'No doubt about it': 6-11 Akol commits to USF
On the day USF announced the signing of two recruits, coach Stan Heath picked up a big commitment, as Teeng Akol, a 6-foot-11, 225-pound power forward from Sudan who played this season at Bradenton's IMG Academy, said he will sign with the Bulls and become the seventh member of USF's incoming class.
"I have a good relationship with the coaches," said Akol, who also strongly considered West Virginia. "I did a lot of research, and it was hard for me to decide, but at the end of the day, USF's coaches recruited me so much. I really liked the environment there, no doubt about it."
Akol, rated as a three-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals.com, joins a class that has considerable size, with 6-foot-10 center Alex Rivas Sanchez, 6-8 center Gene Teague and 6-7 forward Eladio Espinosa. Akol said he has not taken the required college entrance exams but will take them in June and is confident he will earn a qualifying score. ESPN.com's recruiting rankings have him as the No. 41 center nationally in the 2008 class, though Akol said he considers himself a power forward.
USF announced the formal signing Wednesday of two commitments, Rivas Sanchez and combo guard Gaby Belardo of Puerto Rico.
Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin and we invite your participation in the comments area.
Any word on Brumbaugh?
Posted by: Ari Hinkelberger | May 14, 2008 at 09:24 PM
great news
Posted by: mike | May 14, 2008 at 09:47 PM
Damn off to work butttttt, "I'll be back."
Posted by: The Champ | May 14, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Gotta love the length this guy brings to the court. Def BE size!
Posted by: andres | May 14, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Whew! We really needed a decent big guy and Akol fits the bill. I sure hope he passes his entrance exam b\c they all say "I'm confident I will earn a qualifying score," and then they are staring at a 600 on their SAT...whoops.
Posted by: Josh | May 14, 2008 at 11:01 PM
GA runs the best college sports blog in the country!!! 4 big posts within 24 hours! Who else shows this kind of committment to their job? Keep up the awesome work Greg, it is greatly appreciated far and wide!
Posted by: Brendan | May 15, 2008 at 02:03 AM
Sweet. 7 new players, and this guy might be the best recruit out of them all consdering our needs and his ability. Should be an interesting season.
Posted by: Windbane | May 15, 2008 at 07:05 AM
I don't check the blog for 24 hours and it's like information overload. Great work Greg!
Posted by: DELdaBULL | May 15, 2008 at 07:30 AM
I still cannot believe we have Teague who says he will play Center, and he is 6'6 - 6'8, thats just unacceptable.... Is he ever going to see time or what?
Posted by: Paul Wall | May 15, 2008 at 07:40 AM
I don't think Teague needs to see too much playing time this year. He's probably the No. 3 center, and after B.J. Ajayi leaves in a year, there will be an opportunity for a more significant role ...
Posted by: G.A. | May 15, 2008 at 09:08 AM
This is exactly what we needed provided his does obtain a qualifing score. Signing Akol also helps with our recruiting efforts with prospects like John Riek etc. Now, that would be huge. I hope Heath will parlay this signing into bigger recruiting success in the future. Def. a step in the right direction. Best signing of the year!
Posted by: AGW | May 15, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Things really ARE looking up for this season. I may even buy basketball season tix!!!
Posted by: Mike Lakeland | May 15, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Seems a little odd to me that in May he hasn't yet taken the SAT?
Posted by: Ken | May 15, 2008 at 02:30 PM
great, now get brumbaugh
Posted by: bob | May 15, 2008 at 04:02 PM
Who reads better Keith Brumbaugh, Teeng Akol or Theo Wilson?
Posted by: Reality | May 15, 2008 at 06:02 PM
The guy's been in the U.S. for less than three years. I don't think it's fair to lump expectations for him in there with kids who have been in schools here since kindergarten, is it?
Posted by: G.A. | May 15, 2008 at 07:10 PM
My money was on Akol......
