Yakwe Transferring

Wayne McKoy did peak as a soph but that was at Lutheran High and at the Elm-Cor basketball program as a sixteen year old. Street and Smith's basketball magazine rated him the top high school basketball player in the country after that season. He was fully grown at 6' 8 " and weighed about 225.
The next year he was outplayed badly by Gene Banks of Phil in a big HS game who was lighter and quicker and Wayne's rep fell. He was still a very high rated recruit when he graduated but had stopped growing, put on some weight and never reached where the experts had thought.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=279879][quote="we are sju" post=279876][quote="austour" post=279873][quote="we are sju" post=279862][quote="austour" post=279858]Also Noonan sucks at math. A '72 grad would only be 68 years old right now. ;)

Re Yakwe the truth no doubt lies somewhere in the middle, he's not the first 4 star big from LI to fail at STJ (Ed Brown, Tom Bayne) though of course he's not really from LI at all. The staff's approach to the game is outside out and occasionally a little outside in. Fans and proponents of inside out like myself are probably dinosaurs but that's the kind of system that MIGHT have gotten the best out of Kassoum, if there was a best to have. But he went for 7/5/2+ as a frosh. Staying there or even slightly improving would have meant a decent career. Didn't happen.

I blame the staff for getting rid of Zendon after Yakwe's frosh year. Just kidding as I have no idea if Zendon was a good big man coach or not.[/quote]

Before my time but didn't Wayne McKoy regress every year? Was that Louie's fault? Robert Werdann while remaining solid never really got better.
With Yakwe's skill set he had to have a great motor and succeed using his jumping ability and hustle. Sort of like a Jerome Williams form Gtown or Jerome Lane from Pitt. In addition to having the worst hands in program history Yakwe seemed to have no instincts to the ball and a pretty low motor.[/quote]

Before my time as well, though I remember reading about McKoy at Lutheran in Newsday when I was a kid and there was no internet or ESPN or anything else useful. Stats indicate that McKoy peaked as a Soph and then regressed a little when he had another high flying LIer as his front court mate, David Russell, who I got to watch in my HS gym a few times. Werdann improved every year until he got hurt Sr year. That said any of these three under achieving big men would be the best big on any of the last 10 STJ teams. Oh and Werdann has a lot of coaching experience, albeit in the NBA and D League, presently coach of the Grand Rapids team. Hire him up if Rice doesn't come.[/quote]

I always got the feeling Werdann should have been better. Made the NBA but was never consistent here.[/quote]
Agree, skilled player, but injuries his senior year hindered him. That said, considering our abysmal post play for so long, he would make us happy today.[/quote]

My brother in law knew Rob's dad. I think he was also in law enforcement or a related field as was Norm’s dad. The dad once said his son was very laid back in the Bill Walton mode. Liked to play his guitar and listen to the Greatful Dead. A Rob Werdann on this year's team would have put us in the tourney.
 
[quote="austour" post=279858]Also Noonan sucks at math. A '72 grad would only be 68 years old right now. ;)

Re Yakwe the truth no doubt lies somewhere in the middle, he's not the first 4 star big from LI to fail at STJ (Ed Brown, Tom Bayne) though of course he's not really from LI at all. The staff's approach to the game is outside out and occasionally a little outside in. Fans and proponents of inside out like myself are probably dinosaurs but that's the kind of system that MIGHT have gotten the best out of Kassoum, if there was a best to have. But he went for 7/5/2+ as a frosh. Staying there or even slightly improving would have meant a decent career. Didn't happen.

