Ezi Magbegor In The News | Page 4 | The Boneyard

Ezi Magbegor In The News

Some more thoughts on Ezi and her visits. Unlike Bags, I love the UCLA campus--weather and landscaping are to my tastes. The UConn campus looked better than on my last visit of 5 years ago and substantially better than 1972, when I graduated. Pauley is famous and nicely redone. Gampel looks pretty good, and Ezi had a real seat, not in the bleachers. Interestingly, she was at the 2 arenas with the most championship banners--UCLA for men and UConn for women. No one else is very close.

As noted, the weather was unusual on both visits. My sister in San Diego told me the temp at dinner time on Saturday was 48. So. Cal. was unusually cool. The weather in Storrs yesterday was partly/mostly sunny and 50. This morning is bright and beautiful. So, instead of a common 50-degree difference between L.A. and Storrs this time of year, it was 15-20 degrees.

I took a couple of pics of Ezi and her brother Ovie. I can't upload them, but Eric promised to help. Ovie is listed a few places as 6'5". He looked noticeably taller than Ezi. I can assure you that Ezi is taller than Bria Hartley, but I'm not sure if she is 6'4" or not. I think the FIBA videos and photos may be a better comparison.

magbegor-named-mvp.jpg


Sara Madera (Spain) is listed at 6'1-3/4". The Aussies are 5'10-3/4" and 5'5". The Chinese center is reportedly 6'8-1/2". This photo suggests 6'3", maybe 6'4" for Eziyoda.

As noted, a couple of other recruits were there and interacting with Marisa. One may have been Aliyah Boston. I was so intent on finding Ezi that I didn't look too closely once I realized that someone was not Ezi. Geno gave a wave in Ezi's direction before the game started. In addition to the good game, loud crowd, Senior Night festivities, Wall of Honor unveiling, and Gabby's dynamic game, she also got to see a strong effort from Azura off the bench. That might have been the easiest thing for Ezi to identify with. She can play the Z role. She can be the next "Z." Literally.
 
oldude said:
Following up on my post from yesterday on this thread, where I pointed out that when Ezi attended UCLA’s senior day Saturday, the crowd was listed as 3866, in an arena that holds 12000+, with UCLA struggling in OT to beat unranked Utah.

Last night Gampel was right at capacity with 9115 fans, with UConn beating 20th ranked USF by 29.

Certainly, food for thought for Ezi on her long trip home to Canberra.
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To be fully accurate, capacity is 10,167, which we had a couple of times this year. There were at least a few hundred empty seats last night. Was the glass--I mean, arena--90% full or 10% empty? ;)
 
oldude said:
Well at least the arena wasn’t 70% empty like Pauley Pavilion on Saturday.
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It was a good crowd and quite loud. I was disappointed for Gabby and Kia that it wasn't full, but it was pretty close.
 
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MilfordHusky said:
magbegor-named-mvp.jpg
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FYI, Ezi's Australian U17 teammate at the center of the picture is Jasmine Simmons a 4.5 star international prospect is heading to Oregon State.
To Simmons left is Ezi's other Australian U17 teammate Monique Conti a PG 4.0 star international prospect as yet unsigned all according to prospect nation.
 
Last edited:
Monique Conti is a dual athlete and won't be going to college.

She plays pro basketball for Melbourne Boomers (multi year contract)
She also plays professional Australian football for Western Bulldogs in the off season.
 
bags27 said:
Great and helpful post. I went to Cal, Berkeley, so naturally I don't like UCLA!
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I just had my first visit to Berkeley for a OSU vs Cal football game this year. What a beautiful campus, and, a great venue to see a football game. I'm partial to Oregon State's campus, but I found Cal's campus to be a real beauty!
 
LOTRADER said:
I just had my first visit to Berkeley for a OSU vs Cal football game this year. What a beautiful campus, and, a great venue to see a football game. I'm partial to Oregon State's campus, but I found Cal's campus to be a real beauty!
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As a student, I rented a studio apartment in a very large house in the hills with a great view of the bay and a two block walk to the stadium. Saturdays, my then girlfriend (now wife of almost 38 years) and I would stroll down with our $1 student tickets. Good times and a welcome respite from the always important and exciting, but exhausting student activism of a few years before.
 
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MilfordHusky said:
Some more thoughts on Ezi and her visits. Unlike Bags, I love the UCLA campus--weather and landscaping are to my tastes. The UConn campus looked better than on my last visit of 5 years ago and substantially better than 1972, when I graduated. Pauley is famous and nicely redone. Gampel looks pretty good, and Ezi had a real seat, not in the bleachers. Interestingly, she was at the 2 arenas with the most championship banners--UCLA for men and UConn for women. No one else is very close.

As noted, the weather was unusual on both visits. My sister in San Diego told me the temp at dinner time on Saturday was 48. So. Cal. was unusually cool. The weather in Storrs yesterday was partly/mostly sunny and 50. This morning is bright and beautiful. So, instead of a common 50-degree difference between L.A. and Storrs this time of year, it was 15-20 degrees.

