Welcome Francis Okoro!

[HoosierPal]

Articles on both Okoro and Linssen are posted on the SLUBillikens website.  Nothing new in the articles.

https://slubillikens.com/sports/mens-basketball

[GBL_Bills]

Good Hochman article on Okoro. 
 

Apparently one of the reasons he picked SLU is because we have a major in geospatial information science. Who knew that by North City winning that federal contract, it also was establishing the groundwork for our final 4 run!

 

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/benjamin-hochman/hochman-from-four-star-recruit-to-oregon-to-slu-francis-okoro-settles-into-new-normal/article_6ea0a83a-30d5-53f8-817e-a92e6c2f8601.html

[VeniceMenace]

11 minutes ago, GBL_Bills said:

Good Hochman article on Okoro. 
 

Apparently one of the reasons he picked SLU is because we have a major in geospatial information science. Who knew that by North City winning that federal contract, it also was establishing the groundwork for our final 4 run!

 

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/benjamin-hochman/hochman-from-four-star-recruit-to-oregon-to-slu-francis-okoro-settles-into-new-normal/article_6ea0a83a-30d5-53f8-817e-a92e6c2f8601.html

This is kind of like the Gibson Jimmerson chess connection...I’ll take it.

[VeniceMenace]

From the Oregon Ducks message board:

 Re: Okoro transferring

1/2 disappointed but 1/2 not surprised. I hope the best for him, great kid who had some struggles on the court but no doubt stuff he can overcome. Hopefully he finds a team with a good big man coach, something I think Oregon is lacking. I won't forget his Fr year though when Altman credited him for the late season surge to the Sweet Sixteen! Hard to find a player with a better attitude than him.

[slu72]

Can’t wait to see him play, but first things first. We’re looking at potentially the best season ever in Billiken history this upcoming year. Bell and Francis will be together for 2 years along w/ Yurimania, Hargrove, Fred, Jimerson, Lorentsson, Strickland, and probably some new local talent. This could truly be the long awaited Golden age of Billiken hoops. 

[Clock_Tower]

11 minutes ago, slu72 said:

Can’t wait to see him play, but first things first. We’re looking at potentially the best season ever in Billiken history this upcoming year. Bell and Francis will be together for 2 years along w/ Yurimania, Hargrove, Fred, Jimerson, Lorentsson, Strickland, and probably some new local talent. This could truly be the long awaited Golden age of Billiken hoops. 

Believe we had a good year in 1948 as well.

[Quality Is Job 1]

1 hour ago, GBL_Bills said:

Good Hochman article on Okoro. 
 

Apparently one of the reasons he picked SLU is because we have a major in geospatial information science. Who knew that by North City winning that federal contract, it also was establishing the groundwork for our final 4 run!

 

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/benjamin-hochman/hochman-from-four-star-recruit-to-oregon-to-slu-francis-okoro-settles-into-new-normal/article_6ea0a83a-30d5-53f8-817e-a92e6c2f8601.html

Except Okoro will be sitting out 2020-21.  If you'd said, "...second Final Four run," then....

[Bay Area Billiken]

Okoro, #33, played at Cal on 1/30/20. In 14 minutes he did not score, was 0-1 from the floor, with 2 rebounds, one offensive and one defensive, and had 2 personal fouls.

[Quality Is Job 1]

1 hour ago, Bay Area Billiken said:

Okoro, #33, played at Cal on 1/30/20. In 14 minutes he did not score, was 0-1 from the floor, with 2 rebounds, one offensive and one defensive, and had 2 personal fouls.

https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2020/02/oregon-ducks-mens-basketball-forward-francis-okoro-to-miss-trip-to-oregon-state-to-attend-fathers-funeral.html

Quote

Okoro is averaging 3.5 points and 4.6 rebounds, but just 1.3 points and 2.1 rebounds in Pac-12 play, which began after his father’s passing, and he’s come off the bench the last four games.

[Oregon coach Dana] Altman, who praised Okoro’s effort in No. 14 Oregon’s (18-5, 7-3 Pac-12), couldn’t say how much the 6-foot-9 sophomore’s play has been impacted by naturally being upset and mourning his father the last month.

“I know it’s been a tough time for him,” Altman said. “Any young man — any person would have trouble with that. His father passes, he hasn’t been there for a long time. He’s the oldest (child); he feels like he should be there. It hasn’t been an easy time for Francis. I don’t think it would be an easy time for an young person.”

Let's add some context to those statistics.  (Note, I'm not implying you did anything wrong.)

[Bay Area Billiken]

3 hours ago, Quality Is Job 1 said:

https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2020/02/oregon-ducks-mens-basketball-forward-francis-okoro-to-miss-trip-to-oregon-state-to-attend-fathers-funeral.html

Let's add some context to those statistics.  (Note, I'm not implying you did anything wrong.)

Yes, Francis Okoro had injury and bereavement issues in his second season at Oregon.  Also, I agree with what Coach Travis Ford said, namely that Oregon plays a guard oriented system.  Oregon plays up tempo and shoots the 3.  While I don't think SLU signed the next Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Okoro was a Top 60, 4 star recruit coming out of Normal Community West High School, a relatively big school in Central Illinois.  I'm happy to have him at SLU.

I was reporting my personal observation from being at that Oregon at Cal game.

[Franchise_08]

Did I see Okoro had surgery today?

[cheeseman]

25 minutes ago, Franchise_08 said:

Did I see Okoro had surgery today?

Sounds that way - look at the Chapley tweet on the main page.

[HoosierPal]

26 minutes ago, Franchise_08 said:

Did I see Okoro had surgery today?

 

[Old guy]

Well done, what appears to be L shoulder surgery was done with plenty of time for recovery and regaining strength and ability during his red shirt year. 

[Billiken Rich]

20 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

 

We're going to need a bigger bed.....seriously.......we can go back and get a bigger bed.....

[SLURadioBoy]

Can’t wait to see Francis on the court in 2021:

 

[crymdg2]

15 minutes ago, SLURadioBoy said:

Can’t wait to see Francis on the court in 2021: