T Awaka production

#30
#30
Welcome Tobe Awaka. Wow the quality depth keeps on building. He was a key factor vs. Maryland. Olivier will go off one game - he is versatile. Also Phillips will keep developing just practicing against the other Vols - it is a nice squad. Free throw shooting for the team must improve but maybe it will.
 
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#31
#31
This kid stood out more than anyone else imo. Even of he wasn't getting the rebound he was tipping it away from a Maryland player and keeping the ball alive. I had zero expectations for him when he committed. Thought he was a project that would transfer out after a year or two while getting no playing time. He blew me away today. Really impressed. We have some incredible young talent in the post with him and Aidoo.
 
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#32
#32
cardvolfan said:
Awaka on +/- was 17. Next closest Vol was 5.
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I'm going to eat crow...again. When we signed him, I questioned that decision. I felt sure he'd be another big who was a bust and end up transferring. Kid is a man child and he's rapidly becoming a favorite with his aggressive play. Needless to say that he's earning more playing time. Looking like a great eval by this staff.
 
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#33
#33
CAVPUT said:
I'm going to eat crow...again. When we signed him, I questioned that decision. I felt sure he'd be another big who was a bust and end up transferring. Kid is a man child and he's rapidly becoming a favorite with his aggressive play. Needless to say that he's earning more playing time. Looking like a great eval by this staff.
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It is understandable why people would not be thrilled with Awaka. However, when you really examined his lifestyle, his work ethic, his coach’s unwavering belief in him, and his intelligence, it was predictable that he could very well have a really good career at Tennessee. I was high on this kid because of a lot of these things. It’s early in his career, but he could have a great career here.
 
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#39
#39
Won’t ever forget Awaka’s HS coach saying

“scouts would come by and say “he’s kind of a tweaner, is he a 4 or 5” and I’d say he’s the toughest guy in the gym”

There were some rebounds he got tonight just b/c he was more determined and tougher than the other guy. You can’t teach the kind of effort and toughness he plays with
 
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#43
#43
Awaka is naturally strong and the ball just sticks to him. I think I heard one of the announcers say that he just now started lifting weights when he got to campus. If so he is gonna be a monster. He is already the best rebounder on the team and it ain't even close. He needs to be on the floor a lot.
 
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#45
#45
jmva1 said:
Won’t ever forget Awaka’s HS coach saying

“scouts would come by and say “he’s kind of a tweaner, is he a 4 or 5” and I’d say he’s the toughest guy in the gym”

There were some rebounds he got tonight just b/c he was more determined and tougher than the other guy. You can’t teach the kind of effort and toughness he plays with
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He shows up and goes to work. Looking forward to watching him develop.
 
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#46
#46
walkenvol said:
I posted this awhile back and BTO indicated Awaka was only 1 inch shorter than Tshiebwe. Will be interesting when we play the kitties to see them on the court together.
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Tobe is 1 inch shorter and 10 pounds lighter. Essentially almost the same size. Both with superhuman motors.
 
#47
#47
jmva1 said:
Won’t ever forget Awaka’s HS coach saying

“scouts would come by and say “he’s kind of a tweaner, is he a 4 or 5” and I’d say he’s the toughest guy in the gym”

There were some rebounds he got tonight just b/c he was more determined and tougher than the other guy. You can’t teach the kind of effort and toughness he plays with
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My kind of recruit...in any sport.
 
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#48
#48
Volfan1000 said:
Awaka will have at least one 15 rebound game in his career at Tennessee.
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He’d have had one yesterday if he plays more than 17 minutes. He’s the kind of kid I’ve been publicly begging for going all the way back to our pursuit of Oscar Tshiebwe. Goes out and gobbles up rebounds like his next meal is riding on it.

Perhaps most impressive, yesterday, was his ability to defend without fouling. His foul rate is highest on the team, but it seems skewed because of his sparse playing time. In his first game of extended minutes vs Maryland, he managed 8 rebs, a steal, and a block while only committing 1 foul. That’s impressive for a freshman with limited playing time to come into such a physical game and maintain his own composure in that physical environment. I only wish he had a little bit more lift/explosion around the basket (something Tshiebwe lacks, as well), but his strength and nose for the ball makes up for a lot of his physical limitations.

Obviously a small sample size, but his rebounding rate per 40 minutes and per 100 possessions is significantly ahead of Oscar’s, now, let alone as a freshman, so hopefully we’ve found our monster after he gets his feet wet and a year of development.
 
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#49
#49
Awaka reminds me of another tweener who did pretty good for the Vols - Jeronne Maymon. He was a rebounding machine who carried some of his teams through games. I totally trust Coach to know when he's ready for the floor.
 
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#50
#50
Lurker said:
Awaka reminds me of another tweener who did pretty good for the Vols - Jeronne Maymon. He was a rebounding machine who carried some of his teams through games. I totally trust Coach to know when he's ready for the floor.
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It took Maymon a little time to convince himself he wasn’t a shooting guard. Once he came to that realization, he dominated until his knee injury.
 
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