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Duluth Big Man Akolda Manyang Emerging on Gophers' Recruiting Radar
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/129581?referrer_id=331171
Akolda Manyang, a 6-foot-11, 215-pound junior center from Duluth East, had 23 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots in the Greyhounds’ 69-62 win over No. 8 ranked Tartan Saturday. He finished with 11 points, 15 rebounds and four rejections in his debut in a 95-52 win over Esko earlier in the week. GopherHole.com traveled to Duluth Wednesday to watch Manyang and caught up with him after practice.
Duluth East started the season just 2-7, but have won their last three games as leading scorer Johnny Woodard has played the last three games, including a 33-point performance against Rice Lake in the Timberwolves Shootout and Manyang has played in the last two.
Duluth East faces Grand Rapids Thursday night and their talented big man, 6-foot-8 freshman Alex Illikainen. Grand Rapids defeated Duluth East 75-63 earlier this season, but the Greyhounds were without Woodard and Manyang.
Woodard, Manyang and teammate Taylor Stafford are expected to attend Minnesota’s game against Northwestern Sunday. Duluth East is playing at Holy Angels January 28th and expect to see several Gopher coaches at the game.
GopherHole.com watched the Greyhounds practice and came away very impressed with Manyang’s play. He is a very active player who is relentless on the glass. He is a long athletic player who has a nice shooting touch. Manyang needs to get stronger, but he has big-time potential.
Gopher Hole: You just became eligible after sitting out the first ten games of the season. How hard was it to be out there and watching your teammates from the sideline?
Akolda Manyang: It was kind of hard, seeing my team struggling without a big man. I really wanted to play with them, but I had to wait. Now that I am back in, we are doing pretty well.
Gopher Hole: Are you surprised how well you played in your first two games?
Akolda Manyang: I am kind of surprised because I haven’t played for a long time, like seven or eight months. I am kind of surprised.
Gopher Hole: You were at Rochester John Marshall and Rochester Century last year. How much did you play last year?
Akolda Manyang: I played almost half the year. I played JV/varsity.
Gopher Hole: How has the adjustment to Duluth been?
Akolda Manyang: It is good. It is different because it is cold and it is a different experience. I actually like it up here. There are good people up here that are trying to help me like Coach Tolo. He is really trying to help me. My assistant coach Wil Starks is helping me. It is going really good right now.
Gopher Hole: Do you feel that you have gotten to known your classmates as well?
Akolda Manyang: I feel like I have made a lot of friends here, like positive friends like Taylor (Stafford) and Johnny (Woodard). My whole team is my friends right now. It is really good
Gopher Hole: I talked to your coach and he said that you have made a lot of strides in the last month. What things have you really tried to work on to improve yourself as a player?
Akolda Manyang: I try working on my shot and my inside shot. I’m not always going for dunks. I am going to do a quick hook shot. I am trying to work on my mid shot and drop step and I am working on my handles, so I can be a really good player next year and this year, too.
Gopher Hole: How about strength? I know that some big men are going to want to push you around. Is that something you are working on?
Akolda Manyang: This summer, I am going to do a weight lifting program, so that is going to be good.
Gopher Hole: Often times, big men don’t always seem to love the game. Do you like the game?
Akolda Manyang: I love basketball.
Gopher Hole: Your brother Ater is at Rochester Century. Do you have any other relatives who play basketball?
Akolda Manyang: I have a relative (cousin) named Longar Longar (who played at Rochester John Marshall and Oklahoma) and he is playing overseas. I have a cousin, Nytor Longar (a redshirt sophomore at Buffalo) and she is doing good, too.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much about trying to play college basketball?
Akolda Manyang: Yes, I have really thought about that.
Gopher Hole: Have you started to hear from many schools yet? I know that it is still pretty early, being only a junior and starting to play.
Akolda Manyang: I think so. My coach is telling me that there are some schools that want to come see me play. There are a couple of D1’s that want to see me. I don’t know which ones yet, but last year I had a coach come in from Denver and Arizona to come see me. This year, I think that I am going to get some really good looks and next year. It is going to be good.
Gopher Hole: Have you decided who you are going to play AAU with this spring and summer?
Akolda Manyang: There are a couple of options. I think Howard Pulley, Fury, Pump N Run. I don’t really know yet.
Gopher Hole: I know that you are close to your brother. Is it tough being so far away from me?
Akolda Manyang: It is, kind of tough. I go see him as much as I can. We are going to get to the same place.
Gopher Hole: You are from the Sudan. When did you come to the United States?
Akolda Manyang: I came here when I was five.
Gopher Hole: Where were you before Minnesota?
Akolda Manyang: I was in Houston for 11 years.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that the move to Duluth has helped you mature a little bit, too?
Akolda Manyang: It has. Here, it is a really small town that has good people around, so it is really good up here.
Gopher Hole: Do you watch a lot of college or pro basketball? Are there some guys that you watch and try to copy their moves?
Akolda Manyang: I try to watch Amare Stoudemire and Kevin Love.
