Q&A: De La Salle's Sacar Anim: "I love the Barn. Great atmosphere."

Q&A: De La Salle's Sacar Anim: "I love the Barn. Great atmosphere."
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/382232?referrer_id=388419

Sacar Anim, a junior wing from Minneapolis (MN) De La Salle, helped lead the Islanders to their third state Class 3A state title in March. Anim, who is considered one of the state's top prospects in the Class of 2015, is starting for the second straight season for the Howard Pulley AAU team.

Gopher Hole.com caught up with Anim team to learn the latest on his recruitment.

Gopher Hole: What is the latest on your recruitment? What schools are you hearing from right now?

Sacar Anim: Creighton, Dayton, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern. That is about it.

Gopher Hole: What offers do you have right now? I know that Northern Iowa offered. Do you have any other offers besides them?

Sacar Anim: Lehigh and Drake.

Gopher Hole: I have watched you play quite a few times and you have a reputation as a slasher and someone who is really good at going to the hoops, but it seems like you have been really working on your outside shot. Is that something that you have been really trying to focus on this offseason?

Sacar Anim: Definitely. Just getting up a lot of shots every day. Trying to improve my range out, so that way I can have an all-around game that way people will have to respect me. I have been really working on that and I really improved that part of my game.

Gopher Hole: Teams know that you are such a good slasher that you are going to have defenders maybe back off you because they know that you can take the ball to the hoop. Is that something that you have noticed that you can get that open look?

Sacar Anim: Definitely, I definitely noticed that now. When they are playing off, I am definitely going to pull it.

Gopher Hole: You had a lot of coaches watching this past weekend playing in the EYBL event in Sacramento. Do you ever notice those coaches or do you try not to focus on them? Or is hard not to sometimes?

Sacar Anim: It sometimes hard not to, but it is extra motivation, so it is not really anything to pay attention to, but it is extra motivation to go out there and even play harder.

Gopher Hole: You have some players like yourself back for Pulley like Jarvis Johnson, Joe Rosga and Sam Neumann, but you also have some new players. Has it been easy to get the team chemistry going so far?

Sacar Anim: We are still a work in progress, I would say. The first game, we played particularly well, but it is still a work in progress, our first tournament. Now we are trying to figure things out on the offensive end. We are playing great defense, but on the offensive end, just getting chemistry. Knowing what guys are going to do. Spacing and floor movement. Cutting and all that stuff. We'll get there though.

Gopher Hole: De La Salle has won three straight titles and you have been a key contributor the past two seasons. What would it mean to try to win another title?

Sacar Anim: It would mean everything. Just to four-peat. It's rarely been done. I can't remember the last time it was done. Patrick Henry,maybe. It would be great. To bring that back, a four-peat that has never been done.

Gopher Hole: Obviously, you lose some key players like Geno Crandall, Reid Travis and some others. You and Jarvis are going to be asked to be more of a leader this season. Is that something you are looking forward to?

Sacar Anim: Definitely. It is definitely the way for us. It is my time. It is my senior year. Time to step up and bring it back. It is something that I am looking forward to.

Gopher Hole: You mentioned the hometown team, Minnesota and they have an assistant who is very familiar at DeLeSalle, Ben Johnson, who played there. What are you hearing from the Gophers right now?

Sacar Anim: I talk to Coach Johnson quite often. The De La Salle connection really helps out a lot. I talk to him quite often. We went up to some games. That really helps out a lot, talking to him and having great chemistry with the coaches.

Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to watch them much or go to some games this season?

Sacar Anim: Yes, I did. I went to the Wisconsin game. I went to the game against Lehigh. I went to two others.

Gopher Hole: What was the atmosphere like especially the Wisconsin game, which is a big rivalry game and they won?

Sacar Anim: It was great. Just the crowd and the way that they get into it. I love that "The Barn" is a little bit smaller, louder. The fans get into it. They really support it. I love it. I love "the Barn." Great atmosphere.

Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe have the opportunity to play for the home state school?

Sacar Anim: It would mean everything. Just being able to stay home and just have the chance to stay home and play for my home team. It would mean a lot to me.

Gopher Hole: I know that your dad was a player, too. Is that where you got the love of the game from him?

Sacar Anim: Definitely. My brother played also, so I have been going to tournament since I was young'un Just growing up around the basketball game. It is just a game that I love. It is one of my loves. I just adopted it.

Is this some kind of cruel joke? A Minnesota kid that wants to stay home!! This is great I really hope we offer.

Go Gophers!!

