the_ouskull
10/27/2011, 06:48 PM
There could be half a dozen different ways to go with this, but based off of what I've seen to date, this is my best estimation...
1 - Carl Blair. Yes, our likely starting point guard will be he of the 25% 3-pt percentage and the 1.5/1 assist/turnover ratio. But, good news, I hear that he's been working on his "don't suck" this summer, so there's a good chance for a breakthrough. And, being less of an *sshole, he's had an entire year with the team, getting acclimated to Big-12 caliber competition, and preparing himself for the same.
2 - Steven Pledger. Our only decent (35%) long-baller in the backcourt isn't actually that decent. Even more frustrating is the fact that he actually shot 46% on his 2-point attempts. But, when he gets hot, he gets REALLY hot. He's like Calvin Curry's full-grown midget brother.
- - - In addition to being turnover-prone, the two of them are a defensive liability, too. But, these are things than can, and likely, will, improve under Coach Kruger. Outside of the starting two, we'll also see Calvin Newell and newcomer Sam Grooms getting some playing time. In fact, if he's as good as advertised, then Grooms could be starting over Blair at some point. He's not much on defense either, but he's a lot better with the basketball than anybody else we have.
3 - Cam Clark. A bright spot. Weird. Considering the sh*tstorms swirling up all around him last season, I'd say he had a decent rookie campaign. Now he's got to become a senior. This team needs this guy to "get it" right out of the gate. He's the only player on the squad (as far as I know/can tell) with anything resembling an inside/outside game, and he's got to be/come a dual threat like that for us to be effective offensively. Otherwise, our players are too one-dimensional. (Hey, Fitz has the ball in the post. I wonder if he's going to... speaking of.)
4 - Andrew Fitzgerald. As of today, this team's best player. Sadly, it says a lot about his team that a 6'8", 243 (ahem) pound post led the team in steals. But, he was an honorable-mention All Big-12, and well-deserving of that. He was trying his hardest to carry a sinking ship last season while keeping on a smile for the young(er) faces. Now, he's got help. So, since he's got a bit of help in the frontcourt, I'd like to see him improve his rebounding average, draw more fouls, and post a more impressive shooting perccentage than he did last season (really, 48.6, for a post?) while committing fewer turnovers. (an impressive 76, good for second on the team despite rarely handling the ball..) He has got to be the anchor for this team, and it's got to start with rebounding. He's not going to intimidate anybody as a shot blocker, but he CAN kill for position and take up space. And, if he's gotten better at drawing the foul on the offensive end, he'll be better able to show off his solid (74%) free-throw shooting - with the added bonus of piling up fouls on opposing bigs for a change.
5 - ...and this is where I start drawing a blank. It's going to have to be either Romero Osby or Casey Arent. Arent averaged 19 and 11 last year; a tough feat at any level of basketball - as long as everybody's the same age, Danny Almonte. (sorry for the cross-sport reference...) But, Capel said that Osby was the best player on the team in practice last year. Well, last year's team wasn't very good, and Capel got fired. Point, Arent. However, if he was better than Fitz, and they're basically the same player anyway (same height, Osby weighs slightly less) then it stands to reason that they'd both start, and the JUCO player would be the backup. But, since there's a new coach, they're basically ALL new players, 'cause he's (please, GOD) bringing in a new system.
- - - But, either way, they're both going to see a lot of playing time, since our only other (eligible) players on the roster over 6'6" are Tyler Neal, and a couple of guys who aren't going to play much. (Okay, C.J. Washington could see some playing time, too...) We're going to need Neal to be tough-as-nails, Washington to prove to be a capable fouler and drop-off-dunker, and the three guys that will actually see some real burn to play much bigger than they are. Three bigs in the Big 12 is tough, and doing it with an undersized 3 is even tougher. Cam Clark is a potential all-conference guy, but he's still just 6'6". And, there's still not a good defender in our frontcourt either, unless Osby is a monster-in-hiding. His averages at MSU don't indicate a monster. And, Arent isn't going to adapt to D1 comp right away, and he's going to need to get stronger to defend effectively.
So, it could be a long season for the Sooners... but, as much as it pains me to say (admit?) it, sometimes those seasons are the most fun. I'm behind the guys, no matter what. But, frustration is a stinky cologne, and sometimes I splash it on a little thick.
