Chino looks pretty rugged

[MG44]

He might still be a bit light, but he's shredded. (pictures from todays syracuse.com article)

 

[sutomcat]

He might still be a bit light, but he's shredded. (pictures from todays syracuse.com article)

It is only natural that he is going to be compared to BMK with the commonality in their backgrounds and their playing styles/contributions might end up being similar but even as a RF, Chino is a lot stronger than Baye ever was. Let's hope he learns how to use that body down low.

 

[Jamesvillecuse]

he is not a rf he lost a year per the NCAA he must appeal to the NCAA to get the year back

 

[GonzoInMD]

It is only natural that he is going to be compared to BMK with the commonality in their backgrounds and their playing styles/contributions might end up being similar but even as a RF, Chino is a lot stronger than Baye ever was. Let's hope he learns how to use that body down low.

Let's also hope that he doesn't have Baye's hands of stone!

 

[Garbs]

he is not a rf he lost a year per the NCAA he must appeal to the NCAA to get the year back

who cares what you call it, he red-shirted last year and this is his first year playing, he has 3 years of eligibility left

 

[RF2044]

It is only natural that he is going to be compared to BMK with the commonality in their backgrounds and their playing styles/contributions might end up being similar but even as a RF, Chino is a lot stronger than Baye ever was. Let's hope he learns how to use that body down low.

I think he's adept at playing physically. The question is, can he control that so he doesn't foul out in 5 minutes.

Kid is AGGRESSIVE. Although it might take some time for him to figure things out, once he does fans are going to love him.

 

[Jamesvillecuse]

who cares what you call it, he red-shirted last year and this is his first year playing, he has 3 years of eligibility left

so I guess Mike Waters is wrong when he said Chino did not redshirt?

 

[RF2044]

Some more Obokoh pics:

 

[Garbs]

so I guess Mike Waters is wrong when he said Chino did not redshirt?

What did Waters say? Again last year did not count against his eligibility.

http://www.dailyorange.com/2014/04/...hman-center-obokoh-loses-year-of-eligibility/

 

[Jamesvillecuse]

I asked Mike he said no rs last year and he has to appeal the decision to get year back. I asked him yesterday on twitter

 

[Garbs]

I asked Mike he said no rs last year and he has to appeal the decision to get year back. I asked him yesterday on twitter

I think Mike is wrong, like I said call it what you want, but last year did not use up a year of eligibility. Not sure what you would call that besides a redshirt.

 

[Garbs]

Also from the quotes from his HS coach I would be shocked if he didn't win the appeal, seems like the NCAA wasting everyone's time again.

 

[RF2044]

I think Mike is wrong, like I said call it what you want, but last year did not use up a year of eligibility. Not sure what you would call that besides a redshirt.

You're both right. Last year did not use up a year of eligibility. However, the NCAA retroactively determined last year that Obokoh's high school reclassification [to put him down a year] was unjustified, and that therefore his eligibility clock got accelerated by a year. So while he officially redshirted last year, it was the same as if he was a frosh but didn't play--according to the NCAA, he's a sophomore now.

 

[Jamesvillecuse]

ok your right but he has 3 years left not 4 so call it whatever you want

 

[RF2044]

Also from the quotes from his HS coach I would be shocked if he didn't win the appeal, seems like the NCAA wasting everyone's time again.

Harsh commentary from the HS coach--but this sentiment accurately sums up the NCAA ineffectual bureaucracy, and how that confederacy of dunces screw over student athletes all the time:

“Here’s a kid who does everything he’s supposed to do, and they punish him,” Boon said. “Then you have all these idiots that go to 15-passenger van schools where they don’t even take the classes.
“If they’re really going to do something like this, then it’s a joke. Like I said, we did nothing wrong at the school.”

He said Obokoh finished with close to a 2.5 GPA in high school, took 16 core credits and earned his diploma. Boon said age is not an issue. Boon checked carefully to make sure Obokoh was the correct age for a freshman when he came over, and confirmed he wasn’t too old at the time.

But now it appears that may not have been enough.

“You’re talking about the NCAA,” Boon said. “They’re not consistent about anything. They just make up sh-t as they go.”

​

Talk about a shot across the NCAA's bow...

 

[Antiprodigy]

Harsh commentary from the HS coach--but this sentiment accurately sums up the NCAA ineffectual bureaucracy, and how that confederacy of dunces screw over student athletes all the time:

“Here’s a kid who does everything he’s supposed to do, and they punish him,” Boon said. “Then you have all these idiots that go to 15-passenger van schools where they don’t even take the classes.
“If they’re really going to do something like this, then it’s a joke. Like I said, we did nothing wrong at the school.”

