Tobe Okafor - C - Maine Central Institute - Pittsfield, ME

Tobe Okafor a 6' 10" Center out of Maine Central Institute has obtained his release from his early commitment to Loyola Marymount.  SJU is one of many schools chasing him.

Hoops Recruits ‏@HOOPSrecruits
RT @HoopDreamsmag: Memphis, GTown, Ohio St, Marquette, St. Johns, Nova & more have all been in the mix for Tobe Okafor 6'10 MCI (ME)

Tobe Okafor a 6' 10" Center out of Maine Central Institute has obtained his release from his early commitment to Loyola Marymount.  SJU is one of many schools chasing him.

Hoops Recruits ‏@HOOPSrecruits
RT @HoopDreamsmag: Memphis, GTown, Ohio St, Marquette, St. Johns, Nova & more have all been in the mix for Tobe Okafor 6'10 MCI (ME)

Okafor. That name sounds familiar to me.

Former Seton Hall recruit.

Did he just blow up recently?  Or is this a case of schools reaching for height late in the year?

Because the teams looking at him are clearly a few notches above Loyola Marymount.

Did he just blow up recently?  Or is this a case of schools reaching for height late in the year?

Because the teams looking at him are clearly a few notches above Loyola Marymount.

Committed last summer so it appears to have been a rash decision.  His stock has risen but the lack of true bigs left on the board has some teams chasing him.  He has ability but would be a project for the BE or ACC.  He would be better fit in the MAAC or the A-10 IMHO.

Really nice kid who was really under the radar last summer but he's no way near a Big East player.

Really nice kid who was really under the radar last summer but he's no way near a Big East player.

All the big boys mentioned with him must feel they have room to take a chance and see if he blossoms.  That's if they are in fact really on him.

Saw him place twice this year in person.  Decent player, but not a BE player by any stretch of the imagination.

We already have a center who isn't a BE player. One is enough.

We already have a center who isn't a BE player. One is enough.

Gift is a BE player.

Quote from: Poison on May 21, 2012, 05:03:37 PM

We already have a center who isn't a BE player. One is enough.

Gift is a BE player.

What skill does he have at the BE level that proves that? He's strong enough to play in the BE. I'll give you that, but he needs a lot of work. His stats were fine last year, but it's misleading. Scored too many points and pulled down too many boards well after the game was out of hand.

I agree that Gift can play in the BE.  I think we'll see great things out of him next year.

I agree that Gift can play in the BE.  I think we'll see great things out of him next year.

Who did he play well against? Depaul?

Quote from: Lapchick65 on May 21, 2012, 06:29:05 PM

I agree that Gift can play in the BE.  I think we'll see great things out of him next year.

Who did he play well against? Depaul?

Ironically he played great against Kentucky. I dont think he will be great next year ,but will provide valuable minutes off the bench.

Quote from: Poison on May 21, 2012, 06:37:46 PM

Quote from: Lapchick65 on May 21, 2012, 06:29:05 PM

I agree that Gift can play in the BE.  I think we'll see great things out of him next year.

Who did he play well against? Depaul?

Ironically he played great against Kentucky. I dont think he will be great next year ,but will provide valuable minutes off the bench.

That's the thing, he didn't play well against UK. Actually no one did. Gift started scoring points once the game was completely out of hand. It's like hitting a home run when your team is down by 15 runs. In the box score it looks good. If UK had any interest in stopping Gift they clearly could have, but it was pointless to bother doing it.

Guess the great Mick Cronin who people here are salivating over, and Lorenzo Romar and even John Calipari to a lesser extent were wrong when they assumed Gift was a BE caliber player since they recruited him.

Guess the great Mick Cronin who people here are salivating over, and Lorenzo Romar and even John Calipari to a lesser extent were wrong when they assumed Gift was a BE caliber player since they recruited him.

If he's a BE east player why was he so bad in BE games?

Quote from: Moose on May 21, 2012, 07:24:37 PM

Guess the great Mick Cronin who people here are salivating over, and Lorenzo Romar and even John Calipari to a lesser extent were wrong when they assumed Gift was a BE caliber player since they recruited him.

If he's a BE east player why was he so bad in BE games?

Poison.  I'd like to think your a pretty smart poster.  I don't know why your either ignoring this, overlooking it, or just stirring the pot ala Baldi.

If you don't think Gift can be a very good 20mpg player in the BE well I don't know what to tell you.  He was playing by himself down low.  Moe while a rebounding machine would often swoop in from the wings while Gift was boxing out everyone down low.  Watch the Duke game again.  He was neutralizing one of the Plumlee's and made him ineffective.  Gift was the only true 5/4 on the team and was forced to play ungodly minutes.  I think with less minutes you will see a different, and better Gift in your eyes.  Not many people with their first year in D1 playing those minutes will look great.  While ppg and rpg might be inflated his shooting % was pretty damn good.

As for your garbage time debate I can't see a way to go back and look to either confirm or deny.  Yes I recall the Kentucky game but in reality the 1st half was garbage time too.  But hey in baseball A-rod is the epitome of a garbage time player.  Doesn't change the facts at the end of the day, those points are on the ledger and not going anywhere.

  why does every post, in the recruits section no less, always turn into someone ripping one of our own players or coaches?

  why does every post, in the recruits section no less, always turn into someone ripping one of our own players or coaches?

Ohhhh do I have to bite my tongue