Something I Heard Yesterday - 2009-10

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  • BobZag
    Dark Lord of the Zag
    • Jan 2007
    • 15380

    Something I Heard Yesterday - 2009-10

    While making some phone calls yesterday something that intrigued and excited me almost as much as Few staying, was how highly the staff thinks of the incoming class of 2009 (plus the two redshirts).

    One person said this class will be better than the 2007 class, it just doesn't show due to all the foreign newcomers, and recruiting services don't know them.

    The consensus is that Elias Harris will be the standout of this group; the staff thinks he will be something special, that he already is real good and is mature enough to step right in and make an impact.

    Bol Kong is also highly regarded by the coaches and will give Elias a run for who is the star of the 2009 class.

    They are also very high on Sam Dower and how he has kept improving and getting better almost on a weekly basis. He could be the biggest steal since Turiaf or Violette or Batista (keeping the list to bigs only).

    Mangisto Arop is expected to come up big but it may take a year, plus Kelly Olynyk's future looks very bright down the road a ways.

    But the thing that really struck me most was how everyone, to a man, said how this is the most athletic, long, skilled and D1-ready class Gonzaga has ever brought in, even more so than the Daye-Gray-Sacre class of 2007. But Rivals and Scout has not built up these 2009 guys since four of them are not in the USA.

    More later...
    The Kennel: "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."
  • Zagpower
    Bleeds GU Blue
    • Feb 2007
    • 884

    #2
    It just gets better and better every year.

    Comment

    • cggonzaga
      Zag for Life
      • Mar 2007
      • 3935

      #3
      But the thing that really struck me most was how everyone, to a man, said how this is the most athletic, long, skilled and D1-ready class Gonzaga has ever brought in, even more so than the Daye-Gray-Sacre class of 2007
      Not to mention how much "tougher" they all seem to be. They sound like a bunch of guys willing to play defense and rebound the basketball. I've been very excited about this class for a long time.

      Comment

      • guardu
        Kennel Club Material
        • Jan 2009
        • 269

        #4
        This kind of re-established what I've though while thinking about this class, and that is that I think the staff really made a priority to recruit some true athletes. More so than in the past. Don't get me wrong I love who we have and have had in the past, but it seems that their priority shifted to quicker, stronger guys with Harris, Kong, and Arop than in the past. Everything I've read about Olnyk though makes me think of Daye. Long, lean, can shoot it, but needs to bulk up.

        Looking forward to seeing all these guys grow and mesh together with the rest, and also see if their re-alignment in theory of recruiting pans out. My belief is that it most certainly will. The 2011-2013 Zags will certainly be of a bit different flavor of basketball I'd say.
        I pity the foo, wait no I don't I love it!

        Comment

        • CDC84
          Super Moderator
          • Feb 2007
          • 13083

          #5
          This also explains, in part, why Few wasn't very interested in moving on to the rebuilding jobs that will be taking place at Oregon and Arizona.

          Comment

          • Angelo Roncalli
            Bleeds Bulldog Blue
            • Feb 2007
            • 4853

            #6
            Originally posted by CDC84 View Post
            This also explains, in part, why Few wasn't very interested in moving on to the rebuilding jobs that will be taking place at Oregon and Arizona.
            I don't think people realize what a disaster Arizona is going to be for some time. It will be at least as bad as the situation Tom Crean took on Bloomington, if not worse.
            You have to love the Gonzaga fan. Not satisfied to be affronted merely by common hosings at the hands of ragtag referees, he plows all avenues of discontent. - John Blanchette

            Gonzaga University...Home of the Zags...The Bulldogs. If you pronounce it "Gone Zaw Ga," they'll know you're not from here and they may charge you more for your coffee. - Garrison Keillor

            Comment

            • SpokastSports
              Bulldog Fan
              • Mar 2009
              • 94

              #7
              I completely agree Angelo. They did smart picking Floyd though. Helluva recruiter. I think it's two years until they're what USC was this year. We'll see how long it will be until and if they become the Arizona of old.

              Comment

              • duper
                Kennel Club
                • Apr 2008
                • 335

                #8
                Harris the star?

                wow I didn't expect that at all. Its just more gravy.

                Comment

                • ZagAddict
                  Zag for Life
                  • Feb 2007
                  • 1866

                  #9
                  I'd be real skeptical of the Arizona job until learning what the NCAA sanctions are going to be... I guess they are expected to rule by May 1st. I just don't understand why Tim Floyd would make this move

                  Comment

                  • mainer6
                    Kennel Club Material
                    • Mar 2009
                    • 153

                    #10
                    Thank you for the insights guys. Your enthusiasm is contagious.
                    Some people have a way with words. Some people not have way.

