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Bigs

C

citygriz

Well-known member
By and large and in general, all other things being equal, I'm a big believer in guard play. Show me two teams of comparable ability, and I will pick the one with the better guarda, however slight the advantage. And one of my great delights this year was watching Rorie and Oguine, and speculating how good they will be the next two years. I think they match up against any guards in the country.

But in these early rounds, it's the bigs who make the difference. Just the time you think a Mt. St. Mary's might take down a one, or North Dakota is rallying in the second half against a two, up pop the bigs, with their superior size, mobility and talent, and it really becomes no contest. A reminder again of how out-manned we were this year, especially against that killer non-con schedule, and how much we anticipate the arrival of Akoh, Anderson and Nicholas next year.

Dickie V was on a local talk show this morning, and commented on what he looks for in tournament teams. As I listened, I mentally compared his outlook to our Griz.
1. Cohesive team defense. (Griz: Very good.)
2. A solid offensive scheme, with few turnovers. (Griz: Good.)
3. Ability to make free throws. (Griz: Oh,oh. Not good especially in the clutch.)
4. A dynamic three-point shooter who can spark a run or wake up a slumbering offense. (Griz: Maybe my biggest disappointment this year. Rorie was our most consistent threat, but Gfeller and Moorehead slumped most of the year. I'm hoping Bevins and Falls remedy this for us next year.)

Of course, Dickie V. assumes you've got the bigs, that all other things are equal. Do we? Time will tell.
 
citay said:
By and large and in general, all other things being equal, I'm a big believer in guard play. Show me two teams of comparable ability, and I will pick the one with the better guarda, however slight the advantage. And one of my great delights this year was watching Rorie and Oguine, and speculating how good they will be the next two years. I think they match up against any guards in the country.

But in these early rounds, it's the bigs who make the difference. Just the time you think a Mt. St. Mary's might take down a one, or North Dakota is rallying in the second half against a two, up pop the bigs, with their superior size, mobility and talent, and it really becomes no contest. A reminder again of how out-manned we were this year, especially against that killer non-con schedule, and how much we anticipate the arrival of Akoh, Anderson and Nicholas next year.

Dickie V was on a local talk show this morning, and commented on what he looks for in tournament teams. As I listened, I mentally compared his outlook to our Griz.
1. Cohesive team defense. (Griz: Very good.)
2. A solid offensive scheme, with few turnovers. (Griz: Good.)
3. Ability to make free throws. (Griz: Oh,oh. Not good especially in the clutch.)
4. A dynamic three-point shooter who can spark a run or wake up a slumbering offense. (Griz: Maybe my biggest disappointment this year. Rorie was our most consistent threat, but Gfeller and Moorehead slumped most of the year. I'm hoping Bevins and Falls remedy this for us next year.)

Of course, Dickie V. assumes you've got the bigs, that all other things are equal. Do we? Time will tell.
Click to expand...

I agree with this completely. I loved watching NoDak make the run in the second half. Told my wife and 12 year old that they should start to throw it inside again because that's how they would win this. Sure enough, as you said, that's what they did. To just have the threat is big when you have guard play. You can pick and roll, inside-out, spread the floor, etc. I'm excited for the next 2 years of griz basketball, and hopefully as recruits keep coming, even longer.
 
There is a sophomore wingforward/center at Hunter-Kinard in Orangeburg, SC,.Marlow Gilmore that nearly took his A team to the State finals, a complicated process here. Would love to see a Griz coach get this kind of talent at UM. His coach thinks he might score 40 in a few games next year...6'5" plays best under the basket...There is also a young girl who is player of the year at Dorchester Academy, named Smoak who is a dynamo who could be pt guard or wing forward and has not, at least publicly, signed anywhere that I know of. If you follow women's bball you can see the level of play expected in this state! One or more young ladies like that could put UM back where it was when ladies bball was something new.
 
citay said:
And one of my great delights this year was watching Rorie and Oguine, and speculating how good they will be the next two years. I think they match up against any guards in the country.

4. A dynamic three-point shooter who can spark a run or wake up a slumbering offense. (Griz: Maybe my biggest disappointment this year. Rorie was our most consistent threat, but Gfeller and Moorehead slumped most of the year. I'm hoping Bevins and Falls remedy this for us next year.)

Of course, Dickie V. assumes you've got the bigs, that all other things are equal. Do we? Time will tell.
Click to expand...

I assumed that UM will ask Falls to use a redshirt year next year, you do not ?
 
Proud Griz Man said:
citay said:
And one of my great delights this year was watching Rorie and Oguine, and speculating how good they will be the next two years. I think they match up against any guards in the country.

4. A dynamic three-point shooter who can spark a run or wake up a slumbering offense. (Griz: Maybe my biggest disappointment this year. Rorie was our most consistent threat, but Gfeller and Moorehead slumped most of the year. I'm hoping Bevins and Falls remedy this for us next year.)

Of course, Dickie V. assumes you've got the bigs, that all other things are equal. Do we? Time will tell.
Click to expand...

I assumed that UM will ask Falls to use a redshirt year next year, you do not ?
Click to expand...

As a general rule, I am all for a redshirt year--an investment in the future. I most especially wish we'd done it with Qvale, who had evident talent from the get-go, but needed time to develop. His freshman year was a disaster; his fifth-year as a senior, had he had one, would have been spectacular. So I'm hoping we can redshirt all three of the incoming freshmen next year.

At the same time, we've all been saying the same thing all year this year--the future arrives next year. And given how proficient kids are today, how they play basketball pretty much year round now, and arrive as true freshmen in many cases with well-honed skills, I say, if any of these kids can help us next year--play them! Thus if Falls can help us with three-point shooting, play him. If Nicholas can help us on the boards or provide rim protection, play him. With the talent this staff has shown for recruiting, I'm no longer worried about the future of this program. Only results...now.
 
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