Episcopal on ESPN 2

[sarge965]

Yocum's high school team will be on ESPN 2 01/18 at 7pm

 

Old Spice Red Zone Showcase presented by Honda

High School Basketball

Episcopal (PA) vs. Goretti (PA)

Palestra Philadelphia, PA USA 7:00 pm to

8:30 pm

 

I think I'll listen to the present and watch the future

[Dane Pound]

I will too. Did you ever think you'd be watching an Albany recruit on ESPN?

[sarge965]

NOT IN MY WILDEST DREAMS

[GreatDanes06]

i know ESPN will be focusing on the guys from Duke and North Carolina...but yea, id like to see Yocum steal the show...i expect to hear Albany mentioned a few times tonight

[reeder]

I watched some of the game on ESPN2 last night. It's a bit tough when the offense is geared around the 2 kids going to the ACC.

 

From what I saw, Yocum got most (if not all) of his points on rebounds and put backs. Seemed to have a good touch around the basket. Also noticed that he set a lot of screens and played around the perimeter a lot (a bit like Zoellner does now).

 

Again, tough to tell much as I didn't see any offense going through him at all. The good news is that he did rebound and made the put backs. I can see why Brown had to have additional individual workouts to look at his offensive skills - he didn't really get a chance to display any as the other two kids had all of the plays run through them. Couldn't really tell if he could play with his back to his basket.

 

He is on a very good team and if he is a legit 6'9", even 6'8" he will certainly be able to contribute.

[Dane96]

Here is what I felt:

 

From a player's perspective, I want this guy on my team. He is Mr. Intangible. Passes well, hustles, fiesty, well built, will do what it takes to win. I also wouldnt fear him being on the line when it mattered; Kid has a nice stroke.

 

From a coach's perspective, the same as above but with some constructive criticism/coaching to add. Mike seems very intelligent, thus coachable. I think he needs to work on his game around the hoop, however he looks to be athletic for his size. Needs to work on condtioning, though I know he played the whole game, playing against DI players will tire you out quickly. Good sign: He played well against that man-child recruit (Junior signee) for Syracuse. He gets real good position, however he tends to slap at the ball instead of going up strong. Grab the ball son...dont tap. It won't work in college. Work on warding off (legally) the guy in the low post with your opposite hip to get the defender on his heels.

 

Those, are picky points, but if he can improve them (and I believe he will) this kid will be very good. I could forsee him blossiming into something special by the time he is a Junior. As a frosh....will give much depth to a big frontline.

 

I liked what I saw....now get to Albany and start working on the offensive game and upper body strength. I would say he is more 6'7- 6'8 than 6'9, but that is ok (basing this on him standing next to Henderson who is 6'5.)

 

By the way...how the "f" is this kid Pettis (from N-G) not recruited. He was unreal in that game.......

[Patch]

D96 - Yocum was at our last home game vs UVS. I saw him talking to Coach Brown and he was a good bit bigger then Brown (who I believe is 6'6"+).

 

Earlier in the year one of the staff told me - he has a tendency to slouch a little ( kinda like round shouldered ) when he stands straight up he is 6'8"+.

 

I would like him to play 6'8"+. With the limited stuff I've read about him he seems to gets some dunks against good big men so he must have some hops around the rim and that is something we need. He also seems to go for double digit rebounds alot and thats against athletic comp as well as rebounding against his teammates Henderson and Ellington who are 6'5" and very athletic. Athletic enough for the ACC.

[Dane96]

D96 - Yocum was at our last home game vs UVS. I saw him talking to Coach Brown and he was a good bit bigger then Brown (who I believe is 6'6"+).

 

Earlier in the year one of the staff told me - he has a tendency to slouch a little ( kinda like round shouldered ) when he stands straight up he is 6'8"+.

 

I would like him to play 6'8"+. With the limited stuff I've read about him he seems to gets some dunks against good big men so he must have some hops around the rim and that is something we need. He also seems to go for double digit rebounds alot and thats against athletic comp as well as rebounding against his teammates Henderson and Ellington who are 6'5" and very athletic. Athletic enough for the ACC.

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I promise you, his rebounds aren't as good as they sound...yet. They are good for his comp, however he does not go up for them. I was cursing the TV while my boss was laughing. He, like alot of young big men who are bigger than there comp, taps away instead of commanding the ball at its apex. Henderson and Ellington were often out of position for rebounds because they both attack the hoop so hard. Yocum gets great position, just needs to use that and sky.

[KingDane]

I agree with some of what I read. Yocum seems to give his best, and appears to be intelligent and coachable.

 

I thought he was slow and doughy, in need of some significant conditioning. Too often he was behind the play. If it passes him by at that level, he's got a very long way to go to compete at the D-1 level.

 

All in all I was a little disappointed. I watched, hoping for more.

[Patch]

With all due respect there was serious talent on that court last night and atleast 5 or 6 of those guys are going to go DI alot higher then UA. This wasn't local hoop like Shaker playing Shen.

 

13 rebounds is 13 rebounds - remember most rebounds even in college games of gotten rim level and below.

 

Positioning and a nose for the ball are needed by good rebounders.

