Offseason News & Updates 2015

[zippyfan34]

Been a pretty quiet front this summer in regards to Zips basketball. Are the Zips players no longer playing in the Cleveland/Akron Pro Am league at Walsh? I briefly looked through some videos and didn't see any Zips but there was a Harney sighting. Did the NCAA now make these off limits for D1 schools or is there something else going on for the Zips to not be playing there?

[Hilltopper]

Since the NCAA changed the offseason practice rules a couple of years ago, the Zips have stopped having players participate in the summer leagues. Each player is allowed to have 2 hours per week of supervised workouts by the coaching staff and 6 hours of conditioning. They have practices 2 days per week and the team is divided into 3 groups that practice for 1 hour each. On other days they condition and hold open gyms.

[LZIp]

Would've swore there were players participating in summer leagues last year. My memory isnt the greatest, though.

[GoZips]

Been a pretty quiet front this summer in regards to Zips basketball. Are the Zips players no longer playing in the Cleveland/Akron Pro Am league at Walsh? I briefly looked through some videos and didn't see any Zips but there was a Harney sighting. Did the NCAA now make these off limits for D1 schools or is there something else going on for the Zips to not be playing there?

Prevent injuries. The Zips are busy preparing for the coming season.

Yes, Zips participated in the Summer League last Summer. The coaching staff discourages participation

in the Summer League.

I do not know of any NCAA ban against playing in Summer leagues.

[GoZips]

A lot more fun and of interest is the five and soon to be six incoming Freshmen.

The three Nigerians players, while all raw, are athletic as heck. They are all large men over six-six.

Good characters with pleasant, competitive personalities.

Josh Williams at this point is the star of the class. Look for Josh to contribute from the beginning.

He may well be the best guard out of Ohio high school this season.

Tyler Dunn, broadcaster Joe Dunn's talented son, is an outstanding walk-on. Last year's walk-ons

will not be missed.

A second walk-on, whose family was the host family for Peter Agba, is going through orientation

and will join the team as soon as he is enrolled in class.

[Dave in Green]

Here's what the latest rules say about the Akron Canton Am Pro Men's Summer League at Walsh University and other similar summer leagues:

Summer 2015 Men's Certified Basketball Leagues

Updated: 6/19/2015 10:08:03 AM

NCAA Division I student-athletes with remaining eligibility may participate in the NCAA-certified summer leagues listed in alphabetical order by the league name in the table below; BUT:

1. Only on the dates identified in the "Certified Dates" column; and

2. Only after receiving Director of Athletics' Permission.

All Division I players must limit their competition to one team in one league. If a student-athlete participates in a two-day activity those student-athletes cannot participate in any other organized basketball activity for the duration of the summer.

etc.

[zippy5]

Last year's walk-ons will not be missed.

No offense to past, present or future walk-ons but if the above statement is ever wrong, we are in trouble.

[Dave in Green]

Scholarship players value walk-ons more than fans do as most fans only rarely get to see them play a few minutes in garbage time. The quality of the walk-ons is important because they challenge the scholarship players in team scrimmages. The better the walk-ons the better prepared the scholarship players become.

[mes102]

Scholarship players value walk-ons more than fans do as most fans only rarely get to see them play a few minutes in garbage time. The quality of the walk-ons is important because they challenge the scholarship players in team scrimmages. The better the walk-ons the better prepared the scholarship players become.

Exactly what I was going to say. As a coach at the high school level, the JV level players are just as important, if not more important, during the practices when you go over scouting reports, repetition, and just fine-tuning your varsity team for their game(s), it would be extremely beneficial for your JV level players to be as close to your opponent as they can get in practice. So the more talented your bench and walk-ons are in your program, the better your program will be ready for game speed with what your opponent will throw at you.

[Dr Z]

I do not know of any NCAA ban against playing in Summer leagues.

“The rules have changed to where you could only have two players from one college team on each of the summer league teams,” Dixon said. “That sort of made it difficult with only so many Division I players available to have the kind of competitive league you are looking for." Source: Pitt cancels summer league.

[Dave in Green]

College teams have for years not been allowed to have more than two current players on each summer league team, but incoming freshmen and transfers could join those two without being counted against the limit. The NCAA changed the rule to count incoming freshmen and transfers against the two player maximum from each school on each summer league team, and Bob Huggins among others was not happy.

[roopride]

A lot more fun and of interest is the five and soon to be six incoming Freshmen.

The three Nigerians players, while all raw, are athletic as heck. They are all large men over six-six.

Good characters with pleasant, competitive personalities.

Josh Williams at this point is the star of the class. Look for Josh to contribute from the beginning.

He may well be the best guard out of Ohio high school this season.

Tyler Dunn, broadcaster Joe Dunn's talented son, is an outstanding walk-on. Last year's walk-ons

will not be missed.

