Game 25: Butler 830P (CBSS, 570AM)

First you only need 6-7 core guys the rest is good for spot minutes...rest, foul trouble whatever. Sampson should have been on that team but left for the NBA.

Although balamou and Amar “barley” played they each played over 200 minutes that season which is more minutes than Keita or Williams has played so far this season. Jones and Adonis “barely” played but they each played more minutes than Roberts has played to date. Not to mention the other players on that team that “barely” played but non the less they played more than whoever is on the end of our current bench.

This isn’t about the quality of the depth, although that teams bench was better, it’s whether or not they were used, to help keep our main players fresh and it’s without a doubt that bench was used much more so than today’s current teams bench. Even Stewart played more minutes than Roberts and Earlington combined. I’m neither lying or being stupid, it’s facts. The team may have only gone 6 deep in quality, but everyone played.

I can list a starting 5 from that bench Branch, Stewart, Balamou, Jones, and Amar and they would wipe the floor with our current bench.

Adonis didn't play that was Joey.

Also 4 guys played 39 minutes in the tournament game and zero of the bench players scored.

Adonis didn't play that was Joey.

Also 4 guys played 39 minutes in the tournament game and zero of the bench players scored.

Outside of the error in the Delarosa’s what’s your point? Again its not about the quality it’s about the usage throughout the season, not one game. I could point to a singular game where the bench played and scored. The point is they served there purpose, playing spot minutes to spell the core 6 players.

I was referring to the previous years I like Cam and Steere. Matt is doing a great job, it’s the HOF’s that aren’t picking up the slack on the recruiting trail. We cant have one person recruiting.

I'm less concerned with recruiting trail and more the day to day. I do think an experienced bench coach to help with game planning, practice, timelines, accountability, etc is probably more needed. If that person had some recruiting chops too then even better.

Outside of the error in the Delarosa’s what’s your point? Again its not about the quality it’s about the usage throughout the season, not one game. I could point to a singular game where the bench played and scored. The point is they served there purpose, playing spot minutes to spell the core 6 players.

I don’t even know what this debate is about, but I will add that Lavin played everyone he had. He would have played Roberts and Williams all year. He was not as strict on the defensive end as Mullin.

I can’t see Mullin ever playing a walkon like DelaRosa and I can’t see Lavin sitting a player like Roberts.

I’ll add that between Lavin and Mullin I prefer Mullin’s coaching philosophy.

A very thin class for bigs and Brooks would have been a nice get for us but he ultimately went to USC (averaging 8mpg). At that point there were ZERO top 100 bigs available.

Ian Steere a fringe top 100 guy ultimately wound up here which is a win.

Cruise through the list..... it's pretty bare bone

https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool

A very thin class for bigs and Brooks would have been a nice get for us but he ultimately went to USC (averaging 8mpg). At that point there were ZERO top 100 bigs available.

Ian Steere a fringe top 100 guy ultimately wound up here which is a win.

Cruise through the list..... it's pretty bare bone

https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=HighSchool

We simply have to step up our recruiting of bigs and a stud recruit. From that list we lost out on :Naz Little, Naz reid Reid, Jordan Brown, Moses Brown and that's just from the east coast. And with the likely departure of SP and MH who is going to lead this team next year. Is that leader any of the juco's, transfers that we've already brought in. Next year could be another free fall.

He had more than 6, but the point I failed to make was if Mullin was desperate for bodies how would giving away scholarships to players who 1. Can’t play at this level, and 2. Would need to sit out a year address the “desperate need for bodies”. It wouldn’t.

We have to hope the Carahers, Wright's, and Macks of the world are players. Remember last year at this time we didn't have Heron and Figueroa. What we need is for SP to stay one more year ( remote possibility ) and or we recruit a live stud. Otherwise we'll forever be stuck in middle of the league hell.

We simply have to step up our recruiting of bigs and a stud recruit. From that list we lost out on :Naz Little, Naz reid Reid, Jordan Brown, Moses Brown and that's just from the east coast. And with the likely departure of SP and MH who is going to lead this team next year. Is that leader any of the juco's, transfers that we've already brought in. Next year could be another free fall.

So we lost out on 4 recruits who all would have been the highest rated kids ever to come to St. John's. Right.

Our savior next year is upcoming grad transfer Nico Carvacho from Colorado State.

