KeaneyBlue - The URI Basketball Forum

Ifeanyi Onyekaba - PF
From: Lynchburg, VA (via Nigeria)
School: Virginia Episcopal School
Travel/AAU:





Ht: 6'7"
Wt: 240


RANKINGS:
Rivals: NR
ESPN: 3-star; #12 C; #4 VA; 89 grade;
Scout: NR


OFFERS:
Rhode Island - Committed 9/21/12



INTEREST:



I heard a rumor about the 6'7'' big man from Nigeria commiting to URI. I know he was originally a 2012 kid, but he may have reclassified to 2013. Has anyone heard anything?

Any word on eligibility for this season yet??

Nice, avitar, Jcru!

I'm pretty sure within 5 seconds of it being officially announced, it will show up here.

The NCAA can move at glacial speed sometimes.

http://telly.com/5BAAI

As if we didn't need anything to make us want that NCAA decision any more

Oh Lordy Lordy!

Nice!

Take it for what its worth, but our RR12345 or whatever buddy on Twitter said its a longshot that he is eligible. Given his track record, that actually made me hopeful that he WOULD end up being eligible.

Yeah, he's also saying Pollard to Dayton, based on pre-Friday information.

Every writer (at least Katz and Telep) that mentions Onyekaba's eligibility seems to referring to it as a "long shot" or "Hail Mary," so no new information.

Also, I had asked Telep why Onyekaba could have lost up to 2 years of eligibility if he didn't get to college this season. His response was that the reasoning was explained to him one time but didn't make a lot of sense. In any case, he said Onyekaba definitely made the right move going to college now

I personally won't mind if he is not eligible this year, so long as he stays.....something like the Ledo situation at pc.....let him practice and get used to college..this year is a wash-out anyway where getting to the A-10 tournament is a lofty goal.

I would rather have him 4 years starting next year.

But would we have him for 4 years? I thought 3 was the max?

ATPTourFan wrote:But would we have him for 4 years? I thought 3 was the max?

That's what's unclear to me. It seemed like a last minute thing to get him here or he would lose 1 or even 2 years of eligibility. Since he is here,he obviously won't lose 2, but will he still lose 1....and does any of this depend on whether or not he is eligible this year?

Billyboy78 wrote:

ATPTourFan wrote:But would we have him for 4 years? I thought 3 was the max?

That's what's unclear to me. It seemed like a last minute thing to get him here or he would lose 1 or even 2 years of eligibility. Since he is here,he obviously won't lose 2, but will he still lose 1....and does any of this depend on whether or not he is eligible this year?

All good questions and ones even a guy who writes on NCAA basketball recruiting wasn't confident in answering. Surely there must be an easier way for the NCAA to govern or at least share information with the fan base.

What is all this misinformation? Where did 3 years come from, when there's a five year window on eligibility by the NCAA?

rodfromcranston wrote:What is all this misinformation? Where did 3 years come from, when there's a five year window on eligibility by the NCAA?

I don't think it's misinformation. I can't explain it, but Dave Telep reported that there is something with Onyekaba's specific situation that makes it different than the usual.

adam914 wrote:Take it for what its worth, but our RR12345 or whatever buddy on Twitter said its a longshot that he is eligible. Given his track record, that actually made me hopeful that he WOULD end up being eligible.

I wrote a post saying there was no credible information either way - kind of a shot at his Twitter post. He had no problem retweeting it though.

Saw him working out in Mackal last night. Definitely a brick house, but not 6'8"

He's taller than Aaman and shorter than Hare. Aaman is listed at 6'8".

Rhetorical: Why can't teams accurately report on the heights and weights of players?

Hah even in high school football I was 2 inches taller and 20 pounds heavier.

I guess in my college years I must've shrunk!

Based on the heights and weights they list and what they actually are, I am big enough to play PF in D1

ATPTourFan wrote:Rhetorical: Why can't teams accurately report on the heights and weights of players?

