Yakwe - what's gone wrong ?

Our results improved greatly when Mullin went to the Core 5 and no subs , except Trimble and then, later Amar . Early in the season , when Yakwe and Amar played , often at the same time , the games got out of hand real quick . They were totally exploited by opponents ruthlessly .
 
The game just seemed too fast for Yakwe. I do still think he could have helped with rest/fouls.
 
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I realize it doesn't matter at this point as he is on his way somewhere else, but I find Yakwe's regression from freshman to sophomore to junior year mystifying. Below are the highlights of his freshman year with us which I cut and pasted off the Red Storm website.

BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection … made 26 appearances, including 16 starts … led the BIG EAST with 66 blocks, tying for the seventh-most in program history … averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds … ranked 16th in Division I with 2.5 blocks per game … scored double-figures seven times and recorded two double-doubles … led the team in rebounding nine times and in blocks in 14 games … named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll on Feb. 22 after averaging 13.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks against DePaul (Feb. 17) and Seton Hall (Feb. 21) … swatted five or more shots in four games … notched seven blocks versus Marquette (Jan. 24), the most in the BIG EAST and seventh highest total for a single game in program history … started 15 of 18 BIG EAST games …

I know we were really bad that year so it wasn't hard to get playing time, but he performed well enough to be voted to the BE all freshman team. He sure appeared then to have enough talent to be at least a back of the rotation BE player. He just appeared to lose his confidence in a big way to this year, who knows why. Like others, I wish him the best and hope he goes somewhere where he can have a very productive senior year.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=276158][quote="SLYFOXX1968" post=276150]Good point . Who knows why Amar got PT in the late stages of the season . While we all cringed every time he took the outside 3 , he did play some good defense , scored some rebounds and most importantly , did provide some height and bulk out there . Yakwe was a great , if uncontrolled leaper , but didn’t box out , couldn’t stay with his man and is only 6’7” and while athletic , is not able to throw any weight around the Govsns, Bullocks , Kanter, etc . I disagree with mjmaher on Yakwe’s B.B. background being established back in Mali or wherever he is from , rather than Soccer . But, Mike’s point is a valid one . Personally , whoever graded Yakwe as a 4 Star player from HS , needs remedial work in Basketball 101. It was evident from day 1 here that while he could jump and dunk and run, he didn’t posses a lot of the game’s fundamental skills plus hands of stone . No doubt attributable to not using hands in playing soccer . As for why he wasn’t Coached up , as some have assigned to Mullin , I say if you have a student poor in Math , memorizing the Times table doesn’t help much in Calculus or Trig . BE ball is high level , totally populated by very skilled and even more athletic players than Yakwe . The bottom line being , if Mullin and Richmond couldn’t develop his game , in 3 Years , he wasn’t capable of upgrading his skills . Will Simon ever develop a strong , well stroked jumper? Or, remain a 4 tool player of great play but, not able to become a outside threat . He needs that to play at the next level and more work on Handle and passing into the post . I think he improves over the off season and could be All BE first or 2nd team next season . It’s a given , Mullin and Richmond will be spending a lot of their summer with Justin . Maybe outside at Breezy Point?[/quote]
Mitch, Greg & to lesser extent Mullin spend summers in Cali not Breezy Point :)[/quote]

Last summer it sure made poaching a player by UCONN very easy when Mitch went home to family and Greg spent a few weeks in the Bay area. That better change this summer because there are too many local area recruits to be complacent about. This should have never been a full time gig for Mitch and Greg needs to settle into an east coast state of mind.
 
[quote="Class of 72" post=276184][quote="Paultzman" post=276158][quote="SLYFOXX1968" post=276150]Good point . Who knows why Amar got PT in the late stages of the season . While we all cringed every time he took the outside 3 , he did play some good defense , scored some rebounds and most importantly , did provide some height and bulk out there . Yakwe was a great , if uncontrolled leaper , but didn’t box out , couldn’t stay with his man and is only 6’7” and while athletic , is not able to throw any weight around the Govsns, Bullocks , Kanter, etc . I disagree with mjmaher on Yakwe’s B.B. background being established back in Mali or wherever he is from , rather than Soccer . But, Mike’s point is a valid one . Personally , whoever graded Yakwe as a 4 Star player from HS , needs remedial work in Basketball 101. It was evident from day 1 here that while he could jump and dunk and run, he didn’t posses a lot of the game’s fundamental skills plus hands of stone . No doubt attributable to not using hands in playing soccer . As for why he wasn’t Coached up , as some have assigned to Mullin , I say if you have a student poor in Math , memorizing the Times table doesn’t help much in Calculus or Trig . BE ball is high level , totally populated by very skilled and even more athletic players than Yakwe . The bottom line being , if Mullin and Richmond couldn’t develop his game , in 3 Years , he wasn’t capable of upgrading his skills . Will Simon ever develop a strong , well stroked jumper? Or, remain a 4 tool player of great play but, not able to become a outside threat . He needs that to play at the next level and more work on Handle and passing into the post . I think he improves over the off season and could be All BE first or 2nd team next season . It’s a given , Mullin and Richmond will be spending a lot of their summer with Justin . Maybe outside at Breezy Point?[/quote]
Mitch, Greg & to lesser extent Mullin spend summers in Cali not Breezy Point :)[/quote]

