability to be drafted is based on his personal skill and effort. NOT on his size.

Quincy is no longer the wild haired kid. He has grown up and possesses the tools of adulthood. Quincy will amaze you

when you get to see him on court. I see Q at practice nearly every day. I like watching him busting his butt for a goal

he knows he can obtain.

[Dr Z]

Quincy will amaze youwhen you get to see him on court. I see Q at practice nearly every day. I like watching him busting his butt for a goal he knows he can obtain.

That's great news! I'm looking forward to seeing witnessing it with my own eyes.

[Hilltopper]

Q has a lot to prove this season. He has been the most focused player at every practice I have attended. He and KD seem to be on the same page and Q is clearly the leader of this team.

[Dave in Green]

Steve Fetch predicts that the Zips are likely to win the MAC again this season, but thinks they only lost Zeke and no one else, overlooking the loss of Brian Walsh, Chauncey Gilliam and Alex Abreu:

MAC - Akron

Akron lost just two league games last year, and only lost Zeke Marshall to graduation. The Zips led the league in defense and were 2nd in 2pt% allowed, and led the league in offensive rebounding. The Zips were both very good from two both on offense and on defense, finishing in the top 25 nationally in both categories, though oddly enough just 5th in 2pt offense in MAC conference play.

[LZIp]

Interesting stat. I figured we would have finished better than 5th a 2pt % in conference, considering we had Zeke who was one of the most efficient scorers in the nation

[Dave in Green]

Zeke shot 65.1% for the season and 65% in MAC games. Many of the other Zips players shot a lower FG percentage in MAC games than in non-conference games.