Blue & Gold Posted May 22, 2022 Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) 2023 Zips Basketball Commitments: Darrion Baker, Stretch 4, 6-8, 195, Hillcrest HS, Country Club Hills, IL. Had offers from: Saint Louis, Drake, Appalachian State, Toledo 🤢, Illinois State, Indiana State, Valparaiso, Wofford, Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Towson, SIUE, Missouri State, UIC, NIU, Southern Indiana, and Radford. Marvin Musiime-Kamali, W, 6-6, 190, Cushing Academy, Brockton, MA Had offers from Brown, Central Connecticut State, Albany, Siena, and Towson. Below, concerning Amani Lyles, is a mistake. Amani is a 2022 Zips recruit. But I won't erase it or the following posts correcting my mistake won't make any sense. Got our first verbal commit of the class of '23 #GoZips Edited January 15, 2023 by Blue & Gold 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted May 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 (edited) Graduated from Columbus Beechcroft. Apparently he's going to prep school for a year before joining the Zips. 6-7 forward. Looks athletic. Here is a 1-minute facebook video of Amani. He's not very active on twitter though. Looks like he also held an offer from Cleveland State. Plays AAU for All-Ohio Red, which is a high level AAU team. Not much out there on him other than a handful of terribly-edited highlights. In Groce we trust 🤞 Edited May 22, 2022 by Blue & Gold 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted May 22, 2022 Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 9 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said: Graduated from Columbus Beechcroft. Apparently he's going to prep school for a year before joining the Zips. 6-7 forward. Looks athletic. Here is a 1-minute facebook video of Amani. He's not very active on twitter though. Looks like he also held an offer from Cleveland State. Plays AAU for All-Ohio Red, which is a high level AAU team. What prep school? All-Ohio Red is a prominent AAU team. This is a good get. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted May 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 1 minute ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: What prep school? All-Ohio Red is a prominent AAU team. This is a good get. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted May 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2022 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted May 23, 2022 Report Share Posted May 23, 2022 Looks like he is ditching the prep school route (maybe made grades?) and is going to be joining us this season. Interesting. https://gozips.com/news/2022/5/23/mens-basketball-amani-lyles-commits-to-play-hoops-at-akron.aspx 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted May 23, 2022 Report Share Posted May 23, 2022 (edited) 22 minutes ago, LZIp said: Looks like he is ditching the prep school route (maybe made grades?) and is going to be joining us this season. Interesting. https://gozips.com/news/2022/5/23/mens-basketball-amani-lyles-commits-to-play-hoops-at-akron.aspx I like this better. More excited than I was at the time of the original announcement. Prep School would have given him time to decommit and go elsewhere. Averaged a double double his ENTIRE high school career, including 20+ PPG and 12+ RPG his senior year. High profile AAU team and athletic tape. I don't know how his jump shot is, but he looks like this board's coveted Stretch 4. Edited May 23, 2022 by Let'sGoZips94 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronAlumnus Posted May 23, 2022 Report Share Posted May 23, 2022 not elated w/ this signing. Idk the kid (& he may be a beast; he is 6'7") but anyone who only has two offers (us and CSU) doesn't impress me. With the current state of athletic affairs at UA, I'm a bit disappointed we didn't go after someone more coveted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted May 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2022 (edited) 50 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said: not elated w/ this signing. Idk the kid (& he may be a beast; he is 6'7") but anyone who only has two offers (us and CSU) doesn't impress me. With the current state of athletic affairs at UA, I'm a bit disappointed we didn't go after someone more coveted. I hear you @AkronAlumnus, but to mitigate your disappointment, I'm thinking we may have gotten a steal in Amani. Here is a 10-minute highlight video I found on youtube and man does he look GOOD! Dunks with both hands & shoots the 3. A true stretch 4. I'm guessing that the long talks Coach Kyle Byrd mentions in the above posted tweet ^^ were probably not so much basketball related but more related to real life and priorities, i.e., gotta grow up & get serious, kid. His tape + the fact he played for All-Ohio Red + that he was going to prep school = really makes me think his grades were the only issue keeping teams away from him. Again, I think (🤞) we may have gotten a steal. EDIT: The video is from Amani's junior (COVID) season. Edited May 23, 2022 by Blue & Gold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted May 23, 2022 Report Share Posted May 23, 2022 56 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said: not elated w/ this signing. Idk the kid (& he may be a beast; he is 6'7") but anyone who only has two offers (us and CSU) doesn't impress me. With the current state of athletic affairs at UA, I'm a bit disappointed we didn't go after someone more coveted. Keep in mind, the transfer portal is going to eliminate a lot of high school recruiting for the foreseeable future. 1000+ players in the portal with tape/stats/production at the collegiate level. You're going to see better talent fall through the cracks, especially in college basketball. We were Ali Ali's only DI offer. Have faith. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoyalZIP Posted May 23, 2022 Report Share Posted May 23, 2022 After watching the video, I got very excited about this guy. Whether he lives up to that potential is up in the air of course. The thing that caught my eye is how active he was in a lot of the clips of defensive possessions. While he’ll be playing much better competition at this level, it was great to see so much defense mixed into a highlight reel. He’s got a nice athletic build that could use some bulking up, and he doesn’t appear to be shy to shoot either. Could be a decent step up from Ali in the long run, especially if he and Groce stick around a few more years. I’m very curious as to how this roster is going to play out, there’s so much potential for this upcoming year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1981 grad Posted May 24, 2022 Report Share Posted May 24, 2022 14 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said: Keep in mind, the transfer portal is going to eliminate a lot of high school recruiting for the foreseeable future. 