Zrno zerohno

RedTeamUpstream94

All-American
Jan 15, 2021
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Powers has the most potential on the team.

This is such a damning statement.

has this kid even scored 20 points all season?

He made 2 nice pull up midrange jumpers against a horrible team … and now he’s got the most potential?

and btw I am not criticizing you for your comment!!

just the fact that someone would make this statement (and it comes off as reasonable- cause it is) … just shows how little potential there is on this team
 

RUfan1977

Senior
Mar 24, 2024
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I think I can safely say Zrno is a better shooter than he showed against Delaware State. He has been one of the few players who has played well against the better teams that Rutgers has played. Powers shot the ball incredibly badly in early games despite showing the ability to get open and create his own shot which looks really good except for how rarely it went in. Both Powers and Zrno are freshman and as the season goes on I would not be surprised to see significant improvement in both.
 

Simce91

All-Conference
Dec 2, 2024
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Powers has also shown in limited action that he is an excellent disher to teammates in the paint. Unfortunately, more often than not his teammates look unprepared to successfully receive the pass.

Is Powers the Dylan Grant of 25/26 ? Remembering how Pike kept Grant glued to the bench early last year is it because Pike is "developing" or clueless regarding talent.

I also question how Nwuli only gets 3 minutes last night, compared to Buchanon (12) and Badalau (11) , if he's not going to play against Delaware St , then when?

Thankfully however, Fall has seemed to been dropped from the rotation
 
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PSAL_Hoops

Heisman
Feb 18, 2008
13,080
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I think I can safely say Zrno is a better shooter than he showed against Delaware State. He has been one of the few players who has played well against the better teams that Rutgers has played. Powers shot the ball incredibly badly in early games despite showing the ability to get open and create his own shot which looks really good except for how rarely it went in. Both Powers and Zrno are freshman and as the season goes on I would not be surprised to see significant improvement in both.

Who cares who they shot the ball well against? When your talking about wide open catch and shoot opportunities, the opponent doesn’t much matter. Some days they are on with that. Some days off. Looking at overall percentages, they both suck (albeit Powers on very low volume). Zrno brings no other skills to the table other than perimeter shooting. He’s 31% from 3, plays no D and has no ability to create his own shot or create for others against anyone. And can’t handle the ball. Hes our starter why? Because he hit a bunch’s of open 3s in a few blow out losses to good teams? In what way did the opponent matter in his scoring? They were open catch and shoots. I don’t get it.

Meanwhile all our fans do is complain about how inefficient Tariq is. It’s a big joke. Francis is shooting like 45% from the field. Over 10% better than either of these guys overall not even counting all the trips Tariq makes penetrating and drawing fouls. So then our fans double down and say Tariq feasts on scoring at the rim against bad teams. Ok fine - maybe, but he’s also shooting better than the other guards from 3 too. So it’s enough already.
 

RUfan1977

Senior
Mar 24, 2024
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Who cares who they shot the ball well against? When your talking about wide open catch and shoot opportunities, the opponent doesn’t much matter. Some days they are on with that. Some days off. Looking at overall percentages, they both suck (albeit Powers on very low volume). Zrno brings no other skills to the table other than perimeter shooting. He’s 31% from 3, plays no D and has no ability to create his own shot or create for others against anyone. And can’t handle the ball. Hes our starter why? Because he hit a bunch’s of open 3s in a few blow out losses to good teams? In what way did the opponent matter in his scoring? They were open catch and shoots. I don’t get it.

Meanwhile all our fans do is complain about how inefficient Tariq is. It’s a big joke. Francis is shooting like 45% from the field. Over 10% better than either of these guys overall not even counting all the trips Tariq makes penetrating and drawing fouls. So then our fans double down and say Tariq feasts on scoring at the rim against bad teams. Ok fine - maybe, but he’s also shooting better than the other guards from 3 too. So it’s enough already.
Overall I have to agree that Tariq Francis has played very well. I thought against Penn, as a team we were outplayed and should have lost, but we didn’t because of him. He’s a good player. I wouldn’t say he’s at the same level of too small and can’t play big time college basketball as Purdue’s Braden Smith, but he is really talented.
 

