Kyvon Davenport, F, Georgia Highlands CC

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I put him 6th behind Patton, Delgado, Govan, Fischer, and Reynolds in that order.

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I love Owens. I made that clear all summer. But he's not a center. He's not strong enough. Georgetown doesn't have the guards that we do, but they are us alive inside because no one could move them out of the paint. Govan, Hayes would both start at center for us. Seton Hall's two bigs would both start. Wideman on Butler would start.

But in fairness to Owens, he's often the only one working inside for anything. He desperately needs help, and a sandwich.

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I put him 6th behind Patton, Delgado, Govan, Fischer, and Reynolds in that order.

So Reynolds and Fischer are graduating and Patton is likely headed to the draft. I'll give you Delgado and Govan so does that make Pwens de facto #3 next year?

I think Spellman is up there and a few others who are ok but point is it's a struggle to make clear cut guys better than Owens.

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I love Owens. I made that clear all summer. But he's not a center. He's not strong enough. Georgetown doesn't have the guards that we do, but they are us alive inside because no one could move them out of the paint. Govan, Hayes would both start at center for us. Seton Hall's two bigs would both start. Wideman on Butler would start.

But in fairness to Owens, he's often the only one working inside for anything. He desperately needs help, and a sandwich.

He's a front court player. I'm not gonna argue over PF or C designation. Also Mike Nzei is no where near player Owens is.

Quote from: rlogazino on February 09, 2017, 11:44:40 PM

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I put him 6th behind Patton, Delgado, Govan, Fischer, and Reynolds in that order.

So Reynolds and Fischer are graduating and Patton is likely headed to the draft. I'll give you Delgado and Govan so does that make Pwens de facto #3 next year?

I think Spellman is up there and a few others who are ok but point is it's a struggle to make clear cut guys better than Owens.

Owens is a nice piece to have as a 15-20 minute guy to plug in to give your starting bigs a break. Is he a starting center on a tournament team? Not sure

Delgado, Govan, Spellman and Wideman are clearly ahead of Owens on the BE C ranking for next year assuming they are all back. So our starting C will be in the middle of the pack in the BE. Not bad, not great. The key will be will Owens improve his game from this year to next or will he follow the other bigs we've had under this staff and either not get better at all or regress? He needs to take a step up next year

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:46:25 PM

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I love Owens. I made that clear all summer. But he's not a center. He's not strong enough. Georgetown doesn't have the guards that we do, but they are us alive inside because no one could move them out of the paint. Govan, Hayes would both start at center for us. Seton Hall's two bigs would both start. Wideman on Butler would start.

But in fairness to Owens, he's often the only one working inside for anything. He desperately needs help, and a sandwich.

He's a front court player. I'm not gonna argue over PF or C designation. Also Mike Nzei is no where near player Owens is.

I'm the President of the Tariq Owens fan club. He plays his butt off, always.  It's not about talent w Tariq, he needs to be strong enough to stand his ground inside, and he might be one of those guys who just can't add muscle. I love his energy as a 6th man. As a starting center, he'd be in foul trouble even more than he is now.

Quote from: Dave on February 10, 2017, 12:00:28 AM

Quote from: rlogazino on February 09, 2017, 11:44:40 PM

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I put him 6th behind Patton, Delgado, Govan, Fischer, and Reynolds in that order.

So Reynolds and Fischer are graduating and Patton is likely headed to the draft. I'll give you Delgado and Govan so does that make Pwens de facto #3 next year?

I think Spellman is up there and a few others who are ok but point is it's a struggle to make clear cut guys better than Owens.

Owens is a nice piece to have as a 15-20 minute guy to plug in to give your starting bigs a break. Is he a starting center on a tournament team? Not sure

Delgado, Govan, Spellman and Wideman are clearly ahead of Owens on the BE C ranking for next year assuming they are all back. So our starting C will be in the middle of the pack in the BE. Not bad, not great. The key will be will Owens improve his game from this year to next or will he follow the other bigs we've had under this staff and either not get better at all or regress? He needs to take a step up next year

Delgado is gone after this year. He rebounds like Alonzo Mourning.