Posted by: Reality | May 15, 2008 at 07:44 PM
What I like about Akol is his improvement over the last couple of years with speed and agility.What I don't like is with most Sudan players he doesn't like passing the ball at times.
We have definitely upgraded at the 4 position with the additions of Espinosa and Akol.Ajayi and Sanchez are rebounders and defenders(yes I said something positive about Rivas).I don't know if the '08 class is finished, but two things stand out for me.First our interior defense will be much better then it was last year which was pitiful except for Ajayi late in the season.Secondly we are going to play alot more uptempo this season as compared to last.We are much deeper in every position and the overall athleticism has upgraded too.
It is to early to predict what this team will do in the wins and loses department.Yeah I could say this team will win this x amount of games or lose this x amount, but that would be foolish.Still don't know who will or won't be on our team come October.Don't know how the coaching staff will look come this fall.
BTW Mike Mercer is the headliner of the '08 class without any question.5 stars and a top 22 ranking for his class.1st team all freshmen of the SEC.Top player on a real good Georgia Bulldogs team until he suffered a season ending injury as a soph.Projected as a 1st round NBA draft selection by at least one NBA scouting service.Mike should be good the 2nd half of next season, but it is his senior season that I'm looking forward to.Combine that with a junior Dominique Jones and, "Get your popcorn ready."
Posted by: The Champ | May 15, 2008 at 08:45 PM
Very excited for next season. keep up the great work coach Heath!
Posted by: bullsfan29 | May 15, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Ok, Champ, I know you dont want to go out on a limb ala Ari, but do you think the basketbulls will win more than 5 Big East games?
5-13 is not that much of a stretch regardless of who is on the team, since you have such confidence in Jones and Mercer? You willing to g out on a limb now?
Posted by: Reality | May 15, 2008 at 10:45 PM
And Mercer was snubbed from the McDonald's American Team. They didn't want two guys from the same h.s.team that year. Louis Williams and Mike Mercer. The Champ is right on this one. 5th best point guard and 22nd best player but you don't make the 24 player cut for McDonalds! Bull@#$
Posted by: DJ | May 16, 2008 at 08:48 AM
Go out on a limb huh? Well since you have USF going 0-16, I'll jump way out there and say that USF will win 1 more game then you have them projected to win.Man I hope that isn't to far out on that limb.
Being serious it is like I said before, it is best to wait and see how not only USF shapes up before the season, but also the teams on there schedule as well.Most teams have ? marks this time of the year, so it's best to only go with what you know, not guess what could, can, of will be.
There are so many potenial changes still possible here with USF.
Posted by: The Champ | May 16, 2008 at 03:23 PM
0-18 Champ. 0-18...0-19 after NYC.
Posted by: Reality | May 16, 2008 at 03:32 PM
Thanks to Greg for the great updates! Count me as optimistic that the team will improve.
Posted by: Bull Hooper | May 16, 2008 at 04:46 PM
0-19 alright then reality.
I just hope pp doesn't bring this part of the blog back up in March 2009, LOL.
Might have to start keeping replies short just to avoid a similar thing from happening just like that old Teague post.
Posted by: The Champ | May 16, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Champ, beyond a recruit not making grades or an unexpected addition, what other changes might happen on the court?
Posted by: G.A. | May 16, 2008 at 10:59 PM
regarding "what other changes might happen on the court?" Players getting injured could be one.
Posted by: steve oneal | May 17, 2008 at 08:55 AM
Injuries are part of the game Steve. That is why you recruit and have a bench. An injury to DJ or Mercer and this team could be 30 point a game losers every night out....
Posted by: Reality | May 17, 2008 at 09:26 AM
Champ, I think PP will be up to this part of the blog by the time of midnight madness, so we can rehash it then for your prediction.
Sidenote, PP's response was kind of telling that Teague may be rough on Coach Heath. He has had problems with his coaches in the past, and hopefully that doesnt come up again.
You saw what happened with Kevin Parrom and Oliver Antigua this week...
Posted by: Reality | May 17, 2008 at 09:33 AM