FAT MOON

All-Conference
Mar 27, 2006
4,261
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Who cares who they shot the ball well against? When your talking about wide open catch and shoot opportunities, the opponent doesn’t much matter. Some days they are on with that. Some days off. Looking at overall percentages, they both suck (albeit Powers on very low volume). Zrno brings no other skills to the table other than perimeter shooting. He’s 31% from 3, plays no D and has no ability to create his own shot or create for others against anyone. And can’t handle the ball. Hes our starter why? Because he hit a bunch’s of open 3s in a few blow out losses to good teams? In what way did the opponent matter in his scoring? They were open catch and shoots. I don’t get it.

Meanwhile all our fans do is complain about how inefficient Tariq is. It’s a big joke. Francis is shooting like 45% from the field. Over 10% better than either of these guys overall not even counting all the trips Tariq makes penetrating and drawing fouls. So then our fans double down and say Tariq feasts on scoring at the rim against bad teams. Ok fine - maybe, but he’s also shooting better than the other guards from 3 too. So it’s enough already.

agree with you. we have two B1G rolls filled imo and that's pretty much it. Grant is a fine starter in the B1G. Can win with guys like him in your starting lineup. and francis is a quality off the bench/sixth man scoring type roll.

but that's pretty much it i think. could make an argument that some of our starters could find/bench rolls for top half of the B1G teams...but I don't really know who. JMike maybe? Off the bench for good defense/energy? I don't know...
 
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LeapinLou

All-American
Jul 24, 2001
13,142
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113
I have learned over time not to get too excited or too depressed by an individual's performance in a single game. I actually felt bad for Zrno. When you're that caliber of player and you're missing WAFO 3's, something is going on between the ears. Let's hope he snaps out of it because we absolutely need that dude to perform to win any remaining games.
 

satnom

All-American
Jun 28, 2002
6,948
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I think I can safely say Zrno is a better shooter than he showed against Delaware State. He has been one of the few players who has played well against the better teams that Rutgers has played. Powers shot the ball incredibly badly in early games despite showing the ability to get open and create his own shot which looks really good except for how rarely it went in. Both Powers and Zrno are freshman and as the season goes on I would not be surprised to see significant improvement in both.
Zrno is a line drive streak jump shooter and poor foul shooter. I think Badalau has way better form when shooting with confidence. Problem is: he has little confidence.

GO RU
 

DHajekRC1984

Senior
Jul 20, 2025
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Johnny Carson Nbc 90Th Special GIF by NBC

Pike should have recruited this guy..Zarnack. he was at least good for 1 out of three.
 

Bob Chaewsky_rivals

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2008
7,406
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This is such a damning statement.

has this kid even scored 20 points all season?

He made 2 nice pull up midrange jumpers against a horrible team … and now he’s got the most potential?

and btw I am not criticizing you for your comment!!

just the fact that someone would make this statement (and it comes off as reasonable- cause it is) … just shows how little potential there is on this team
I thought he was a top 6 for us when I saw his HS highlights;
 
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PSAL_Hoops

Heisman
Feb 18, 2008
13,080
12,421
78
I have learned over time not to get too excited or too depressed by an individual's performance in a single game. I actually felt bad for Zrno. When you're that caliber of player and you're missing WAFO 3's, something is going on between the ears. Let's hope he snaps out of it because we absolutely need that dude to perform to win any remaining games.

Okay fine but I’m not sure what you mean by “that caliber”. His season average reflects performance across 13 games. Not only 1. And when your not strong at D, 31.6% from 3 isn’t close to good enough.
 

LeapinLou

All-American
Jul 24, 2001
13,142
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Okay fine but I’m not sure what you mean by “that caliber”. His season average reflects performance across 13 games. Not only 1. And when your not strong at D, 31.6% from 3 isn’t close to good enough.

Received 12 Division I offers, including from Creighton, Villanova, Miami, and Indiana.

You are right that he's been underwhelming for RU but his European career/stats are very good. We need that guy to show up.
 

RC80

All-Conference
Feb 25, 2021
1,363
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The only guy that has any offensive talent is TF (and I'm one of the people who questioned why we got him). At least Zrno is working harder on D; but might as well continue to give Powers extended minutes; and really the majority of the rest of the games are not going to be close. So get the younger guys in as much as possible - and see who you want back. But staying on topic - can't figure out why Zero didn't make wide open looks against Penn either.
 

