Any news on Orukpe?

[shockerfan]

Have some of you not noticed the trend of fans saying how bad our center is until they break out their senior year? There is a reason that is such a trend. Big men who are ready to make an imidiate impact on the Division 1 level are few and far between. They just don't come to WSU. Heck many of the top big men (mainly centers) even have to develop for a year or two at the highest of levels. Big men are so used to dominating at the high school level and not having to play as physical or fast as they will at the Division 1 level that it takes time for them to get it. Orupke is even further behind since he hasn't played basketball that long, and American basketball even less. He was recruited based on his unbelievable potential. He wasn't as far along as some of the other big men we have recruited, but his ceiling is MUCH higher. That is why Marshall took the chance and worked so hard to get him here.

I know one thing, Marshall has given Orupke alot of praise and pointed him out this year more than he ever has. That means something to me. It means he may be realizing his potential and he is only in his Junior year. As far as I am concerned Orupke is right on schedule to POSSIBLY have a good Senior season. No one knows if that will happen for sure, but thanks to the trend of the big men that preceeded him....I think it's a safe bet.

Oh and I'm not giving up on him to give us good minutes this year. However, he will only need to be a backup to Stutz. He doesn't need to REALLY shine until his Senior year. And I think he will be just fine.

[SHOXAAC]

Just like starting the "we should have a better player than EO", you also started the "adjective" -reply with thwe word weak ass.

When you grow up, I will continue a reasonable conversation.

bte, what does a 100 pages of your or anyvbody else's comments on a message board have to do with the ability of a player in the coming two years? Is that somwthing else to hide behind?

You are amusing. You won't have, in your words, a reasonable conversation with me untill I grow up...then in the very next sentence you continue a conversation you just said you won't have. lol

Time for both of us to move on!!!

[forevershockerfan]

MULLIGAN!!! Okay, it is obvious that EO is playing at a level that he should join the rotation in many games. A concern many of us have is replacing all the big-men we lost to graduation. There were some bright spots inside today and EO was one of them.

[shoxlax]

EO was in their heads in a big way.

Half the crowd should have yellow signs with E and the other yellow signs with O. When he blocks a shot, the chant E from half and O from half while holding up the signs would be classic.

[shockmonster]

[QUOTE=SHOXMVC;272967]You mean names will make you feel better and sleep like a BABY tonight. Sorry you're so insecure that you need a pacifier like names from 4 or 5 years ago. This is a fan board for fans to exchange ideas and opinions. I didn't think I needed to be a member of the WSU coaching staff from 5 years ago, or be a college recruiting website expert to give my opinion that based on past and current FACTS we would have been better off going a different direction than EO.

Try and stay focused on the task at hand, like how a recruit that has well over 100 pages on this fan board had 2 years at 3 Rivers (one year as a RS) for one of the best juco coaches in the country where he averaged 5p/6r/4b. He missed 7 games due to injury, failed to even play in a few other games. Then he gets here where he averaged 5 minutes, 1 flippin point and less than 2 rebounds per game last year. TELL ME, WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN YOUR EXPECTATION, OR ANYONE ELSES FOR THAT MATTER, AFTER 2 YEARS IN JUCO AND ONE YEAR HERE?

SHOXMVC - You probably won't ever back down from your statements but I saw EO play this afternoon and we are beginning to see the fruits of our/his labor. He played very aggressively and was a strong contributor to this team. On the post game show, Chris Jans said that he has improved each game thus far but we aren't even seeing a fragment of what he's doing in practices (even though he is inconsistent from practice to practice). We need to allow him some time to continuing improving and we'll see where he can take his game.

[SHOXAAC]

[QUOTE=shockmonster;273304]

You mean names will make you feel better and sleep like a BABY tonight. Sorry you're so insecure that you need a pacifier like names from 4 or 5 years ago. This is a fan board for fans to exchange ideas and opinions. I didn't think I needed to be a member of the WSU coaching staff from 5 years ago, or be a college recruiting website expert to give my opinion that based on past and current FACTS we would have been better off going a different direction than EO.

Try and stay focused on the task at hand, like how a recruit that has well over 100 pages on this fan board had 2 years at 3 Rivers (one year as a RS) for one of the best juco coaches in the country where he averaged 5p/6r/4b. He missed 7 games due to injury, failed to even play in a few other games. Then he gets here where he averaged 5 minutes, 1 flippin point and less than 2 rebounds per game last year. TELL ME, WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN YOUR EXPECTATION, OR ANYONE ELSES FOR THAT MATTER, AFTER 2 YEARS IN JUCO AND ONE YEAR HERE?

SHOXMVC - You probably won't ever back down from your statements but I saw EO play this afternoon and we are beginning to see the fruits of our/his labor. He played very aggressively and was a strong contributor to this team. On the post game show, Chris Jans said that he has improved each game thus far but we aren't even seeing a fragment of what he's doing in practices (even though he is inconsistent from practice to practice). We need to allow him some time to continuing improving and we'll see where he can take his game.

See my comments in the game thread.

I'm willing to be coachable, lol!

[Capitol Shock II]

What was eO's line tonight? I missed the first half but did see a very aggressive monster jam.

If you are responsible for guarding him you had better not stumble or the backboard may get shattered.

[Shox1979]

Ready to see EO start attacking the rim and looking to break people's wrists if they decide they wanna try to challenge him. His confidence is growing as is his game sense. He got in the mind of the CSU players and it showed. He by far exceeded my expectations of him tonight.

[pogo]

He was very good tonite in several aspects of the game. He is a force on the defensive end. A shot by a charleston player went up and Carl Hall missed the block but EO went up behind Hall and altered/touched the shot (not a clean block) a foot higher than where Hall reached his peak. It was just amazing.

[SubGod22]

At one point, I think I saw a lightning bolt come out of his ass

[WstateU]

At one point, I think I saw a lightning bolt come out of his ass

Aye, and fireballs from his eyes.

[kcshocker11]

Aye, and fireballs from his eyes.

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[Capitol Shock II]

I saw that also.

[Aargh]

Do you think Tad Boyle is rethinking his game plan? I doubt there are many (if any) guys playing in PR who have ever played against anyone with Orukpe's size and leaping ability. There's a lot to be said for taking away a player's confidence. Orukpe is going to leave a few post players doubting themselves before he's done here.

Durley scored a lot, but for 3 years, he gave up more points than he scored. I'm beginning to think that if there was a way to net out a player's game by combining points given up with points scored, that Orukpe might have a better Jr year than Durley.

[Kung Wu]

I love where EO is at too Aargh, but I think both of those points are overreaching a bit. EO isn't going to get respected by anybody in this tournament. He'll have to earn it by dominating against very good teams and build a reputation for that to happen.