I think we're in for a brutally long St. John's season in basketball

Quote from: we are sju on October 03, 2011, 11:23:26 AM

This season is out of necessity and at least we will have better players than we had under Norm. Unfortunately Lavin does not have much of a choice as far as style of play this season. I am still looking forward to seeing the kids play despite what our record and style of play will be.

Except there's no reason to play a style this year that they're not going to play next year. The games they win will because they're more talented than the other teams and the games they lose will be because they're less experienced. They're not going to beat DeWk and Kentucky whether they walk the ball up the floor or not. The best thing TGAPL can do is throw them to the wolves immediately - that means zone, press, run. If they're going to get they're brains kicked in - and they are - they might as well learn something in the meanwhile.

In regards to wins and losses and in theory I agree with you. But do you really want to see a walk on playing meaningful BE minutes at Center? If we get in any kind of foul trouble some of these games could actually become a farce. Playing in the BE and playing a lot of minuteswill be good experience, but I can't see how we could play the way Lavin envisioned before the ineligibilities.

Quote from: we are sju on October 03, 2011, 10:36:07 AM

Even with the three ineligible guys we weren't going to be great this season anyway. With no depth or size, unfortunately we are going to have to play Norm Roberts basketball on offense and will have to play a pack in zone on D so it will be a little ugly to watch.

I don't agree. They are incredibly limited from the opening tip right now. Norm Roberts' influence is long gone. The damage he caused is still here, but Lavin isn't going to do anything that fool would have done.

I am just saying we will probably have to play a similar style that Norm played becuase of our lack of Depth and size.

In regards to wins and losses and in theory I agree with you. But do you really want to see a walk on playing meaningful BE minutes at Center? If we get in any kind of foul trouble some of these games could actually become a farce. Playing in the BE and playing a lot of minuteswill be good experience, but I can't see how we could play the way Lavin envisioned before the ineligibilities.

Depth is going to be an issue. (Too bad TGAPL rode Quincy Roberts out of town.) But if you are TGAPL do you not teach your signature recruiting class the system you think will win you a national championship in two years in order to win half a dozen more games in what at best will be a meaningless NIT season - and especially considering that one or two of the recruits who didn't qualify might become eligible 2nd semester. I think full steam ahead.

I am going to look at the situation from a glass half full perspective for this years team. We have 3 major scoring threats in Nuri, DeAngelo and Maurice. Last years team really had 2 in JB2 and Hardy. I will take Phil & Sir Dom replacing Paris & DJ. Obvious concern is God Gift replacing JB1, Sean and Dele all by himself. We will be small, but we will be able to score. Should be fun to watch

I am going to look at the situation from a glass half full perspective for this years team. We have 3 major scoring threats in Nuri, DeAngelo and Maurice. Last years team really had 2 in JB2 and Hardy. I will take Phil & Sir Dom replacing Paris & DJ. Obvious concern is God Gift replacing JB1, Sean and Dele all by himself. We will be small, but we will be able to score. Should be fun to watch

I think you're really undervaluing Phil Greene's potential production.  I know he's the "lowest ranked" of our recruits, but 23.5pts/6.0rebs/6.3 assists and team MVP at a program like IMG - a team with Deandre Daniels - ain't chopped liver....

Quote from: Red2395 on October 04, 2011, 10:27:00 AM

I am going to look at the situation from a glass half full perspective for this years team. We have 3 major scoring threats in Nuri, DeAngelo and Maurice. Last years team really had 2 in JB2 and Hardy. I will take Phil & Sir Dom replacing Paris & DJ. Obvious concern is God Gift replacing JB1, Sean and Dele all by himself. We will be small, but we will be able to score. Should be fun to watch

I think you're really undervaluing Phil Greene's potential production.  I know he's the "lowest ranked" of our recruits, but 23.5pts/6.0rebs/6.3 assists and team MVP at a program like IMG - a team with Deandre Daniels - ain't chopped liver....

Agree.  We have 5 top notch scorers in Harkless, Pointer, Lindsey, Greene and Harrison.   They will need to get scoring from all of them.  We'll see lineups with those guys in the game and God's Gift obviously manning the middle most of the time.  We'll have to play small a lot by necessity.  Nothing else we can do, but we do have several guys who are talented with the ball in their hands and getting to the basket.  Our biggest worries are really against size in the middle and injuries.  If we stay healthy and don't let teams with size eat us up early in the season, we can be solid.

I think I'd feel a lot better about our prospects this season if we just had one more big guy.  God's Gift is going to need to man it himself.  Hope we can stay healthy.  Our Final 8 team wasn't deep nor were we real tall, so to say good things can't be achieved would be false.

Quote from: Red2395 on October 04, 2011, 10:27:00 AM

I am going to look at the situation from a glass half full perspective for this years team. We have 3 major scoring threats in Nuri, DeAngelo and Maurice. Last years team really had 2 in JB2 and Hardy. I will take Phil & Sir Dom replacing Paris & DJ. Obvious concern is God Gift replacing JB1, Sean and Dele all by himself. We will be small, but we will be able to score. Should be fun to watch

I think you're really undervaluing Phil Greene's potential production.  I know he's the "lowest ranked" of our recruits, but 23.5pts/6.0rebs/6.3 assists and team MVP at a program like IMG - a team with Deandre Daniels - ain't chopped liver....

