The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(03-28-2019 08:53 AM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Both are going to be good players for us, but I don't know how well they play together. We had some issues last year with Porter/Stith trying to play together and I'm not sure Dickens/Ezikpe is an improvement over that. It just causes spacing issues on offense and you force one of those guys to guard a much more mobile player...and you see guys like Johnson kill us.

We need to find ways to improve the offense. Playing Ezikpe and Dickens together is probably not going to do that.

I don’t see why not. They can both stretch the floor with jump shots going forward. I think the entire key to making the offense run smoother is by having bigs that can step out and face up. I see both those players being able to do that.

(03-28-2019 11:31 AM)Prideofalion Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 08:53 AM)Gilesfan Wrote:  Both are going to be good players for us, but I don't know how well they play together. We had some issues last year with Porter/Stith trying to play together and I'm not sure Dickens/Ezikpe is an improvement over that. It just causes spacing issues on offense and you force one of those guys to guard a much more mobile player...and you see guys like Johnson kill us.

We need to find ways to improve the offense. Playing Ezikpe and Dickens together is probably not going to do that.

I don’t see why not. They can both stretch the floor with jump shots going forward. I think the entire key to making the offense run smoother is by having bigs that can step out and face up. I see both those players being able to do that.

I'm with YOU Pride. Zip is 6'7" and Dickens is 7 foot. Two totally different players and positions. And now, folks who seem to know, say Zip actually has a 3 point shot they are working on for his arsenal. You play them both. Dickens inside and Kalu further outside. If Zip can learn to cut down on the fouls, which I'm sure he will as time goes by, you play them both at the same time. That will be a tough tandem in the future. Hopefully will be a tough tandem next season!

(03-27-2019 12:27 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(03-27-2019 12:18 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(03-27-2019 12:17 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(03-27-2019 12:05 PM)Maryland Monarch Wrote:  The problem with Carver is that anytime he is on the floor, the other team can lay-off him and clog the lane. There is no need to guard him at all. None. It allows the other team the ability to play 5-on-4 and add problems to an already offensively-challenged team.

Its not like teams guard Ezikpe or Dickens outside of the paint either.

They don't seem to be outside of the paint as much as Carver is, and if they are, and they're wide open both of those guys will pull the trigger and occasionally make one.

Thats because they don't pass as well as Carver and are typically the ones in the paint. Carver plays with a big guy; Ekizpe and Dickens don't (or rarely do).

I think E will get to the point where he can knock down a jumper. Dickens....possibly. But, right now, Wade, E, Dickens, Caver all cannot hit 2 point jumpers (and shouldn't be taking them anyways).

You don't have to be a scoring threat to play outside of the pain if you can move the ball, set screen, move around, etc. Let me see if I can find what Carvers on/off numbers were.

He already can.

(03-28-2019 02:13 PM)757ODU Wrote:  

(03-27-2019 12:27 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(03-27-2019 12:18 PM)monarx Wrote:  

(03-27-2019 12:17 PM)Gilesfan Wrote:  

(03-27-2019 12:05 PM)Maryland Monarch Wrote:  The problem with Carver is that anytime he is on the floor, the other team can lay-off him and clog the lane. There is no need to guard him at all. None. It allows the other team the ability to play 5-on-4 and add problems to an already offensively-challenged team.

Its not like teams guard Ezikpe or Dickens outside of the paint either.

They don't seem to be outside of the paint as much as Carver is, and if they are, and they're wide open both of those guys will pull the trigger and occasionally make one.

Thats because they don't pass as well as Carver and are typically the ones in the paint. Carver plays with a big guy; Ekizpe and Dickens don't (or rarely do).

I think E will get to the point where he can knock down a jumper. Dickens....possibly. But, right now, Wade, E, Dickens, Caver all cannot hit 2 point jumpers (and shouldn't be taking them anyways).

You don't have to be a scoring threat to play outside of the pain if you can move the ball, set screen, move around, etc. Let me see if I can find what Carvers on/off numbers were.

He already can.

I mean consistently where it can be a weapon.

Let's be real here. JJ is not letting any 4 or 5 consistently shoot jumpers whether they are capable or not. Just not happening.

Not to mention the fact that no matter how hard we beat our collective heads against the wall, Aaron Carver will be a senior, will start, and will play at least 25 minutes per game regardless of how good anyone else gets. JJ is who he is.

(03-28-2019 03:14 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  Let's be real here. JJ is not letting any 4 or 5 consistently shoot jumpers whether they are capable or not. Just not happening.

Disagree with this. ODU just hasn’t had good shooting bigs as of late. Jon Arledge and Biberaj both had the green light. Dickens was knocking down some jumpers early in the year before he hit a wall and or lost his confidence.

(03-28-2019 03:21 PM)EverRespect Wrote:  Not to mention the fact that no matter how hard we beat our collective heads against the wall, Aaron Carver will be a senior, will start, and will play at least 25 minutes per game regardless of how good anyone else gets. JJ is who he is.

I don’t think that it can be overstated that Carver was the only frontcourt player this year that had any experience whatsoever. Even Robinson had only played a few games in his career and he’s like 23 years old. I’m not sure that’s a fair statement. Next year that won’t be the case.

(03-28-2019 03:14 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  Let's be real here. JJ is not letting any 4 or 5 consistently shoot jumpers whether they are capable or not. Just not happening.

Not only that, Trey Porter and Brandan Stith shot jump shots last year. Brandan rarely connected but Porter made a fair share.

(03-28-2019 04:47 PM)Prideofalion Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:14 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  Let's be real here. JJ is not letting any 4 or 5 consistently shoot jumpers whether they are capable or not. Just not happening.