I took a couple of pics of Ezi and her brother Ovie. I can't upload them, but Eric promised to help. Ovie is listed a few places as 6'5". He looked noticeably taller than Ezi. I can assure you that Ezi is taller than Bria Hartley, but I'm not sure if she is 6'4" or not. I think the FIBA videos and photos may be a better comparison.

magbegor-named-mvp.jpg


Sara Madera (Spain) is listed at 6'1-3/4". The Aussies are 5'10-3/4" and 5'5". The Chinese center is reportedly 6'8-1/2". This photo suggests 6'3", maybe 6'4" for Eziyoda.

As noted, a couple of other recruits were there and interacting with Marisa. One may have been Aliyah Boston. I was so intent on finding Ezi that I didn't look too closely once I realized that someone was not Ezi. Geno gave a wave in Ezi's direction before the game started. In addition to the good game, loud crowd, Senior Night festivities, Wall of Honor unveiling, and Gabby's dynamic game, she also got to see a strong effort from Azura off the bench. That might have been the easiest thing for Ezi to identify with. She can play the Z role. She can be the next "Z." Literally.
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That was my take as well. She had to note that UConn's style of play is up her alley. The the flow, activity, pace of play, positioning and movement are quite unlike anything in American WCBB as well as her current Aussie team. But she had to see the amount of freedom it affords a player like her. She had to see how important the 4 and 5 are in UConn's schemes. I mean Z led UConn with 14 shots followed by Lou and Gabby. Z made 1 of 2 three's as well. Z scored off the pick and roll, in transition, on short jumpers; all the things that allows a good big to show her creativity. All the things she's capable of.

Ezi was easy (!) to spot on TV sitting in the 2nd row just behind Shea. She missed the beginning of the 3rd getting a little snack. She was fairly stoic although her brother kept up a running conversation with her, while her mother kept up a running conversation with the man to her left who I assume was her husband. In the aisle seat of the 2nd row wearing a hoodie appeared to be another prospect. Who I am unsure. This young lady was under 6' tall and was also rather stoic.
 
bags27 said:
As a student, I rented a studio apartment in a very large house in the hills with a great view of the bay and a two block walk to the stadium. Saturdays, my then girlfriend (now wife of almost 38 years) and I would stroll down with our $1 student tickets. Good times and a welcome respite from the always important and exciting, but exhausting student activism of a few years before.
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38 years? To the same woman? Either she deserves an award or you have something on her or her family. Fess up, is it blackmail?
 
bags27 said:
Great and helpful post. I went to Cal, Berkeley, so naturally I don't like UCLA!
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I like Berkeley too. Must be a California thing. (My niece went to USC, and my daughter-in-law went to grad school at Stanford.)
 
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MilfordHusky said:
The best 18 year-old in the world. She’s a top-1 prospect.
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I’ve just seen one game vs US 17u.

She looked every bit the part of bell noting with those players but I would not necessarily say she outclassed the us frontcourt to an enormous degree.

So I was being conservative.
 
oldude said:
Agreed. If Ezi decides to attend UCLA, it would indicate that she wants to spend a few years in the US, have some fun and play a little basketball.

On the other hand, if Ezi decides on UConn, it would indicate her desire to become both a champion as well as the absolute best basketball player she can be.

Another BY’er suggested that her decision would come down to remaining in the Australian pro league or attending UConn. I tend to agree.
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My hope for her is that she is receiving the proper guidance from close family adults not just her Coach. An education is the way to go plus play some BB. Where ever she ends up I wish her well.
 
CocoHusky said:
This concept of Geno asking any player to stay until thier eiligibility is exhausted has been floated here before. Just don't think that's the way Geno or UCONN WCBB operates. It sure was not the case with Morgan Tuck. I think Geno operates the program by a much simplier motto: Stay as long as you are happy & regardless of how long you stay you are preparing for your next challenge-which is called real life and will likely have nothing to do with basketball.
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Regarding Morgan Tuck...Geno backed her up regardless of her choice to stay or leave....
But Morgan was leaving with a diploma..that matters to Geno & CD.
 
DefenseBB said:
THe good news is Ezi got to see Gabby’s 15 put in the HOH so she can compare the UCLA ceremony they had for their all-american...oh, that’s right they don’t have one, my bad!:rolleyes:
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Plus..UCONN played the Candian National Athenm for Kia followed by Our National Athemn for Gabby...A class act for an international student to see...
 
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bags27 said:
Great and helpful post. I went to Cal, Berkeley, so naturally I don't like UCLA!
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ok, I gotta ask, I thought you Bears disliked Stanford above all else, what it a John Wooden thing?
 
Oh yeah,did you see that gorilla at halftime that jumped on the trampoline,did a triple somersault and dunked the basketball?That was Geno's mom in a gorilla suit. So there!:D
 
DefenseBB said:
ok, I gotta ask, I thought you Bears disliked Stanford above all else, what it a John Wooden thing?
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Well, yes, the Big Game was a big rivalry. And we looked down on Stanford ("the Farm") as a school for jocks. Of course, now Stanford is one very rich farm for jocks. :-)

But Stanford was always different than Cal; sort of apples and oranges. UCLA was the same but different. You always have more trouble with your relatives than with your acquaintances. :-)
 
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