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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/16/2014 12:56:49 PM

kgdabom

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quote:

ORIGINAL: David Levine

Gopher Basketball Recruiting: Gophers Get Commitment From Jonathan Nwankwo

The 2015 Gopher Basketball Recruiting class grew to 3 last night and the first frontcourt player of the class has been secured. Jonathan Nwankwo is a 6-9 post player on an official visit this weekend and even though the big man had other offers and visits scheduled he gave his verbal pledge to Richard Pitino and staff.

What do we know about this latest commit?

Nwankwo is a Nigerian born big man from New York. He will be finishing his prep career at Victory Rock Prep down in Florida. It appears as though he is a big and strong kid who will come to the Gophers ready to be an excellent rebounder and defender. The offensive skill set is developing but finishing strong around the rim is not a problem. I clearly do not know a ton about him, but here are a few reports of the type of player Nwankwo appears to be.

His ESPN Scouts Inc scouting report.

quote:

Nwankwo is a big body post that competes and plays with energy and urgency. He runs the floor pretty well and does a good job of catching and finishing when he receives drop off passes created by dribble penetration. Excellent rebounder on both ends of the floor. Scores over his left shoulder in the post. He also a pretty good on ball shot blocker.

Nwankwo rebounding and defense is ahead of his offense at this time. He has great size and is a immediate factor on the defensive end of the floor and possess terrific upside and is a major college low post prospect.

NYCHoops.net had a couple of articles on the NYC area kid and was quite complimentary of his game and skill set.

quote:

Grabbing rebounds, blocking shots or intimidating opponents who dared drive down the lane and scoring at the rim was a reoccurring trademark of Nwankwo who recently transferred from Monsignor Scanlon HS to Victory Rock Prep. The aggressive play and seemingly endless motor has caught the eye of quite a few college coaches.

And this was from his August experience at the Las Vegas Fab 48 tournament.

quote:

Nwankwo is a fighter in the paint. A relentless competitor on the boards. While he's still rough around the edges and needs work on his offense, the power forward is clearly teachable. Only working off of instinct, Nwankwo is able to imprint a game.

You get the impression that Nwankwo will immediately bring some strength and toughness to the Gopher frontcourt. I love a guy who is big, strong and teachable. I love a guy who is described as relentless on the boards, the obvious comparison seems to be that Nwankwo has a similar skill set to Trevor Mbawke. Not every recruit needs to be a high-scoring asset, having a guy who will be intimidating in the paint and snatch up rebounds. I am looking forward to him giving a legit Big Ten bodied big man.

The next logical question is, what does this mean for the rest of the 2015 recruiting class? As it stands the Gophers currently have one available scholarship and there are two pretty significant local recruits we are still pursuing. There appear to be two potential scenarios. Either the last scholarship will go to whoever decides first between Jarvis Johnson and Alex Illikainen. Or the Gophers will accept both verbal commitments and have to figure out what to do at a later date knowing that transfers happen or something along those lines will make a 5th scholarship available for this class. My gut tells me that they would accept both Johnson and Illikainen then figure out the numbers later. You don't turn away top 150 guys who are in your backyard, allowing them to play for another Big Ten school for the next four years.

http://www.thedailygopher.com/2014/9/6/6113941/gopher-basketball-recruiting-gophers-get-commitment-from-jonathan

Sounds like a very nice recruit. Not a top 100 guy I presume or that would have been mentioned in the article.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/18/2014 8:27:27 AM

Bill Jandro

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

The freshman Konate can play the 4 and 5, it soudns like. We're good on the 5 this year between Mo and Eliason, so he'll add nice depth to the 4 this year, most likely. King really picked up his game towards the end of last year, and we have another recruit at the 4 from Washington. Should be improved at that position from last year.

Do we still have the Hollins' boys manning the back court?

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/18/2014 8:29:16 AM

Jim Frenette

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

The freshman Konate can play the 4 and 5, it soudns like. We're good on the 5 this year between Mo and Eliason, so he'll add nice depth to the 4 this year, most likely. King really picked up his game towards the end of last year, and we have another recruit at the 4 from Washington. Should be improved at that position from last year.

Do we still have the Hollins' boys manning the back court?

Andre still here, but Austin graduated and playing in France I believe

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/18/2014 8:58:51 AM

Bill Jandro

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim Frenette

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

The freshman Konate can play the 4 and 5, it soudns like. We're good on the 5 this year between Mo and Eliason, so he'll add nice depth to the 4 this year, most likely. King really picked up his game towards the end of last year, and we have another recruit at the 4 from Washington. Should be improved at that position from last year.

Do we still have the Hollins' boys manning the back court?

Andre still here, but Austin graduated and playing in France I believe

Good. With a couple highly rated back court players coming in coupled with ending last season on a high note we are in good shape for the future

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Post #: 4554

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/18/2014 9:00:39 AM

Bill Jandro

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Thought we might crack the top 25 preseason rankings this year.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/25/2014 1:00:38 AM

SoMnFan

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Ahhhhhhh, the Tubby Years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=yM9O9pELlqk

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Post #: 4556

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/25/2014 7:53:40 AM

Jeff Jesser

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LOL. That was on SC top 10 worst of the worst this week. I think it was #3.