PSAL_Hoops

Heisman
Feb 18, 2008
13,080
12,421
78
Received 12 Division I offers, including from Creighton, Villanova, Miami, and Indiana.

You are right that he's been underwhelming for RU but his European career/stats are very good. We need that guy to show up.
I don’t care who offered. Look at GG. It’s what he’s doing on the court that counts. Supposedly the level he played at in Europe was very weak. It was Denis who played for a higher level team but he didn’t see that much time.
 
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OJRutgers

Senior
Nov 13, 2010
915
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Tonight against Ohio State Zrno and Badalau played 9 minutes each, scored a combined 6 points.
 

RUdepressed

Junior
Jul 4, 2025
189
318
63
Bad and slow and zerohno need to move to the end of the bench and get glued there. Hold them accountable for their useless play.
 

ScarletDave

Heisman
Oct 7, 2010
34,595
15,347
85
I wonder if their NIL contract has a condition that they must both start. Strange
 

Shelby65

All-Conference
Apr 1, 2008
8,342
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The bigger issue than scoring IMO is neither of them play D or can handle the ball.
And yet they are both better offensively than Dortch, Buchanan and Nwuli. If you want to single out the worst player of them all, it’s Ogbole by a mile.
 

RedChucken123

Senior
Oct 21, 2015
487
565
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I’m pretty sure we started losing that 15 point lead when Zrno came me into the game. He was too slow and OSU was exploiting that. If he’s not knocking down ANY shots, we’re in trouble.
 
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seansherm

Heisman
Feb 20, 2009
13,999
14,928
113
And yet they are both better offensively than Dortch, Buchanan and Nwuli. If you want to single out the worst player of them all, it’s Ogbole by a mile.
You're on crack. He's not good by any stretch, but hes the best rebounder and shot blocker on the team and has the 3rd best player efficiency rating on the team and #4 isn't very close.
 
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Shelby65

All-Conference
Apr 1, 2008
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You're on crack. He's not good by any stretch, but hes the best rebounder and shot blocker on the team and has the 3rd best player efficiency rating on the team and #4 isn't very close.
Because he rarely leaves the paint and plays a lot. None of what you say spells talent.

He’s also a starter. Doesn’t mean squat. He’s terrible at everything. Turn Myles worst attribute (hands), Cliff’s worst (shooting touch & positioning) and Joynes’ worst( quickness) into one player, and that hypothetical and horrid player with all possible flaws is much better on his worst day is better than Ogbole on his best.
 

seansherm

Heisman
Feb 20, 2009
13,999
14,928
113
Because he rarely leaves the paint and plays a lot. None of what you say spells talent.

He’s also a starter. Doesn’t mean squat. He’s terrible at everything. Turn Myles worst attribute (hands), Cliff’s worst (shooting touch & positioning) and Joynes’ worst( quickness) into one player, and that hypothetical and horrid player with all possible flaws is much better on his worst day is better than Ogbole on his best.
Nobody said he's talented. He's still the best rebounder and shot blocker on the team. When the talents are shot making, shooting, dribbling, passing, defense, rebounding, and shot blocking, and he's our best at 1/3rd of them, he's far from the worst player we have. Basketball ability irrelevant.
 

Shelby65

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Apr 1, 2008
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Nobody said he's talented. He's still the best rebounder and shot blocker on the team. When the talents are shot making, shooting, dribbling, passing, defense, rebounding, and shot blocking, and he's our best at 1/3rd of them, he's far from the worst player we have. Basketball ability irrelevant.
He’s better than Francis then because he’s a better rebounder and shot blocker? Silly statement, right? Francis is only best at one of those. That’s not how you compare. One could be the best rebounder and also the worst overall player.

If there were a draft of Rutgers players by other high or mid-major teams, who do you think Ogbole would be picked ahead of ? Existing talent on team choosing wouldn’t matter. That’s how bad he is.

Grant would probably be the first pick. Then maybe Francis or Powers or Dortch. When Ogbole is picked, who’s left ? Maybe not even Fall or Ware. What’s your answer ? Who do you think would be left on the draft board of Rutgers players once Ogbole is picked?
 
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PSAL_Hoops

Heisman
Feb 18, 2008
13,080
12,421
78
He’s better than Francis then because he’s a better rebounder and shot blocker? Silly statement, right? Francis is only best at one of those. That’s not how you compare. One could be the best rebounder and also the worst overall player.

