Akok Akok top five and OVs

[imno1]

The recruitment for Akok feels like it has taken a positive turn for the good guys as his OVs got closer. Always thought we were in it but worried a bit about Akok buying into the Tyler Lydon comparisons, and then lately the potential drawing power of Patrick Ewing and the GTown program. Only thought Providence was in it as the early favorites.

Also could see how our strong recruitment of Achiuwa might give Akok pause when deciding since Achiuwa seems like a college 3/4 man to me, and this is also how Akok wants to play that 4 spot.

However, the perception of Achiuwa is one and done.

But on a loaded team with Hurley I think the feeling is that every player gets minutes, plus as this recruiting class continues to come together the perceived opportunity to contend for a National Championship with the return of the UConn program really picks up steam. If we sign Akok I think that the recruiting momentum will reel Kofi Cockburn in.

UConn Nation on the rise thanks to Daniel Hurley and his most excellent coaching selections of Tom Moore, Kimani Young, Kenya Hunter, Taliek Brown, and Sal Alosi. (I miss anyone?) Players want to play for these guys because the perception now of the culture at UConn is that this staff is going to develop and mature both the player and his game.

You did forget to give mention to one very important advisor

 

[pj]

You did forget to give mention to one very important advisor

Beg to differ - we don't know that Bunky has played a role with this coaching staff.

 

[HawkHusky]

Having real shots at landing our #1 position targets is amazing.

Here's a gem about Hurley from Mr. 721Comstack on that other board:

"He was a semi-decent coach at perennial hoops powers URI and Wagner?
He's now at a spunky mid-major that hasn't sniffed success in ages?
Which is located in the middle of nowhere, and whose best team and coach are the ladies hoops program?
In a conference with exactly zero notewothy hoops programs?
That he's a distant 3rd in terms of being the most famous Hurley in his family?"

@HawkHusky Sparknotes: They scared.

 

[Son of Robert]

You did forget to give mention to one very important advisor

Ya!

How could I forget Calhoun, the one and only masterful program builder.

 

[imno1]

Ya!

How could I forget Calhoun, the one and only masterful program builder.

Haha I was thinking Chief but JC also

 

[intlzncster]

Ya!
How could I forget Calhoun, the one and only masterful program builder.

Casual fan.

 

[UConnKev]

NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Top-40 prospect Akok Akok a game-changer for 5 finalists

 

[Son of Robert]

Casual fan.

You're a funny guy Zone Coaster.

 

[HooperScooper]

Yes, they do wave that ACC flag at us, but I can understand why JB was hammering the Syracuse administration for leaving the BE for the ACC. They went for the football money, but it put him in a situation where he will probably never win a conference championship again.

So you're saying the ACC is better than the Old Big East? Because he won championships in the OBE.

 

[Chief00]

Haha I was thinking Chief but JC also

There’s JC, then there’s everyone else.

 

[Chief00]

NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Top-40 prospect Akok Akok a game-changer for 5 finalists

There are not five finalists.

 

[Chief00]

Chief loves it when bloggers underestimate Coach Hurley

 

[nomar]

Having real shots at landing our #1 position targets is amazing.

Here's a gem about Hurley from Mr. 721Comstack on that other board:

"He was a semi-decent coach at perennial hoops powers URI and Wagner?
He's now at a spunky mid-major that hasn't sniffed success in ages?
Which is located in the middle of nowhere, and whose best team and coach are the ladies hoops program?
In a conference with exactly zero notewothy hoops programs?
That he's a distant 3rd in terms of being the most famous Hurley in his family?"

@HawkHusky Sparknotes: They scared.

"Hasn't sniffed success in ages" = won a title 4 years ago

I can't wait till Boeheim retires.

 

[Travelman6]

Having real shots at landing our #1 position targets is amazing.

Here's a gem about Hurley from Mr. 721Comstack on that other board:

"He was a semi-decent coach at perennial hoops powers URI and Wagner?
He's now at a spunky mid-major that hasn't sniffed success in ages?
Which is located in the middle of nowhere, and whose best team and coach are the ladies hoops program?
In a conference with exactly zero notewothy hoops programs?
That he's a distant 3rd in terms of being the most famous Hurley in his family?"

@HawkHusky Sparknotes: They scared.

ahahaha, I think that person fell down the stairs and hit their head sometime shortly after Uconns last championship in 2014....

 

[UConnSwag11]

Would that be the ol' navel Orange?

Just saw this over there:
View attachment 34748

Oh and @temery, did you steal the script for the website from over there? Get rid of the god awful orange trim on our site.

Feels like a cross between Syracuse and Facebook.

 

[SoFla Steve]

So you're saying the ACC is better than the Old Big East? Because he won championships in the OBE.

