Kwan Kwan and more Kwan

[MDZip]

Ended 7-13 and the Zips really needed it, subtract his contribution and the rest of the team was 4-18.

[zippy5]

Wonder if Kwan caught a certain someone's eye tonight

[roopride]

Nooooooooooo, YES!!!

[Blue & Gold]

28 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

Wonder if Kwan caught a certain someone's eye tonight

LeBron was 100% chill tonight, except for Kwan's back-to-back 25-foot 3 pointers.  He was standing out ON THE COURT when he hit those!  He quickly sat back down both times. Savanah just looked @ him, laughed & shook her head. Lol.

[Blue & Gold]

Humble guy.

[Hilltopper]

7 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Humble guy.

Comes from wonderful humble parents.

[Zip JD]

Besides the shooting and post play, I love the KC is down low boxing out and grabbing boards.  He has evolved into such a complete player in every aspect of the game.  He's not afraid to speak up when the younger guys mess up defense rotations or don't box out, etc..  He is really our team leader - that's not a dig at Big Dog.  Dog leads by example, but KC is the one doing the talking and backing it up.  Big Dog is without a doubt the team MVP, but the success of the season IMO is how much KC has stepped up. 

 

Who is the last Zip you remember growing this much from Jr to Sr year? 

[skip-zip]

10 minutes ago, Zip JD said:

Who is the last Zip you remember growing this much from Jr to Sr year? 

 

I said it a little bit ago.  It's pretty incredible.  And a testament to his work ethic.  

 

If I could wish for something, I'd like to see him as a 6'-10" guy with old Guard skills be able to beat people off the dribble to the basket.  He might not have the quickness as a big, like some of Buffalo's big people, but I'd like to see him attempt it more.  He might be able to get past some of the "less nimble" post defenders in our league.  

 

But by far, his shooting accuracy and rebounding alone have been the two elements that have turned him from a guy who was good enough to start, to a guy who's a major contributor.   

[Dr Z]

4 hours ago, Zip JD said:

Who is the last Zip you remember growing this much from Jr to Sr year? 

Jawanza Moore. 

[akronzips71]

6 hours ago, Zip JD said:

Besides the shooting and post play, I love the KC is down low boxing out and grabbing boards.  He has evolved into such a complete player in every aspect of the game.  He's not afraid to speak up when the younger guys mess up defense rotations or don't box out, etc..  He is really our team leader - that's not a dig at Big Dog.  Dog leads by example, but KC is the one doing the talking and backing it up.  Big Dog is without a doubt the team MVP, but the success of the season IMO is how much KC has stepped up. 

 

Who is the last Zip you remember growing this much from Jr to Sr year? 

 

DEJI

[MDZip]

31 minutes ago, akronzips71 said:

 

DEJI

He actually ended up being the teams leading scorer his senior year. I'd also include Jimmy Conyers in that group too. I still don't know if any of them made quite the leap it appears Kwan has.

Edited January 29, 2017 by MDZip

[akronzips71]

Actually, we have a history of this. Deji, people cringed when he went into a game, we all expected him to transfer.

Big Dog, who I famously called a "boat anchor".

Mike Bardo suddenly did some good stuff for us in his senior year.

 

Sometimes guys have to grow into their bodies. Wasn't Kwan the one who was 6'6" when he was recruited, suddenly he is 6'10"? It took him a while to learn how to use that body.

 

IF we can get a game or two in The Dance and he plays the way he has been, the NBA will take a serious look. He has great skills and you can not teach size.

[zippy5]

While Kwan is a whole heck of a lot better than Deji, I think Deji made a bigger jump. Kwan was pretty decent last year. While Deji was pretty hopeless. Especially from the line.

[Blue & Gold]

16 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

While Kwan is a whole heck of a lot better than Deji, I think Deji made a bigger jump. Kwan was pretty decent last year. While Deji was pretty hopeless. Especially from the line.

This is where I am in my thinking.  I've appreciated Kwan's game for 3 years now; he just happens to be absolutely blowing the MAC away this year.

 

But I'm going with Jimmy Conyers.  Even though I do believe we call it the Jawanza Moore Award, I actually appreciated what Jawanza brought to the floor for more than one year.  I considered Jimmy a complete bust until his breakout senior year.  Jimmy was like a deer in headlights.

[Blue & Gold]

Looks like Kwan's family feels the same way about him putting it on the floor once in a while.  Lol.