Most players are listed as taller than what they are. But Bill Walton wanted to be listed at 6'11" because he didn't want to be looked at as a 7 foot freak, although he was a 7 footer. Bill was a strange bird, although one of the greatest college players I've ever seen.

Great question about the height thing!! I do just the opposite, as a coach. I find when I see a kid listed, now I coach at a division 3 high school in MA so keep that in mind. But when I see a kid listed at 6'5/6'6 and I see the kid and he's like 6'1 tops it's such a relief and works against the coach that posted him as taller. Height is height, and it's not changing throughout each season so just list the kid for what he is. At the college level each team will have seen each other dozens of times before they play, the extra inch or two on the roster means jack!!

The only 2 players that have been true to their listed heights since I began my undergrad in 2005 were will martel and blake vedder.

If having your height listed accurately means you play like Martell or Vedder than I hope everyone's height is listed wrong.

Martell wasn't all bad.... in fairness.

He had the single worst game I've ever seen from a URI player.
That game against PC at the Dunk. Martell was atrocious!
PC guys were driving right at him, all day.

One game does not a career make my friend.

Martell worked hard to become serviceable but he was never good enough to be a starter in this league. Not his fault the coach didn't out-recruit him.

So when do we expect to hear about Onyekaba's eligibility, both this season and remaining years?

ATPTourFan wrote:So when do we expect to hear about Onyekaba's eligibility, both this season and remaining years?

Yeah seems like we should hear something soon. Maybe we have to wait and see if he is out there come Nov 2

Not sure whether it's significant but the I-Man is not listed in the media release on GoRhody as on the roster, either eligible or ineligible for this season. Here's the link...

http://gorhody.com/sports/m-baskbl/2012 ... _Facts.pdf

Hard to imagine that was just an oversight. I guess we just hope he plays with us starting next year and develops his game this year in practice.

or maybe he's not listed on there because they haven't heard back yet, and didn't know what to put.

ramsman75 wrote:Not sure whether it's significant but the I-Man is not listed in the media release on GoRhody as on the roster, either eligible or ineligible for this season. Here's the link...

http://gorhody.com/sports/m-baskbl/2012 ... _Facts.pdf

Quack quack

I still think it's because they don't know. He is considered a '12 recruit, along with Hare, Aaman, and Munford. Their statuses are crystal clear- choosing one way or the other for Onyekaba seems like guesswork at this point. But, you know, any time you want to decide, NCAA, would be just fine. I trust that if an official decision had been made, it would have gotten out.

I just hope when there finally is a decision, it is accompanied by an explanation - either way.

Pretty sure the best part of that release is that someone felt the need for a pronunciation guide for Hare, Xavier, and DeShon. On the other hand, I did learn that I've been saying Aaman wrong in my head.

ace wrote: I did learn that I've been saying Aaman wrong in my head.

Oh wow, me too. Good to know.

adam914 wrote:

ace wrote: I did learn that I've been saying Aaman wrong in my head.

Oh wow, me too. Good to know.

were you guys saying it a-mon as well?

twisted3829 wrote:

adam914 wrote:

ace wrote: I did learn that I've been saying Aaman wrong in my head.

Oh wow, me too. Good to know.

were you guys saying it a-mon as well?

Like Uh-MON? Yep. Sorry, Mike!

exactly, I think we were all saying it that way

Yep, definitely.

Maybe thats why the I-Man wasnt mentioned. Nobody could figure out how to pronounce his name.

Is his eligibility in question entirely? Maybe that's why we're waiting on the NCAA to get back, and can't put him on any type of roster.

It seems like plenty of other waivers are getting resolved, why is this one moving at glacial pace?

Most of the waivers granted are for players in high profile schools.
I have a feeling The Big O's is at the bottom of the pile.

This is probably an impossible question to answer with certainty, but does the NCAA "have to" rule on it before the season starts? Or can they essentially hold him hostage without a decision well into the season?

Zach Marbury didn't get his ruling until mid December.
They do it when they get around to it.

rodfromcranston wrote:Zach Marbury didn't get his ruling until mid December.
They do it when they get around to it.

That's what I figured.