He said Obokoh finished with close to a 2.5 GPA in high school, took 16 core credits and earned his diploma. Boon said age is not an issue. Boon checked carefully to make sure Obokoh was the correct age for a freshman when he came over, and confirmed he wasn’t too old at the time.

But now it appears that may not have been enough.

“You’re talking about the NCAA,” Boon said. “They’re not consistent about anything. They just make up as they go.”

​

Talk about a shot across the NCAA's bow...

The truth hurts.

 

[sutomcat]

I think he's adept at playing physically. The question is, can he control that so he doesn't foul out in 5 minutes.

Kid is AGGRESSIVE. Although it might take some time for him to figure things out, once he does fans are going to love him.

I still haven't really seen him play in game situations. Was flying down for the Wake Forest game when Midnight Madness was going on. I did see him warm up a lot last season and can report that he has a nice shooting stroke and can consistently hit a mid range jumper when no one is covering him. Based on how little he scored in HS, I don't even expect him to ever be a big scorer in college. Looks to me as though he has the potential to be a good to very good rebounder though.

The biggest thing he needs to learn are solid defensive fundamentals, so he can, as you say, stay in games and stay out of foul trouble. Hope his hurt hip is now 100%. Hips are notoriously slow to heal, and I hate to see someone as young as he is having hip problems...

 

[HoustonCuse]

Some more Obokoh pics:

He reminds me of me. Before I started lifting a lot...

 

[RF2044]

I still haven't really seen him play in game situations. Was flying down for the Wake Forest game when Midnight Madness was going on. I did see him warm up a lot last season and can report that he has a nice shooting stroke and can consistently hit a mid range jumper when no one is covering him. Based on how little he scored in HS, I don't even expect him to ever be a big scorer in college. Looks to me as though he has the potential to be a good to very good rebounder though.

The biggest thing he needs to learn are solid defensive fundamentals, so he can, as you say, stay in games and stay out of foul trouble. Hope his hurt hip is now 100%. Hips are notoriously slow to heal, and I hate to see someone as young as he is having hip problems...

I didn't mention it in the practice write-up I did last week, but Obokoh didn't practice because he was recovering from a hip flexor injury of some kind. He was reportedly running on the treadmill while practice was going on, pushing himself hard. So hopefully he's recovering and close to being back 100%, as you say.

 

[Jamesvillecuse]

yeah I don't get how the NCAA decides stuff they seem to be so random with their decisions. But you are right here is a kid who does everything the way a STUDENT athlete should do and they punish him because of a mistake his High School made seems unfair. Not sure why SU has not appealed the ruling yet but I think he is a kid who will be much better down the road.

 

[moqui]

he was collateral damage in the NCAA investigation into SU basketball academics

 

[RF2044]

yeah I don't get how the NCAA decides stuff they seem to be so random with their decisions. But you are right here is a kid who does everything the way a STUDENT athlete should do and they punish him because of a mistake his High School made seems unfair. Not sure why SU has appealed the ruling yet but I think he is a kid who will be much better down the road.

Worst of all, it doesn't sound like his high school made any mistake. Just another arbitrary, capricious, inexplainable decision by NCAA bureaucrats--harming the interests of a student athlete.

Meanwhile, at UK...

 

[SWC75]

Baye is Baye, Chino is Chino and the NCAA is the NCAA.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Didn't somebody post that in the scrimmage Chino looked really thin? He sure looks ripped and strong, albeit lean. I am cautiously optimistic with Chino. I have a feeling he's going to be really good here. He probably won't get pushed around as much as Baye did and probably has more offensive skill at the present time than Baye ever did from what certain observers have mentioned.

 

[RF2044]

Didn't somebody post that in the scrimmage Chino looked really thin? He sure looks ripped and strong, albeit lean. I am cautiously optimistic with Chino. I have a feeling he's going to be really good here. He probably won't get pushed around as much as Baye did and probably has more offensive skill at the present time than Baye ever did from what certain observers have mentioned.

My only caution would be to temper expectations around his offensive skill set. When I saw him last year, he was RAW as can be. Needed lots of work on his positioning, footwork, etc.

I think he has the tools to eventually excel as a defender / rebounder, who can clean up as a garbage man-type offensive player. Might never start, but can play a very important contributory role over the course of his career.