Post #: 4557

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/25/2014 7:16:01 PM

SoMnFan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeff Jesser

LOL. That was on SC top 10 worst of the worst this week. I think it was #3.

So awesome
Always thinking he was the shit .... burns you sometimes, eh

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Post #: 4558

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/28/2014 7:49:28 AM

Mr. Ed

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Pitino's blog on Maroon/Gold game

Some thoughts and observations from head coach Richard Pitino after Sunday's Maroon-Gold First Look Scrimmage at the Barn...

Maroon

Zach Lofton- Allowed early missed shots to bother him mentally and affect other parts of his game.

DeAndre Mathieu - Seven turnovers is obviously alarming. Did some very good things on offense and defense.

Daquein McNeil- MVP of the game. Has put in the work and it shows. All about the team and all about winning. Very proud of him.

Mo Walker- Was very efficient offensively before he got hurt. Will evaluate that hamstring today. Hope it isn't anything serious. Something good always happens when he touches the ball on the block.

Joey King- Has a lethal shot fake. Happy with his effort on the glass. Eight rebounds is great. He also did a good job of staying away from silly fouls. He makes winning plays.

Charles Buggs- Had a great block and a good steal in the press. Needs to embrace contact, not shy away from it. Has been working very hard in practice. I was encouraged.

Darin Haugh- Has been good in practice. Still trying to figure out his role. Somewhere along the way he will understand he's a good player.

Bakary Konate- Obviously has the talent but is still a bit raw. I love how he demands the ball in the post. Needs to get deeper post touches. Also needs to slow down when he catches. The sky is the limit

Gold

Andre Hollins- Five assists and three steals was nice to see. Not concerned with his 1-for-9 from the field. Has shown tremendous leadership this fall. Special person.

Nate Mason- Did a lot of good things. Four turnovers needs to be cut down. Has to move on mentally after a mistake quicker.

Carlos Morris- Similar to Nate and Zach. Was visibly frustrated when he made a mistake. He needs to live in the paint because he can go by anyone.

Josh Martin- Has really embraced his role. He has the size and athleticism to impact the game on every possession. His future is very bright.

Elliott Eliason- Was quietly very good. Nine rebounds and four blocks were great. He is in great shape. Allowed the ball in the post too much.

Kendal Shell- Great effort and attitude as always.

Overall

Positives- We moved the ball well at times in the half court and made the extra pass. We need to constantly try to attack the paint because we will have three ball handlers in the game at all times. Much is said about our backcourt but Mo and Elliott shouldn't be overlooked. Daquein has obviously improved. Loved his attitude during the game. He even called a play for himself in a timeout. That shows great growth for him. Love guys like "Day Day" who quietly do their job everyday. I think we all saw the potential of the newcomers. All of them have the physical ability to make a difference.

Negatives- Body language! First scrimmage in the Barn in front of our great fans and some guys seemed very frustrated. A lot of that, in my opinion, is normal. Guys get so excited over the offseason and when adversity hits they quickly get down. Collectively as a team we need to get mentally tougher. I spoke to the team about being energy givers not energy takers. That will be a big emphasis this week.

The theme for this team all preseason has been TODAY. That is all that matters. Last year is over and the future is irrelevant. All we can do is focus on getting better TODAY. Thanks again for those who came out yesterday. Hope you enjoyed it. See everybody a week from Thursday!

Go Gophers,

Richard Pitino

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Post #: 4559

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/28/2014 12:17:49 PM

Dave E

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Love the honesty in the guy's blogs.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/28/2014 2:46:30 PM

David Levine

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

Love the honesty in the guy's blogs.

Could there be a more polar opposite coach from Tubby?

Post #: 4561

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/28/2014 3:11:22 PM

TJSweens

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Notice how he critique in a constructive way without throwing someone under the bus.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/28/2014 3:21:04 PM

David Levine

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From: Las Vegas
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quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

Notice how he critique in a constructive way without throwing someone under the bus.

He's done that since Day 1 in his first blog. He'd do things like get on Mo hard about having to be in better shape - even taking little good natured jabs at him. But he would also praise him for hard he was working to do it and talk about how skilled he was as a passer or something similar.

Post #: 4563

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/28/2014 3:36:53 PM

Dave E

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Agreed, impossible to be more different than Tubby.

Constructive criticism, honesty combined with support? Crazy ideas!

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Post #: 4564

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/29/2014 8:05:11 AM

Mr. Ed

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

Agreed, impossible to be more different than Tubby.

Constructive criticism, honesty combined with support? Crazy ideas!

I sure hope they can figure out a way to keep him in MN.

Just don't see it tho. Some program in a couple of years will throw a pile of money at him.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/29/2014 9:27:54 AM

Dave E

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Mr. Ed

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

Agreed, impossible to be more different than Tubby.

