Akok Akok in the portal

[cliftonparksufan]

Exactly. It’s not a slam dunk to just take a kid who might do well.

You've been courting these kids for a few years. Telling them everything they want to hear and then it's over before it even started. The portal totally blows. A few schools get lucky and that's it. Hopefully, if the NCAA had a spine, they will somehow rewrite the rules to allow more flexibility for recruits or somehow minimize the number of players going into the portal.

 

[kcsu]

I want the big guy.

 

[Cusesky8214]

JBA isn't going anywhere...hes got himself a lady friend on the hill these days. Taco time all the time without having to put up 70.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Definitely two sides of the argument. You have those you want to use the portal to upgrade every position at any cost. Then you have the argument that you need to take your recruits (six in our situation) and give them a chance, otherwise risk losing them a year from now. Not an easy scale to balance.

Money solves this problem. Have the freshmen do some scrap metal commercials.

 

[Todoubled23]

If we give Ajak or Owens “the talk”. 100%

Akok is exactly what we need right now. Have Benny and Akok start at the forwards and the freshman back them up so they aren’t under so much pressure. Obviously we need a healthy Akok which isn’t a guarantee as we can see from UConn. But I would feel a hell of a lot better if we have a Starting line up of:

Mintz
Girard
Akok
Benny
Edwards

Symir-6th man
Taylor-is in the rotation at the 2/3
Freshman forward to back up Benny and Akok (either Bunch or Brown)
Ballard gets spot minutes when Edwards needs rest

That’s a team I can live with

On paper that seems like a 10 year ago classic cuse squad. Good depth and lots of athleticism even with a more obvious lack of shooters than the last few years...but honestly the make up seems better and less one dimensional. One can hope! Any crumbs you may share in the future is appreciated as always.

 

[kingtidge]

He’s fully back to health. His only issue on the court this year was that he was lost defensively. He’d come in, hit a 3 and then lose the guy he was supposed to be guarding in back to back possessions and get pulled.

Perfect under-bus fodder for our system!

 

[Loki]

You're really in to keeping track of this and reminding everyone about the scholarship situation.

I expected something a little different from a time variant. Something a little more chaotic. This seems like something more orderly.

Unless... is that the play?

As long as people are posting nonsense about taking away scholarships or pwo I will continue to post the truth. By the way word on the hill is Chaz and JBA are staying. Perhaps you have heard different?

 

[Cusefan0307]

It doesn't appear that he's lost much if any athleticism with his injury based on highlight tapes. UConn fans on twitter and the BY suspect he didn't play much this year because he got a bit lost on defense. If he were to come here I could see him playing a Tyler Lydon type role as a 4/5 mix. He would help us with our lack of shooting and should be a great defender in the zone.

 

[justgold315]

Per 40 minutes last year:

Ajak 3.2p 9.2r 3.3a 0.0s 0.7b - 3.3mfg 0.7mft 2.4to 5.2pf = 5.2NP
Akok 9.9p 9.2r 1.0a 0.6s 3.1b - 4.1mfg 1.3mft 0.4to 2.6pf = 15.4NP

Also:

Ballard 7.5p 9.9r 0.5a 0.9s 5.2b - 1.4mfg 1.9mft 1.9to 3.3pf = 15.5NP
BHH 12.4p 9.4r 1.0a 1.1s 1.1b - 6.4mfg 1.0mft 2.9to 2.6pf = 12.1NP

Out of curiosity, how does this compare to Frank?

 

[Yukon]

It doesn't appear that he's lost much if any athleticism with his injury based on highlight tapes. UConn fans on twitter and the BY suspect he didn't play much this year because he got a bit lost on defense. If he were to come here I could see him playing a Tyler Lydon type role as a 4/5 mix. He would help us with our lack of shooting and should be a great defender in the zone.

This^

Keep in mind that when he got injured he was really the only serviceable big that UConn had so he got to play through his mistakes by necessity. When he came back totally healthy this year he had Isaiah Whaley develop a 3 point shot and into the Big East DPOY, Tyler Polley develop into the Big East 6th Man of the Year and Adama Sanogo morph into a 1st teamer. It’s not that he’s any worse now he just didn’t have the luxury of playing through his mistakes when there were 3 other guys who didn’t screw up as often. He’s a really good player but he just didn’t bring anything novel to the party.

