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Ilko...so what you are saying is that each person in this post is completely off in our assessment?

 

Zo WAS THE 15th guy out of 14 on the German National Basketball team and started in a pro-league...a top pro-league (the German Bundesliga is probably the third or fourth top to bottom league in Europe, Italy and Spain being better from top to bottom). He was light years away from Gifford in terms of just about every category. And if Gifford could hit the J all the time...they would have went to that well.

 

 

Let me put it this way-- if you "dont remember much about Z" than you probably shouldn't comment on the matter AFTER a majority of the posters stated they saw something different than you. You are entitled to your opinion...but then you say you are basing it from not so strong memories. And the fact that you said "Connelly...have it" just makes me shake my head-- Connelly, was a non-factor that year as a go-to guy. That was a straight up Wilson, Siggers, Jordan...team...and then everyone else played a supporting role.

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I've heard rumors that Giff more than held his own against Zoellner when he came to visit UA his senior year of HS...

 

 

THis may be true...but then I dont hold too much stock in a non-coached scrimmage.

 

And more to the point, if he did hold his own...that says alot about Gifford's ability to develop; heck maybe he just simply maxed out in High School (likely the case) and was simply a recruiting mix. I find it really hard to believe that Pat Filien somehow lost his big man teaching touch between Taylor Coppenrath and Gifford. And from what I understand, Giff went to the Big Man camp in Cali (or Hawaii) and still didnt develop. That camp is THE PREMIER big man camp in the country.

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I've heard rumors that Giff more than held his own against Zoellner when he came to visit UA his senior year of HS...

 

 

THis may be true...but then I dont hold too much stock in a non-coached scrimmage.

 

And more to the point, if he did hold his own...that says alot about Gifford's ability to develop; heck maybe he just simply maxed out in High School (likely the case) and was simply a recruiting mix. I find it really hard to believe that Pat Filien somehow lost his big man teaching touch between Taylor Coppenrath and Gifford. And from what I understand, Giff went to the Big Man camp in Cali (or Hawaii) and still didnt develop. That camp is THE PREMIER big man camp in the country.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Giff attended the Vegas camp the summer before his sophomore year.

 

As far as Pat Filien goes, what big man has he developed since Coppenrath? I'll hang up the phone and listen...

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As Dane96 mentioned..saying that Connelly was a better option than Zoellner shows how little you (admittedly) remember from that season. Not a knock at all on Connelly..but he was one of the last players off the bench to get minutes in that 05-06 season as a freshman. His season high in points was 6..and his season high in minutes was 10..in fact he only played in 2/3 of the games that year.

 

It's funny thinking about Zoellner now..he was lambasted by most fans in his two seasons here because many thought a 7'1" guy from Boston College should be putting up 20 and 10 every night..but he was effective his senior year and did exactly what we needed him to..drop in 4 or 5 baskets a game..grab a handful of rebounds..and clog the defensive lane while blocking a shot or two. I think his 'breakout' against UConn..when he was finally able to play against people around his height..allowed him to end on an especially positive note in the minds of many Great Dane fans.

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I've heard rumors that Giff more than held his own against Zoellner when he came to visit UA his senior year of HS...

 

 

THis may be true...but then I dont hold too much stock in a non-coached scrimmage.

 

And more to the point, if he did hold his own...that says alot about Gifford's ability to develop; heck maybe he just simply maxed out in High School (likely the case) and was simply a recruiting mix. I find it really hard to believe that Pat Filien somehow lost his big man teaching touch between Taylor Coppenrath and Gifford. And from what I understand, Giff went to the Big Man camp in Cali (or Hawaii) and still didnt develop. That camp is THE PREMIER big man camp in the country.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Giff attended the Vegas camp the summer before his sophomore year.

 

As far as Pat Filien goes, what big man has he developed since Coppenrath? I'll hang up the phone and listen...

 

I will let you think on that one a bit...and you can get back to me. I already know the answer.

 

As for Gifford's camp, I refer to the prior sentence...I already know the answer: "Personal: Major is business administration with a minor in history ... born 8-18-87 ... given name is Brett Michael Gifford ... parents are Ralph and Marsha Gifford ... has one brother, Kyle Gifford, and one sister, Erin Chamberlain ... attended Pete Newell Big Man Camp." It is usually in Hawaii...but moved to Vegas in 2003 and is now back in Hawaii. I didnt realize they moved it for a bit.

 

All that said, if PETE NEWELL and PAT FILIEN CAN'T WORK MAGIC ON YOU...YOU JUST EITHER PEAKED OR ARE NOT A GOOD LEARNER. In my opinion, this was a recruiting miss...but I am glad the kid was in the program...GOOD SOLID KID!

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As Dane96 mentioned..saying that Connelly was a better option than Zoellner shows how little you (admittedly) remember from that season. Not a knock at all on Connelly..but he was one of the last players off the bench to get minutes in that 05-06 season as a freshman. His season high in points was 6..and his season high in minutes was 10..in fact he only played in 2/3 of the games that year.