If there were a draft of Rutgers players by other high or mid-major teams, who do you think Ogbole would be picked ahead of ? Existing talent on team choosing wouldn’t matter. That’s how bad he is.

Grant would probably be the first pick. Then maybe Francis or Powers or Dortch. When Ogbole is picked, who’s left ? Maybe not even Fall or Ware. What’s your answer ? Who do you think would be left on the draft board of Rutgers players once Ogbole is picked?

Dude - again, just no. Francis is a guard. Zrno is a guard. They are straight up apples to apples to each other in the sense that they are both guards whose ball handling are not strong enough to be relied on for primary point guard responsibilities. That said, and even as bad as SHU was, it should be noted that Zrno’s ball handling isn’t even in the same galaxy as Francis’. It’s not even close to good enough to entertain the idea of him bringing up the ball in the first place. But I’m straying off topic with that - the real point is - you can compare them to each other because they play the same position.

You say this fact is irrelevant but in reality what’s irrelevant is whether or not Zrno is “better” (whatever that means to you) than Ogbole. This is a college basketball team - not, for instance, a try out for a grade school travel team where an independent team of evaluators come in and select the “best” 10 kids without consideration for position. We’re not going to play 5 guards in the BIG and playing even 3 is a challenge on this roster due to rebounding issues. So even if your right that Zrno has more offensive skill than Ogbole, it is not true that he could play the center position close to as well as him. On average we don’t have any combination of roster options better than using Ogbole’s big body and the 5 fouls that come with it for 20 min or so a game to compete for rebounds in the paint.
 

RedTeamUpstream94

All-American
Jan 15, 2021
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Dude - again, just no. Francis is a guard. Zrno is a guard. They are straight up apples to apples to each other in the sense that they are both guards whose ball handling are not strong enough to be relied on for primary point guard responsibilities. That said, and even as bad as SHU was, it should be noted that Zrno’s ball handling isn’t even in the same galaxy as Francis’. It’s not even close to good enough to entertain the idea of him bringing up the ball in the first place. But I’m straying off topic with that - the real point is - you can compare them to each other because they play the same position.

You say this fact is irrelevant but in reality what’s irrelevant is whether or not Zrno is “better” (whatever that means to you) than Ogbole. This is a college basketball team - not, for instance, a try out for a grade school travel team where an independent team of evaluators come in and select the “best” 10 kids without consideration for position. We’re not going to play 5 guards in the BIG and playing even 3 is a challenge on this roster due to rebounding issues. So even if your right that Zrno has more offensive skill than Ogbole, it is not true that he could play the center position close to as well as him. On average we don’t have any combination of roster options better than using Ogbole’s big body and the 5 fouls that come with it for 20 min or so a game to compete for rebounds in the paint.

don’t bother with Shelby he just likes to argue.

nobody said ogbole is good… he’s not. So I’m not really sure WHY Shelby is even arguing

but right now, quite unfortunately, ogbole is an important post presence (for this team) - blocks shots gets rebounds.

And I think the point above about him being 3rd in team +\- is extremely relevant (if the team tanked every time he went in then that would be very bad - but apparently it’s the opposite)

so again - the fact that he’s our starting 5 is very very bad. Don’t think there is a single person that would argue otherwise

but of all the problems on this team - he’s a problem but not the biggest problem

and to Shelby’s “draft” question - no way he goes last.

As limited as he is - he’s still a BIG that can get some rebounds, alter some shots, give fouls and take up some space in the paint.

teams would take him as a deep bench 5.

They would certainly be happy to take a 5 like him before taking guards and forwards that can’t dribble, shot or defend.
 
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PSAL_Hoops

Heisman
Feb 18, 2008
13,080
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don’t bother with Shelby he just likes to argue.

nobody said ogbole is good… he’s not. So I’m not really sure WHY Shelby is even arguing

but right now, quite unfortunately, ogbole is an important post presence (for this team) - blocks shots gets rebounds.

And I think the point above about him being 3rd in team +\- is extremely relevant (if the team tanked every time he went in then that would be very bad - but apparently it’s the opposite)

so again - the fact that he’s our starting 5 is very very bad. Don’t think there is a single person that would argue otherwise

but of all the problems on this team - he’s a problem but not the biggest problem

and to Shelby’s “draft” question - no way he goes last.