 

[Niastri]

Out of curiosity, how does this compare to Frank?

Anselem was 1.5 per 40 over the season, 1.4 vs conference competition.

I didn't realize how little a shot blocker Anselem is. Edwards was 4.0 per 40 in ACC play by contrast.

Akok was 3.1 in his best season vs Big East teams.

I am not sure where SWC got his statistics, having 5.1 blocks per 40 for Akok. Basketball Reference had different numbers for Akok.

Akok Akok College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Akok Akok - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

 

[rrlbees]

Out of curiosity, how does this compare to Frank?

 

[Cheriehoop]

View attachment 216558

Frank’s greatest asset right now is that he’s an excellent rebounder and he doesn’t force up bad shots.

 

[TeamGlasses]

Is this guy offered?

 

[SWC75]

Out of curiosity, how does this compare to Frank?

7.4p 10.9r 1.1a 0.7s 1.5a - 21.6+ 1.6mfg 1.4mft 1.5to 5.7pf = 11.4NP

 

[SWC75]

Anselem was 1.5 per 40 over the season, 1.4 vs conference competition.

I didn't realize how little a shot blocker Anselem is. Edwards was 4.0 per 40 in ACC play by contrast.

Akok was 3.1 in his best season vs Big East teams.

I am not sure where SWC got his statistics, having 5.1 blocks per 40 for Akok. Basketball Reference had different numbers for Akok.

Akok Akok College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Akok Akok - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

I didn't have 5.1 blocks for Akok. I had 3.1 and that's also what I typed.

But I did go back over his numbers and found one error: he missed 1.5 free throws per 40 minutes, not 1.3, reducing his NP/40 to 15.2.

 

[Fly Rodder]

You have those who want to use the portal to upgrade every position at any cost. Then you have the argument that you need to take your recruits (six in our situation) and give them a chance, otherwise risk losing them a year from now. Not an easy scale to balance.

Maybe we should pay someone a few million dollars a year to figure out this particular pickle.

 

[justgold315]

7.4p 10.9r 1.1a 0.7s 1.5a - 21.6+ 1.6mfg 1.4mft 1.5to 5.7pf = 11.4NP

Thank you

 

[justgold315]

Anselem was 1.5 per 40 over the season, 1.4 vs conference competition.

I didn't realize how little a shot blocker Anselem is. Edwards was 4.0 per 40 in ACC play by contrast.

Akok was 3.1 in his best season vs Big East teams.

I am not sure where SWC got his statistics, having 5.1 blocks per 40 for Akok. Basketball Reference had different numbers for Akok.

Akok Akok College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Akok Akok - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

Thank you

 

[Jake]

If there is mutual interest between us and Akok, it will work out. It always does.

 

[DanielA]

Akok is a better option than Ballard he can stretch the floor and a good shot blocker

 

[TeamGlasses]

This is the 4-5 I was talking about.

 

[sutomcat]

Akok is a better option than Ballard he can stretch the floor and a good shot blocker

Ballard is a good shot blocker too and bigger.

But I agree, Akok would contribute more offensively. And he can play some at the 4 with Jesse. Would give us a chance to use a big lineup that really wouldn't work with Quincy, or Frankie for that matter.

Having a backup center who can also fill in at the 4 would really be nice for us, given how unproven and inexperienced we will be at the forward positions.

 

[walsh2012]

Would he be available by the start of training camp?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Ballard is a good shot blocker too and bigger.

But I agree, Akok would contribute more offensively. And he can play some at the 4 with Jesse. Would give us a chance to use a big lineup that really wouldn't work with Quincy, or Frankie for that matter.

Having a backup center who can also fill in at the 4 would really be nice for us, given how unproven and inexperienced we will be at the forward positions.

Yeah I think this is a no-brainer.

And again, he locks up a scholarship for a shorter amount of time and is your potential starter at the 5 assuming Jesse goes after next season.