I'm workin' on it...
the_ouskull
1 - Carl Blair. Yes, our likely starting point guard will be he of the 25% 3-pt percentage and the 1.5/1 assist/turnover ratio. But, good news, I hear that he's been working on his "don't suck" this summer, so there's a good chance for a breakthrough. And, being less of an *sshole, he's had an entire year with the team, getting acclimated to Big-12 caliber competition, and preparing himself for the same.
2 - Steven Pledger. Our only decent (35%) long-baller in the backcourt isn't actually that decent. Even more frustrating is the fact that he actually shot 46% on his 2-point attempts. But, when he gets hot, he gets REALLY hot. He's like Calvin Curry's full-grown midget brother.
- - - In addition to being turnover-prone, the two of them are a defensive liability, too. But, these are things than can, and likely, will, improve under Coach Kruger. Outside of the starting two, we'll also see Calvin Newell and newcomer Sam Grooms getting some playing time. In fact, if he's as good as advertised, then Grooms could be starting over Blair at some point. He's not much on defense either, but he's a lot better with the basketball than anybody else we have.
3 - Cam Clark. A bright spot. Weird. Considering the sh*tstorms swirling up all around him last season, I'd say he had a decent rookie campaign. Now he's got to become a senior. This team needs this guy to "get it" right out of the gate. He's the only player on the squad (as far as I know/can tell) with anything resembling an inside/outside game, and he's got to be/come a dual threat like that for us to be effective offensively. Otherwise, our players are too one-dimensional. (Hey, Fitz has the ball in the post. I wonder if he's going to... speaking of.)
4 - Andrew Fitzgerald. As of today, this team's best player. Sadly, it says a lot about his team that a 6'8", 243 (ahem) pound post led the team in steals. But, he was an honorable-mention All Big-12, and well-deserving of that. He was trying his hardest to carry a sinking ship last season while keeping on a smile for the young(er) faces. Now, he's got help. So, since he's got a bit of help in the frontcourt, I'd like to see him improve his rebounding average, draw more fouls, and post a more impressive shooting perccentage than he did last season (really, 48.6, for a post?) while committing fewer turnovers. (an impressive 76, good for second on the team despite rarely handling the ball..) He has got to be the anchor for this team, and it's got to start with rebounding. He's not going to intimidate anybody as a shot blocker, but he CAN kill for position and take up space. And, if he's gotten better at drawing the foul on the offensive end, he'll be better able to show off his solid (74%) free-throw shooting - with the added bonus of piling up fouls on opposing bigs for a change.
5 - ...and this is where I start drawing a blank. It's going to have to be either Romero Osby or Casey Arent. Arent averaged 19 and 11 last year; a tough feat at any level of basketball - as long as everybody's the same age, Danny Almonte. (sorry for the cross-sport reference...) But, Capel said that Osby was the best player on the team in practice last year. Well, last year's team wasn't very good, and Capel got fired. Point, Arent. However, if he was better than Fitz, and they're basically the same player anyway (same height, Osby weighs slightly less) then it stands to reason that they'd both start, and the JUCO player would be the backup. But, since there's a new coach, they're basically ALL new players, 'cause he's (please, GOD) bringing in a new system.
- - - But, either way, they're both going to see a lot of playing time, since our only other (eligible) players on the roster over 6'6" are Tyler Neal, and a couple of guys who aren't going to play much. (Okay, C.J. Washington could see some playing time, too...) We're going to need Neal to be tough-as-nails, Washington to prove to be a capable fouler and drop-off-dunker, and the three guys that will actually see some real burn to play much bigger than they are. Three bigs in the Big 12 is tough, and doing it with an undersized 3 is even tougher. Cam Clark is a potential all-conference guy, but he's still just 6'6". And, there's still not a good defender in our frontcourt either, unless Osby is a monster-in-hiding. His averages at MSU don't indicate a monster. And, Arent isn't going to adapt to D1 comp right away, and he's going to need to get stronger to defend effectively.
So, it could be a long season for the Sooners... but, as much as it pains me to say (admit?) it, sometimes those seasons are the most fun. I'm behind the guys, no matter what. But, frustration is a stinky cologne, and sometimes I splash it on a little thick.
I'm workin' on it...
the_ouskull