PTalberg said:

Is this some kind of cruel joke? A Minnesota kid that wants to stay home!! This is great I really hope we offer.

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If he is good enough, Coach P will.

This may have been said somewhere else already but he reminds me of Joe Coleman. Mostly because of the fact that he is a driving guard who's got an ugly jump shot...

wisky gopher said:

This may have been said somewhere else already but he reminds me of Joe Coleman. Mostly because of the fact that he is a driving guard who's got an ugly jump shot...

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That would have sealed the deal with Tubby.

beavergopher said:

That would have sealed the deal with Tubby.

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Not really. Part of the reason JC Almost didn't come here was Tubby being hesitant to offer him.

Does anybody know his height and weight?

wisky gopher said:

This may have been said somewhere else already but he reminds me of Joe Coleman. Mostly because of the fact that he is a driving guard who's got an ugly jump shot...

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I had the same thought, but there's still a lot to like. We need firepower at the wing in the worst way, but if we can't find a Lofton type and Anim is a good defender, I can see a late offer. Someone is going to get a good player.

If only Anim could dribble or shoot. I think he'd be better than Coleman simply because Anim is a better defensive player. However, his lack of dribbling and shooting will hold him back on offense. If he could do one of the two, then he could be a dynamic player. He's not even a senior though, so he can develop that part of his game. I think the Gophers should offer him. At the worst, he's a role player off of the bench who will be used for defense. There is room on any team for a guy to play 5-10 minutes for defensive purposes. I mean, if his defense is that good, he should be able to operate in Pitino's desired press.

Gopherguy0723 said:

If only Anim could dribble or shoot. I think he'd be better than Coleman simply because Anim is a better defensive player. However, his lack of dribbling and shooting will hold him back on offense. If he could do one of the two, then he could be a dynamic player. He's not even a senior though, so he can develop that part of his game. I think the Gophers should offer him. At the worst, he's a role player off of the bench who will be used for defense. There is room on any team for a guy to play 5-10 minutes for defensive purposes. I mean, if his defense is that good, he should be able to operate in Pitino's desired press.

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Not if they are on a scholarship.

Former Goofer said:

Not if they are on a scholarship.

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Did you watch Rodney Williams? He could neither shoot nor dribble, but he could run the court, finish at the them, and play defense (although he could've been better defensively). If Rodney Williams could start, Anim could certainly come off of the bench. Anim can run the floor, finish, and defend. That's enough to warrant a bench spot.

Gopherguy0723 said:

Did you watch Rodney Williams? He could neither shoot nor dribble, but he could run the court, finish at the them, and play defense (although he could've been better defensively). If Rodney Williams could start, Anim could certainly come off of the bench. Anim can run the floor, finish, and defend. That's enough to warrant a bench spot.

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Rodney played the PF. PFs don't need to shoot or dribble. Anim would most likely SF or SG where those skills are needed. Saying that I still hope we offer him and I agree that he could hold a bench spot or maybe start as a Sr or Jr.

I like Anim, and I don't view the Coleman comparisons as a bad thing as I thought Coleman had some nice games for us and would've turned into a good player for us. I've never been one to care where recruits come from, but whether your pro instate or like me where you just want good players a class of Jarvis, Anim, Big Al and Manying would be a really good class that everyone would be satisfied with. If these four come will have six Minnesotans on the roster

bemidjigopher said:

I like Anim, and I don't view the Coleman comparisons as a bad thing as I thought Coleman had some nice games for us and would've turned into a good player for us. I've never been one to care where recruits come from, but whether your pro instate or like me where you just want good players a class of Jarvis, Anim, Big Al and Manying would be a really good class that everyone would be satisfied with. If these four come will have six Minnesotans on the roster

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If that was our class next year, I would be completely satisfied.

Gopherguy0723 said:

Did you watch Rodney Williams? He could neither shoot nor dribble, but he could run the court, finish at the them, and play defense (although he could've been better defensively). If Rodney Williams could start, Anim could certainly come off of the bench. Anim can run the floor, finish, and defend. That's enough to warrant a bench spot.

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Correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure that Rodney played more than 5-10 minutes. No one is worth a scholarship if they are only playing 5-10 minutes.

Gopherguy0723 said:

If only Anim could dribble or shoot.

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He can dribble, he can shoot. Amin is a nice player, he will get good offers, hope we are not to late.

Former Goofer said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure that Rodney played more than 5-10 minutes. No one is worth a scholarship if they are only playing 5-10 minutes.

