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Post by sweep on Oct 16, 2021 7:21:25 GMT -6
. All wins will come through grit, effort, defense and rebounding. So you are predicting zero wins ?
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Post by 00hmh on Oct 16, 2021 9:00:11 GMT -6
In my opinion, I feel like this team feels deep because there are no standouts. There is nobody on the roster that will scare anybody. There is no discernible drop off in skill level from the first to the 10th player. Team speed is a concern. This team will not win any games pretty... All wins will come through grit, effort, defense and rebounding. On the plus side this is the tallest squad that ball state has had in several years. I hope you are right about depth. We've been too often sort handed in the last few seasons with key players unable to play or practice, and running our of steam down the stretch in tough games. Cochran and the injury ridden Jones may actually have standout potential as does Thomas.
We do have some size and probably won't need to play Acree defending power forwards which is good, but nobody really proven inside and Huggins is limited, and Hendricks so far a no show. Sparks everyone thinks will get to play, but how many minutes? I still think we will often play small with Pearson, Thomas, maybe Jihad being undersized on defense too often, but better able to use numbers and stay active. Cochran could be a surprise on the boards, he has some history going after the ball.
My worry is outside shooting, and proven ball handling in half court. We will have to keep pressure up defensively and get out and score some quick baskets on open shots. I could imagine a defensive oriented team, but don't want to see a return to Billy Ball. I'd be surprised to see those last second 3's be the way to win.
Not sure I agree about team speed, although we may not have a burner like KJ. Sellers, Jacobs, Thomas and Pearson are pretty good athletes.
With the exception of Sparks who is not real quick full court, and average quickness and lack of size with Bumbalough who likely plays a lot, we have average to good athleticism. The freshmen and transfers are good athletes. My theory is we lean toward relying on athleticism over shooting. Returning players Acree, Tsoukas, Windham, even Huggins and Hendricks, are not substandard athletes, more a case of lacking shooting.
We completely agree the question would be whether the team can find the grit and focus to put it together on defense. If the depth is good as you say that may make it easier to sustain the effort and to bench somebody who is in a funk.
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Post by sweep on Oct 16, 2021 10:12:50 GMT -6
In my opinion, I feel like this team feels deep because there are no standouts. There is nobody on the roster that will scare anybody. There is no discernible drop off in skill level from the first to the 10th player. Team speed is a concern. This team will not win any games pretty... All wins will come through grit, effort, defense and rebounding. On the plus side this is the tallest squad that ball state has had in several years.
My worry is outside shooting, and proven ball handling in half court. Odd for a team with seven guards and small forwards, and a coach that keeps talking about small ball. It's almost like Whitford is full of shit.
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Post by thebsukid on Oct 16, 2021 10:55:36 GMT -6
In fairness Sweep, Sparks is a legit post in the MAC along with Huggins who has proven to be able to provide good minutes. The 6’8 Freshman from Michigan is hardly a small forward and Thomas is a 6’8 Power Forward as well. Certainly Pearson and Acree are 3’s.
I agree with you that we are guard heavy but we certainly have more size than has been the case under Whit, fair?
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Post by 00hmh on Oct 16, 2021 12:23:26 GMT -6
In fairness Sweep, Sparks is a legit post in the MAC along with Huggins who has proven to be able to provide good minutes. The 6’8 Freshman from Michigan is hardly a small forward and Thomas is a 6’8 Power Forward as well. Certainly Pearson and Acree are 3’s. I agree with you that we are guard heavy but we certainly have more size than has been the case under Whit, fair? Fair. burton had a good point.
Thomas, Jihad, and Pearson can play as big as Hazen, not that any are ideal as an inside defender. Teague was not ideal in that role, but we have not been hurt as much as I expected with the teams we have had after Moses left. The good news is all can go get the boards and get out and run a bit like Teague.
All will have a chance to prove they can hit from outside and draw defenders out with them. If they can all will be reasonably effective. Acree was just too small and they all have more length so I think we are ahead of the game even if Sparks and Huggy cannot play a lot of minutes. If we have true center on the floor half the game, with the rest these guys we are better inside than we have been.
