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Post by akbar on Dec 10, 2015 9:47:00 GMT -5
This is all fine and dandy but the fact remains, the success of many of the more recent Canadian recruits hasn't been great and more importantly the Canadian National program does NOT look fondly on its players coming south for college.
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Post by CanadianCannon on Dec 11, 2015 16:55:14 GMT -5
This years Pakmen 18u team is incredible. A couple days ago they absolutely hammered a mid-level university team. They have picked up even more talent and have a solid 7 or 8 players worth serious NCAA interest, Vernon-Evans recently touched 12'4, Sani (new addition) is touching around 11'6 but is becoming a very smart player, Jordan Figueira is only around 6'0 but has some of the nicest hands I've ever seen, Jordan Pereira (new addition) is just an incredible lib no ball touches the floor near him. Xander Ketrazynski (new addition) is only 15 or 16 but is 6'8 with an above average vert. Jon Reid is 6'6 opposite with just a cannon of a swing and Andrew Smondulak is around 6'9 and left-handed starting to gain some athleticism. NCAA coaches would be fools not to check this team out. You're right about this year's Pakmen 18U team being incredible - they may be the best team in Canada since Crush in 2012 - but you're overhyping some of their players. No way 7 or 8 of their players are worth NCAA interest (not because they aren't D1 quality, but because the NCAA only recruits Canadian boys who are worth a full-ride and practically guaranteed to pan out, like Vernon-Evans and UCLA recruit Daenan Gyimah). Sharone Vernon-Evans is the clear standout, 6'9" left side touching well over 12' who has great ball control for a player his size. If he really wants it this kid will be starting for team Canada one day. The two other guys I think standout on this team are Sani and Pereira. Sani is an amazing physical beast with a vert in the mid-high 40s and quick as all hell, but I've heard that his attitude isn't good and it could set him back. Pereira is just a straight up amazing lib like you said. These two actually competed together 2 summers ago as Canada's second team at the FIVB 17U Beach World Championships. Canada's first team for that tourney was Vernon-Evans and another Pakmen player, Parvir Jhajj. Aside from those 3, the other guys you listed are great but not all that special. Figueira may be the best setter in the OVA this year but that doesn't mean a whole lot when you consider the past few guys who were the best in their year, and he's undersized (clearly under 6'). Their backup setter - Tomas Sorra - is a lot more interesting to me. He's 99 born and has played up his entire club career. He has decent size at 6'2" and growing and isn't just the best setter in his year, but is a top 3 setter in Ontario all around. He's stellar on the beach as well. Reid and Smondulak both have similar weaknesses. You're right about Reid's sweet arm swing but he's relatively slow and unathletic. Smondulak is even slower and really unathletic, you'd have a hard time slipping a piece of paper under his feet with that vert. With Sani on the team now neither of these guys will even be starting, as I doubt they'll have Sani playing left side and taking captain Jhajj's starting spot Sani has replaced Jhajj on the left side, Figueira IS 6'0, Reid is still starting over Smondulak but both are improving at impressive rates.
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Post by CanadianCannon on Dec 11, 2015 17:04:43 GMT -5
Seems like Pakmen will be in Chicago Pakmen 18u is registered for the SVCA Invitational but not the Winter Championships in Chicago Pakmen has dropped out of the SCVA Invitational but is now registered for the Winter Championships in Chicago
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Post by letsfly on Dec 12, 2015 0:34:27 GMT -5
You're right about this year's Pakmen 18U team being incredible - they may be the best team in Canada since Crush in 2012 - but you're overhyping some of their players. No way 7 or 8 of their players are worth NCAA interest (not because they aren't D1 quality, but because the NCAA only recruits Canadian boys who are worth a full-ride and practically guaranteed to pan out, like Vernon-Evans and UCLA recruit Daenan Gyimah). Sharone Vernon-Evans is the clear standout, 6'9" left side touching well over 12' who has great ball control for a player his size. If he really wants it this kid will be starting for team Canada one day. The two other guys I think standout on this team are Sani and Pereira. Sani is an amazing physical beast with a vert in the mid-high 40s and quick as all hell, but I've heard that his attitude isn't good and it could set him back. Pereira is just a straight up amazing lib like you said. These two actually competed together 2 summers ago as Canada's second team at the FIVB 17U Beach World Championships. Canada's first team for that tourney was Vernon-Evans and another Pakmen player, Parvir Jhajj. Aside from those 3, the other guys you listed are great but not all that special. Figueira may be the best setter in the OVA this year but that doesn't mean a whole lot when you consider the past few guys who were the best in their year, and he's undersized (clearly under 6'). Their backup setter - Tomas Sorra - is a lot more interesting to me. He's 99 born and has played up his entire club career. He has decent size at 6'2" and growing and isn't just the best setter in his year, but is a top 3 setter in Ontario all around. He's stellar on the beach as well. Reid and Smondulak both have similar weaknesses. You're right about Reid's sweet arm swing but he's relatively slow and unathletic. Smondulak is even slower and really unathletic, you'd have a hard time slipping a piece of paper under his feet with that vert. With Sani on the team now neither of these guys will even be starting, as I doubt they'll have Sani playing left side and taking captain Jhajj's starting spot Sani has replaced Jhajj on the left side, Figueira IS 6'0, Reid is still starting over Smondulak but both are improving at impressive rates. Hmm that definitely makes the most sense for the team, although it is still a bit surprising given all Jhajj has done in all his years with Pakmen. Unless Figueira grew significantly since April I doubt he's a legit 6', when I last saw him in person he was just a bit taller than me and I'm only 5'9". I'm excited to see them by the end of the season once the whole team as gelled. They'll likely go through the entire OVA season without losing a game this year but even dropping a set to STVC Nemesis - who are carried by one player - in the last tourney shows that they have some kinks to work out. With all the talent this team has they shouldn't drop a single set at provs
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Post by vballpapa on Dec 12, 2015 11:59:45 GMT -5
Pakmen 18u has not yet decided their USAV tournament schedule and likely will not be at US nationals however I firmly believe they could win it without too much of a struggle This is funny! Canada has always and will always be our little hat and like most other accessories they are never the main attraction.
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Post by letsfly on Dec 13, 2015 23:45:23 GMT -5
Pakmen 18u has not yet decided their USAV tournament schedule and likely will not be at US nationals however I firmly believe they could win it without too much of a struggle This is funny! Canada has always and will always be our little hat and like most other accessories they are never the main attraction. I don't really know what you're trying to get at here (other than portraying the "arrogant American" stereotype). The top Ontario teams are consistently on par with the top American teams. It's too bad you guys rarely get to see any of our west coast teams as well, being that it's so far for them to travel. Until very recently the top teams from places like Winnipeg, BC, and especially Alberta have dominated Canadian volleyball
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Post by vballpapa on Dec 14, 2015 0:29:41 GMT -5
This is funny! Canada has always and will always be our little hat and like most other accessories they are never the main attraction. I don't really know what you're trying to get at here (other than portraying the "arrogant American" stereotype). The top Ontario teams are consistently on par with the top American teams. It's too bad you guys rarely get to see any of our west coast teams as well, being that it's so far for them to travel. Until very recently the top teams from places like Winnipeg, BC, and especially Alberta have dominated Canadian volleyball It was said tongue in cheek...but last I checked people are swimming and climbing walls to get into America, not sure they're really trying to do that anywhere else.
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Post by akbar on Dec 15, 2015 6:17:09 GMT -5
I don't really know what you're trying to get at here (other than portraying the "arrogant American" stereotype). The top Ontario teams are consistently on par with the top American teams. It's too bad you guys rarely get to see any of our west coast teams as well, being that it's so far for them to travel. Until very recently the top teams from places like Winnipeg, BC, and especially Alberta have dominated Canadian volleyball It was said tongue in cheek...but last I checked people are swimming and climbing walls to get into America, not sure they're really trying to do that anywhere else. Apologies to our neighbors to the north for this guy's idiotic statement. He needs to go back under his rock. Ugh.
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jr
Junior High
Posts: 4
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Post by jr on Jan 16, 2016 22:48:50 GMT -5
It is an expensive proposition for the boys given they aren't looking at full ride offers. I think people are aware of the talent, it's just a matter of how do you make it feasible for the athlete and their family to make it work financially. Sani has mad hops, but he isn't touching close to 12'; more like 11'4 - 11'6. Vernon-Evans is in my opinion the most physical guy in that group you mentioned. He just goes over people.... even big people. Sani is touching 11'10, he's very inexperienced and a work in progress definitely not as good as Vernon-Evans who is touching 12'3 This year's Packmen 18 team will be one of the top in North America undoubtedly
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