Class of 2019 PF Akok Akok (CT) to UConn

[orangefog]

I suggest we call him Richard Richards.

 

[721Comstock]

I suggest we call him Richard Richards.

How about Dingus Tallywhacker?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[SU Dreaming]

did he change his name? i thought John Bol Ajak?
I have not followed any of the big men, Who do we like better - AJAK or Vlad or the big man from VA forgot his name

 

[orangefog]

did he change his name? i thought John Bol Ajak?
I have not followed any of the big men, Who do we like better - AJAK or Vlad or the big man from VA forgot his name

Two different people.

 

[SU Dreaming]

Two different people.

funny, so we are going after 4 big men - should be able to close 1

 

[Janner]

Kid looks solid. Would be a very good fit for our system, love to get him

 

[Cusesky8214]

Feels like there is mutual interest here...probably trying to sell him on filling bazley and brissetts roles when they depart.

 

[Cusesky8214]

For those interested in watching some game tape on him. Haven't had a chance to watch entire game but just some quick thoughts...i think he would fit our style of play perfectly. Really long and athletic. Was a killer shot blocker during AAU summer play while being one of the better 3 pt shooters during play. Normally we seem to recruit long athletic kids who can't shoot, this kid CAN shoot. I have seen people call him a unicorn because his style of play and size/abilities. Has NBA skill set and can put ball on the floor no problem. Also I was super disappointed in the pronunciation of his name

 

[SU Dreaming]

AKOK was MIA in that game, i think he scored 5 points, maybe 1 rebound, likes to sit corner top of 3 point line and wait for the ball, the center #34 played liked a super star - that's they type of kid we should have signed.

 

[maxxyz]

AKOK was MIA in that game, i think he scored 5 points, maybe 1 rebound, likes to sit corner top of 3 point line and wait for the ball, the center #34 played liked a super star - that's they type of kid we should have signed.

I thought he was pretty good. Had at least three 3's and was guarding the other teams biggest perimeter threat and shut him down. This took him away from the basket which lessened his rebound opportunities. Moved really well.

On offense he was outside because #34 was an inside threat and Putnam had two guards that were good dribble drive player. As a threat from 3 it opened up the middle. He wasn't afraid to drive to the basket and had some success.

While #34 had some great moments he was much less active defensively than Akok. He seemed to run out of gas pretty quickly. Akok was consistently the first player back on defense.

 

[SU Dreaming]

I thought he was pretty good. Had at least three 3's and was guarding the other teams biggest perimeter threat and shut him down. This took him away from the basket which lessened his rebound opportunities. Moved really well.

On offense he was outside because #34 was an inside threat and Putnam had two guards that were good dribble drive player. As a threat from 3 it opened up the middle. He wasn't afraid to drive to the basket and had some success.

While #34 had some great moments he was much less active defensively than Akok. He seemed to run out of gas pretty quickly. Akok was consistently the first player back on defense.

he had 5 points in the game i watched, it was from the post above, def. a solid athlete, just seemed asleep, i have only see him play this 1x, so he might have been out late the night before
i do not think we watched the same game, #34 was a monster and played basically the entire game where AKOK was on the floor much less.
AKOK took less than 6 shots , probably had 3 boards, #11 correct?

 

[Cusesky8214]

he had 5 points in the game i watched, it was from the post above, def. a solid athlete, just seemed asleep, i have only see him play this 1x, so he might have been out late the night before
i do not think we watched the same game, #34 was a monster and played basically the entire game where AKOK was on the floor much less.
AKOK took less than 6 shots , probably had 3 boards, #11 correct?

Pretty sure he had 11 points in the championship game...which was not one of his better ones.

 

[Cusesky8214]

he had 5 points in the game i watched, it was from the post above, def. a solid athlete, just seemed asleep, i have only see him play this 1x, so he might have been out late the night before
i do not think we watched the same game, #34 was a monster and played basically the entire game where AKOK was on the floor much less.
AKOK took less than 6 shots , probably had 3 boards, #11 correct?

This has a write up about the championship game
(the game posted above that you said u watched)

 

[SU Dreaming]

Pretty sure he had 11 points in the championship game...which was not one of his better ones.

i thought the big kid who is going to Lasalle was the best player on the court, for that 1 game, i have no idea how he played previously, he committed very early to Lasalle.
#34 Osun Osunniyi -

 

[SU Dreaming]

Osun Osunniyi 2018 |

Putnam Science Academy wins 2018 Nationanl Prep Championship |

Putnam Science Academy won the first national championship in school history on Thursday night with a 74-66 overtime win over Northfield Mount Hermon.

The Mustangs trailed 33-19 at the half but fought all the way back to advance to overtime when Kyle Lofton blocked a potential game winning three-pointer for NMH at the end of regulation. That defensive stand came following a huge three from Jose Perez to even the score with under a minute to play in the half.

Osun Osunniyi took MVP honors, scoring 27 points in the final, while being a menace on the defensive end and the glass all weekend long thanks to his length and athleticism. His frontcourt mates Akok Akok and Josh Mballa stepped up at various points in the week as well as Putnam scored hard fought wins over Scotland Campus Sports and Woodstock Academy (another overtime decision) just to reach the final. DeMarr Langford was an equally important contributor on the perimeter, as he played major minutes down the stretch thanks to his ability to lock down on the defensive end and secure long rebounds.

