Octavius Spann, why is he overlooked!?

[the_way]

You know, I've noticed, that out of all the recruits for 2005 and 2006, he is the least talked about on this board. Its like he is flying under the radar. Maybe it is because he is fom Georgia and his Dad isn't famous while the other recruits for 2005 are fairly local. Does anybody know the skinny on Spann, his skills,etc. Any ideas about his potential for next year? Any leagues he may be participating in during the summer? What do you guys think?

[jerseyhoya34]

I'd like to see him play before I comment, but I think he's flown under the radar simply because he is from GA, while our other recruits are more local.

[SFHoya99]

I think the only person who has seen him is Ron. FWIW, Justin Young of Rivals loves him.

Kenner starts in what, a week? Hopefully we'll have some reports.

[RDF]

Well I'll throw my hat in here for a minute--seen highlights of him on videotape and have a friend who swears by him--I can tell you this as a FR he'll be our best ball handling Forward and he's got major game--there isn't one thing he can't do well on the court. He handles, often getting a rebound on defense, bringing ball up, and then running the offense. Most don't know that as a Sophomore he was considered a top 20 caliber player in this class and that he was getting looks last Spring from UNC, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, and many others so it's not as if he didn't have a great reputation/game--just didn't play due to injury.

6'8 210 range in terms of size and a tremendous skilled player--can really stroke the jumper and has nice court sense about him--can pass very well.

Just another reason I love the incoming class!

[RBHoya]

Spann is probably the least talked about but Thornton isn't too far behind.

I think, as mentioned, that he's under the radar because he's in Georgia and thus no one from hoyatalk is seeing him play. That's ok though because hopefully we all get details coming up during Kenner.

Supposedly he is a "rugged" SF with an all around game, including shot blocking, ballhandling, and rebound skills. Ought to fit well in the Princeton. Should be interesting to see how III splits minutes between Spann, Tyler, and Marc on the wing, all of whom are probably playing behind our 3 seniors.

BTW, did we ever settle on a nickname for one Octavius Spann? I think of the freshman hes most in need, because "Octavius" has too many syllables. I liked the connection that someone else had made to the Spiderman villain, Dr. Otto Octavius, aka Doc Oc. I think just "Doc" might be a good nickname for Spann.... but maybe hell get his own nickname in time by other means.

[bawlmerhoya]

A while back, I read a cool little blurb from the local paper of a team that had matchup against him in the GA playoffs and the author seemed quite awed by Spann. I think the team he was matched up against did not have a player taller than 6'3''. He could be a beast.

I have high hopes for Spann and the whole incoming class, but it was great hear that BB and Owens will be back.

[the_way]

rbhoya said:

Spann is probably the least talked about but Thornton isn't too far behind.

I think, as mentioned, that he's under the radar because he's in Georgia and thus no one from hoyatalk is seeing him play. That's ok though because hopefully we all get details coming up during Kenner.

Supposedly he is a "rugged" SF with an all around game, including shot blocking, ballhandling, and rebound skills. Ought to fit well in the Princeton. Should be interesting to see how III splits minutes between Spann, Tyler, and Marc on the wing, all of whom are probably playing behind our 3 seniors.

BTW, did we ever settle on a nickname for one Octavius Spann? I think of the freshman hes most in need, because "Octavius" has too many syllables. I liked the connection that someone else had made to the Spiderman villain, Dr. Otto Octavius, aka Doc Oc. I think just "Doc" might be a good nickname for Spann.... but maybe hell get his own nickname in time by other means.

I think Doc or Oc is pretty cool.

[SaxaCD]

JT3 is really molding the roster to his coaching philosophy --- forwards who can handle the ball and play inside/out, along with a guy like Thornton who's reputation is to bury you from deep for those kickouts when the backdoor isn't open. And he's supposedly working on his driving game, too! It's hard to get too excited before seeing guys play in real Big East games, but individuals aside, I think the staff is really doing a nice job retooling the roster to fit JT3's system of ballsharing and versatility.

I really don't know what to think about DJ's return. I've always really liked to watch him play, but will he be the guy who looked like a bona fide All-Big East performer over his last 4 or 5 games last year, or will he be the enigmatic fade in / fade-out player we've seen the past few years? If he does return in consistent mode, it takes a lot of heat off the young players, and they can be brought along without as much pressure. On the other hand, the influx of talent might be just what's needed to keep him sharp all season. Gonna be interesting to see.

[SFHoya99]

Doc Oc is cool, but I *think* he goes by Tay.

[Deleted]

Please no "Doc Oc" crap. Let's not associate him with the cinematic bastardization of one of the coolest comic book villans of all time. Its a travesty the way films have turned Dr. Octopus, The Riddler, Two-Face, and Catwoman (Halle Berry, not Michelle Pfeifer) into pathetic shells of their once great comic versions. Let's just hope Dr. Doom isn't as bad in Fantastic Four...

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

I think with his height he has to be one of our more prized recruits because if we run into Uconn & Cuse type bodies we are going to need some average height to compete on defense.

[TrueHoyaBlue]

Excellent point about size, but assuming that Hibbs steps up his game in a typical freshman-sophomore improvement, our frontline of
6'8" Bowman
6'10"(?) Green
7'2" Hibbs

will give us plenty of size to start games off. I like the fact that, at least according to their listed heights, all four of our recruits fill the 6'2-6'7 range, which along with DJ coming back will give us a lot of options for tailoring lineups to create mismatches.

For example -- the speedy lineup
Cook, Sapp, Owens, Bowman, Green

The bruiser lineup
Sapp, Egerson, Bowman, Green, Hibbs

The "long wings" lineup
Sapp/Cook, Owens, Spann, Bowman, Green

[SaxaCD]

Don't forget the "Bomb Squad" lineup if teams decide they can just pack in the zone all day: Cook, Thornton, Owens, Bowman, and Green! Nice to have more than one or two guys who can shoot straight, for once!

[idhoya]

Tay is a beast! I've talked to a couple of people who know him personally and they say he's a freakish athlete. He fell under the radar because of an injury, thus he didn't play in any camps. Long arms, high flyer and a lockdown defender. Can play 3 positions.

[lichoya68]

CANT WAIT TILL NOVEMBER KEEP THAT TALKING UP GO HOYAS GO KENNER LEAGUE SOON ..

[Highsmith]

I haven't been looking forward to a college season this early in the year in a long time......good to hear such good reports on all of the incoming players. I really look forward to watching them come together the next few years.

[Cambridge]

I wanted to nickname him: 'night train

that was in reference to Midnight Train to Georgia, which in turn leads me to want to call him...

The Conductor

as in "he punches your ticket", "takes you for a ride", "woo hoo" ...etc.

[HoyaNCCT]

truehoyablue said:

Excellent point about size, but assuming that Hibbs steps up his game in a typical freshman-sophomore improvement, our frontline of
6'8" Bowman
6'10"(?) Green
7'2" Hibbs

will give us plenty of size to start games off. I like the fact that, at least according to their listed heights, all four of our recruits fill the 6'2-6'7 range, which along with DJ coming back will give us a lot of options for tailoring lineups to create mismatches.

For example -- the speedy lineup
Cook, Sapp, Owens, Bowman, Green

The bruiser lineup
Sapp, Egerson, Bowman, Green, Hibbs

The "long wings" lineup
Sapp/Cook, Owens, Spann, Bowman, Green

Let's not forget about that Wallace kid...

[TrueHoyaBlue]

I wasn't forgetting about him, and he would definitely show up in several of my imaginary lineups, just not "long wings," "bruiser," or "speedy."

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

Why isn't Sed in any of these lineups? I demand more Sed centric line ups.