I blame the staff for getting rid of Zendon after Yakwe's frosh year. Just kidding as I have no idea if Zendon was a good big man coach or not.[/quote]

I like to tell people that I am 67 but look 57.;)
 
[quote="Class of 72" post=279905] I like to tell people that I am 67 but look 57.;)[/quote]
That self-perception will likely change once you have your cataracts removed.B)
 
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After his freshman year I thought we had like a Jeff Adrien type of guy but he never broke through, only flashes every now and then. To me his main issue was a lack of aggression that a player of his profile needed to have. He is a 6'6"/6'7 Power Forward, an old school one who has no range, so more like an undersized Center in today's game. He would need to have that dog in him to succeed in today's game with his skill set (No range) and size. He wasn't a bad kid though, I hope he goes to Iona and flourishes, why not? I have no issues with Kassoum seemed like a nice guy and he will graduate. Plus I think he was getting phased out a little bit, which might be for the best. He could use a fresh start and we can add some more help. Best for both sides although I wouldn't have minded him staying either. A 4 year player is always a positive, except maybe Alibegovic, but that was because he was our 7th man and not our 12th.
 
[quote="Enright" post=279886]Wayne McKoy did peak as a soph but that was at Lutheran High and at the Elm-Cor basketball program as a sixteen year old. Street and Smith's basketball magazine rated him the top high school basketball player in the country after that season. He was fully grown at 6' 8 " and weighed about 225.
The next year he was outplayed badly by Gene Banks of Phil in a big HS game who was lighter and quicker and Wayne's rep fell. He was still a very high rated recruit when he graduated but had stopped growing, put on some weight and never reached where the experts had thought.[/quote]

Teammates say he was lazy, and Carnesecca let him get away with it. While teammates ran stairs, he wouldn't do it. When teammates worked on skills he wouldn't do it. A teammate questioned him at least once , and he responded, I'll do that at the next level (NBA). He was so highly touted that by the 7th grade he was looked at as the next great nyc center in line of Alcindor. He believed the hype, never grew and didn't work.
 
All this Wayne McCoy talk reminded me of the match-ups with Jeff Ruland, when we played Iona, with Valvano as coach. This was mid or late 70s, prior to Big East. We had to play in a four team playoff, with the winner getting the automatic NCAA berth. Rutgers knocked us out a couple of times and I recall us losing both times we played Iona. I know the Rutgers games were at MSG, but I can't recall where the Iona games were played. Anyone remember?
 
[quote="Class of 72" post=279904][quote="Paultzman" post=279879][quote="we are sju" post=279876][quote="austour" post=279873][quote="we are sju" post=279862][quote="austour" post=279858]Also Noonan sucks at math. A '72 grad would only be 68 years old right now. ;)

Re Yakwe the truth no doubt lies somewhere in the middle, he's not the first 4 star big from LI to fail at STJ (Ed Brown, Tom Bayne) though of course he's not really from LI at all. The staff's approach to the game is outside out and occasionally a little outside in. Fans and proponents of inside out like myself are probably dinosaurs but that's the kind of system that MIGHT have gotten the best out of Kassoum, if there was a best to have. But he went for 7/5/2+ as a frosh. Staying there or even slightly improving would have meant a decent career. Didn't happen.

I blame the staff for getting rid of Zendon after Yakwe's frosh year. Just kidding as I have no idea if Zendon was a good big man coach or not.[/quote]

Before my time but didn't Wayne McKoy regress every year? Was that Louie's fault? Robert Werdann while remaining solid never really got better.
With Yakwe's skill set he had to have a great motor and succeed using his jumping ability and hustle. Sort of like a Jerome Williams form Gtown or Jerome Lane from Pitt. In addition to having the worst hands in program history Yakwe seemed to have no instincts to the ball and a pretty low motor.[/quote]

Before my time as well, though I remember reading about McKoy at Lutheran in Newsday when I was a kid and there was no internet or ESPN or anything else useful. Stats indicate that McKoy peaked as a Soph and then regressed a little when he had another high flying LIer as his front court mate, David Russell, who I got to watch in my HS gym a few times. Werdann improved every year until he got hurt Sr year. That said any of these three under achieving big men would be the best big on any of the last 10 STJ teams. Oh and Werdann has a lot of coaching experience, albeit in the NBA and D League, presently coach of the Grand Rapids team. Hire him up if Rice doesn't come.[/quote]