OSUN is they type of player we should have signed 12 months ago
2ND TEAM ALL-NEW ENGLAND

Jaiden Delaire, 6’9” Wing, Loomis
Nick Timberlake, 6’4” PG/Wing, Kimball Union
Akok Akok, 6’9” Wing/Big, Putnam Science
Dana Tate, 6’7” Wing, MacDuffie
Cormac Ryan, 6’5” PG/Wing, Milton
Osun Osunniyi, 6’11” Big, Putnam Science
Miles Norris, 6’10” Wing, Brewster
AJ Reeves, 6’6” Wing, Brimmer & May
Mika Adams-Woods, 6’4” PG/Wing, New Hampton
Daniel Buie, 6’4” PG/Wing, Gould

Notes: Osunniyi unselfishly stuck to his role as a rim protector throughout the regular season but really burst onto the scene in the postseason. The Lasalle-commit finished his prep season with a dominant 27-point, 13-rebound, 6-block performance against NMH in the National Championship Game. As far as ceiling is concerned, Osunniyi may own one of the highest in the 2018 class and will step into an Atlantic-10 conference devoid of a force of his nature….Timberlake finished his lone season in the NEPSAC by scoring over 620 points on the season and averaging 24 points per game. His recruitment has ticked up a bit but he remains one of the most under recruited players in New England….Buie, a 2019 prospect, strong-armed the NEPSAC to the tune of 25pts/6ast/4reb/2.5stl in his first season at Gould. Buie remains under-the-radar recruit but at the rate he’s producing and the level of play he’s doing it against, that should change very soon….Delaire was sidelined until January with an injury but made the most of his season once he returned. The versatile and ever-improving 6’9” wing averaged 21.3pts/7.4reb/2.5ast while leading Loomis to the #1-seed in the A playoffs. By the time the NEPSAC playoffs rolled around, Delaire was back to full health and the results were almost scary. He was recently named Connecticut’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

 

[Cusesky8214]

Some write ups with stats from post season. Osun wad definitely the best guy on the floor for the championship game but I'm not sure if that's been the case all year for them? He was a monster in that game tho.

NORTHFIELD MOUNT HERMAN 66
#1 PUTNAM SCIENCE ACADEMY 74

NEW LONDON - Putnam Science Academy captured the National Prep Basketball Championship with a thrilling 74-66 overtime win over Northfield Mount Hermon on Thursday night at Connecticut College.
It is the first national title for the Mustangs, who reached the national semifinals in 2016 and 2017.
Osun Osunniyi (12 rebounds and 5 blocks) poured in 19 of his game-high 27 points in the second half and overtime to help Putnam Science Academy rally from a 33-19 halftime deficit.
“The first half nothing was falling for us,” Putnam Science coach Tom Espinosa said. “We knew shots were going to fall in the second half. Some guys really stepped up. I give all the credit in the world to these guys. It’s a special group.“
Jose Perez added 16 points, including a clutch 3-pointer that tied it at 60 with 1:20 left in regulation to send it into overtime.
Osunniyi opened the overtime session with a low post hoop, giving the Mustangs their first lead. Akok Akok (11 points) followed with a 3-pointer to make it 65-60.
After Northfield’s Noah Kirkwood converted a reverse layup, Osunniyi answered with a traditional three-point play, then added a tip-in to give the Mustangs a 70-62 cushion with 1:55 left.
Kirkwood finished with 20 points, while Nate Laszewski also had 20 points for Northfield Mount Hermon (31-4).
Kyle Lofton chipped in 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals for Putnam Science Academy (38-4), which finished the season with a 24-game winning streak


WOODSTOCK ACADEMY 72
#1 PUTNAM SCIENCE ACADEMY 80

NEW LONDON- Putnam Science Academy again got the best of the battle with Woodstock Academy.
But the National Prep Championship semifinal meeting Thursday at the Luce Fieldhouse at Connecticut College was hardly a repeat of the Mustangs’ 34-point win in December.
Putnam Science Academy had to go to overtime to hand the Centaurs Gold prep team an 80-72 loss.
The win sent the Mustangs (37-4) into the national championship game against Northfield-Mount Hermon on Thursday night.

The Mustangs Jose Perez ;ed the Mustangs with 19 points and 4 rebounds.

Kyle Lofton scored 18 points and added 4 assists. Josh Mballa scored 17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Osun Osunniyi had 9 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks for PSA.

Mustangs advance

NEW LONDON, CT- Putnam Science Academy has been on a roll.
The Mustangs (36-4) recorded their 22nd straight victory with the win over Scotland Sports Campus Red, the eighth-seed in the tournament.
Akok Akok led the Mustangs with a double-double, 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Kyle Lofton (5 assists), Osun Osunniyi (7 rebounds) and Josh Mballa (5 rebounds) all added 14 points.

THE GREAT ATLANTIC DIVISION 1 TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

#1 PUTNAM SCIENCE ACADEMY 103
OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN 93

WEST HARTFORD, CT- Akok Akok was named the Great Atlantic Conference Division 1 tournament Most Valuable Player as he led the Mustangs to the win in the championship game at the University of St. Joseph's.
Akok had 18 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks for the Mustangs (35-4) who extended their win streak to 21 games.
Jose Perez scored 22 and grabbed 6 rebounds in the win. Josh Mballa added 18 points and 7 rebounds and Kyle Lofton chipped in with 12 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds for PSA. Osun Osunniyi had 8 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks.

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

Triple double against brewster

 

[Cusesky8214]

Mvp

 

[Cusesky8214]

Number #11

 

[Cusesky8214]

With his size/wingspan and skill set he is a guy I WANT on our team...kinda freakish length but from all reports is very very good at putting the ball on the floor and can hit the long ball...we need that. Has to get stronger obviously he's pretty thin and needs to work on a post game but he plays alot on the perimeter. Very good ball handler but has to take it to the hoop more and stronger which I've read he has gotten much better at.

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]