Disagree with this. ODU just hasn’t had good shooting bigs as of late. Jon Arledge and Biberaj both had the green light. Dickens was knocking down some jumpers early in the year before he hit a wall and or lost his confidence.

Green light is a bit of a stretch. Maybe flashing red light.

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(03-28-2019 04:53 PM)Prideofalion Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:14 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  Let's be real here. JJ is not letting any 4 or 5 consistently shoot jumpers whether they are capable or not. Just not happening.

Not only that, Trey Porter and Brandan Stith shot jump shots last year. Brandan rarely connected but Porter made a fair share.

Trey Porter was 1 for 1 from 3 point range last year, and he probably was benched after that 1 attempt. Not going to bother looking up Brandon, because I'm pretty sure he didn't attempt any.

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(03-28-2019 06:45 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 04:53 PM)Prideofalion Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:14 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  Let's be real here. JJ is not letting any 4 or 5 consistently shoot jumpers whether they are capable or not. Just not happening.

Not only that, Trey Porter and Brandan Stith shot jump shots last year. Brandan rarely connected but Porter made a fair share.

Trey Porter was 1 for 1 from 3 point range last year, and he probably was benched after that 1 attempt. Not going to bother looking up Brandon, because I'm pretty sure he didn't attempt any.

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Shooting jumpers and shooting threes are two different things. I fully expect both Ezikpe and Dickens to knock down some 10 -15 foot jumpers next year and to not be pulled for attempting them. BJ played the 4 quite a bit this year and has the green light from anywhere. It depends on your personnel.

I think I missed something over the last few weeks, Where is this nickname ZIP coming from. I know at one of the breakfasts JJ gave the nicknames some of other players have given one another.

I think Kalu's was K-K (what his mother calls him).

Also heard Kalu being called Lu by BJ or Ahmad during an after game interview.

I will ask at the Big Blue BBQ!!!

(03-28-2019 07:38 PM)JJMonarch Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 06:45 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 04:53 PM)Prideofalion Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:14 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  Let's be real here. JJ is not letting any 4 or 5 consistently shoot jumpers whether they are capable or not. Just not happening.

Not only that, Trey Porter and Brandan Stith shot jump shots last year. Brandan rarely connected but Porter made a fair share.

Trey Porter was 1 for 1 from 3 point range last year, and he probably was benched after that 1 attempt. Not going to bother looking up Brandon, because I'm pretty sure he didn't attempt any.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Shooting jumpers and shooting threes are two different things. I fully expect both Ezikpe and Dickens to knock down some 10 -15 foot jumpers next year and to not be pulled for attempting them. BJ played the 4 quite a bit this year and has the green light from anywhere. It depends on your personnel.

Yeah I’m not just referring to a 3 point jump shot. But the offense definitely needs the 4 and 5 spots to be able to face up and hit some type of jump shot over 10 feet. I think both Ezikpe and Dickens could provide this going forward. It’s unfair to say they won’t or can’t after one year of bench minutes. Both show they can have a good touch.

(03-28-2019 10:29 PM)Monarch Homselr Wrote:  I think I missed something over the last few weeks, Where is this nickname ZIP coming from. I know at one of the breakfasts JJ gave the nicknames some of other players have given one another.

I think Kalu's was K-K (what his mother calls him).

Also heard Kalu being called Lu by BJ or Ahmad during an after game interview.

I will ask at the Big Blue BBQ!!!

One poster started it (I think mac?) And it stuck pretty hard. No offense to mac but I find it mildly infuriating because his name is eZIKpe and no where in his name is there a zip lol. Maybe I'll start calling him Zeke so he can get more nicknames! He does have an awesome name.

(03-28-2019 03:14 PM)Monarchblue Wrote:  Let's be real here. JJ is not letting any 4 or 5 consistently shoot jumpers whether they are capable or not. Just not happening.

He let Arledge fire away at will

(03-29-2019 05:13 AM)odu09 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 10:29 PM)Monarch Homselr Wrote:  I think I missed something over the last few weeks, Where is this nickname ZIP coming from. I know at one of the breakfasts JJ gave the nicknames some of other players have given one another.

I think Kalu's was K-K (what his mother calls him).

Also heard Kalu being called Lu by BJ or Ahmad during an after game interview.

I will ask at the Big Blue BBQ!!!

One poster started it (I think mac?) And it stuck pretty hard. No offense to mac but I find it mildly infuriating because his name is eZIKpe and no where in his name is there a zip lol. Maybe I'll start calling him Zeke so he can get more nicknames! He does have an awesome name.

The Big EZ

(03-29-2019 05:13 AM)odu09 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 10:29 PM)Monarch Homselr Wrote:  I think I missed something over the last few weeks, Where is this nickname ZIP coming from. I know at one of the breakfasts JJ gave the nicknames some of other players have given one another.

I think Kalu's was K-K (what his mother calls him).

Also heard Kalu being called Lu by BJ or Ahmad during an after game interview.

I will ask at the Big Blue BBQ!!!

One poster started it (I think mac?) And it stuck pretty hard. No offense to mac but I find it mildly infuriating because his name is eZIKpe and no where in his name is there a zip lol. Maybe I'll start calling him Zeke so he can get more nicknames! He does have an awesome name.

Lol. I am so glad to hear I am not the only one.

My nickname used to be Crayfish. Nowhere in my name is there a Y, F, A, or S. =]

(03-29-2019 12:33 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  My nickname used to be Crayfish. Nowhere in my name is there a Y, F, A, or S. =]

But it does have the same sound as cray, right? Zip doesn't share that similarity.