A second walk-on, whose family was the host family for Peter Agba, is going through orientation

and will join the team as soon as he is enrolled in class.

Who are the Nigerians?

[Dave in Green]

Peter Agba, Emmanuel Olojakpoke and Daniel Utomi. All 3 Nigerians are athletic, physical forwards who can rebound and score. I'm thinking they're all bigger (6-6 to 6-7) versions of Deji who can play the 3/4 rather than the 2/3 Deji played. Hopefully they'll develop faster than Deji did. Best case scenario is that at least one of them approaches Tree's quick development curve.

[Dave in Green]

Just heard some great news: Noah Robotham has been spotted back on campus. Will be interesting to learn in the coming weeks exactly how far along he is in recovering from his surgery and how early in the season he might be ready to play serious minutes.

[GoZips]

First player I would to profile is the Little Bull.

"Bull" as he desires to known by has made a huge jump in his skill set over the Summer.

Antino "Ant" Jackson has grown from a twig like stick man into a solid, muscular young

man. If you have not seen "Bull" since last season, you will not recognize him.

Bull has done the work. His development is stunning. Bull looks like the BEST assist man

in many a year. He sees the playing floor and makes excellent ball distribution decisions.

Further more, Bull has extended his range to include NBA threes consistently.

Bull also is working on driving to the basket. He is fearless often banging against the six-six

and taller forwards. Conversely, Bull has improved his already excellent defensive skills.

Overall confidence on either side of the ball is more like a senior than a true sophomore.

Bull can comfortably play either guard and the wing forward. His best position is at the "two"

guard. Playing the point is certainly within his range and may see considerable time on the

point.

Bull has three excellent seasons before him. Enjoy his performance.

[LZIp]

Appreciate your input with the bball team, GoZips, but I'm going to have to call "bull" on all 5'11" on a good day "Bull" being able to play any small forward.

[GoZips]

Appreciate your input with the bball team, GoZips, but I'm going to have to call "bull" on all 5'11" on a good day "Bull" being able to play any small forward.

You misunderstand. A wing forward can just as easily be called a wing guard. I was referring to a three guard offense.

The way "Bull" gets altitude I will give him the benefit of the doubt regarding him guarding small

forwards. He has already shown that he can. Recall that Bull is extremely quick and agile.

[Dave in Green]

At least we have an official Zips roster to look at now, and Little Bull hasn't gotten any bigger and Big Dog hasn't gotten any smaller.

2015-16 Men's Basketball Roster

[a-zip]

Pat is going to have a big year. MAC POY candidate. I have a sneaky suspicion J Ivey is going to to be unreal at some point.

[LoyalZIP]

So how many will be redshirted, and who?

[ZipsBurgh]

Antino led the Cleveland/Akron Pro-Am in assits per game at 9. And I think Jimond Ivey led in points per game at over 25. They posted the lists on their instagram page. Can't link at the moment.

These mean very little, but still great to see our guys doing well.

[Dr Z]

Antino led the Cleveland/Akron Pro-Am in assits per game at 9. And I think Jimond Ivey led in points per game at over 25.

In a summer league? I'll be darn.

Source:

[UAZip0510]

Man, how fun is it going to be to watch Robotham, Jackson, Williams, and Ivey?

[UAZip0510]

I keep hearing big things about Jimond Ivey, so this is going to be interesting.

I would say Forsythe and Robotham (if healthy) are locks to start. I expect Jake to start as well. We can debate the merits of that, but I expect it to happen. I think Antino will get a ton of time at the 2 this year and finish a lot of games, but won't necessarily start. I think KD will want him to play a Quincy Diggs-type role off of the bench. I expect Josh Williams to start instead. I also expect Kwan to start.

So, my way-too-early depth chart guess as of right now:

Cheatham/Jackson

Kretzer/McAdams

Forysthe/Johnson

Williams/Ivey

Robotham/Jackson

Peter Agba is my sleeper - I'm not sure what the coaches have planned for the freshmen on the roster but if they decide to play one, I think it will be Peter.

[Dave in Green]

The Zips backcourt could be pretty amazing considering it consists of 2 freshmen and 2 sophomores. We know how good Noah was as a true freshman and I think there's a chance that Josh could be every bit as impressive. Bull and Jimond just might challenge for best backup backcourt duo in Zips history, at least in my recollection. They still have to prove it on the court in real games, but I'm having a hard time not getting excited about what we're going to see from the Zips guard rotation this season.

I agree it's likely that two of the three freshmen frontcourt players will redshirt due to lack of available PT. Peter certainly has great credentials out of HS. But then so do Daniel and Emmanuel. We'll have to see who makes the quickest transition from HS to D-I college level ball.