                    Comment

                    • spudzag
                      Zag for Life
                      • Feb 2007
                      • 2114

                      #11
                      Thanks for the update BZ. This class speaks volume for the staff's recruiting efforts. It is a whole different process to search out this kind of talent than to compete with the BCS schools for the well understood talent. Congradulations to Few & Co. I can't wait to see how this groups develops.

                      Equally interesting, to me anyway, will be to watch the recruiting develop this summer and see what surprises Few has in mind for us.

                      Comment

                      • applezag
                        Kennel Club
                        • Feb 2007
                        • 328

                        #12
                        Originally posted by cggonzaga View Post
                        Not to mention how much "tougher" they all seem to be. They sound like a bunch of guys willing to play defense and rebound the basketball. I've been very excited about this class for a long time.
                        This is the huge question mark for me with any recruiting class. It's rare that you hear about guys being mentally or physically soft coming in, because it's usually 90% hype and 10% realism. It's pretty easy to watch a guy and say what he can do skill-wise and say what they are in terms of physical dimensions. What we won't know until they put on a Zag uniform is how mentally tough and physical they are. I'm less concerned about physical strength than I am about mental toughness and willingness to battle--Mark Spink is one of the skinniest Zags ever and never backed down from anyone. Some of these guys have dominated their whole lives and now they will be tested as they get to DI basketball. I am excited about what is coming in, but what will determine if they can maintain or even elevate the program's success is yet to be seen.

                        Comment

                        • hockeyzag
                          Bleeds GU Blue
                          • Jul 2007
                          • 991

                          #13
                          Arop

                          Man I love this kind of stuff. Bobzag's getting me all excited!

                          It's hard to speculate how good players are going to be, I had the idea in my head this whole time that Manny was going to be the best of the bunch.

                          He played so well in last year's tournament for Team Canada.

                          Earlier this year, Arop and the NEDA team represented Canada at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany. In it's 50th year, this bi-annual event is often seen as the prequel to the U19 world championships, as top prospects from 16 teams around the globe compete. Arop led the entire tournament in rebounds (11.3 rpg), and averaged 20.5 points (third), 2.5 steals(sixth)and 2.8 assists (14th overall).


                          And then there was this when Canada played Team USA (where Manny had a game high 21 points to go with 9 rebounds):
                          What does it say about the will to win that this team has to go on that 12-0 run in the fourth quarter after Canada cut the lead to single digits?
                          I believe they only cut it to an eight point deficit and we answered right away. The offensive glass of Ryan Kelly, JaMychal (Green) and Travis (Wear) down the stretch was very important to us. Canada had a great performance by Mangisto Arop. He was tremendous today. It was very difficult to defend him, but I think we had enough guys that defended him and made it difficult for him down the stretch. And...
                          David Wear (Mater Dei H.S. / Santa Ana, Calif.)
                          On today’s game:
                          I think we lost focus there for a little while. I don’t think we necessarily came out and played our hardest. There were times when we took plays off. But overall I felt that we did a pretty good job of sticking to the game plan. (Mangisto) Arop got hot there for awhile, he was killing us for awhile. But then we picked up the ‘D’ and started getting more stops.
                          http://www.guboards.com/showthread.php?t=13392 Posted by Zagnative

                          Anybody who can do that against Team USA, a team that was stacked with guys like Kemba Walker, Jrue Holiday, and many others is ready to play D1 ball for Gonzaga.
                          "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."
                          -Zach Norvell Jr.

                          Comment

                          • SpokastSports
                            Bulldog Fan
                            • Mar 2009
                            • 94

                            #14
                            I agree with what you're saying apple and I agree with you wholeheartedly. What this class has that the 07 class didn't was that anecodotal evidence of toughness. The 07 class was a story of bloodlines with stories of Austin Daye's prestigous father and Rob Sacre's parents' history. This year we have stories of scrappers like Bol Kong not giving in on the chance of playing in America and Manny Arop coming from the war lands of Africa. Both Harris and Kong were knocked early in their high school-amateur years for their lack of fundamentals but they worked hard to gain that. We'll see.

                            Comment

                            • CaliforniaZaggin'
                              Zag for Life
                              • Feb 2008
                              • 5981

                              #15
                              I wonder if the staff made a more concerted effort to go out and find, and ultimately sign, better athletes. The knock on the Zags has always been their defense, but it sounds like the 2009 class has that physical tools to change that.
                              What are you doing, Adam? Do you even know how many people go blind from pizza shrapnel?

                              Comment

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