C Zisis Sarikopoulos (official thread)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Brief breakdown on Sarikopoulos

An evaluator from DraftExpress.com watched video of the European 18-and-under championships and said Ohio State transfer Zisis Sarikopoulos ?looked pretty improved from the last time we saw him.? Sarikopoulos helped Greece win the gold medal in the tournament.

Link

Zisis Sarikopoulos, who looked pretty improved from the last time we saw him. The UAB alumni (who is transferring to Ohio State and will sit out next year) was very useful in pick-and-roll settings, and in the low post, were he showed some nice moves and a certain soft touch delivering hooks with his left hand. On defense, he was extremely valuable, using his big body, intimidating and rebounding. His spotlight moment came against Serbia, when he completely owned Dejan Musli on both ends of the floor.

[osugrad21]

BSB$--Meet OSU's other seven-footer

Zisis discusses his transfer from UAB, playing in the Jordan Brand game, and taking pride as a defensive player.

[GrizzlyBuck]

I like the sounds of the part about taking pride in his defense, not only will it help him when it is his time to step onto the court, but he can pressure BJ during practice this year. It will let BJ go up against a pretty talented legit 7' to get more used to playing against guys his size as well has making him hone his offensive repertoire. It may also help light a fire in BJ's belly to play great defense at all times, one small knock against him.

It is good to have such a deep team at all positions it should make for some extremely spirited practice sessions and great competition, leading to better results on the court.

It is also a blessing that Z is going to be going up against BJ in practice as he will be tested by a guy expected to play in the NBA sooner rather than later, and this will prepare Z a lot better for his role in 2009-2010. Add in the strength and athletecism that Dallas brings to practice and all three should really help the others develop, as well as KM.

I can't wait for tip-off

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Men's basketball: 7-footer saw eye-to-eye with OSU

Thursday, November 6, 2008 3:25 AM
By Bob Baptist


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Zisis Sarikopoulos had little time to make a move after Alabama-Birmingham released him from his basketball scholarship in late May. The 7-footer was interested in three schools -- Ohio State, Indiana and Purdue -- and had a couple of weeks to choose before returning to his native Greece for the summer. He visited only Ohio State and liked the skyline so much that he decided to put roots down here for the next four years. It was the skyline in the Buckeyes' gym, though, not Downtown, that sold him.
"Since I was transferring, I wanted to take full advantage of that redshirt year," Sarikopoulos said. "I felt it would be great for me going every day against Dallas (Lauderdale) and B.J. (Mullens). I think that will really help me."
Ohio State has more size this season than in any of Thad Matta's previous four as coach. Sarikopoulos and Mullens are 7 feet, Lauderdale is 6-8 but plays larger because of a 7-4 wingspan, and Kyle Madsen is 6-9.
They all can't play at once -- Sarikopoulos can't play at all, other than practice, until next season -- but it does make for better competition in the gym when guys have to pick on, and be picked on, by someone their own size.
It's also a luxury for coaches to be able to throw another big body on the practice floor when one is injured, as happened to Lauderdale on Sunday in a scrimmage at Miami University. He has a shoulder sprain that might keep him out of an exhibition game next Thursday against Walsh.
"It's a little bit different than we've had here," Matta said.
Sarikopoulos left UAB after averaging less than seven minutes as a freshman. He became disenchanted as his playing time diminished late in the season and more so after the assistant coach who recruited him, Bob Donewald Jr., was let go by coach Mike Davis.
Cont...

[Ttown]

Sarikopoulos is still at tOSU and will be playing for the Bucks after his redshirt season. It will be interesting to see what happens next BB season especially if B.J. Stays.

Mainly a defensive center he has been trying to hone all of his skills for next year.

[LitlBuck]

That is good to hear. Tell them to work on his free-throw shooting. If he can bring some rebounding and defense to the team, I think we will be fine with the rest of our offense.

[crazybuckfan40]

Z is a hard worker, and it has been good for him to have to big guys inside, like Dallas, and BJ to push him around to get him more physical...he is a european kid, so you wont see him looking like Dallas inside, and he will get pushed around some by bigger guys, but KK he is not either...He is a big guys in the sense that he will play on the block and try and mix it up inside...Not sure on the passing, but hopefully he brings the passing that most european guys bring...

Very likable guy as well...

[Buckskin86]

Matta said 7-foot sophomore Zisis Sarikopoulos, who sat out last season after transferring from UAB, will play this summer for the Greek national team.

"He'll get 20 games in, so that'll be good for him," Matta said.