I always got the feeling Werdann should have been better. Made the NBA but was never consistent here.[/quote]
Agree, skilled player, but injuries his senior year hindered him. That said, considering our abysmal post play for so long, he would make us happy today.[/quote]

My brother in law knew Rob's dad. I think he was also in law enforcement or a related field as was Norm’s dad. The dad once said his son was very laid back in the Bill Walton mode. Liked to play his guitar and listen to the Greatful Dead. A Rob Werdann on this year's team would have put us in the tourney.[/quote]

Werdann was an athletic big man and a nice guy. He is my age and I would see him out now and then. I could see he didn't have the killer instinct but a nice feel for the game. Certainly would be nice to have a player at his level today.
 
The 1979 Iona - SJU game was played at the Nassau Colisseum in what was the final of the ECAC post season tournament. Iona won getting the automatic NCAA bid and SJU got the fortieth and last bit and went on to get within a basket of the final four.
I think this was the only game McKoy played vs Ruland.
 

All this Wayne McCoy talk reminded me of the match-ups with Jeff Ruland, when we played Iona, with Valvano as coach. This was mid or late 70s, prior to Big East. We had to play in a four team playoff, with the winner getting the automatic NCAA berth. Rutgers knocked us out a couple of times and I recall us losing both times we played Iona. I know the Rutgers games were at MSG, but I can't recall where the Iona games were played. Anyone remember?

[URL][URL]https://www.nytimes.com/1977/04/15/archives/ruland-is-recruiting-coup-for-iona.html[/URL][/URL]

[URL][URL]https://www.nytimes.com/1...tball-iona-reaches-for-the-top-three-top.html[/URL][/URL]

[URL][URL]https://www.nytimes.com/1...in-met-final-thomas-gets-the-lead-points.html[/URL][/URL]

[URL][URL]https://www.nytimes.com/1...s-more-home-talent-staying-home-st-johns.html[/URL][/URL]
 
[quote="Andrew" post=280022][quote="Class of 72" post=279904][quote="Paultzman" post=279879][quote="we are sju" post=279876][quote="austour" post=279873][quote="we are sju" post=279862][quote="austour" post=279858]Also Noonan sucks at math. A '72 grad would only be 68 years old right now. ;)

Re Yakwe the truth no doubt lies somewhere in the middle, he's not the first 4 star big from LI to fail at STJ (Ed Brown, Tom Bayne) though of course he's not really from LI at all. The staff's approach to the game is outside out and occasionally a little outside in. Fans and proponents of inside out like myself are probably dinosaurs but that's the kind of system that MIGHT have gotten the best out of Kassoum, if there was a best to have. But he went for 7/5/2+ as a frosh. Staying there or even slightly improving would have meant a decent career. Didn't happen.

I blame the staff for getting rid of Zendon after Yakwe's frosh year. Just kidding as I have no idea if Zendon was a good big man coach or not.[/quote]

Before my time but didn't Wayne McKoy regress every year? Was that Louie's fault? Robert Werdann while remaining solid never really got better.
With Yakwe's skill set he had to have a great motor and succeed using his jumping ability and hustle. Sort of like a Jerome Williams form Gtown or Jerome Lane from Pitt. In addition to having the worst hands in program history Yakwe seemed to have no instincts to the ball and a pretty low motor.[/quote]

Before my time as well, though I remember reading about McKoy at Lutheran in Newsday when I was a kid and there was no internet or ESPN or anything else useful. Stats indicate that McKoy peaked as a Soph and then regressed a little when he had another high flying LIer as his front court mate, David Russell, who I got to watch in my HS gym a few times. Werdann improved every year until he got hurt Sr year. That said any of these three under achieving big men would be the best big on any of the last 10 STJ teams. Oh and Werdann has a lot of coaching experience, albeit in the NBA and D League, presently coach of the Grand Rapids team. Hire him up if Rice doesn't come.[/quote]

