JJ co-captain
- Thread starter david aka the TYZ
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david aka the TYZ
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Dude, it's the use of exclamation points that has everyone giving you grief. It's just hard to read because it sounds like you're super excited or something. Welcome to the site, it's good to get some perspective from current students. I'm curious to the buzz around campus as to both the football and basketball teams. Obviously the students have been bringing it the last few years, especially in football. In my days football was a joke and basketball was everything. We were #1 entering my freshman year (96-97 year with Fortson) and were #1 when I took my final exam my senior year (Kenyon's final year). I was blessed and tickets were real hard to come by that final year, but there was a buzz in the Shoe like no other.
JasonS
Football Moderator
JJ catches a lot of shrapnel from Bearcat fans but I think the issue is more with the fans than JJ. As fans, we want the team to be as good as possible and JJ can be very frustrating at times but he is mainly frustrating because of what Bearcat fans think he should be than what he actually is. We should understand by now what he is: an uber-athletic forward whose best traits are his motor, athleticism, and weak side defense. Every good team has a guy that fits this profile. Would we like more offense? Absolutely. Is it a necessity? I don't think so, especially not this year. Let's not get caught up on whether JJ is a center or forward. He is a forward. There are very few really good true centers in college basketball. You can win with two PFs on the floor at the same time. If there is a matchup issue, the team can always go zone. With their length and athleticism, zone will create issues for offenses and we saw that they could be effective playing it the last two years.
Thanks for the videos. I really like seeing Johnson finish at the rim with his right and left. I think Mormon has that ability as well. Although I thought Parker was very good at finishing around the rim for his size...he always favored the right. A good scouting report with a good D will take your favored side away (which is probably why he was a bit inconsistent).
In the last two recruiting classes we gained a lot of versatility and athletecism.
In the last two recruiting classes we gained a lot of versatility and athletecism.
JumpinJack5
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JJ was a pretty highly-touted recruit, if I do recall. His offense didn't develop nearly as much as it should have, but I don't think it is due to lack of effort. He gives 110% out on the court, and if he can control the fouls, he could be a defensive force on this team. If he can score 8-10 ppg, get 6-7 boards and get some blocks with less fouling and dumb decisions, he should be fine. I saw Jamaree Strickland in that video on gobearcats, he looks like he is just huge. Hopefully he gets cleared and develops after 1-2 years, he has the potential to be a good low post scorer and the prototypical 5.
Gotcha23
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Jealous!!! Best times in history
bearcat jeff
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JJ hasn't put the individual time in he should have that's just a fact.
JumpinJack5
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I meant once he was on the court, he gave it all he had, but that isn't good enough if you want to reach your potential. At some point, some of this responsibility also falls on the staff-between letting Yancy play at 280-290 as a senior and this, they need to hold the players a little more accountable. I like our coaching staff, but you need to motivate some of these guys. Unfortunately, as nice as it would be, not everyone is as motivated as SK. If you are a player like JJ or Yancy, you are getting a free education to play basketball at a very good instution, you owe it to yourself, your coaches, and your school to not be lazy and work to become the best you can be.
JasonS
Football Moderator
And that's kind of my point. He is what he is at this point in his career. It's too late to expect him to be Kenyon Martin 2.0. It's just not going to happen so as fans, we need to understand that and realize what he can bring to this team.
JumpinJack5
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If he can play like he played in that Marquette game last year, I'm happy.
david aka the TYZ
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Yeah and to rub it in a little more, most of the games I was in the front 4-7 rows of the student section. Only game I missed senior year was the Temple game (which we lost) because the ticket lines were so crazy they got zigzagged inside the Shoe and we ended up missing out even though we got in line about 2am. That team was unreal. Kenyon was an absolute beast. No one in Conference USA was anywhere near on the same playing field as him.
Gotcha23
Well-known member
When you grow up watching those teams after grade school basketball practice, you're a fan for life
my only question mark on the team is PG and I know we have a bunch of kids on the team fighting for the position, I'm just very interested to find out who gets the pg position at the end of games. JJ and Rubles are going to be scary for other teams to match up with, they have to be one of if not the fastest front court in the country. Shaq and SK are gonna score and morman and Lawrence are going to get quality minutes, sanders could get over shadowed by some of the new kids. Guyn, caupain, KJ, and JD3 fighting for one spot is going to be good for the team cuz kids are going to be working hard to get that spot.
BearcatSpaniard513
Well-known member
Yeah I don't remember the last time I was this excited for a season to start. I love football and watch every game, but i LOVE college basketball. My favorite time of the year is March because of all the games going on.
A previous poster was defending JJ and said how fans are quick to judge him and I think they were right. But frustrations arise from the lack of improvement from year to year. If I had his height and athleticism I would do whatever it took to be an NBA caliber player. As a kid I would shovel snow from my driveway just so I could practice and I wish I had the height to pursue college scholarships, but not everyone is built for the game.
I am a "beer is half full" kind of guy and I think he will have a great senior year based on what Mick is saying:
"He is playing with great strength around the rim, finishing a lot. He's also a great passer. We're going to be able to give him the ball closer to the rim and play off him a lot more than maybe we have in the past."
TheLongHaul
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bearcat jeff
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We will see Morman at point before KJ.
I just don't see how kj will get minutes if he doesn't play the point, SK is going to play 30+ mpg. if he doesn't play point then he better be red shirted IMO.
Basketball.com
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Quit being a KJ Hater! We had problems scoring last year, the more people that can put the ball in the bucket the better! He sees the floor just like the rest of the players, you better check his BIO and get on team KJ, the Cincinnati Kid. The players love him. Just sit back and watch.
Saying he doesn't see him getting minutes as a freshman does not make you a hater. Everyone knows all the freshman can play; the question is will they? The general sentiment is that Troy is looking at playing point. Assuming neither of them is redshirted, I would assume Morman and KJ will split minutes behind Kilpatrick.