No, my reply was poorly written. I think the OBE was the best basketball conference ever. With that said, I think that OBE members that joined the ACC have met with limited success with the possible exception of ND. It seems that year after year almost without fail, the top of the ACC consists of Duke, UNC and some third team that pull away from the rest of the pack. That didn't happen last year (4-way tie for 3rd place including Miami), but only 2 of 6 had winning conference records this past season. JB has 4 years left on his contract which expires in 2022 to coincide with Buddy's scheduled graduation. I don't see how he can put an ACC championship caliber team on the floor between now and 2021 . . . but it's just my opinion.

 

[pj]

No, my reply was poorly written. I think the OBE was the best basketball conference ever. With that said, I think that OBE members that joined the ACC have met with limited success with the possible exception of ND. It seems that year after year almost without fail, the top of the ACC consists of Duke, UNC and some third team that pull away from the rest of the pack. That didn't happen last year (4-way tie for 3rd place including Miami), but only 2 of 6 had winning conference records this past season. JB has 4 years left on his contract which expires in 2022 to coincide with Buddy's scheduled graduation. I don't see how he can put an ACC championship caliber team on the floor between now and 2022 . . . but it's just my opinion.

The ACC took the wrong schools. They stayed away from the population centers of the northeast and went to outlying schools (Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville) or schools with a lack of interest in investing in athletics (BC). The state schools UConn, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech, plus Notre Dame of course, and Miami given its football success and the importance of the Florida market with Miami being beneficially located across the state from Florida State, were the best choices.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

This is just too much fun!

View attachment 34745

Everything changed after Donyell chose UConn over Cuse. The pendulum swing back hard after CR. They are properly fearful that it could go back the other way. [Insert unflattering photo of the aging man at the helm here].

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Yes, they do wave that ACC flag at us, but I can understand why JB was hammering the Syracuse administration for leaving the BE for the ACC. They went for the football money, but it put him in a situation where he will probably never win a conference championship again.

Ever.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

The ACC took the wrong schools. They stayed away from the population centers of the northeast and went to outlying schools (Syracuse, Pitt) or schools with a lack of interest in investing in athletics (BC). The state schools UConn, Rutgers, and Virginia Tech, plus Notre Dame of course, and Miami given its football success and the importance of the Florida market with Miami being beneficially located across the state from Florida State, were the best choices.

Or ND got the undeserved slot and would have been perfect for basketball-only, Midwest-inclusive Catholicentric NBE.

 

[superjohn]

Or ND got the undeserved slot and would have been perfect for basketball-only, Midwest-inclusive Catholicentric NBE.

ND would never do that.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

ND would never do that.

True, they would have to have been forced there, without a chair, when the music stopped. I don't blame Pitt, Syracuse, or Louisville. Maybe BC, but ND would have to be considered the biggest CR winner.

 

[Ts5034]

No, my reply was poorly written. I think the OBE was the best basketball conference ever. With that said, I think that OBE members that joined the ACC have met with limited success with the possible exception of ND. It seems that year after year almost without fail, the top of the ACC consists of Duke, UNC and some third team that pull away from the rest of the pack. That didn't happen last year (4-way tie for 3rd place including Miami), but only 2 of 6 had winning conference records this past season. JB has 4 years left on his contract which expires in 2022 to coincide with Buddy's scheduled graduation. I don't see how he can put an ACC championship caliber team on the floor between now and 2021 . . . but it's just my opinion.

When it comes to UConn, Syracuse, and Pitt, the Big East was their conference. No matter how long Syracuse and Pitt are in the ACC, or if we join them in the future, the ACC will always belong to Duke and North Carolina. If we are ever voted into the ACC, we will always be looked at as the outsiders along with all the other old Big East teams.

 

[Austin316]

When it comes to UConn, Syracuse, and Pitt, the Big East was their conference. No matter how long Syracuse and Pitt are in the ACC, or if we join them in the future, the ACC will always belong to Duke and North Carolina. If we are ever voted into the ACC, we will always be looked at as the outsiders along with all the other old Big East teams.

Once Hurley picks up steam, this conference belongs to us. I think it was ours at the beginning of the new era but we lost our mojo post 2014. When Hurley and Hardaway pick up steam this conference will be fun to watch with Mick Marshall Hardaway and Hurley leading as the 4 horsemen. Watch ya heads!

I sometimes forget how important we are to this conference.

 

[intlzncster]

Once Hurley picks up steam, this conference belongs to us. I think it was ours at the beginning of the new era but we lost our mojo post 2014. When Hurley and Hardaway pick up steam this conference will be fun to watch with Mick Marshall Hardaway and Hurley leading as the 4 horsemen. Watch ya heads!

I sometimes forget how important we are to this conference.

It wasn't even ours then. It's not like we were running the conference table back then. No conf championships of any kind at that point.