[Zip Watcher]

20 hours ago, Dr Z said:

Jawanza Moore. 

 

I believe the Jawanza Moore award is reserved for the player that simply goes off in his last game at the JAR, which Jawanza did.

 

Regarding the big leap in the Senior Year, until now, there's only been one answer:

 

 

 

 

[skip-zip]

5 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

Looks like Kwan's family feels the same way about him putting it on the floor once in a while.  Lol.

 

That's why I brought it up earlier.  I think he has that ability against SOME of the people that would likely be defending him.  I'd like to see it more.  

[Hilltopper]

8 hours ago, Zip Watcher said:

 

I believe the Jawanza Moore award is reserved for the player that simply goes off in his last game at the JAR, which Jawanza did.

 

Regarding the big leap in the Senior Year, until now, there's only been one answer:

 

 

 

 

Denzel Washington?

 

 

[Blue & Gold]

GT of The Akron Beacon: Kwan Cheatham elevates game with hard word, growing confidence

 

Great article on Kwan's explosion!

 

Good insight by Big Dog concerning Kwan's development.  He echoes what we've noted as well:

Teammate Isaiah “Big Dog” Johnson said he sees other reasons for the difference.

“He’s not worried about missed shots,” Johnson said after a recent practice. 

That ability to move on after a bad or missed shot is key in the success of any basketball player. 

“It’s just level-headedness, always staying within himself, not trying to do too much,” Johnson said. “Just doing what he does best and it’s working out for him.”

In other words, he’s also strengthened the mental aspect of his game.

 

(If I may submit a complaint, this story should have run yesterday and the ABJ should have given us a proper NIU pregame story today.  Just saying.)

[MDZip]

And the MAC East player of the week! In Northeast Ohio nothing is given everything is earned. Well earned.

[1981 grad]

Kwan is going through a mid season shooting slump the last 3 games going 8 for 37 from the field and 4 of 22 from the 3 line.  He seems to be shooting the ball with confidence but the long distance 3 ball has deserted him.  The good news is that his defense is great and he has been a beast on the boards.  I am hoping that he can get his shooting eye back as the team plays so much better when he scores in double figures.  

[Blue & Gold]

As UA career winds down, Kwan Cheatham continues to improve, which bodes well for March and beyond

 

A human interest, non-pregame and/or postgame Zips story from the Akron Beacon Journal!!!

 

 

 

 

 

“There’s guys that deserve to be successful. This guy deserves to be successful,” Dambrot said. “It just took a while for it to all come.”

Edited February 15, 2017 by Blue & Gold

[kreed5120]

1 hour ago, Blue & Gold said:

As UA career winds down, Kwan Cheatham continues to improve, which bodes well for March and beyond

 

A human interest, non-pregame and/or postgame Zips story from the Akron Beacon Journal!!!

 

 

 

 

 

“There’s guys that deserve to be successful. This guy deserves to be successful,” Dambrot said. “It just took a while for it to all come.”

Should have known it would be Marla that wrote it. She does great work when she writes Zips stories.

[skip-zip]

6 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

Should have known it would be Marla that wrote it. She does great work when she writes Zips stories.

 

Go figure.  Some journalism that aids the reader in getting to know the subject they are writing about.  

[tolbob]

On ‎2‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 3:52 PM, 1981 grad said:

Kwan is going through a mid season shooting slump the last 3 games going 8 for 37 from the field and 4 of 22 from the 3 line.  He seems to be shooting the ball with confidence but the long distance 3 ball has deserted him.  The good news is that his defense is great and he has been a beast on the boards.  I am hoping that he can get his shooting eye back as the team plays so much better when he scores in double figures.  

 

Update: the last 5 games Kwan was 10 for 39 from the 3 line, just over 25%.  In the two losses, he was 2 for 17, which shows that his shooting is key (the outlier is  0 for 5 against Ball State).   You could tell that the missed shots against KSU were getting to him when he barely hit the rim on his only foul shot (he is a very good free throw shooter and that's the first time this year I saw his confidence decline).  He did follow with his only three of the game which seemed to get him going.  KD let him take the last shot against KSU to build his confidence going into the tournament (KD also said he left Big Dog in the lineup at the end of the Toledo game to get him used to shooting foul shots under pressure in the tournament, even though he missed the front end of three 1 and 1's).

The good news is that Kwan's defense and rebounding remain at a high level.  I believe his shooting will get back to the way it was the first half of the season.  KD will have faith in him and he will be red hot by the end of the regular season.