Sweep's point is valid in that I have always expected us to have better shooting to open up the middle of the court, and maybe excepting the year Kiapway was killing it outside, we haven't really had the guns we needed to play that way. Never had the a couple of triple threat wing players to make up for that who could exploit 1 on 1 match up from a spread offense. Way too often suffered from having players who could be left open or worse could be left to help out against us inside in half court.
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Post by realitycheck on Oct 18, 2021 10:25:46 GMT -6
I have zero idea of how this team will gel but all the new players, the size and athleticism are intriguing. I'm also strangely hopeful that the addition of Linc Darner will instill some ass-kicking for shenanigans or lack of effort. The bench is a great teacher and it feels like we have enough quality depth to play whomever is hot or getting it done. A good early sign will be if we don't play our returnees (Bumb, Teemu, Acree, Thomas, Huggins) as much because all the transfers and freshmen have won the minutes.
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Post by 00hmh on Oct 18, 2021 11:14:58 GMT -6
I have zero idea of how this team will gel...The bench is a great teacher and it feels like we have enough quality depth to play whomever is hot or getting it done. A good early sign will be if we don't play our returnees...as much because all the transfers and freshmen have won the minutes. Could not agree more. Need to see this crew play to tell anything. Great to see newcomers emerge but also a good sign if returnees win the minutes and are pushed by the newcomers to keep them. Or, maybe better, the best use of this team's physical ability may be sustained effort where we need the depth to maintain pressure and an edge. We really don't know, but the roster doesn't seem to have star players where we have the strategy available to depend on a few go to guys, need defense and finding the opponents weak spot more than exploiting our strength at a position.
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Post by comet on Oct 18, 2021 13:14:28 GMT -6
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Post by sweep on Oct 18, 2021 14:01:06 GMT -6
I have zero idea of how this team will gel...The bench is a great teacher and it feels like we have enough quality depth to play whomever is hot or getting it done. A good early sign will be if we don't play our returnees...as much because all the transfers and freshmen have won the minutes. need defense and finding the opponents weak spot Gosh did we get a new head coach, I don't see Whitford suddenly morphing into Brad Stevens or Scott Drew.
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Post by rmcalhoun on Oct 18, 2021 15:29:08 GMT -6
You know this is pretty cool and might actually mean more. This is the first time I remember this happening in a long time. Maybe just maybe this is not a team that whit is trying to hide.
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Post by sweep on Oct 18, 2021 17:02:55 GMT -6
You know this is pretty cool and might actually mean more. This is the first time I remember this happening in a long time. Maybe just maybe this is not a team that whit is trying to hide. No, he is trying to endear himself to fans in a last ditch desperate attempt to avoid being fired. It's actually damned childish and exactly what you would expect from a high level schmuck like Whitford. I half expect him to start tweeting again...............
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Post by thebsukid on Oct 18, 2021 17:05:16 GMT -6
I believe a few newbies to BSU will start...at least one and possibly as many as three.
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Post by mattg on Oct 18, 2021 17:23:59 GMT -6
You know this is pretty cool and might actually mean more. This is the first time I remember this happening in a long time. Maybe just maybe this is not a team that whit is trying to hide. No, he is trying to endear himself to fans in a last ditch desperate attempt to avoid being fired. It's actually damned childish and exactly what you would expect from a high level schmuck like Whitford. Maybe this was mandated by the AD? I wish I could attend one of these to see how the players interact/respond to Linc more than Whitford.
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Post by 00hmh on Oct 18, 2021 17:35:48 GMT -6
Maybe just maybe this is not a team that whit is trying to hide. No, he is trying to endear himself to fans in a last ditch desperate attempt to avoid being fired... It's actually damned childish... So, damned if he doesn't do something, damned if he does. Just what we'd expect of you.
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Post by rmcalhoun on Oct 18, 2021 17:38:37 GMT -6
You know this is pretty cool and might actually mean more. This is the first time I remember this happening in a long time. Maybe just maybe this is not a team that whit is trying to hide. No, he is trying to endear himself to fans in a last ditch desperate attempt to avoid being fired. It's actually damned childish and exactly what you would expect from a high level schmuck like Whitford. I half expect him to start tweeting again within the next few weeks.............. I thought of this as well and it's as likely as what I said. I have no idea what this year will bring but I guess the unknown at least makes it intriguing.
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