I mentioned it before I don't think Deandre ever played for IMG.  Can anyone confirm?

Another thing to mention is that the 5 guys who can score, all of them are slasher types than can penetrate and get some fouls (Harrison is a great shooter, but it sounds like he can get to the rim as well). We will need to have opponents in foul trouble as much as possible to even out the playing field a bit.

Our Final 8 team wasn't deep nor were we real tall, so to say good things can't be achieved would be false.

Tell me you didn't just compare 6 freshmen who've never set foot on a college BB court to Artest Barkley Thornton Grant and Postell, based on their height.

The problem is not going to be scoring.  It's going to be foul trouble, injuries and wearing down physically and mentally.  That's why Amir's return for the second semester is going to be important.

Quote from: we are sju on October 03, 2011, 03:31:22 PM

In regards to wins and losses and in theory I agree with you. But do you really want to see a walk on playing meaningful BE minutes at Center? If we get in any kind of foul trouble some of these games could actually become a farce. Playing in the BE and playing a lot of minuteswill be good experience, but I can't see how we could play the way Lavin envisioned before the ineligibilities.

Depth is going to be an issue. (Too bad TGAPL rode Quincy Roberts out of town.) But if you are TGAPL do you not teach your signature recruiting class the system you think will win you a national championship in two years in order to win half a dozen more games in what at best will be a meaningless NIT season - and especially considering that one or two of the recruits who didn't qualify might become eligible 2nd semester. I think full steam ahead.

From what I had heard Lavin had intended to play 10 or 11 guys. So in order to do that with this squad  you either have to play 3 walkons significant minutes or risk foul trouble, injury or possibly killing the main 7 guys if he still plays at the same pace/ style. I think if Pelle was eligible you could have gone full steam ahead with the 8 kids. Playing 7 with only one big would be a lot to ask to play anything but slowdown on both sides of the ball.

Quote from: MCNPA on October 04, 2011, 11:14:50 AM

Our Final 8 team wasn't deep nor were we real tall, so to say good things can't be achieved would be false.

Tell me you didn't just compare 6 freshmen who've never set foot on a college BB court to Artest Barkley Thornton Grant and Postell, based on their height.

No, just that team was able to be successful with lack of both team depth and height.  I don't expect similar results with this young team.  Just that we're not necessarily dead in the water with our issues.

Quote from: crgreen on October 04, 2011, 10:53:11 AM

Quote from: Red2395 on October 04, 2011, 10:27:00 AM

I am going to look at the situation from a glass half full perspective for this years team. We have 3 major scoring threats in Nuri, DeAngelo and Maurice. Last years team really had 2 in JB2 and Hardy. I will take Phil & Sir Dom replacing Paris & DJ. Obvious concern is God Gift replacing JB1, Sean and Dele all by himself. We will be small, but we will be able to score. Should be fun to watch

I think you're really undervaluing Phil Greene's potential production.  I know he's the "lowest ranked" of our recruits, but 23.5pts/6.0rebs/6.3 assists and team MVP at a program like IMG - a team with Deandre Daniels - ain't chopped liver....

I mentioned it before I don't think Deandre ever played for IMG.  Can anyone confirm?

Don't know but he's in this img video...

this team is no different than norms teams and i still think this team is better

this team is no different than norms teams and i still think this team is better

Nah, Norm had at least 10 guys eligible 

this team is no different than norms teams and i still think this team is better

Norm had Tyler Jones, Lamont Hamilton, Dexter Gray, Phil Missere and Mo Diakite.

Lavin has one big man for this season.

Quote from: kob24 on October 07, 2011, 10:27:23 AM

this team is no different than norms teams and i still think this team is better

Nah, Norm had at least 10 guys eligible 

Tell Lenn Robbins that, oh wait, he already knows LOL

Quote from: kob24 on October 07, 2011, 10:27:23 AM

this team is no different than norms teams and i still think this team is better

Norm had Tyler Jones, Lamont Hamilton, Dexter Gray, Phil Missere and Mo Diakite.

Lavin has one big man for this season.

Do you not believe this team is better than the above-mentioned from a talent standpoint?

Quote from: Poison on October 07, 2011, 11:39:06 AM

Quote from: kob24 on October 07, 2011, 10:27:23 AM

this team is no different than norms teams and i still think this team is better

Norm had Tyler Jones, Lamont Hamilton, Dexter Gray, Phil Missere and Mo Diakite.

Lavin has one big man for this season.

Do you not believe this team is better than the above-mentioned from a talent standpoint?

I have no idea. I've never seen these guys play. From what I've read, they are clearly better, yet they are even less experienced than Norm's first group of lousy players. Experience might be overrated, but depth isn't, and that will hurt us no matter what.

It was irresponsible for the staff to only recruit 2/3 big men.

Quote from: mjdinkins on October 07, 2011, 12:18:56 PM

Quote from: Poison on October 07, 2011, 11:39:06 AM

Quote from: kob24 on October 07, 2011, 10:27:23 AM

this team is no different than norms teams and i still think this team is better

Norm had Tyler Jones, Lamont Hamilton, Dexter Gray, Phil Missere and Mo Diakite.

Lavin has one big man for this season.

Do you not believe this team is better than the above-mentioned from a talent standpoint?

Experience might be overrated, but depth isn't, and that will hurt us no matter what.

I can't really argue with you there.  Hopefully, we get some monster play out of our guards.