the_ouskull
3/22/2010, 05:44 PM
First, what do we have coming back?
- Pledger, Fitzgerald, Hardrick will all be sophomores or RS freshmen.
- Franklin, Warren, and Willis will be juniors.
- Allen and Davis will be seniors.
..and,
- We signed McCay, Taylor and Clark, who will be true freshmen.
-----
That's the roster. That's it? Wow. I mean, sure, we'll nab a couple of semi-names before the year starts, but this is basically who we're taking to the court next season... so let's look at 'em.
First of all, Hardrick, Franklin, and Allen won't be discussed. It's not because I haven't seen them play... it's because, to date, they can't play, and won't factor into our season much next year, whether we have 7 warm bodies or 10. If Allen suddenly learns how to box out, move his feet, and be aggressive enough to nab a whole 5 boards a game at his size, I'll start being more impressed. Until then, grab some splinters, 'cause 2010-11 isn't going to be easy...
-----
Backcourt:
- Well, T.J. Taylor, welcome to college basketball, sir. It's looking like, unless T.J. Franklin becomes the second coming of Brandon Jennings, you'll be starting at the point for the Oklahoma Sooners this season. Congrats. Good f'in' luck. You're a high school 2/3 that handles the ball because you do it so well, not because you're accustomed to doing so in terms of having things to do... like an offense to run... Going from that to college ball isn't easy. (Ask TMG if you can catch him on the way out...)
- Couldn't get enough Crimson, eh Willie? Maybe realized that your "me first, screw team" attitude was shooing away NBA dollars like a horses tail does flies? Someone finally tell you that a 30' contested three-pointer is the same thing as a turnover, only nobody writes that one down? Well, don't think that we're buying what's coming out of your mouth from under that tail. Until you show us that Crimson means more to you than green, this team won't do anything, and my give-a-sh*tter won't register towards you.
Frontcourt:
- Cade Davis. Is it just me, or, every year, does some undertalented, loyal-like-feudal-Japan motherf*cker on our team gets f'ed in the a...? This year, it's Cade Davis. He's skilled, but not talented. He's tough, but not athletic or strong. He's a freakin' winner. Easily my favorite player on this team, if for no other reason, 'cause he's been doing whatever it takes to win. Sadly, he's been doing more than his skills and body will allow already... and next year won't end much better for him. I just hope we pull a Miracle and make the Dance, for Cade's sake...
- Cam Clark is going to be tough to figure out. I think that starting him from jump will only benefit the team, assuming that he can handle playing a 3/4 hybrid in college, banging against guys a lot bigger, and often more skilled as well... 'cause he's skinny-as-sh*t now, and he's not going to get 200-210 pounds bigger before the season starts... not without losing some athleticism. If he can let the game slow down for him and immerse himself in the offense and in getting dirty on defense, he'll develop well, even with limited playing time. If he's thrown in and asked to be one of "The Men" from jump, he's going to suffer for it, as we will all suffer for it. Amen.
- Fitz... well, I guess that the logjam of bodies in the middle cleared up for you, eh? You ready to start running, every day, all summer long, sometimes 2-3 times in a day? You ready to become the man inside the man that you currently are? If you're ready to do that, and to get yourself around 220-230, then congrats. You're a starting D1 center. How's it feel? Yeah, I know you're undersized already, but with the team we're going to be putting on the court, we have GOT to have you, and you have GOT to be in the shape of your life, 1) to be involved with the offense; 'cause this team's going to run a bit, and 2) because you can't get tired and commit dumb fouls or we're going to be replacing you with Orlando Allen or Kyle Hardrick.
The Rest:
Pledger, Willis, and McCay will all see minutes. Hardrick and Allen will see them out of necessity as well. Probably more often than any Sooner fan would like to see... We need to see an increased commitment to rebounding and defense from both Pledger and Willis in order for them to see much more of the court than necessity will determine (injuries, fouls, etc...) they see.
Quick Glance:
Good outside shooting team, with very little post game, offensively or defensively. Teams will try to slow it down and take it down low on us, or set up high screen-roll plays to take advantage of size mismatches on switches, giving guards a slower man to drive on, and bigs a smaller one to post up. We have got to get zone-mad this season. I would go with a trapping zone, since, for all of our depth issues, overall team size isn't too bad... (A starting lineup of 6/3, 6/4, 6/5, 6/6, and 6/8 isn't too bad, top to bottom... and, with the exception of Fitzgerald, they're all long and fast enough to make for a decent trap. We're probably going to have to protect Fitz a lot defensively, honestly...)
Offensively, we have GOT to make free throws happen off of set plays and aggressively attacking the rim since they're not going to happen for us off of the post game very often. We need an Indiana-esque motion offense, with lots of spacing, and lots of screening. We cannot afford one second of "stand around and watch Willie," from the rest of the team, nor can we afford one second of "watch what I can do" out of Willie. We don't have the individual talent to take over a basketball game, offensively or defensively, but we have the makings (good ball-handling, good outside shooting, length, good passing - when they can be bothered to do so) of a very good "team" offense. It's just a matter of getting the guys ready.
Signing another big that can rebound and protect the rim would be super-duper, too, though.