I always got the feeling Werdann should have been better. Made the NBA but was never consistent here.[/quote]
Agree, skilled player, but injuries his senior year hindered him. That said, considering our abysmal post play for so long, he would make us happy today.[/quote]

My brother in law knew Rob's dad. I think he was also in law enforcement or a related field as was Norm’s dad. The dad once said his son was very laid back in the Bill Walton mode. Liked to play his guitar and listen to the Greatful Dead. A Rob Werdann on this year's team would have put us in the tourney.[/quote]

Werdann was an athletic big man and a nice guy. He is my age and I would see him out now and then. I could see he didn't have the killer instinct but a nice feel for the game. Certainly would be nice to have a player at his level today.[/quote]
Friend of mine used to say about Werdann's inside game-it looks like he is delivering flowers. That said he was a very good player and big man for us.
 
[quote="Las Vegan" post=280020]All this Wayne McCoy talk reminded me of the match-ups with Jeff Ruland, when we played Iona, with Valvano as coach. This was mid or late 70s, prior to Big East. We had to play in a four team playoff, with the winner getting the automatic NCAA berth. Rutgers knocked us out a couple of times and I recall us losing both times we played Iona. I know the Rutgers games were at MSG, but I can't recall where the Iona games were played. Anyone remember?[/quote]tt
Unfortunately if I remember correctly Ruland kicked McKoy's butt. Figures that in the recruitment of two highly rated bigs we ended up with the second best one even though McKoy was ranked top 3 in that class with Magic Johnson and I believe Gene Banks according to Basketball Weekly my favorite mag at the time.
 
[quote="Las Vegan" post=280027]Thanks guys, I wonder why we didn't play at MSG. That Iona team was pretty good and deep.[/quote]

If Valvano's Iona teams were pretty good I want to your "good"B)

Ruland was the real deal with Hamilton, Vickers and the rest of them as talented as any team.

The last team should have made a run to the final four.
 
[quote="bamafan" post=280104][quote="Andrew" post=280022][quote="Class of 72" post=279904][quote="Paultzman" post=279879][quote="we are sju" post=279876][quote="austour" post=279873][quote="we are sju" post=279862][quote="austour" post=279858]Also Noonan sucks at math. A '72 grad would only be 68 years old right now. ;)

Re Yakwe the truth no doubt lies somewhere in the middle, he's not the first 4 star big from LI to fail at STJ (Ed Brown, Tom Bayne) though of course he's not really from LI at all. The staff's approach to the game is outside out and occasionally a little outside in. Fans and proponents of inside out like myself are probably dinosaurs but that's the kind of system that MIGHT have gotten the best out of Kassoum, if there was a best to have. But he went for 7/5/2+ as a frosh. Staying there or even slightly improving would have meant a decent career. Didn't happen.

I blame the staff for getting rid of Zendon after Yakwe's frosh year. Just kidding as I have no idea if Zendon was a good big man coach or not.[/quote]

Before my time but didn't Wayne McKoy regress every year? Was that Louie's fault? Robert Werdann while remaining solid never really got better.
With Yakwe's skill set he had to have a great motor and succeed using his jumping ability and hustle. Sort of like a Jerome Williams form Gtown or Jerome Lane from Pitt. In addition to having the worst hands in program history Yakwe seemed to have no instincts to the ball and a pretty low motor.[/quote]

Before my time as well, though I remember reading about McKoy at Lutheran in Newsday when I was a kid and there was no internet or ESPN or anything else useful. Stats indicate that McKoy peaked as a Soph and then regressed a little when he had another high flying LIer as his front court mate, David Russell, who I got to watch in my HS gym a few times. Werdann improved every year until he got hurt Sr year. That said any of these three under achieving big men would be the best big on any of the last 10 STJ teams. Oh and Werdann has a lot of coaching experience, albeit in the NBA and D League, presently coach of the Grand Rapids team. Hire him up if Rice doesn't come.[/quote]

