Roster for next season

[Gotcha23]

Frankly, I'm hoping S K, Thomas and Lawrence are all in the lineup at the same time for offensive purposes.

Play Titus or JJ at the 5 and that could work.

 

[bearcatjb74]

We continue to have names pop up . Basketball.com says we are recruiting Donte Grandtham the player of the year in WV. 6-8 forward.same article 6-3 pg Issac Flemming states we watched him workout.sorry i can't link it.

 

[mplebanon]

We continue to have names pop up . Basketball.com says we are recruiting Donte Grandtham the player of the year in WV. 6-8 forward.same article 6-3 pg Issac Flemming states we watched him workout.sorry i can't link it.

Meh. Read somewhere else he is going to play for Huggs.

 

[bearcatjb74]

He is on a visit to Clemson right now.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

The fact we are still trying to reshape our roster is interesting and exciting. Two holes exist on this team PG and the 5. We really have the ability to be explosive on the wings with SK and Thomas. Rubles and Lawrence should provide quality production at the 4. We should have some depth with Sanders,JDIII backing up the Wings. Guyn can back up PG. really don't think he or JDIII have the ability to run offenses at the level we need for extended minutes. Narsuk can provide back up minutes at the 5. Hopefully a newcomer from the incoming class will step up and assume that role and develope as the season goes on. PG is a critical role.

We will also have the ability to go smaller. With JJ seeing minutes at the 5 And Rubles and Lawrerence being on the floor at the same time. JJ's ability to get minutes will be dictated by the other teams strengths and how the game is going.

Getting a big to D,board and flush would be huge . Djitte has shown flashes offensively and can board and D. He also is much further along at this point in his developement as a basketball player than Gaines was and unlike Narsuk and Modj will have 4 years to develope.

Last years team was saddled with injury to Cash,virtually no post presence and was forced to have Rubles a JUCO take on a much larger role then he was ready for. This year Thomas seems ready to help take on some scoring and he is long and active defensively. SK needs to get to the FT line much more. He settled for way to many jumpers. Rubles,SK and Thomas all have the ability to get to the rim. Having a big who can catch and finish if his man helps defensively is crucial.

I believe Gaines will move on opening a scholly for Lawrence. After that its anyone's guess but all indications are Mick is looking for a big. Hope he lands one. JJ is not the answer.

 

[L-T]

It was one of the first things I noticed when I saw him playing AAU ball. I saw it again during both summer leagues he has participated in. It is something I noticed last year when he played. Some people who have watched him in practice have also commented to me that his court vision is not very good, and that is why Mick sees him as purely a 2 guard.

I personally always thought Parker would improve. Even after his bad sophomore year and people on boards like this thought we would be better off without him, I disagreed because I saw the skill set to become a player. I just don't think JDIII's court vision is a skill that will develop. It is more of an instinctive thing, you either have it or you don't. He doesn't. Therefore, he is better playing off the ball.

JDIII came to UC with the rep of being an outstanding passer. If you go to youtube and watch his high school highlights, the one thing that really stands out is his amazing passing. I think you're completely off base to say he has no court vision. In our short time watching him, I see completely the opposite. I like his court vision and it is a huge upgrade to anything we witnessed this year. I'm more concerned with his speed and quickness in handling the point than in his court vision, which I think is a strength. He's at the very least an intriguing option at the point and we'll see how it all plays out. He brings a lot of little intangibles to the table. If he proves capable defensively, then I think he's definitely in the mix at PG.

 

[mdchick]

JDIII came to UC with the rep of being an outstanding passer. If you go to youtube and watch his high school highlights, the one thing that really stands out is his amazing passing. I think you're completely off base to say he has no court vision. In our short time watching him, I see completely the opposite. I like his court vision and it is a huge upgrade to anything we witnessed this year. I'm more concerned with his speed and quickness in handling the point than in his court vision, which I think is a strength. He's at the very least an intriguing option at the point and we'll see how it all plays out. He brings a lot of little intangibles to the table. If he proves capable defensively, then I think he's definitely in the mix at PG.

Ya, I could see JDIII being the player next year that wows a lot of people, the only thing is we have so many guards I wonder how many minutes he will play, but I agree with you that he has good basketball IQ, he obviously is a good shooter, it's just a confidence factor for me, the more he plays the better he will be.

PS I'm glad he and Shaq redshirted a year because I believe they are the two best recruits from that class.

 

[UCBearcats]

The fact we are still trying to reshape our roster is interesting and exciting. Two holes exist on this team PG and the 5.

I would say the fact that we are still having to reshape our roster is both concerning and disheartening, for the same reasons you stated above.

 

[coachpipe]

I would say the fact that we are still having to reshape our roster is both concerning and disheartening, for the same reasons you stated above.

Idk. The roster obviously has flaws and the fans have noticed and pointed it out on the multiple boards. The coaching staff isnt blind to this, they see the team still has missing pieces and that some of the pieces we have just dont fit the picture. So if they feel the need to try and add some better bodies and then help someone else, like gaines, nyarsuk or sanders transfer im all for it

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I would say the fact that we are still having to reshape our roster is both concerning and disheartening, for the same reasons you stated above.

sounds like your a glass half empty guy and I'm a glass half full guy. I find it interesting and exciting. Adding new pieces and improving the team is not a bad thing.