Owens needs to improve his strength, and he needs to stop fouling people at mid court. Thing is, he can't play 15-20 minutes a game, because he's the best big man on the team.

Quote from: goredmen on February 10, 2017, 12:11:25 AM

Quote from: Dave on February 10, 2017, 12:00:28 AM

Quote from: rlogazino on February 09, 2017, 11:44:40 PM

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I put him 6th behind Patton, Delgado, Govan, Fischer, and Reynolds in that order.

So Reynolds and Fischer are graduating and Patton is likely headed to the draft. I'll give you Delgado and Govan so does that make Pwens de facto #3 next year?

I think Spellman is up there and a few others who are ok but point is it's a struggle to make clear cut guys better than Owens.

Owens is a nice piece to have as a 15-20 minute guy to plug in to give your starting bigs a break. Is he a starting center on a tournament team? Not sure

Delgado, Govan, Spellman and Wideman are clearly ahead of Owens on the BE C ranking for next year assuming they are all back. So our starting C will be in the middle of the pack in the BE. Not bad, not great. The key will be will Owens improve his game from this year to next or will he follow the other bigs we've had under this staff and either not get better at all or regress? He needs to take a step up next year

Delgado is gone after this year. He rebounds like Alonzo Mourning.

Owens needs to improve his strength, and he needs to stop fouling people at mid court. Thing is, he can't play 15-20 minutes a game, because he's the best big man on the team.

Yeah, that's my point. He's a good player but shouldn't be our best big.

Unless Delgado wants to play in the D league or Europe next year he's not going anywhere. There's not a chance he gets drafted in this year's draft

Oh I agree.  I'm a closet Gaels fan as Baldi knows.  But with the roster leftover by our old coach, and with Mullin & Co. taking over in March 2015 after basically all recruiting for that year had been done, and behind the 8 ball for the following year, you have to take some risks. 

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Quote from: Poison on February 10, 2017, 12:19:45 AM

Quote from: goredmen on February 10, 2017, 12:11:25 AM

Quote from: Dave on February 10, 2017, 12:00:28 AM

Quote from: rlogazino on February 09, 2017, 11:44:40 PM

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I put him 6th behind Patton, Delgado, Govan, Fischer, and Reynolds in that order.

So Reynolds and Fischer are graduating and Patton is likely headed to the draft. I'll give you Delgado and Govan so does that make Pwens de facto #3 next year?

I think Spellman is up there and a few others who are ok but point is it's a struggle to make clear cut guys better than Owens.

Owens is a nice piece to have as a 15-20 minute guy to plug in to give your starting bigs a break. Is he a starting center on a tournament team? Not sure

Delgado, Govan, Spellman and Wideman are clearly ahead of Owens on the BE C ranking for next year assuming they are all back. So our starting C will be in the middle of the pack in the BE. Not bad, not great. The key will be will Owens improve his game from this year to next or will he follow the other bigs we've had under this staff and either not get better at all or regress? He needs to take a step up next year

Delgado is gone after this year. He rebounds like Alonzo Mourning.

Owens needs to improve his strength, and he needs to stop fouling people at mid court. Thing is, he can't play 15-20 minutes a game, because he's the best big man on the team.

Yeah, that's my point. He's a good player but shouldn't be our best big.

Unless Delgado wants to play in the D league or Europe next year he's not going anywhere. There's not a chance he gets drafted in this year's draft

I don't think you're giving Delgado enough credit. He is an elite rebounder. You need those in the league. He's what Justin Burrell would have been had he played elsewhere.

Quote from: goredmen on February 10, 2017, 12:28:00 AM

Quote from: Poison on February 10, 2017, 12:19:45 AM

Quote from: goredmen on February 10, 2017, 12:11:25 AM

Quote from: Dave on February 10, 2017, 12:00:28 AM

Quote from: rlogazino on February 09, 2017, 11:44:40 PM

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I put him 6th behind Patton, Delgado, Govan, Fischer, and Reynolds in that order.