As limited as he is - he’s still a BIG that can get some rebounds, alter some shots, give fouls and take up some space in the paint.

teams would take him as a deep bench 5.

They would certainly be happy to take a 5 like him before taking guards and forwards that can’t dribble, shot or defend.

Yeah - and even in the “draft” concept scheme, there are so many more guard options than big bodies to fill a roster. And every team needs at least a few bigs.

The only environment where Shelby’s point could ever apply is in that NJ travel try out style landscape I described which (politics aside) is typically based on a score from an independent evaluator (usually not taking positions into account). Kids scores are ranked 1-20 and the results form an A and a B team. In that type of setting - sure, maybe Zrno would grade out higher than Ogbole. But who cares? Someone needs to play center and that someone can’t be Zrno. Or Badalau for that matter.
 

seansherm

Heisman
Feb 20, 2009
13,999
14,928
113
He’s better than Francis then because he’s a better rebounder and shot blocker? Silly statement, right? Francis is only best at one of those. That’s not how you compare. One could be the best rebounder and also the worst overall player.

If there were a draft of Rutgers players by other high or mid-major teams, who do you think Ogbole would be picked ahead of ? Existing talent on team choosing wouldn’t matter. That’s how bad he is.

Grant would probably be the first pick. Then maybe Francis or Powers or Dortch. When Ogbole is picked, who’s left ? Maybe not even Fall or Ware. What’s your answer ? Who do you think would be left on the draft board of Rutgers players once Ogbole is picked?
No, it just makes him not the worst, which is what you initially called him. We have no better center, so he's already better than the other two we have there. Comparison to guards are dumb.
Maybe three or four guys on this team get picked by other high majors and most of those would be based on potential.
 
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Shelby65

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Apr 1, 2008
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This thread singles out Zrno yet the elephant in the room is overlooked. You all fail to understand that Ogbole can both be needed on the court with this roster and also the worst player on the team. He can’t even bounce the ball. He did manage to kick it out of bounds last game, which is evidence he’s not blind but you wouldn’t know it by watching him put up shots.

In essence, the team has no functional big. It didn’t last year either. More than anything, the complete void at that position is the reason last year was a bust and this year will be even worse.

Among the players who see the court, Ogbole is the worst. Not Zrno, not Badalau, not Nwuli. Singling out any one of them, or even Davis whose Shelby dislikes immensely too, completely whiffs on the 60 mph meatball.

Not seeing that Ogbole is by far and away the worst player, weakest link, etc erases your credibility.

Everyone else, weak as they may be,are not the primary problem, which is that the starting big man has absolutely no ability.
 

PSAL_Hoops

Heisman
Feb 18, 2008
13,080
12,421
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This thread singles out Zrno yet the elephant in the room is overlooked. You all fail to understand that Ogbole can both be needed on the court with this roster and also the worst player on the team. He can’t even bounce the ball. He did manage to kick it out of bounds last game, which is evidence he’s not blind but you wouldn’t know it by watching him put up shots.

In essence, the team has no functional big. It didn’t last year either. More than anything, the complete void at that position is the reason last year was a bust and this year will be even worse.

Among the players who see the court, Ogbole is the worst. Not Zrno, not Badalau, not Nwuli. Singling out any one of them, or even Davis whose Shelby dislikes immensely too, completely whiffs on the 60 mph meatball.

Not seeing that Ogbole is by far and away the worst player, weakest link, etc erases your credibility.

Everyone else, weak as they may be,are not the primary problem, which is that the starting big man has absolutely no ability.
I believe the OP’s focus was on who to play. So once again, to Sean’s point, none of what you said matters. Ogbole has to play center because Fall and Ware are currently unplay-able. If you think either of them are better options right now I don’t know what to tell you. Zrno does not have to play SG because there are available options at his position currently performing better than him (guys he was supposed to beat out easily hence the likely intent of the thread). It had nothing at all to do with Ogbole.

In fact, Ogbole is one of the few players on the team who is probably exceeding his own very low preseason expectations.
 
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LotusAggressor_rivals

All-American
Oct 11, 2003
16,047
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Received 12 Division I offers, including from Creighton, Villanova, Miami, and Indiana.

You are right that he's been underwhelming for RU but his European career/stats are very good. We need that guy to show up.
If he was on any of those teams, he'd probably be better.
 
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