6’11 240 from same high school as Trimble and Clark.

16 points and 13 boards per game (4.2 offensive).

And Carvacho is a lefty...pickand roll guy with back to the basket skills. Let’s add him before Creighton does.

So we lost out on 4 recruits who all would have been the highest rated kids ever to come to St. John's. Right.

Isn’t that why Richmond is on the staff? To land these top players?

And Carvacho is a lefty...pickand roll guy with back to the basket skills. Let’s add him before Creighton does.

Have you not watched our offense? There is a reason why Sima and Owens left. There is no pick and no roll. I’ll will be interesting to see Steere and Valdir chucking up 3’s next year.

Have you not watched our offense? There is a reason why Sima and Owens left. There is no pick and no roll. I’ll will be interesting to see Steere and Valdir chucking up 3’s next year.

Owens got plenty of pick and roll passes. The problem with Owens is that he saw himself as a KD 6’10. He even said that. He wanted jumpers. He had no back to the basket move. He was also a terrible screener. Carvacho is a center through and through. Skilled as all hell. Crafty lefty. 

Sima is a little different. I think Mullin messed up with him, but mid-season tenasfers weren’t a thing when Mullin played. I think it was a lesson learned.

None of our transfers out have had bigger roles upon leaving.

I don’t even know what this debate is about, but I will add that Lavin played everyone he had. He would have played Roberts and Williams all year. He was not as strict on the defensive end as Mullin.

I can’t see Mullin ever playing a walkon like DelaRosa and I can’t see Lavin sitting a player like Roberts.

I’ll add that between Lavin and Mullin I prefer Mullin’s coaching philosophy.

Neither could coach their way out of a paper bag. At least Lavin was smart enough to bring in Dunlap and that paid big dividends while he was here. Mullin's too damn stubborn and proud to bring in a really good asst coach.

Neither could coach their way out of a paper bag. At least Lavin was smart enough to bring in Dunlap and that paid big dividends while he was here. Mullin's too damn stubborn and proud to bring in a really good asst coach.

If you can’t see the difference then you just don’t understand the game well enough to be commenting.

Lavin had better individual defenders. The team defense was awful. Mullin has a much more difficult defensive scheme and his attention to detail is obvious.

Under Norm and Lavin we filled the lane absurdly late on drives—if at all. That rarely happens now. The help is as fast as it’s been in 15 years. We double the post and are starting to trap.

If you can’t see the difference then you just don’t understand the game well enough to be commenting.

Lavin had better individual defenders. The team defense was awful. Mullin has a much more difficult defensive scheme and his attention to detail is obvious.

Under Norm and Lavin we filled the lane absurdly late on drives—if at all. That rarely happens now. The help is as fast as it’s been in 15 years. We double the post and are starting to trap.

I never said there wasn't a difference. I said that they both stink. Nothing Mullin has done to this point in his 4th season has changed that.

If you can't see that this team is still not being properly coached then you clearly have never played or followed the game.

Under Norm and Lavin we filled the lane absurdly late on drives—if at all. That rarely happens now. The help is as fast as it’s been in 15 years.

This is completely false and shows you do not know as much as you claim. First off Dunlap was only here for two seasons and his defensive principles were ball pressure and gap support. On passes he coached the team to recover to the help position, not their man. This was due to the “extreme” ball pressure, as he called it, that he wanted the players to apply.

We currently do not apply any gap support principles in our defensive philosophy. Zero, Zip, Zilch. We are a terrible defensive team and it’s been reflected in our record. We rely on a gimmick with little variation which opponents have taken advantage of. To suggest Mullins teams plays better defense than Lavin’s is utterly absurd.

Why don’t you enlighten us on Mullins defensive scheme? What makes it so “difficult”. Please be specific.

So we lost out on 4 recruits who all would have been the highest rated kids ever to come to St. John's. Right.

Don't you think at some point we have to put all the excuses away and compete like big boys. How about recruiting a stud every 4 years. Is that not doable ? And why not

Don't you think at some point we have to put all the excuses away and compete like big boys. How about recruiting a stud every 4 years. Is that not doable ? And why not

Excuses or reality?

Considering for over the past 100 years it hasn't happened I wouldn't expect it start right now. This isn't saying it can't happen but shouldn't be the expectation.

Considering we got an early pledge from a top 50 player it's trending in right direction.