So Reynolds and Fischer are graduating and Patton is likely headed to the draft. I'll give you Delgado and Govan so does that make Pwens de facto #3 next year?

I think Spellman is up there and a few others who are ok but point is it's a struggle to make clear cut guys better than Owens.

Owens is a nice piece to have as a 15-20 minute guy to plug in to give your starting bigs a break. Is he a starting center on a tournament team? Not sure

Delgado, Govan, Spellman and Wideman are clearly ahead of Owens on the BE C ranking for next year assuming they are all back. So our starting C will be in the middle of the pack in the BE. Not bad, not great. The key will be will Owens improve his game from this year to next or will he follow the other bigs we've had under this staff and either not get better at all or regress? He needs to take a step up next year

Delgado is gone after this year. He rebounds like Alonzo Mourning.

Owens needs to improve his strength, and he needs to stop fouling people at mid court. Thing is, he can't play 15-20 minutes a game, because he's the best big man on the team.

Yeah, that's my point. He's a good player but shouldn't be our best big.

Unless Delgado wants to play in the D league or Europe next year he's not going anywhere. There's not a chance he gets drafted in this year's draft

I don't think you're giving Delgado enough credit. He is an elite rebounder. You need those in the league. He's what Justin Burrell would have been had he played elsewhere.

Yes he's a great college player but he's not athletic enough or polished enough offensively for the NBA. Every big guy in the NBA is an elite rebounder. They wouldn't be in the NBA if they weren't, but NBA big guys can do other things that Delgado can't. And it doesn't matter what I think, no NBA scout or GM will draft him. This upcoming draft is loaded and it's hard enough for 2nd round picks to earn a roster spot let alone undrafted FAs. He's not projected to be taken in either of the next two drafts by draftexpress or nbadraft.net

Won't Clarke help with the situation? Isn't he supposed to play the 4 next year?

Won't Clarke help with the situation? Isn't he supposed to play the 4 next year?

Maybe, but he put up basically the same numbers as a soph as Yakwe is now.

Oh I agree.  I'm a closet Gaels fan as Baldi knows.  But with the roster leftover by our old coach, and with Mullin & Co. taking over in March 2015 after basically all recruiting for that year had been done, and behind the 8 ball for the following year, you have to take some risks. 

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Most of the gambles have worked out for Cluess, because of Cluess. 

Davenport was injured last night in game Matt attended
http://jucoreport.com/gordon-state-vs-georgia-highlands-recap/

Looks like we could use Haslem.

http://247sports.com/Season/2017-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool&Position=C

I wouldn't offer any uncommitted big on this list.

http://247sports.com/Season/2017-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool&Position=PF

I'll even humor you with PF list too. Derrick Walker was hopefully underrated but he's surrounded by guys I'd consider reaches.

Don't know these guys from a hole in the wall but Providence gets a 6"8 220 kid named Watkins, and a 6'11  205 kid named Dickens. Pitt gets a 6'10 230 kid named Peace LLegomah. Why are we not involved with more of these guys in the beginning rather then scrambling for them at the end.

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:12:56 PM

http://247sports.com/Season/2017-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool&Position=C

I wouldn't offer any uncommitted big on this list.

http://247sports.com/Season/2017-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool&Position=PF

I'll even humor you with PF list too. Derrick Walker was hopefully underrated but he's surrounded by guys I'd consider reaches.

Don't know these guys from a hole in the wall but Providence gets a 6"8 220 kid named Watkins, and a 6'11  205 kid named Dickens. Pitt gets a 6'10 230 kid named Peace LLegomah. Why are we not involved with more of these guys in the beginning rather then scrambling for them at the end.

Exactly. Are recruits so excited for the opportunity to live in a wasteland like Pittsburgh? Or were just ignored like Carl Krauser was? Work harder. It's that simple.

Even a Donald Emanuel type would help this team. We don't need a guy at every position who is a legend in their own mind. If they could find a guy who wanted to box out, grab offensive boards and didn't routinely assault people, that would be great. We can finally shoot the damn ball, and now, the one thing that we have almost been good at, defense, no one cares to play it.