I always got the feeling Werdann should have been better. Made the NBA but was never consistent here.[/quote]
Agree, skilled player, but injuries his senior year hindered him. That said, considering our abysmal post play for so long, he would make us happy today.[/quote]

My brother in law knew Rob's dad. I think he was also in law enforcement or a related field as was Norm’s dad. The dad once said his son was very laid back in the Bill Walton mode. Liked to play his guitar and listen to the Greatful Dead. A Rob Werdann on this year's team would have put us in the tourney.[/quote]

Werdann was an athletic big man and a nice guy. He is my age and I would see him out now and then. I could see he didn't have the killer instinct but a nice feel for the game. Certainly would be nice to have a player at his level today.[/quote]
Friend of mine used to say about Werdann's inside game-it looks like he is delivering flowers. That said he was a very good player and big man for us.[/quote]
Very good passer for big. Was very good, but could have done so much more. Think he had some gig in NBA but could be wrong.
 
[quote="OLV72" post=280146][quote="Las Vegan" post=280027]Thanks guys, I wonder why we didn't play at MSG. That Iona team was pretty good and deep.[/quote]

If Valvano's Iona teams were pretty good I want to your "good"B)

Ruland was the real deal with Hamilton, Vickers and the rest of them as talented as any team.

Yeah, Iona was the best metro NY team for a couple of years, but that ended as soon as Valvano bolted for NC State, and Ruland left early for the NBA. From the mid-sixties to the late seventies, NY had quite a few solid teams : Columbia, then Fordham, then Manhattan, followed by Iona. These schools had their moments, but receded after a year or two of prominence. SJU was good throughout that era, and beyond. Those teams were all stocked with area players. This was before ESPN and AAU ball changed college recruiting. I don't think any of those schools went further that SJU's elite eight team in '78.
 
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[quote="Las Vegan" post=280158][quote="OLV72" post=280146][quote="Las Vegan" post=280027]Thanks guys, I wonder why we didn't play at MSG. That Iona team was pretty good and deep.[/quote]

If Valvano's Iona teams were pretty good I want to your "good"B)

Ruland was the real deal with Hamilton, Vickers and the rest of them as talented as any team.

Yeah, Iona was the best metro NY team for a couple of years, but that ended as soon as Valvano bolted for NC State, and Ruland left early for the NBA. From the mid-sixties to the late seventies, NY had quite a few solid teams : Columbia, then Fordham, then Manhattan, followed by Iona. These schools had their moments, but receded after a year or two of prominence. SJU was good throughout that era, and beyond. Those teams were all stocked with area players. This was before ESPN and AAU ball changed college recruiting. I don't think any of those schools went further that SJU's elite eight team in '78.[/quote]

Agreed - My comment was strictly regarding the Ruland / Vickers teams. They famously blew out the eventual National Champions at MSG with Ruland going for something like 42 points and 19 boards. Valvano beat out Kentucky and UNC for those two guys. The supporting cast was outstanding as well. I think they blew a big lead to Sleepy Floyd and Thompson's early Gtown team in round two of the NCAAs. I'm not sure we've had many teams since that time that would beat that team 2 out of 3. Obviously mid 80s group - but any of our other top teams would have trouble beating Ruland and crew. Just my opinion and I agree no other metro team besides johnnies was consistently good - key word being "was".
 
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[quote="Section3" post=280148]
Very good passer for big. Was very good, but could have done so much more. Think he had some gig in NBA but could be wrong.[/quote]

He was a scout for a long time and also an assistant. Head coach in G league now.
 
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[quote="L J S A" post=280208][quote="Section3" post=280148]
Very good passer for big. Was very good, but could have done so much more. Think he had some gig in NBA but could be wrong.[/quote]

He was a scout for a long time and also an assistant. Head coach in G league now.[/quote]
Played three years in the NBA -- one with Denver, two with the Nets, with a two-year gap in between. Averaged about 6 minutes and 2 points per game.
 
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