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Can you name a team that gives all 13 of its scholarship players 10 or more minutes per game? I cannot. I wonder if such a team has ever existed. In fact , I bet you'd have a hard time finding teams that give 10 or more minutes a game to 10 of its 13 scholarship players in a given season.

Gopherguy0723 said:

Can you name a team that gives all 13 of its scholarship players 10 or more minutes per game? I cannot. I wonder if such a team has ever existed. In fact , I bet you'd have a hard time finding teams that give 10 or more minutes a game to 10 of its 13 scholarship players in a given season.

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Of course not. However, coaches don't offer a player a scholarship with the idea that they'll play 5-10 minutes. They see them as being someone in a rotation at some point, or they wouldn't offer. There are too few scholarships to do that. They know some players won't develop fully, so some will be role players, but they don't offer a scholarship for a player who would never offer more than 5-10 minutes a game.

Anim has more skill than what people are giving him credit for. He doesn't handle the ball like a point, but better than Coleman ever did already.

Ozzy&Ray said:

Of course not. However, coaches don't offer a player a scholarship with the idea that they'll play 5-10 minutes. They see them as being someone in a rotation at some point, or they wouldn't offer. There are too few scholarships to do that. They know some players won't develop fully, so some will be role players, but they don't offer a scholarship for a player who would never offer more than 5-10 minutes a game.

Anim has more skill than what people are giving him credit for. He doesn't handle the ball like a point, but better than Coleman ever did already.

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And, if everyone reads well, they would see that I believe that is the worst case scenario. If that is the worst case, then he should get an offer.

PTalberg said:

Rodney played the PF. PFs don't need to shoot or dribble. Anim would most likely SF or SG where those skills are needed. Saying that I still hope we offer him and I agree that he could hold a bench spot or maybe start as a Sr or Jr.

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Rodney play primarily SF for three out of his four years?

MinneStoa said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Rodney play primarily SF for three out of his four years?

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I always considered him as a PF

ESPN #1 ranked player in the state ahead of Alex and Jarvis.

bemidjigopher said:

I like Anim, and I don't view the Coleman comparisons as a bad thing as I thought Coleman had some nice games for us and would've turned into a good player for us. I've never been one to care where recruits come from, but whether your pro instate or like me where you just want good players a class of Jarvis, Anim, Big Al and Manying would be a really good class that everyone would be satisfied with. If these four come will have six Minnesotans on the roster

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Umm, every gopher fan wants good players no matter where they are from. Its just that we feel we would have a better chance with the in-state guys then an out of state player hence why we feel Jarvis and Alex are must gets. If they wouldn't want to come here, 2 guys that have lived here there whole lives and presumably would have been fans of the gophers at a young age, than why would somebody half way across the country want to come here. Its not that hard to figure out.

PTalberg said:

I always considered him as a PF

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He stilled played on thw wing for most of his career your considerations aside.

Anim really comes off as a good smart kid. I hope he is better than Coleman. I see no need to recruit wings who can't dribble or shoot. That fits the Tubby recruiting profile. Is he 6-4 or is he smaller than that? Coleman's toughness and his brother's frame would have made a big time player.

Gopherguy0723 said:

He stilled played on thw wing for most of his career your considerations aside.

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Junior and senior year he almost always played the 4 so for the better and more memorable half of his career he played the 4. Plus since he got more minutes as an upperclassmen he probably played significantly more minutes as a 4 then a wing. I actually consider him a wing that played PF.

die hard gopher said:

Junior and senior year he almost always played the 4 so for the better and more memorable half of his career he played the 4. Plus since he got more minutes as an upperclassmen he probably played significantly more minutes as a 4 then a wing. I actually consider him a wing that played PF.

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He moved to the 4 at the end of his junior year. So most of his career was still on the wing. He was out of position one way or another however you slice it.

Regardless, if Williams could start Anim could too. Anim appears to be more or just as highly touted as Williams by ESPN.

die hard gopher said:

Junior and senior year he almost always played the 4 so for the better and more memorable half of his career he played the 4. Plus since he got more minutes as an upperclassmen he probably played significantly more minutes as a 4 then a wing. I actually consider him a wing that played PF.

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I actually agree exactly with what you said, I should have said I remember him as a PF instead of consider him a PF

Gopherguy0723 said:

He moved to the 4 at the end of his junior year. So most of his career was still on the wing. He was out of position one way or another however you slice it.

Regardless, if Williams could start Anim could too. Anim appears to be more or just as highly touted as Williams by ESPN.

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Sacar is the #26 SG. Rodney was the #7 SF and #42 overall.