Except for my man Tariq Owens. Respect.

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 10, 2017, 12:52:01 AM

Oh I agree.  I'm a closet Gaels fan as Baldi knows.  But with the roster leftover by our old coach, and with Mullin & Co. taking over in March 2015 after basically all recruiting for that year had been done, and behind the 8 ball for the following year, you have to take some risks. 

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Most of the gambles have worked out for Cluess, because of Cluess. 

Iona has had some very good coaches, but the system that Cluess has put in place makes him the best of an impressive group. Maybe we shouldn't be copying Cluess, because we need more continuity in a much tougher conference, but why is it that we can never recognize a system with our coach?

Love him or hate him, by and large, Boeheim recruits the same type of player for a certain position every time. His big men may not be the most athletic or the quickest, but they can pass, and they can hit shots. Carnesecca recruited guys that understood what St.John's man to man defense was all about. They came here because of it. Why is a recruit coming here in year 3? To play what kind of basketball? Chuck it up?

Quote from: Poison on February 10, 2017, 01:25:08 AM

Quote from: goredmen on February 10, 2017, 12:28:00 AM

Quote from: Poison on February 10, 2017, 12:19:45 AM

Quote from: goredmen on February 10, 2017, 12:11:25 AM

Quote from: Dave on February 10, 2017, 12:00:28 AM

Quote from: rlogazino on February 09, 2017, 11:44:40 PM

Quote from: Dave on February 09, 2017, 11:34:43 PM

Quote from: Poison on February 09, 2017, 11:27:28 PM

Quote from: prjohnnies on February 09, 2017, 11:24:11 PM

Dave - don't you know by now?  My man Baldi thinks it is only OK for Iona to gamble on kids with checkered pasts that, if it works, makes the team significantly better...

Iona should gamble on kids with checkered pasts. They play in the MAAC, and they have no choice but to take risks. We, are in a different situation. We have no center, and yet the staff gambled on a position that we clearly needed to fill, and it blew up in their face.

Tariq Owens?

Please tell me in the Big East who are the best 10 centers.

I put him 6th behind Patton, Delgado, Govan, Fischer, and Reynolds in that order.

So Reynolds and Fischer are graduating and Patton is likely headed to the draft. I'll give you Delgado and Govan so does that make Pwens de facto #3 next year?

I think Spellman is up there and a few others who are ok but point is it's a struggle to make clear cut guys better than Owens.

Owens is a nice piece to have as a 15-20 minute guy to plug in to give your starting bigs a break. Is he a starting center on a tournament team? Not sure

Delgado, Govan, Spellman and Wideman are clearly ahead of Owens on the BE C ranking for next year assuming they are all back. So our starting C will be in the middle of the pack in the BE. Not bad, not great. The key will be will Owens improve his game from this year to next or will he follow the other bigs we've had under this staff and either not get better at all or regress? He needs to take a step up next year

Delgado is gone after this year. He rebounds like Alonzo Mourning.

Owens needs to improve his strength, and he needs to stop fouling people at mid court. Thing is, he can't play 15-20 minutes a game, because he's the best big man on the team.

Yeah, that's my point. He's a good player but shouldn't be our best big.

Unless Delgado wants to play in the D league or Europe next year he's not going anywhere. There's not a chance he gets drafted in this year's draft

I don't think you're giving Delgado enough credit. He is an elite rebounder. You need those in the league. He's what Justin Burrell would have been had he played elsewhere.

Yes he's a great college player but he's not athletic enough or polished enough offensively for the NBA. Every big guy in the NBA is an elite rebounder. They wouldn't be in the NBA if they weren't, but NBA big guys can do other things that Delgado can't. And it doesn't matter what I think, no NBA scout or GM will draft him. This upcoming draft is loaded and it's hard enough for 2nd round picks to earn a roster spot let alone undrafted FAs. He's not projected to be taken in either of the next two drafts by draftexpress or nbadraft.net

There have been worse rebounders who have made the league on their rebounding alone.

There have been worse rebounders who have made the league on their rebounding alone.

Who?