Whose going to step up this year?

[TheLivingLegend]

Imo last year it was Dion. He put in serious work in the off season and it showed.

I would assume the odds on favorite would be SK?

With Rashad graduating who will the bearcats turn to, to be their lockdown player?

Which freshman will have the biggest impact on the team this year?

 

[Who Dey Time]

Imo last year it was Dion. He put in serious work in the off season and it showed.

I would assume the odds on favorite would be SK?

With Rashad graduating who will the bearcats turn to, to be their lockdown player?

Which freshman will have the biggest impact on the team this year?

If we are talking about who will have the most impact on the team overall I think you have to say Yancy and Dion. SK and Cash (if healthy) will also be strong contributors.

If we are talking about the guy making the biggest jump from last season I'm going with JaQuan Parker. Everything that is out there this summer indicates that he is working his tail off and has improved tremendously.

 

[TheLongHaul]

Imo last year it was Dion. He put in serious work in the off season and it showed.

I would assume the odds on favorite would be SK?

With Rashad graduating who will the bearcats turn to, to be their lockdown player?

Which freshman will have the biggest impact on the team this year?

I think the offseason work for Dixon was blown out of proportion. Not saying he didn't work extremely hard, but he seemed to really disappear and play very timid for a large part of the Big East. I'm still hoping to see some significant improvement out of him.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

I think the offseason work for Dixon was blown out of proportion. Not saying he didn't work extremely hard, but he seemed to really disappear and play very timid for a large part of the Big East. I'm still hoping to see some significant improvement out of him.

Agree to a point. I think he had a very solid year with some ups and downs. But I think his game was much better overall then him as a sophmore.

Anyone know why parker isnt playing in deveros? Id like to see what everyone is talking about. I thought as a freshman he was a solid defender.

 

[psax889906]

I think Cash will be a lock down defender but that's at the point... on the wing is anyone's guess.

 

[dp3113]

Agree to a point. I think he had a very solid year with some ups and downs. But I think his game was much better overall then him as a sophmore.

Anyone know why parker isnt playing in deveros? Id like to see what everyone is talking about. I thought as a freshman he was a solid defender.

agree it was better overall. dion doesnt need to improve his game as much as he needs to improve his mentality. obviously his game isnt a finished product- but last years skills with a killer instinct to compliment it would have made him a 16ppg guy.

 

[psax889906]

I think we'll see 3-4 guys average in the teens this year. The starters are all primed for big years, save for JJ, assuming he's your starter at the 4. But I think Cash, Dion, SK and Yancy will have very strong seasons and lead this team. We'll be a little more top heavy than last year but I don't think that will necessarily be a bad thing because I think all 4 are capable of carrying the team from a scoring standpoint at one time or another.

 

[Not Guilty]

This thread is a little ambiguous to me but I'll try to answer.

Yancy is going to be our best player and I think we will see a pretty considerable jump from him. I think Kilpatrick and Wright will be our next two best players and I think the biggest difference we will see from them is an increased consistency (obviously assuming Cash is healthy).

I think Dixon will give us about what he gave us last year. I'm not sure what to think about Parker. I like what we are hearing, but I will have to see it to totally believe it.

Its starting to sound pretty clear that Mbodj will be a nice surprise. And I think we will see some mild improvement from Jackson, but nothing huge.

As for the new guys, I really don't know what to expect. I think a couple will contribute. But I'm not sure which ones. Guyn seems to be the safest bet in backing up Cash, but even that isn't definite.

 

[bearcat jeff]

I think the offseason work for Dixon was blown out of proportion. Not saying he didn't work extremely hard, but he seemed to really disappear and play very timid for a large part of the Big East. I'm still hoping to see some significant improvement out of him.

Dixon averaged just over 11 ppg in BEast play but did have a couple goose eggs in league play. Over his last 11 games, including tournaments, he averaged 12.5 a game. I'll take both of those numbers this season minus the goose eggs.

Sean Kilpatrick is my pick to step up as a scoring leader. I think the offense will flow thru Yancy and SK will play off that. Yancy and Sean will be our leading scorers.

JP was thought to be a sleeper out of high school. He had a good freshman season and obviously, by his own admission, fell short on effort and preparation last season. I think he will be a surprise this season. Not in terms of scoring huge amounts of points, but in terms of being a veteran contributor. He will be on the wing which will help him tremendously.

Imo, Mbodji and Gaines will be huge this season for the Bearcats in terms of blocks and rebounding. I like our frontcourt rotation, if not from a scoring standpoint, from the two points I just mentioned. Mbodji will give us a Thomas like season.

The freshman question can be answered in several ways to me. In terms of most important I think it falls on the back up point guard. I still hold to my belief that Guyn will be that guy and he will be very good in pressure defense packages. Long term I like Shaq Thomas to be a go to guy. In spite of the DSL I still look for Sanders to provide a solid contribution in a structure offense. Davis will remain a combo and could be huge off the bench, especially against zones.

My line up is this:
Cash/Guyn/Davis
Dixon/JP/Davis
Kilpatrick/Sanders/Thomas
Gates/Jackson/Ellis
Mbodji/Gaines

 

[Jinxy]

Dion - I expect him to improve his fundementals even more, his handle and decision making imo improved a lot last year. The question is, will he continue to find ways to be a scorer like he did toward the end of last year? The one thing he lacks and Mick addressed it when he said he can be too nice of a guy, is just to go for the throat on some plays. He can fly over people like a quality wing man, he can shoot and he has a moderately good handle. He should be a big contributer, I look for him to get 15-17 a game if he plays with intensity.

Cash - If his leg is healthier which by all signs it seems it will be, his shot will be more accurate because he will have more lift, he just last year really learned to be this teams point guard and I expect him to take the leadership role and improve as he did toward the end of the season. He won't have to play 30-35 in any games and I think that will be huge in his staying around.
I expect him to have a pretty good year, maybe 13-15 pts, 5-7 assists per game would be my guess.

Kilpatrick - He'll be better, probably more consistant with his scoring. I bet he'll also do better breaking defenses in the half court and make a lot of great plays for other guys too.
I'll give him 12-14 pts a game and probably a pretty good 3 pt percentage.


Gates - ... If he plays any bit better than he did toward the end of last year, he's going to be at 20 pts 9-10 rebounds a game.
I think he'll be more committed to getting the ball and to defense as well. I also think his post moves are going to improve and that he'll maintain a lethal mid range jump shot.


Mbodj - Dude is built in a typical NBA forwards body, has speed, can shoot and finish at the rim. I expect him to get blocks, be a damn good rebounder and give more on offense than Ibrihima.

The rest I don't know, but I look forward to seeing what Gaines can do. It's cool that between Gaines, Mbodj and Gates there are 3 true big bodies and Justin Jackson. Makes me feel a lot less nervous about the front court, couple that with a point guard who most people think can play right away in Guyn and Parker backing up the 2 spot, maybe even with Davis, you have to feel good about the depth this year.

 

[psax889906]

On Kelvin:

He is in great shape upon first look. In person his length is matched by his frame. I am really excited to see if he's able to use those gifts on the court. He should be an instant difference maker on the defensive end and on the boards.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

On Kelvin:

He is in great shape upon first look. In person his length is matched by his frame. I am really excited to see if he's able to use those gifts on the court. He should be an instant difference maker on the defensive end and on the boards.

Im excited to see what he brings. Everyone says that hes fearless and looks for contact. Anyone kno his vert? Heard he has some serious ups.