The Canadians

[Reborn]

We've been talking a lot about our Canadian Zags a lot lately, and I've really been doing some research. I ran across a great article about Rob Sacre when Rob was a Senior in high school. The writer said that Rob was the most highly recruited Canadian of all time (up to that point) and that included Steve Nash. He was the #2 rated Canadian in that class. I think we are going to see a lot more from Sacre than many of us expect. I know when we were talking about our players' averages for next year I said Sacre would average 11 and many were surprised. I hope we do see that, and I think he has a good chance to achieve it. The couple of things that stick out the most to me about Rob is that he runs the floor really nicely, and that he was a pretty good foul shooter. He was a bit of a let down his Freshman year which reminds me of how difficult the transition is from high school to college, and especially for the big boys.

I would like to see a line up at times of Meech, Arop, Kong, Olynyk and Sacre. Mark Few has so many weapons at his disposal for next year, and he can be about as creative as he would ever hope to be. I think he will have a really fun time with this group of players. The challenge for the staff, and especially for Mark Few, will be to get the right group on the floor at the right time.

A question I have is, "How is Mark Few going to be able to keep Manny Arop and Bol Kong off the court for very long? Could Bol Kong play the #4 in the same way that Pendo did, and PEndo was only 6'5". Kong is 6'7" and a nice wing span, and can jump out of the gym compared to Pendo. And from what I've seen he has a good outside shot, as Pendo did.

[OZZag]

Thanks reborn for bringing Rob up again, he was the main reason I joined the board. I am a little concerened about how Bol will handle the physicalness of the 4 position, playing in Canada he would not have come up against a Daimon Simpson type player, a true 4 who has muscle and bulk, While Daye was thin he had an extra 4 inches on Bol in the height department which allowed him to have an advantage. I see Bol as a 2/3 rather than a 3/4, expecially given the depth we have at the 4 with Poling/Harris/Dower and perhaps Olynyk.

[MississppiZag]

Maybe we can snag Kevin Pangos and see Pangos, Arop, Kong, Olynyk, and Sacre.

[thespywhozaggedme]

Maybe we can snag Kevin Pangos and see Pangos, Arop, Kong, Olynyk, and Sacre.

Pangos is an '11, Rob graduates in '10. Would've been cool though. Maybe we can snag Mo Walker from Georgetown and replace Rob with him.

[Nevtelen]

Pangos is an '11, Rob graduates in '10. Would've been cool though. Maybe we can snag Mo Walker from Georgetown and replace Rob with him.

I think you're off on Rob. Rob has 3 more years of eligibility, so that would put him on the team through 2012. He could easily play with a 2011 recruit.

[thespywhozaggedme]

I think you're off on Rob. Rob has 3 more years of eligibility, so that would put him on the team through 2012. He could easily play with a 2011 recruit.

Wow, I thought he was gonna be a jr this season and a senior in '10. I must have gotten confused because of the redshirt. Thanks for clearing that up. So there is potential for the first All Canadian D1 starting 5 after all. That would definitely fall under "obscure trivia" for $500 please Alex. Seriously though, it would be a pretty darn good 5 with Pangos, Manny, Kong, Kelly and Rob.

[ronh_pm]

playing in Canada he would not have come up against a Daimon Simpson type player, a true 4 who has muscle and bulk, .

I believe Bol is also listed at 6-7 230 and though there is nothing but muscle, I would not call him bulky...he is long, if that makes any sense.

[Reborn]

From the pictures recently seen of Kong, I would say that he could defend Simpson. He is the same size of Simpson...6'7" and weighs 230. Simpson was a great rebounder, and got many of his points off offensive rebounds and foul shots. He was not a good shooter. I would say Bol Kong is better, and much better that Diamon Simpson. Could Simpson stop Kong.

I was disappointed though to hear that KOng may not be physical. That would be disappointing. Maybe with a last name like Kong, I just expect him to be an animal, and just kill people on defense. Sorry. Kong looks preetty chiseled in the photos, much like Arop but 2 inches taller.

I do agree that Kong and Arop would be great wings, and would play great together as wings. Here is my question. Would Kong have a better chance of playing this year at the #4 or at the #3. We seem way more loaded at the #3. I do not see Poling playing at the 4 spot. Harris is definitely a 4, Olynyk as well. I see Dower more at the 5 with Poling and Sacre. To me Dower is built like Kuso, but way more athletic with a much better offensive game. Will he have Kuso's spirit? Will any of them? Kuso had the Zag spirit, along the lines of Pendo. We will miss that, and I hope that one or two of these new players will come with that kind of fire in their hearts.

Which of these new guys have that fire? Or are they, as has been said by OZZag, soft? If they are soft, we are in deep trouble.

[USF]

Bol King v. Diamon Simpson

So you looked at a PICTURE of someone who has not played ONE SECOND of Division 1 college basketball and have concluded that he is "much better" than a 2 time ALL WCC player who basically averaged a double double for three years? That simply makes no sense.

Diamon Simpson was a great WCC player. I just find it ridiculous that some fans compare players who have never stepped on the court to players who have already achieved great things at the college level.

[zag67]

I think that this year's team (and for years to come) has some super interchangeable pieces. At point we have Meech, JV, Matt, Steven and Gibbs that could do some time. At the 2 we have Matt, Steven, Gibbs, and Arop. At the 3 we have Matt, Arop, and Kong. At the 4 I think that we could have Kong, Harris, Dower, and Poling. And lastlly at the 5 we could have Sacre, Polling, Dower, and Foster. At this time I would redshirt Olynyk, but if not he could play a 3 and maybe some others.
We could have groups that are great at the defensive end. We have speed teams, rebounding groups, tall groups and 3 point shooting groups. This is someways is going to be a coaching nightmare and also fun. Finding the best groups that play together, keeping the players moral up, and trying to keep everyone playing enough. From the fans point of view we are going to have some major mood swings, but the ride should be fun. Also knowing that following year we only lose 2 players, means this is just the start. I just cannot wait for the journey to begin and we know it is getting closer.

[Angelo Roncalli]

So you looked at a PICTURE of someone who has not played ONE SECOND of Division 1 college basketball and have concluded that he is "much better" than a 2 time ALL WCC player who basically averaged a double double for three years? That simply makes no sense.

Diamon Simpson was a great WCC player. I just find it ridiculous that some fans compare players who have never stepped on the court to players who have already achieved great things at the college level.

Yawn.

[ZagNative]

Is there a traitor to Coach Ditka in the hall at this meeting of the Gonzaga off-season support committee?



Da Bulls! Da Bears! Da Zags! Da Kong!

[USF]

Yawn?

What is that supposed to mean? If you don't agree with what I said, tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that Bol Kong is better because A, B or C. But the more I read this board, the more I see a total lack of any civil discourse with anyone who does not completely tow the party line about Gonzaga basketball. Reborn seems pretty unhinged in his "opinions" and nobody ever seems to question him. And all you can say is "Yawn?". I heard a lot about you Angelo, and I was hoping it wasn't all true. I guess it is.

This board is a Yawn. I won't post again.

[sittingon50]

Hey, I would be happy to post over on your board, but they won't let me. What say you throw your considerable weight around & allow the free exchange of ideas?

[USF]

What?

I dont know why you dont post on the USF board. Do you know why Angelo would say "Yawn" to my post? This board does not have a free exchange of ideas. Unless those ideas regard how many Gonzaga players who have yet to step foot on your campus will end up in the NBA. Yes, that is another thing that Reborn said. And yet nobody even doubted him.