[Dane96]

With all due respect there was serious talent on that court last night and atleast 5 or 6 of those guys are going to go DI alot higher then UA. This wasn't local hoop like Shaker playing Shen.

 

13 rebounds is 13 rebounds - remember most rebounds even in college games of gotten rim level and below.

 

Positioning and a nose for the ball are needed by good rebounders.

11255[/snapback]

 

With all due respect back at you, and we can agree to disagree on this one, but I'd like to think my evaluation of Mike Yocum was pretty spot on. Granted, I have only seen him play once and it could have been an anomoly, but like KingDane, I was disappointed.

 

I played in the toughest high school conference in the country (at the time) and I know what it is like to have top D1 talent on the floor. The problems have nothing to do with talent, but Yocum's skillset. Upon watching the game (twice), you can see Yocum laboring. As I stated, he did play the entire game, however when he will get just as tired, if not more, trying to box out the Janov's, Gardner's, etc. of the AE world. Further, the desire to go up and grab the rebound, opposed to tapping away at it, has nothing to do with other DI guys on the floor.

 

In fact, it is a further indictment on what he needs to do to get ready for the DI level; He still grabbed 13 boards while being fundamentally unsound (sans the boxing out part, which he is great at) regarding finding the ball and going up for it.

 

He seems to have really long arms. Alot of the boards were the product of him just reaching out to grab balls that were coming off the rim at long and low trajectory's.

 

Point is....double, doubles do not impress me in numbers alone. TWO WORDS: NEIL FINGLETON.

 

Again, I think Yocum, unlike Zoellner, is very good athlete and very coachable and WILL BE A VERY SOLID AE player. He, in my opinion, did not show me anything to make me believe he will play significant minutes in year 1 or year 2.

 

Just my opinion.

[GODANESGO]

I admitedly didn't see the game, but I was wondering if the "skill-set" that he displayed make him look like a center or if he would be better to get more time at the 4 spot? With Covington able to play center and Gifford coming in next year as well, we would have some flexability with him in that area.

[Patch]

D96 - your opinion is always highly regarded. The one thing double digit rebounds does tell you is that the kid seeks out rebounds and is in position to rebound.

 

At the competition level Episcopal plays at Yocum comes up against alot of players more athletic than him and going higher then the AE so I don't think he'll be in over his head.

 

At 6'8"+ if Yocum was snatching above the rim he'd be going A10 or higher. Every Big at this level comes with some limitations. If he fundamentally knows how to rebound with his size and if he has long arms thats a plus.

 

With Brent Wilson, hopeful continued improvement in Jimmy Covington, Brett Gifford (if he's ready) and improvement in Brian Connelly we may only need Yocum for several minutes a game. If Yocum is better than that, that will be great for the Danes.

 

The Danes program isn't the same one we had three years ago when if you were recruited you automatically were guaranteed minutes.

 

I want to see if Covington and Connelly physically and skillwise improve nearly as much as B. Wilson who put on about 20 good pounds and is a much improved rebounder then last year.

[Dane96]

D96 - your opinion is always highly regarded. The one thing double digit rebounds does tell you is that the kid seeks out rebounds and is in position to rebound.

 

At the competition level Episcopal plays at Yocum comes up against alot of players more athletic than him and going higher then the AE so I don't think he'll be in over his head.

 

At 6'8"+ if Yocum was snatching above the rim he'd be going A10 or higher. Every Big at this level comes with some limitations. If he fundamentally knows how to rebound with his size and if he has long arms thats a plus.

 

With Brent Wilson, hopeful continued improvement in Jimmy Covington, Brett Gifford (if he's ready) and improvement in Brian Connelly we may only need Yocum for several minutes a game. If Yocum is better than that, that will be great for the Danes.

 

The Danes program isn't the same one we had three years ago when if you were recruited you automatically were guaranteed minutes.

 

I want to see if Covington and Connelly physically and skillwise improve nearly as much as B. Wilson who put on about 20 good pounds and is a much improved rebounder then last year.

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I too am curious about Covington and Connelly's development. I would have to think Gifford may start day 1. I forsee a front line starting unit of B. Wilson and Gifford. The three spot is totally up for grabs...could be three guards (IATI) or G/F Siggers, or even Mike James or Reid Anderson...who knows. I do think we need improvement from Connelly and Covington, as I would like to see 10-16 mpg out of each, spelling Gifford and B.Wilson. If we could get that, Yocum could either be weened in or red-shirted.

 

I actually think next year's team can be just as good as this year's version.

[Dane Pound]

It was surprising watching that Episcipal game that Yocum has lead the team in scoring a couple of times this year. If Ellington and Henderson ever get sick of the ACC and want to rejoin their high school teammate at UA I'm sure Will Brown can find a spot for them.

 

I actually think next year's team can be just as good as this year's version.

11259[/snapback]

 

I agree with you 96. This team won't be falling off a cliff next season.

 

I'm guessing you mean Michael Knight when you talk about guards for next year. He is supposedly to be able to play either guard spot. I easily see Siggers sliding into Lou's role next season if he can get Brown's confidence. He really has all the tools offensively to be good and can jump out of the gym.

 

Never having seen Gifford play I'm giving the early spot to Covington. The few times I've seen him get the ball in the post he is pretty creative down low.