Any news on Orukpe?

[wufan]

Stats anyone? Or, did the ankle injury prevent his play?

If we are to assume that EO will be here in 10-11, this is what our current line-up might look like:

PG; 6-4 so Manigault
SG; 6-4 jr Murry
SF; 6-8 sr Blair
PF; 6-7 sr Durley
C; 7-0 so Orukpe

off the bench:

PG; unknown
SG; 6-3 jr Kyles
SF; 6-8 so Coy
PF; 6-9 sr Ellis
C; 7-0 jr Stutz

and oh yeah, 6-4 sr Hatch and 6-8 fr Hamilton.

If the current roster stays in place, we will run with three legit forwards on the court at a time! I really hope that is the way it works out! Can you say killer zone?

[SpanglerFan316]

Stats anyone? Or, did the ankle injury prevent his play?

If we are to assume that EO will be here in 10-11, this is what our current line-up might look like:

PG; 6-4 so Manigault
SG; 6-4 jr Murry
SF; 6-8 sr Blair
PF; 6-7 sr Durley
C; 7-0 so Orukpe

off the bench:

PG; unknown
SG; 6-3 jr Kyles
SF; 6-8 so Coy
PF; 6-9 sr Ellis
C; 7-0 jr Stutz

and oh yeah, 6-4 sr Hatch and 6-8 fr Hamilton.

If the current roster stays in place, we will run with three legit forwards on the court at a time! I really hope that is the way it works out! Can you say killer zone?

If Stutz is starting his third year in GM's system and EO is starting his first year in the program, I think it is more likely that Stutz will start and Orukpe will come off the bench.

[wufan]

very possible. just speculation. Hatch and/or Kyles might start too.

[benishock]

One of us has an uneasy feeling about this that will not go away until he's here and has signed financial aid papers. When the BCS schools come calling they're going to be hard to resist.

[Ricardo del Rio]

What's his name?

Raphael Akpejiori

I apologize, but I cannot find your post, which caused Shockmonster's reply.

Please elaborate on Raphael Akpejiori.

I noticed the photo was taken in Koch Arena.

Thank you.

[Denny Crane]

Please see thread on him. Thank you.

[ShoxFan963]

Raphael Akpejiori Recruiting Thread

[ShockTalk]

wufan - I'm not sure Blair will see any SF. He played center before coming here and wanted to play PF. I don't know what his range is, but Durley is probably a better outside shot.

[SubGod22]

I don't see Blair playing SF either. I'd substitute Coy in for him up there.

[pinstripers]

Coy probably more Wilson-like. Offensively a 3, defensively a 4.

[The Mad Hatter]

Coy probably more Wilson-like. Offensively a 3, defensively a 4.

That certainly may be true (the comments from Marshall have seemed to suggest that they are comfortable with him at the 3 on offense, but unsure about on defense).

The one thing, in my mind, that could improve his chances of playing the three (aside from just showing the quickness to do so naturally) is improved shot-blocking in the post. If it becomes tough for people to get off shots in the lane, we may be able to afford to have Coy at the 3 and risk someone driving past him on occasion.

[forevershockerfan]

I'm not sure about all of you, but this up and coming Season should offer an array of quality depth at each position more so than quite some time. We can play small ball, field a very tough defensive lineup for certain match-up needs, or field a taller team that could man the boards, etc, etc, etc. The best part is we are not done yet. We have up to 2 more unsigned spots to fill soon. Since Vegas, we have taken our fair share of hard-knocks. Now we are evolving back to a team that is building and improving each Season and in due time heading to places we all long to visit.

Just how far can we leap forward next Season? As our foundational players such as Hannah, Toure', Hatch, JT, Kyles, Stutz, etc. keep improving, we are adding some fine young guns to the fold to the extent that we can go at least 10 players (maybe more) deep and not skip a beat. The fact that Coy and Blair have been part of the fold will jump start our start next Season where we should never face a 6 game skid again as we started the Valley last Season. Then after watching Kenny play and the positive input we hear on the speed and solid play of Hamilton, demands our attention.

[wufan]

I wasn't suggesting that Blair could hit the outside shot, drive the lane, or even that he could play defense on an MVC SF. When he was at his old school, he suggested that he wanted to transfer because he was a combo forward forced to play center. Ellis may feel the same way about his game as he refuses to post up with his back to the basket. What we will have in 10-11 if we keep our current group and add EO is two true centers (GS and EO), and five power forwards (Blair, Ellis, Durley, Hamilton, and Coy). With that type of depth and experience, it seems likely that HCGM would try going with a two guard line-up and floating one of these tall athletic forwards (Ellis, Blair, Coy) as an inside-outside wing. Defensively, a well run zone would be very difficult for our opponents to overcome.

A three post line-up may never work, but I find it intringuing that we appear to be recruiting towards that end. On the other hand, we could simply be upgrading talent at the PF with the intention of letting the weaker players sort themselves out.

[SubGod22]

Blair said he didn't like always playing with his back to the basket which is more or less what a C normally does. He came here so he could be a PF and face the basket more. There are too many quality options for Gabe to play on the wing.

[SubGod22]

It would not be

LOI not binding, but how early could he sign papers for financial aid? That is the "commitment" for JUCO players, I believe.

I was bored and reading through the NLI policy and JUCO transfers can in fact sign NLI and it IS binding. You can only sign one NLI in an academic year and must attend that institution unless released from it. By signing a NLI, Ehimen would not be allowed to be recruited by other schools. If others contacted him after we'd received the NLI it would be a recruiting violation.