 

It's funny thinking about Zoellner now..he was lambasted by most fans in his two seasons here because many thought a 7'1" guy from Boston College should be putting up 20 and 10 every night..but he was effective his senior year and did exactly what we needed him to..drop in 4 or 5 baskets a game..grab a handful of rebounds..and clog the defensive lane while blocking a shot or two. I think his 'breakout' against UConn..when he was finally able to play against people around his height..allowed him to end on an especially positive note in the minds of many Great Dane fans.

 

If I could give you "reputation" points, I would. Nicely stated.

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I've heard rumors that Giff more than held his own against Zoellner when he came to visit UA his senior year of HS...

 

 

THis may be true...but then I dont hold too much stock in a non-coached scrimmage.

 

And more to the point, if he did hold his own...that says alot about Gifford's ability to develop; heck maybe he just simply maxed out in High School (likely the case) and was simply a recruiting mix. I find it really hard to believe that Pat Filien somehow lost his big man teaching touch between Taylor Coppenrath and Gifford. And from what I understand, Giff went to the Big Man camp in Cali (or Hawaii) and still didnt develop. That camp is THE PREMIER big man camp in the country.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Giff attended the Vegas camp the summer before his sophomore year.

 

As far as Pat Filien goes, what big man has he developed since Coppenrath? I'll hang up the phone and listen...

 

I will let you think on that one a bit...and you can get back to me. I already know the answer.

 

As for Gifford's camp, I refer to the prior sentence...I already know the answer: "Personal: Major is business administration with a minor in history ... born 8-18-87 ... given name is Brett Michael Gifford ... parents are Ralph and Marsha Gifford ... has one brother, Kyle Gifford, and one sister, Erin Chamberlain ... attended Pete Newell Big Man Camp." It is usually in Hawaii...but moved to Vegas in 2003 and is now back in Hawaii. I didnt realize they moved it for a bit.

 

All that said, if PETE NEWELL and PAT FILIEN CAN'T WORK MAGIC ON YOU...YOU JUST EITHER PEAKED OR ARE NOT A GOOD LEARNER. In my opinion, this was a recruiting miss...but I am glad the kid was in the program...GOOD SOLID KID!

 

Connely?

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Connelly was a nice player at UA but I wouldn't consider him a true Bigman.

 

To me he was more of a 10-15' jump shooting forward.

 

He wasn't going to clog the middle and block shots and he wasn't going to change anyone's mind about driving the lane.

 

In fact when people saw him in the lane they were usually more willing to attack the rim. To his credit he had gone to the Brent Wilson school of taking charges.

 

Connelly to me was a nice forward but not what I would consider a Bigman..

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I was no big Z fan while he was playing. I thought he played a solid role on the team. My problem stemmed from when they would at times try to run the offense through him. Result = travel or offensive foul (officials in AE were tough on someone his size, see performance against Uconn where allowed to battle).

 

So if I could pick one big, Giff or Z? Not even a minute of thought necessary, Z. Better defender. Better rebounder. Better finisher. Nobody blocked his shot (either a dunk or baby hook type?). Giffs one advantage is, as mentioned, the ability to knock down a short jumper. Personally, I'd rather he didn't. I need my big to be able to grab boards, block shots, put back a rebound once in a while, and finish when Jamar draws 2 or 3 defenders and gives you the ball 4 feet from the hoop.

 

It's just wishful thinking to think that you can get a 20 and 10 guy, or 18 and 8 for that matter at this level, that is a "big" man. More likely that that player is 6'6" range athlete. Not the, for lack of better term, 7' stiffs that are available to the America East teams.

 

Even Coppenrath wasn't a "big" as far as I'm concerned. Crafty, smart, great shot, heady rebounder, but most of his points (as I recall) were from 8-10' and out. I'd watch games and think he hadn't done all that much and then check the box score and 22 and 9.

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I agree McFan...I dont believe there are many true big men in this league (Roberson, Baker, Ryan Butt, 'ZO, Shawn James, etc. would be some examples over the years).

 

I'll add Adeleke a few years ago.

 

I think you hope for a servicable guy w/ some upside. Rebound, defend, block a shot here and there. And as old age sets in I can't come up with his name but even the guy from Vermont a couple of years ago (Holm?).

 

Personally I think Metcalf can do a few of these things. He really rebounds well. Seems Ok defensively although not a shot blocking threat (Lindfors can do that), and can but a rebound back into the hoop once or twice a game. I guess after watching AE ball since UA joined, I'm just not greedy on the big man front. Give me 7-9 pts, and 6-8 boards and count me in. tough part is that 7-9 points means the ability to score 12-13 on a given night. Giff didn't have that, not sure if Metcalf does either. Lindfors might.

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Yeah, Adeleke was definitely a pure big...and Holm was as well. Then you have what's his face from Binghamton...and the big from 3-4 years ago from Maine Justin something or other.

 

See above for those last two:

 

"Not the, for lack of better term, 7' stiffs that are available to the America East teams." Half joking, they each had their moments. And to show my memory is coming back Billings and Rowe?

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