 

[UCBearcats]

Idk. The roster obviously has flaws and the fans have noticed and pointed it out on the multiple boards. The coaching staff isnt blind to this, they see the team still has missing pieces and that some of the pieces we have just dont fit the picture. So if they feel the need to try and add some better bodies and then help someone else, like gaines, nyarsuk or sanders transfer im all for it

I'd be all for that too, what I find concerning is that we're looking at a roster for next year with no PG and no C. Kind of hard to be a very good team when you don't have anyone at the two most important spots on the floor. Looking past next year I still don't see where the true PG or C are on this roster. So we're probably looking at 3 years before we can get a recruit in and get that person somewhat developed to the point where they can contribute.

That's kind of scary.

 

[bearcat jeff]

It'd be nice to pick up Trae Golden who is trasferring from Tennessee.

 

[coachpipe]

It'd be nice to pick up Trae Golden who is trasferring from Tennessee.

Heard it was for academic issues. So If thats the case he would have to graduate before being aloud to play somewhere else..or have to sit out a year. So the possibility for him to come here and play this year is slim

 

[bearcat jeff]

Just read about the academic issues. He's not a great shooter but may have been an upgrade for hat we have.

 

[waterhead]

Idk. The roster obviously has flaws and the fans have noticed and pointed it out on the multiple boards. The coaching staff isnt blind to this, they see the team still has missing pieces and that some of the pieces we have just dont fit the picture. So if they feel the need to try and add some better bodies and then help someone else, like gaines, nyarsuk or sanders transfer im all for it

Excluding SK...and maybe...MAYBE...Rubles...most of my excitement lies with those who will be redshirt Sophs and the incoming class.

I think we can make a respectable product with this team...but even as an optimist at heart I am getting excited about the future now so that anything great that happens this year will be a bonus and really a surprise to me. Here is your likely starting lineup in the first part of the season.

GG at PG does not give me goose bumps
JJ at center is a player out of position
Thomas is still young but HUGE potential
SK...will be solid if not fantastic
Rubles...is my only question mark.

If these players play to similar levels as last year we won't make the tourney IMO...and I am an optimist.

Now IMO if you can insert Lawrence...because he plays better than Rubles. Insert Strickland because he plays better than JJ, and insert KJ, TC, or JD at the point because they are better than GG...we may have something.

I think we are going to need 3 out of 3 of those things to happen to have an outstanding season. 2 out of 3 will make for a nice season and 1 out of 3 will maybe be bubble like. 0-3 is a bust IMO.

 

[ralph1950]

It'd be nice to pick up Trae Golden who is trasferring from Tennessee.

It would be nice if Andrew Wiggins came to UC.

 

[All we do is Guyn]

I'm a newer fan, so this year and a little last year was when I started following UC basketball (or any basketball for that matter). So I have a couple of questions about the games after the brawl last year. We won every game we played without Yancy or Mbodj. We even beat Pitt and Oklahoma who are good teams, all with 4 small guards and JJ. There seems to be a lot of people that think we will be in a lot of trouble next year without a proven center. What was it about that style of play during those games that we can't replicate for next year?

Couldn't a lineup of 1. GG 2. SK 3. Shaq/Sanders 4. Titus/Lawrence 5. JJ replicate that style and be successful?

 

[JumpinJack5]

I'm a newer fan, so this year and a little last year was when I started following UC basketball (or any basketball for that matter). So I have a couple of questions about the games after the brawl last year. We won every game we played without Yancy or Mbodj. We even beat Pitt and Oklahoma who are good teams, all with 4 small guards and JJ. There seems to be a lot of people that think we will be in a lot of trouble next year without a proven center. What was it about that style of play during those games that we can't replicate for next year?

Couldn't a lineup of 1. GG 2. SK 3. Shaq/Sanders 4. Titus/Lawrence 5. JJ replicate that style and be successful?

That is the million dollar question, and it has yet to be answered for many reasons.

 

[waterhead]

I'm a newer fan, so this year and a little last year was when I started following UC basketball (or any basketball for that matter). So I have a couple of questions about the games after the brawl last year. We won every game we played without Yancy or Mbodj. We even beat Pitt and Oklahoma who are good teams, all with 4 small guards and JJ. There seems to be a lot of people that think we will be in a lot of trouble next year without a proven center. What was it about that style of play during those games that we can't replicate for next year?

Couldn't a lineup of 1. GG 2. SK 3. Shaq/Sanders 4. Titus/Lawrence 5. JJ replicate that style and be successful?

This is a good question. I am thinking...it's not about being good but how good we can be. It's not just the C but the PG...perhaps moreso the PG. I don't think we can go far with that type of issue (if it remains). Can we do well? Sure. Can we be great? I kind of doub it. We are going to need someone to step up if we want to be in the elite conversation IMO.

 

[JumpinJack5]

This is a good question. I am thinking...it's not about being good but how good we can be. It's not just the C but the PG...perhaps moreso the PG. I don't think we can go far with that type of issue (if it remains). Can we do well? Sure. Can we be great? I kind of doub it. We are going to need someone to step up if we want to be in the elite conversation IMO.

Cash was on fire in the games w/o Yancy and Cheikh. Remember that sick reverse layup against Oklahoma and then the game-winning shot? Like you said, isn't just the C, the pg playing well is a must.