Last summer it sure made poaching a player by UCONN very easy when Mitch went home to family and Greg spent a few weeks in the Bay area. That better change this summer because there are too many local area recruits to be complacent about. This should have never been a full time gig for Mitch and Greg needs to settle into an east coast state of mind.[/quote]
through in Matt only cares about the Mets...lol...agree all kidding aside we need our staff involved 24/7
 
[quote="JohnnyFan" post=276176]The game just seemed too fast for Yakwe. I do still think he could have helped with rest/fouls.[/quote]

You are right on. His regression is not hard to understand at all. His freshman year, he played on pure athletic ability and instinct and certainly had his moments. All would agree that was very promising but not enough. However as he was coached up, and he was, he got the worst of habit for any athlete, he started thinking about what he should do. Not the less than split second in rhythm decision making, but thinking. That makes one appear robotic and always out of sync and a kiss of death to one’s confidence because nothing comes natural and in the flow. The game becomes a swirl of too fast. I believe Freudenberg had the same problem when shooting in a game. Best examples because it is all out in the open are baseball players, the obvious examples being Knoblach, Sax, Blass.
 
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I tend to discount year one, where he was a solid contributor on a barren team.

When talent level rose it was as if the water rose over his head.

Still, this season, even as we were harshly critical, the staff was quick to point out all the good things he was doing that doesn't show up in boxscores. They were giving him a vote of confidence in an attempt to restore his own.

I think he was progressing until his injury, which derailed his season.

Paultz says he is gone, and since I haven't heard anything one way or the other, can't disagree.

I still think he can contribute at this level but as a bench player with 12 to 15 minutes at most on a good team
 
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[quote="IDRAFT" post=276232]Everything.[/quote]

Sadly one of the most disappointing recruits in recent St. John's basketball history. Not only was he the 4th best prospect in New York but he was rated higher than Kaiser Gates of Xavier and Donte DiVincenzo of Villanova in the national polls. Something went wrong with his development and confidence.
Should he leave he will be Mullin's last recruit from that class to bolt. That promising class included Marcus LoVett, Yankuba Sima, Williams, Ellison, and Mussini. In 2016 we lost Freudenberg and in 2017 we lost Wilson.
Both the quality and the retention of recruits needs to improve for long term success.
If Ponds or anyone else leaves this year I would consider it one of Mullin’s biggest problems and not his coaching or other weaknesses. It's one thing to recruit academically unqualified players like Lavin and quite another to recruit bright players who qualify then leave. We seem to always pick from a poison vine.
 
He has high major athleticism, but he's low major/D-II everywhere else. Which was actually fine as a freshman, but he never progressed one iota . . . which unfortunately makes him just like a whole bunch of other OSNA kids. Scholarship money is hard to forgo, which is why he'll be D-1 somewhere, but he really should go to somewhere like C. W. Post where he could get 10 rpg and 5 bpg.
 
[hide][/hide]Maybe kid is a super intellect to be able to graduate both HS & college a year early.

Good for him.
 
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[quote="Paultzman" post=276295]Could graduate in May apparently[/quote]

Good for him, graduating in 3 years is no easy thing. I hope he ends up at a local low-major next year and has success. He was always described as a great kid.
 
Yawke's problem was highlighted last year by Bill Raftery when during a Vill game a Vill defender went out to the foul line to defend Yawke who threw the ball inside to a teammate for an easy basket and Raftery yelled out " Why would you go to defend him who couldn't make a shot from that distance." SJU was essentially playing four against five with Yawke's defender just patrolling the paint looking to cut off Ponds and other SJU players from penetrating.
About eight games ago when Owens left the game because of foul trouble and Mullin substituted Trimble I'm sure Yawke got the message
Both Yawke and SJU will benefit if he leaves.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=276295]Could graduate in May apparently[/quote]
Well guess we found one thing he is good at and at least it should help the team in that NCAA academic requirement score. Still think in spot duty could have helped the team down the stretch and even if you knew he was leaving why he wasn't used at all is still a mystery to me.
 
[quote="bamafan" post=276340][quote="Paultzman" post=276295]Could graduate in May apparently[/quote]
Well guess we found one thing he is good at and at least it should help the team in that NCAA academic requirement score. Still think in spot duty could have helped the team down the stretch and even if you knew he was leaving why he wasn't used at all is still a mystery to me.[/quote]

It's very clear he spent too much damned time studying.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=276501][quote="bamafan" post=276340][quote="Paultzman" post=276295]Could graduate in May apparently[/quote]
Well guess we found one thing he is good at and at least it should help the team in that NCAA academic requirement score. Still think in spot duty could have helped the team down the stretch and even if you knew he was leaving why he wasn't used at all is still a mystery to me.[/quote]

It's very clear he spent too much damned time studying.[/quote]

Damn kid planning for his future. What about our needs?
 
[quote="JohnnyFan" post=276509][quote="Beast of the East" post=276501][quote="bamafan" post=276340][quote="Paultzman" post=276295]Could graduate in May apparently[/quote]
Well guess we found one thing he is good at and at least it should help the team in that NCAA academic requirement score. Still think in spot duty could have helped the team down the stretch and even if you knew he was leaving why he wasn't used at all is still a mystery to me.[/quote]

It's very clear he spent too much damned time studying.[/quote]

Damn kid planning for his future. What about our needs?[/quote]

we aren't even greedy. 10 points and 6 rebounds :)
 
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