Game 29- Toledo

[1981 grad]

12 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Gave up 63 in the 2nd half? Gotta be some sort of record?

I cannot remember the Zips ever losing a game when they were up by 23.  Your memory is better than mine.  Any games you can remember when the Zips lost a game when they were up by 20 or more?

[Blue & Gold]

1 hour ago, Illini Zip said:

Groce knows what it’s like to be without a quality point guard, unfortunately, and to run this system wide open he needs at least two. I think the NIL/portal reality spooks our staff as well, which is why they started to stack them up. Next year we will have three legitimate point guards on the roster, in addition to Scott. That is a feat all by itself. Most point guards are prima donnas and want to play right away. But if you find “Akron guys” who buy into the vision and care about the right things the sky is the limit. Young knows that he is in line to be the man come his Junior year if he continues to improve. Hopefully that will be enough. Being on a winning team doesn’t hurt either.

 

 

Incoming PG Tai Perkins seems to definitely be an "Akron Guy."  From what I've gathered online he comes from a good, solid family & has at least one (but IIRC) two brothers on the Westerville North team with him.  Plus he's sacrificed his game for the good of the team this year as he's moved off ball and let his younger, sophomore brother (who is also amazing) run the point.  Tai is looking to advance the ball up the court via the pass as soon as he gets a rebound.  He's aggressive & tricky with the ball & can stroke threes.  He'll get to redshirt next year behind Tavari & Sharron (🤞).  The future is bright!

[Illini Zip]

34 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Incoming PG Tai Perkins seems to definitely be an "Akron Guy."  From what I've gathered online he comes from a good, solid family & has at least one (but IIRC) two brothers on the Westerville North team with him.  Plus he's sacrificed his game for the good of the team this year as he's moved off ball and let his younger, sophomore brother (who is also amazing) run the point.  Tai is looking to advance the ball up the court via the pass as soon as he gets a rebound.  He's aggressive & tricky with the ball & can stroke threes.  He'll get to redshirt next year behind Tavari & Sharron (🤞).  The future is bright!

I predict Perkins will get only spot minutes, but will likely play. I have yet to see Groce redshirt a point guard. 

[clarkwgriswold]

15 minutes ago, Illini Zip said:

I predict Perkins will get only spot minutes, but will likely play. I have yet to see Groce redshirt a point guard. 

 

I have yet to see a Groce team with 4 viable point guards.

[Zippy87]

1 hour ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I like him quite a bit, but he's the prototypical 6' MAC guard.

 

In his last 8 games, he's scored in single digits in 7 of them (6, 5, 3, 4, 10, 7, 4, 3). I can't believe any competing program is beating the JAR door down with a wheelbarrow of NIL money just yet. 

 

If he goes, it's because we have a bevy of really good players in front of him. It's sorta like the NY Yankees, if you think about it?

 

Worth noting he has been dealing with an injury, which may account for some of that. But I think Sharron has a shot to be MAC Freshman of the Year. Key contributer on the best team as a true freshman, 7.7 PPG while shooting 42.3% from distance with solid playmaker skills and improved defense as the year has gone on. I'm not sure who would be ahead of him at point aside from Tavari going into next year. 

 

Not saying Duke is going to come calling, but I'd be willing to bet he will get some offers from schools with more NIL to offer than we do and maybe even a lower P5 offer.  

Edited 21 hours ago by Zippy87

[Illini Zip]

30 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

I have yet to see a Groce team with 4 viable point guards.

Very good point, neither have I.
 

The fact remains, good point guards insist on playing somewhere right away. I can see him playing 2-5 minutes (or until his first mistake) in what we used to call the second quarter of every game. Maybe if we have a blow out, injury or someone’s in the dog house he might get additional minutes. It would just be developmental his first year. 

[Illini Zip]

1 hour ago, Blue & Gold said:

Incoming PG Tai Perkins seems to definitely be an "Akron Guy."  From what I've gathered online he comes from a good, solid family & has at least one (but IIRC) two brothers on the Westerville North team with him.  Plus he's sacrificed his game for the good of the team this year as he's moved off ball and let his younger, sophomore brother (who is also amazing) run the point.  Tai is looking to advance the ball up the court via the pass as soon as he gets a rebound.  He's aggressive & tricky with the ball & can stroke threes.  He'll get to redshirt next year behind Tavari & Sharron (🤞).  The future is bright!

Maybe we’ll recruit the brother also. 

[clarkwgriswold]

Ohio.com article on the game-

 

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/zips/2025/03/05/akron-zips-mens-basketball-toledo-shammah-scott-tavari-johnson-nate-johnson-seth-wilson-amani-lyles/81534326007/?tbref=hp

[Hilltopper]

10 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I like him quite a bit, but he's the prototypical 6' MAC guard.

 

In his last 8 games, he's scored in single digits in 7 of them (6, 5, 3, 4, 10, 7, 4, 3). I can't believe any competing program is beating the JAR door down with a wheelbarrow of NIL money just yet. 

 

If he goes, it's because we have a bevy of really good players in front of him. It's sorta like the NY Yankees, if you think about it?

He is our most coveted player. His production the last few games is just a reflection of being a true freshman. He has the most upside of any player on the roster. P4 will be coming hard for him in the off-season. The only guy with a bigger upside is JG.