Constructive criticism, honesty combined with support? Crazy ideas!

I sure hope they can figure out a way to keep him in MN.

Just don't see it tho. Some program in a couple of years will throw a pile of money at him.

It will definitely be interesting to see what happens. I'm of the belief that more and more in the college basketball world, guys are less likely to jump ship -- it's easier to build a program into a contender than in football, for instance.

There are definitely still a half dozen programs or so, though, that command a lot of heft: Kentucky, UNC, Duke, Kansas, arguably a couple more -- but beyond that, I think the draw is not what it used to be, necessarily. Look at a Shaka Smart or the Mayor -- those guys could be coaching UCLA right now if they wanted.

But at the same time, I wouldn't be shocked if he made a move. Fingers crossed he likes it here in Minnesota...

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/29/2014 9:40:21 AM

TJSweens

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There was a report during the Gopher coaching search that said the up and coming coaches have stopped jumping ship to go to bigger programs now. Shaka Smart was and example along with many others. There is a growing belief that they are better off staying put and building a program into a power. As far as Pitino goes, I think it will take a lot to get him out of here. He is in a scenario with a first rate AD, which is something I heard Rick Sr talking about on KFAN. He said that the most important thing for a D1 a coach is to have a great AD to work with and that is the situation his son is in now. He also said he doesn't want Richard to follow him at Louisville. He thinks he can and should stay here and build a national power. I have heard other D1 coaches describe Minnesota as a great coaching destination because 1. the in state talent pool is growing rapidly and there are no in-state D1 rivals for recruiting ... and 2 ... 2. they play in one of the elite basketball conferences in the country. My gut says that Pitino will be here for awhile. He will raise the profile of the program. If he does leave, Teague will have an easier time finding a top flight candidate to fill the job.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/29/2014 10:19:18 AM

Dave E

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Frankly, my concern is more with Teague leaving. What if Michigan comes at him, for example, after they fire the shit out of that idiot running athletics over there?

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Post #: 4568

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/29/2014 8:44:54 PM

Mr. Ed

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quote:

Zach Lofton- Allowed early missed shots to bother him mentally and affect other parts of his game.

New Minnesota transfer Zach Lofton has been dismissed from the team per a press release issued on Wednesday evening.
"While decisions like this are always difficult, we felt it was in the interest of our program to move forward at this time,” coach Richard Pitino said in the release. “We wish Zach nothing but the best in the future.”

Lofton, who joined the team this season, has made more than a few stops. The 6-foot-4 guard originally hails from St. Paul and attended St. Bernard's for two years until it closed, and then Columbia Heights High School. Afterwards, he played at Quakerdale Prep, San Jacinto College-Central and Illinois State for one year each before arriving in Minnesota.

Last year, the highly athletic Lofton averaged 11.3 points and three rebounds and shot just 33.9 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from three-point range, but the Gophers' staff seemed to believe he possessed the ability to post much better numbers.

Minnesota's season officially begins on November 14. The Gophers had their first open scrimmage on Sunday, during which the transfer -- who would have redshirted this season, per NCAA transfer rules -- was seen arguing with teammates and apparently snapped at a couple of times for his poor body language.
Lofton's departure immediately opens up a scholarship on the Gophers' roster.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/30/2014 9:23:00 AM

Dave E

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Saw one blurb -- maybe from Rayno? -- suggesting the guy had giant attitude issues.

Too bad, he might have been a nice addition for next year.

Hmm....an open scholarship...anyone going to Wisco who might want to reconsider their committment?

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Post #: 4570

RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/31/2014 10:19:51 AM

Dave E

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

Frankly, my concern is more with Teague leaving. What if Michigan comes at him, for example, after they fire the shit out of that idiot running athletics over there?

Dave Brandon resigning. Uh oh.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/31/2014 10:35:03 AM

twinsfan

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

Frankly, my concern is more with Teague leaving. What if Michigan comes at him, for example, after they fire the shit out of that idiot running athletics over there?

Dave Brandon resigning. Uh oh.

Is Teague that great? He's a good interview. Other than that, I'm not sure.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/31/2014 10:40:28 AM

TJSweens

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I'm not worried. Teague and Kaler are pretty tight.

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/31/2014 10:44:10 AM

Dave E

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quote:

ORIGINAL: twinsfan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave E

Frankly, my concern is more with Teague leaving. What if Michigan comes at him, for example, after they fire the shit out of that idiot running athletics over there?

Dave Brandon resigning. Uh oh.

Is Teague that great? He's a good interview. Other than that, I'm not sure.

Great basketball mind and is pretty far down the path to building athletic facilities; put VCU on the map.

_____________________________

"You guys are true athletes!"

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RE: Gopher Basketball (Mens) - 10/31/2014 10:44:22 AM

Dave E

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quote:

ORIGINAL: TJSweens

I'm not worried. Teague and Kaler are pretty tight.

Good.

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"You guys are true athletes!"

--twinsfan

Post #: 4575

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