By Chris Monter
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/129581?referrer_id=331171
Akolda Manyang, a 6-foot-11, 215-pound junior center from Duluth East, had 23 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots in the Greyhounds’ 69-62 win over No. 8 ranked Tartan Saturday. He finished with 11 points, 15 rebounds and four rejections in his debut in a 95-52 win over Esko earlier in the week. GopherHole.com traveled to Duluth Wednesday to watch Manyang and caught up with him after practice.
Duluth East started the season just 2-7, but have won their last three games as leading scorer Johnny Woodard has played the last three games, including a 33-point performance against Rice Lake in the Timberwolves Shootout and Manyang has played in the last two.
Duluth East faces Grand Rapids Thursday night and their talented big man, 6-foot-8 freshman Alex Illikainen. Grand Rapids defeated Duluth East 75-63 earlier this season, but the Greyhounds were without Woodard and Manyang.
Woodard, Manyang and teammate Taylor Stafford are expected to attend Minnesota’s game against Northwestern Sunday. Duluth East is playing at Holy Angels January 28th and expect to see several Gopher coaches at the game.
GopherHole.com watched the Greyhounds practice and came away very impressed with Manyang’s play. He is a very active player who is relentless on the glass. He is a long athletic player who has a nice shooting touch. Manyang needs to get stronger, but he has big-time potential.
Gopher Hole: You just became eligible after sitting out the first ten games of the season. How hard was it to be out there and watching your teammates from the sideline?
Akolda Manyang: It was kind of hard, seeing my team struggling without a big man. I really wanted to play with them, but I had to wait. Now that I am back in, we are doing pretty well.
Gopher Hole: Are you surprised how well you played in your first two games?
Akolda Manyang: I am kind of surprised because I haven’t played for a long time, like seven or eight months. I am kind of surprised.
Gopher Hole: You were at Rochester John Marshall and Rochester Century last year. How much did you play last year?
Akolda Manyang: I played almost half the year. I played JV/varsity.
Gopher Hole: How has the adjustment to Duluth been?
Akolda Manyang: It is good. It is different because it is cold and it is a different experience. I actually like it up here. There are good people up here that are trying to help me like Coach Tolo. He is really trying to help me. My assistant coach Wil Starks is helping me. It is going really good right now.
Gopher Hole: Do you feel that you have gotten to known your classmates as well?
Akolda Manyang: I feel like I have made a lot of friends here, like positive friends like Taylor (Stafford) and Johnny (Woodard). My whole team is my friends right now. It is really good
Gopher Hole: I talked to your coach and he said that you have made a lot of strides in the last month. What things have you really tried to work on to improve yourself as a player?
Akolda Manyang: I try working on my shot and my inside shot. I’m not always going for dunks. I am going to do a quick hook shot. I am trying to work on my mid shot and drop step and I am working on my handles, so I can be a really good player next year and this year, too.
Gopher Hole: How about strength? I know that some big men are going to want to push you around. Is that something you are working on?
Akolda Manyang: This summer, I am going to do a weight lifting program, so that is going to be good.
Gopher Hole: Often times, big men don’t always seem to love the game. Do you like the game?
Akolda Manyang: I love basketball.
Gopher Hole: Your brother Ater is at Rochester Century. Do you have any other relatives who play basketball?
Akolda Manyang: I have a relative (cousin) named Longar Longar (who played at Rochester John Marshall and Oklahoma) and he is playing overseas. I have a cousin, Nytor Longar (a redshirt sophomore at Buffalo) and she is doing good, too.
Gopher Hole: Have you thought much about trying to play college basketball?
Akolda Manyang: Yes, I have really thought about that.
Gopher Hole: Have you started to hear from many schools yet? I know that it is still pretty early, being only a junior and starting to play.
Akolda Manyang: I think so. My coach is telling me that there are some schools that want to come see me play. There are a couple of D1’s that want to see me. I don’t know which ones yet, but last year I had a coach come in from Denver and Arizona to come see me. This year, I think that I am going to get some really good looks and next year. It is going to be good.
Gopher Hole: Have you decided who you are going to play AAU with this spring and summer?
Akolda Manyang: There are a couple of options. I think Howard Pulley, Fury, Pump N Run. I don’t really know yet.
Gopher Hole: I know that you are close to your brother. Is it tough being so far away from me?
Akolda Manyang: It is, kind of tough. I go see him as much as I can. We are going to get to the same place.
Gopher Hole: You are from the Sudan. When did you come to the United States?
Akolda Manyang: I came here when I was five.
Gopher Hole: Where were you before Minnesota?
Akolda Manyang: I was in Houston for 11 years.
Gopher Hole: Do you think that the move to Duluth has helped you mature a little bit, too?
Akolda Manyang: It has. Here, it is a really small town that has good people around, so it is really good up here.
Gopher Hole: Do you watch a lot of college or pro basketball? Are there some guys that you watch and try to copy their moves?
Akolda Manyang: I try to watch Amare Stoudemire and Kevin Love.