So, youse guys thoughts on next season?
the_ouskull
- Pledger, Fitzgerald, Hardrick will all be sophomores or RS freshmen.
- Franklin, Warren, and Willis will be juniors.
- Allen and Davis will be seniors.
..and,
- We signed McCay, Taylor and Clark, who will be true freshmen.
-----
That's the roster. That's it? Wow. I mean, sure, we'll nab a couple of semi-names before the year starts, but this is basically who we're taking to the court next season... so let's look at 'em.
First of all, Hardrick, Franklin, and Allen won't be discussed. It's not because I haven't seen them play... it's because, to date, they can't play, and won't factor into our season much next year, whether we have 7 warm bodies or 10. If Allen suddenly learns how to box out, move his feet, and be aggressive enough to nab a whole 5 boards a game at his size, I'll start being more impressed. Until then, grab some splinters, 'cause 2010-11 isn't going to be easy...
-----
Backcourt:
- Well, T.J. Taylor, welcome to college basketball, sir. It's looking like, unless T.J. Franklin becomes the second coming of Brandon Jennings, you'll be starting at the point for the Oklahoma Sooners this season. Congrats. Good f'in' luck. You're a high school 2/3 that handles the ball because you do it so well, not because you're accustomed to doing so in terms of having things to do... like an offense to run... Going from that to college ball isn't easy. (Ask TMG if you can catch him on the way out...)
- Couldn't get enough Crimson, eh Willie? Maybe realized that your "me first, screw team" attitude was shooing away NBA dollars like a horses tail does flies? Someone finally tell you that a 30' contested three-pointer is the same thing as a turnover, only nobody writes that one down? Well, don't think that we're buying what's coming out of your mouth from under that tail. Until you show us that Crimson means more to you than green, this team won't do anything, and my give-a-sh*tter won't register towards you.
Frontcourt:
- Cade Davis. Is it just me, or, every year, does some undertalented, loyal-like-feudal-Japan motherf*cker on our team gets f'ed in the a...? This year, it's Cade Davis. He's skilled, but not talented. He's tough, but not athletic or strong. He's a freakin' winner. Easily my favorite player on this team, if for no other reason, 'cause he's been doing whatever it takes to win. Sadly, he's been doing more than his skills and body will allow already... and next year won't end much better for him. I just hope we pull a Miracle and make the Dance, for Cade's sake...
- Cam Clark is going to be tough to figure out. I think that starting him from jump will only benefit the team, assuming that he can handle playing a 3/4 hybrid in college, banging against guys a lot bigger, and often more skilled as well... 'cause he's skinny-as-sh*t now, and he's not going to get 200-210 pounds bigger before the season starts... not without losing some athleticism. If he can let the game slow down for him and immerse himself in the offense and in getting dirty on defense, he'll develop well, even with limited playing time. If he's thrown in and asked to be one of "The Men" from jump, he's going to suffer for it, as we will all suffer for it. Amen.
- Fitz... well, I guess that the logjam of bodies in the middle cleared up for you, eh? You ready to start running, every day, all summer long, sometimes 2-3 times in a day? You ready to become the man inside the man that you currently are? If you're ready to do that, and to get yourself around 220-230, then congrats. You're a starting D1 center. How's it feel? Yeah, I know you're undersized already, but with the team we're going to be putting on the court, we have GOT to have you, and you have GOT to be in the shape of your life, 1) to be involved with the offense; 'cause this team's going to run a bit, and 2) because you can't get tired and commit dumb fouls or we're going to be replacing you with Orlando Allen or Kyle Hardrick.
The Rest:
Pledger, Willis, and McCay will all see minutes. Hardrick and Allen will see them out of necessity as well. Probably more often than any Sooner fan would like to see... We need to see an increased commitment to rebounding and defense from both Pledger and Willis in order for them to see much more of the court than necessity will determine (injuries, fouls, etc...) they see.
Quick Glance:
Good outside shooting team, with very little post game, offensively or defensively. Teams will try to slow it down and take it down low on us, or set up high screen-roll plays to take advantage of size mismatches on switches, giving guards a slower man to drive on, and bigs a smaller one to post up. We have got to get zone-mad this season. I would go with a trapping zone, since, for all of our depth issues, overall team size isn't too bad... (A starting lineup of 6/3, 6/4, 6/5, 6/6, and 6/8 isn't too bad, top to bottom... and, with the exception of Fitzgerald, they're all long and fast enough to make for a decent trap. We're probably going to have to protect Fitz a lot defensively, honestly...)
Offensively, we have GOT to make free throws happen off of set plays and aggressively attacking the rim since they're not going to happen for us off of the post game very often. We need an Indiana-esque motion offense, with lots of spacing, and lots of screening. We cannot afford one second of "stand around and watch Willie," from the rest of the team, nor can we afford one second of "watch what I can do" out of Willie. We don't have the individual talent to take over a basketball game, offensively or defensively, but we have the makings (good ball-handling, good outside shooting, length, good passing - when they can be bothered to do so) of a very good "team" offense. It's just a matter of getting the guys ready.
Signing another big that can rebound and protect the rim would be super-duper, too, though.
So, youse guys thoughts on next season?
the_ouskull