BASKETBALL ROCKETS BEGIN SUMMER WORKOUTS

By

Mark Myers

 June 28, 2008 – With the beginning of the second summer school session, all of Toledo’s returning players and new recruits are on campus. The freshmen are taking classes, and also joining the other players in early morning weight room sessions and afternoon pick-up games at the Rec Center.

I checked out some of the games this past Wednesday to see the newcomers and if any of the players from last year’s team had made any big improvements in their game. Before watching any of the games, I always have to remind myself that this is basically wide-open basketball with no premium put on playing defense.

That said, it was good to see the players back on the court and keeping in shape for the upcoming season.

Jonathan Amos showed a lot of hustle and was one of the few players playing tough defense. He was also a terror driving to the basket. I think he’s going to have a very productive senior season. The other returning player that stood out was center Justin Anyijong. I can’t say that he’s put on any weight, but he was very active around the basket, something we didn’t see much of last season. Maybe he’s more relaxed in a summer game with no pressure on him, but I’m hoping that he’s getting his confidence back and is preparing himself for a big season. If he rebounds and powers to the basket like I watched him do, he can help the Rockets inside.

Of course, seeing the new players for the first time can be a positive experience or a letdown. Were they over-hyped, did we get a steal, is the center that’s supposed to be 6-10 really 6-6? From what I saw, the young guys looked promising.

The biggest standout was Terrance Tubbs. He looks like he’s playing a little lighter, maybe 225, and he did a great job of rebounding and scoring inside. He’s got very good quickness for his size and plays hard. If he can transfer those skills to real-game situations, he will see plenty of minutes.

6-10 Ian Salter was somewhat of a surprise because I didn’t expect a young big guy to have the skills he showed. He is very good at running the floor and seems to play with good intensity. He showed some nice offensive moves around the basket and wasn’t afraid to mix it up for rebounds.

Zac Taylor was tough to figure out because he didn’t show a lot of energy on the court and wasn’t a factor in the games I saw. The 6-8 forward, from nearby Clay High School, was playing with a knee brace and didn’t seem comfortable on the court. Hopefully he’ll come around as he gets used to the college game and playing with players who are as big as he is. There’s no question that he has the body to be a productive guy in the paint.

Getting a look at the two new point guards (photo right) didn’t really answer too many questions. There’s no doubt that JC transfer Ed Tucker is bigger and more physically mature than Larry Bastfield, although Bastfield appears a bit quicker. Both players did a good job passing the ball, but neither took many shots from the outside, making it tough to get a handle on their shooting ability.

Shooting guard Steven Albrecht didn't play in any of the games I saw, but he was shooting on another court. From what I was told, he has been impressive as a three-point shooter.

You can never tell who will show up for these games. There was a high school recruit and also a local high school player. Former Rocket guard Justin Ingram was on the floor, and he recently finished playing a season of pro ball in France.

Another surprise was Kashif Payne on the court. I don’t think you can read much into him being there; probably just finishing off his degree and trying to play some ball. By the way, nobody there could handle him defensively. It’s just a shame when you see that talent going to waste.

It will be interesting to check out the players later in the summer to see who has made the most progress.