1000+ players in the portal with tape/stats/production at the collegiate level. You're going to see better talent fall through the cracks, especially in college basketball. We were Ali Ali's only DI offer. Have faith. And not many people know this fact, but Freeman did not have any D1 offers. (LOL) And Trimble was highly recruited out of Missouri. We will probably know in one or two years whether this is a good recruit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illini Zip Posted May 25, 2022 Report Share Posted May 25, 2022 On 5/23/2022 at 2:41 PM, LZIp said: Looks like he is ditching the prep school route (maybe made grades?) and is going to be joining us this season. Interesting. https://gozips.com/news/2022/5/23/mens-basketball-amani-lyles-commits-to-play-hoops-at-akron.aspx I think grades is a logical guess, but sometimes they just don't like the offers they get and this is one way to maintain full eligibility. And Akron was an enticing offer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illini Zip Posted May 25, 2022 Report Share Posted May 25, 2022 This one slipped passed me. Does @kreed5120 know the Zips picked up a wing to replace Ali? With his size and strength already as a Freshman he will be able to play 3-5 in time and depending on the line-up. I like that he seeks contact and can finish inside. He has some Cameron Reece to his game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted May 25, 2022 Report Share Posted May 25, 2022 2 minutes ago, Illini Zip said: This one slipped passed me. Does @kreed5120 know the Zips picked up a wing to replace Ali? With his size and strength already as a Freshman he will be able to play 3-5 in time and depending on the line-up. I like that he seeks contact and can finish inside. He has some Cameron Reece to his game. I saw the commitment here, but I admittedly haven't watched any tape. He obviously has the size and build I'd like on the roster. I'll wait for @Hilltopperand others opinions once he's on campus on whether or not he's ready to contribute right away or will be redshirted because he's too raw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illini Zip Posted May 25, 2022 Report Share Posted May 25, 2022 28 minutes ago, kreed5120 said: I saw the commitment here, but I admittedly haven't watched any tape. He obviously has the size and build I'd like on the roster. I'll wait for @Hilltopperand others opinions once he's on campus on whether or not he's ready to contribute right away or will be redshirted because he's too raw. Makes sense to me. I could see the last 3 on the scholarship chart redshirting this year. Going a legit 10 deep would be awesome and it would likely mean we are back to a running style team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1981 grad Posted May 25, 2022 Report Share Posted May 25, 2022 I picked this up on the internet although it is from 2021 2. PRINCE MOSENGO - NATL - ST 21 POS PRINCE MOSENGO UNDECIDED 6'8" | 195 LBS | PF | 2022 OLYMPUS PREP CARNEYS POINT, NJ, NJ N/A WHERE WE’LL SEE HIM: Best of the South WHY HE MIGHT CRASH THE RANKINGS: Mosengo is an interesting prospect, and one that comes with wildly intriguing upside. He’s not the most polished prospect in the world just yet, but his length, IQ, motor and improving ball skills make him the kind of player that could slide into the back end of the Rivals150 if he puts everything together during the live period. Monsengo runs with Team Florida on the grassroots circuit. He isn’t a name many outside the Sunshine State know well, but the emerging prospect may well change that in the month ahead. RECRUITMENT: Mosengo’s recruitment is full of mid-major programs as things stand. Akron, Iona, South Florida and others have gotten involved in the last few months. He could get some high-major looks in the weeks ahead. ***** 3. DANIEL SKILLINGS 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted May 25, 2022 Report Share Posted May 25, 2022 As with all of Groce's recruits, playing time is never guaranteed to any player. If a player puts in the work on the court and classroom anything is possible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illini Zip Posted May 25, 2022 Report Share Posted May 25, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, Hilltopper said: As with all of Groce's recruits, playing time is never guaranteed to any player. If a player puts in the work on the court and classroom anything is possible. I agree, but it sure would be nice if Lyles was given the green light this year. Not that we need an active roster 11 players deep, but having a tall wing sure would be nice on defense. Ali played right away his Freshman year and Lyles is physically ready. I see Dawson as the only other obvious wing at 6'5''. Edited May 25, 2022 by Illini Zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted June 30, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2022 In addition to christening a 2023 recruits thread with a 2022 recruit, I should have titled this thread "2023 Offers and Verbal Commits."😅 (Maybe a mod could correct the title?) Antonio Chol, 6-8 W, originally from Buffalo, NY, but now playing a year of prep ball at Minnesota Preparatory Academy. Also holds offers from Buffalo, St. Bonny, LMU, and Rutgers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted June 30, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2022 Austin Ball, 6-7 WF, originally from Man, WV, currently playing a year of prep ball at Miller School of Albermarle. Also holds offers from George Mason, Richmond, and Towson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LZIp Posted August 11, 2022 Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 (edited) Really nice get here. https://www.verbalcommits.com/players/darrion-baker Edited August 11, 2022 by LZIp 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted August 11, 2022 Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 24 minutes ago, LZIp said: Really nice get here. https://www.verbalcommits.com/players/darrion-baker Very nice. We are building quite the Chicago-area pipeline. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoyalZIP Posted August 11, 2022 Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 Nice looking get! Runs the floor and finishes like Cheese, but with a bit more size. Groce is building something special, hopefully he sticks around a few years to see it through! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted August 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 Those are nice, fluid moves for 6-8 👀 👀 According to VerbalCommits dot com we beat out 17 other schools for his services 💪 💪 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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