Sarikopoulos has three years of eligibility remaining and is expected to share time in the post next season with Dallas Lauderdale.

"I?m excited to have him. He practiced very well this year," Matta said.

"He?s one of those guys who wants to do the right thing every time. I think his basketball IQ is very high. He?s done a tremendous job with his body, getting himself in shape. I think he was up to 270 (pounds) the other day but he?s moving very well. At 7 feet tall, he?s a very good passer."

Matta and Boals leftovers (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[Buckskin86]

Zisis Sarikopoulos will be playing for his home country Greece in the FIBA U19 World Championship in New Zealand!

Jeff Boals (JeffBoals) on Twitter

[itownbuckeye]

Excellent news about Z playing for the Greek national team. After not getting much playing time at UAB and then sitting out a transfer year I'm sure he's got some rust to knock off.

[Buckskin86]

Summer study abroad
7-foot transfer will play for Greece, his homeland, in two international tournaments
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
By Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


Chris Russell | Dispatch
Ohio State sophomore Zisis Sarikopoulos doesn't expect to get a big offer from the European pros while playing for Greece, as Kosta Koufos did.


Jonathan Quilter | Dispatch

Coach Thad Matta was adamant that his Ohio State men's basketball team spend last summer together on campus, developing a chemistry that the 2007-08 team never had.

He has loosened the reins this summer, allowing junior Evan Turner to try out for the U.S. team that will play in the World University Games in Serbia next month and sophomore Zisis Sarikopoulos to play for his homeland, Greece, in world and European championship tournaments.

"Everybody knows everybody," said Matta, whose 13-man roster next season will include no newcomers. "And what they're going to do is good for them and probably going to help the team."

There was some uneasiness, though, about letting the 7-foot Sarikopoulos leave. Matta has not forgotten two summers ago, when Kosta Koufos played for Greece for the first time, dominated the European under-18 championships in Spain and was offered a reported $5 million to play professionally in Europe before he had played a game at OSU.

Koufos rejected the offer, but not before he and his mother did some soul-searching, and his coaches endured anxious moments.

Before Sarikopoulos (pronounced sera-KOP-olus) left last week, he said he had been asked by Matta and others what he would do if he received an offer this summer to play professionally. He has yet to play a game for Ohio State, having sat out last season after transferring from Alabama-Birmingham in July.

"I said I would love them to (make an offer), but right now, I don't think they're going to offer me so much money because I'm not ready yet," Sarikopoulos said.

"Kosta had that crazy offer, but Kosta was more ready than I am right now. I'm looking forward to coming back here next year. With the way we work here, it's going to be great for me to develop my game and reach my potential. That wouldn't happen if I stayed in Greece. That's why I'm playing college basketball."

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Summer study abroad

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by Buckskin86

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Summer study abroad

According to the above article, probably his greatest asset is his passing which will be very nice for pick and rolls or high/low game with Lauderdale. Matta also says he has a very good basketball IQ and good footwork. Playing in these games should only help him.

[BoxCar_Willie]

Lightly veiled through his soundbites it seems this kid is loving it here at OSU. Glad to have him on the squad.

[LitlBuck]

Sarikopoulos' summer under way

Zisis Sarikopoulos and his teammates on Greece's under-19 national team went 1-1-1 in a series of three "friendlies" in Croatia, tying the first game at 92, losing the second 102-97 and winning the finale 84-75.

The Greek team travels to Melbourne, Australia, this week for three more games, against Australia, Spain and France, in preparation for the U19 world championship tournament that begins July 2 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Posted by Bob Baptist on June 23, 2009 12:49 PM

Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog

[Buckskin86]

Sarikopoulos limited by knee injury

Greece is 2-1 in the FIBA under-19 world championships in Auckland, New Zealand, and center Zisis Sarikopoulos has played only nine minutes in three games, apparently because of a left knee injury he suffered in the Greeks' final tuneup for the tournament last weekend.

Sarikopoulos reportedly went down clutching the knee in the first half of a 95-71 victory over France in Melbourne, Australia. He did not play in Greece's U-19 opener against Angola, a 101-58 win, and only one minute in a 107-98 win over Puerto Rico in the second round. He played eight minutes but had only two points and no rebounds in an 85-70 loss to Lithuania today.

Greece advanced to the medal-round pool and will play the United States on Monday.

A Web search has not turned up further information on the nature of Sarikopoulos' injury, but he is playing, which is good news.

Posted by Bob Baptist on July 4, 2009 12:09 PM | Permalink

Sarikopoulos limited by knee injury (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)