sleepy
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,079
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Post by sleepy on Mar 24, 2008 15:08:41 GMT -5
Next year I think our starting line-up will be: Sapp Pg Freeman Sg Summers Sf Monroe Pf Macklin C I think Macklin just needs more in-game expierence to make the next step. We all saw the potential against Pitt and St Johns, he just needs some confidence and some more time. Does anyone think Roy becomes who he is by sitting on the bench his whole Freshman and most of his Sophmore year? Freethrow shooting is a good example of this, we saw he CAN make freethrows against Davidson, he just needs to get more comfortable at the line. And I honestly don't believe that Monroe is going to start at any position other than PF since I believe a major reason why he didn't go to Duke was so he didn't have to play center. Next year will be interesting, as we will be young yet expeirenced. We lose the face of Georgetown basketball of the last three years in the 08' senior class, so these guys have to come out and almost create a new identity for themselves.
Question about the incoming recruits- Out of the three post players we have coming in, are any of their strengths back to the basket play? After reading some of the comments on this thread you would think we are going to become Villanova/Duke and be completely dependent on the three point line/ guard play. I realize we are losing Roy but he was really our only option downlow this year, as Ewing and Summers rarely ever scored using post moves. We will have Macklin and if atleast one of the freshman can score down there we already have more options than this year.
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chep3
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 2,314
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Post by chep3 on Mar 24, 2008 15:16:41 GMT -5
Vern will be a lot better with confidence. He's clearly improved, but he doesn't have the mindset yet to trust in his abilities. I think he'll be a lot better with a little bit more of a free reign.
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hoyaboy1
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by hoyaboy1 on Mar 24, 2008 15:32:02 GMT -5
I agree about Summers playing the 4. We know he likes to hang outside rather than post up - so isn't it better for him to have slower guys on him? It's not like he was forced to change his game to play the 4. The problem wasn't that he had to change positions, but rather that his offensive game didn't improve.
The only advantage for him at the 3 is that i suppose it would be easier for him to shoot the contested 3s that he's prone to take, but I don't think we want to encourage that.
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Big Dog
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by Big Dog on Mar 24, 2008 16:04:34 GMT -5
Won't next year be the first year where every single player on the team is a JTIII recruit? Obviously Wallace and Ewing were III recruits in a sense, but didn't Roy commit while Esh was still around? I can't remember about Tyler.
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
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Post by SFHoya99 on Mar 24, 2008 16:48:18 GMT -5
Won't next year be the first year where every single player on the team is a JTIII recruit? Obviously Wallace and Ewing were III recruits in a sense, but didn't Roy commit while Esh was still around? I can't remember about Tyler. Yes, although generally I think people place too much emphasis on this. It's not like Hibbert was holding us back. But he was an Esherick commit, as was Crawford. If we're going the JTIII recruiting route, we really need to wait two years, as his first class was his, but everyone who committed before we played a game is gone, and only Sapp survives. I still consider Sapp "first generation" of III's players. These were the Esherick recruits and the recruit Thompson got before he won anything minus Ashanti, Brandon and DJ who I put in an earlier group because they really only got two years of III. It's a great group of kids who accomplished a lot. I don't know if Thompson's second group -- who I consider starting with Summers and continuing on -- will out-accomplish them or not, but I do think there is a difference in the athleticism level, the hype and the potential. That said, that isn't everything.
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Post by gsurus1 on Mar 24, 2008 20:10:35 GMT -5
Not sure why some are outraged by the statement that we could be a 9th-seed in the Big East next year. I believe that as well - and STILL believe that we would be in the Top 25 nationally at the same time. The Big East has the potential to have perhaps the best year in a major conference's history next year. I believe that the league will have nine top 25 teams in '08-'09 (Hoyas included) - assuming no significant, unexpected defections of underclassmen, which seems realistic at this point, with a few possible exceptions noted below. Unfortunately, I think that Syracuse is a definite top-10 team if Flynn and Green return; with Devendorf and Rautins and a little more depth from the frosh class they will be unstoppable offensively - liable to lead the nation in scoring. Marquette loses no one of significance, and is a likely top-10 team as well (although I believe that McNeal should go pro this year - he is fantastic, and will be a poor-man's Dwayne Wade/Josh Howard in the NBA. James, on the other hand, will never see an NBA paycheck). Pitt loses only Ramon and Benjamin, so if no one else jumps the nucleus of Fields, Young, Blair and Gilbert Brown makes them a top-15 team (I'd guess if anyone tries to jump to the pros it would be Young, although I don't see it). Louisville loses Padgett, but would more than make up for it with Samuels and their other recruits. They should be top 5 if no one leaves early - although I think the odds are low that Caracter, Williams and Clark all stay. Still figure they will be top 10-15 if only one of them declares. West Virginia will have the best returning player in the Big East in Joe Alexander (who should also go pro - he is an easy lottery pick this year I'd think), and Mazzulla may actually be better than Nichols, the only guy they lose. UConn is top 10 if Thabeet stays and Price gets healthy, top 25 if only one of those happens. And Notre Dame with one of the best backcourts in the country and the returning BE POY is a top 10-15 team also. Villanova also loses no one, so is likely top 20. So I believe that the Hoyas should be somewhere in the 20-25 range nationally preseason next year, but still somewhere in the middle of the pack in the BE. This isn't a negative reflection on the prospects of the team so much as a result of the fact that the BE is likely to be the strongest that it's ever been next year by an order of magnitude.
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chep3
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by chep3 on Mar 24, 2008 20:35:53 GMT -5
On paper, it could be. But you have to expect that some people are going to jump early, some of them ill advised (Dominic James I'm looking in your direction).
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Post by daytonahoya31 on Mar 24, 2008 20:46:24 GMT -5
all of us can't be in the top 25 simply because we'll beat each other up. that and the fact that we were better than all of these teams this season and we have better talent than all of these teams coming in next season.
I wish people will stop underestimating exactly how good we have a chance to be next year...we have a chance to be BE champs again...only team I see that is as good as us is Louisville..people say we'll be young, but we have veterans in wright, sapp, summers, freeman, rivers etc. coming back...we'll have more than enough experience and know how to offset our incoming freshman class, which by the way is by far the best incoming class in the conference.
aim high people. next year isn't going to be a rebuilding season
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royski
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by royski on Mar 24, 2008 20:58:28 GMT -5
I wish people would stop underestimating just how good this senior class was based on one god damn game. If they'd held on against Davidson, as they likely do 4/5 times, and beaten Wisconsin before losing a tough one to Kansas, would anyone be talking about how we could be even better next year? Please. Next year IS a rebuilding year, and if you guys are setting the bar for success at a BE title or a final four appearance, you're in for a long, rough, frustrating season.
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Post by daytonahoya31 on Mar 24, 2008 21:23:15 GMT -5
royski,
I don't know you or what your problem is, but you need to tune down the hollering and the cursing via the internet...it's really not that serious.
That being said, I respectfully disagree with your opinion. First of all, nobody's underestimating how good the outgoing senior class is. I've been a Hoya fan since 1985, since I was eight years old and this is the best class that we've had in almost two decades. However, we have great guards coming back. I really believe that Chris Wright has a chance to be the best point guard in the Big East NEXT season. I really believe Austin Freeman is an all-conference talent NEXT season. I really believe that DaJuan is an all-conference talent, again, NEXT season. Same with Jessie Sapp, a tremendous glue guy. all four of those guys, along with Vern and Rivers add up to a very good team. and when you add the best recruiting class in the conference, led by a high school player of the year, you have the makings of a very good team...not a rebuilding one.
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Post by strummer8526 on Mar 24, 2008 22:20:57 GMT -5
I also respectfully disagree. This senior class was the most enjoyable group to watch and the easiest group to cheer for of any team I've ever seen in any sport (the '96 Yankees being somewhere in there for me). But w/out Jeff, you can't say that purely talent-wise they were irreplaceable. No, we don't have 7'2". But we didn't utilize that to its fullest anyway, this year OR last. No, we don't have Ewing's energy and (late in the year) outstanding athleticism. We'll miss that. No, we don't have the lights out 3 point shooter who was the coach on the floor. Again, we'll miss that.
But we've never seen Dajuan play as the LEADER in the front court, which he will be next year. We've never see Jesse and Chris run the team. We've never seen Austin play the 2. We've never had 4 incredibly high-caliber freshmen. So while we can't replace what we lose exactly, I'm not sure that we want to. It will be a different team, but it can be just as good a team.
I feel like the entire squad is going to collectively step out of this senior class's shadow, and two or three of these guys (I'm thinking Dajuan and Austin), can be monsters when given the reins.
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Post by grokamok on Mar 25, 2008 1:40:43 GMT -5
Four incredibly high-caliber freshmen:
Patrick Ewing Bill Martin Ralph Dalton (injured freshman year) Anthony Jones (transferred after sophomore year)
Take this as tongue in cheek - I assume you were speaking in the context of our more current situation.
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Z
Bulldog (over 250 posts)
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Post by Z on Mar 25, 2008 2:04:18 GMT -5
re: macklin--even in his "good" games, has anyone actually thought he looked like a serious player? i find myself wincing when he has the ball in his hands and any made free throw feels like mannah from heaven. not to mention the standard 2-3 wild block attempts per game resulting in 2 free throws each. he's awkward, his confidence swings wildly from set to set (and he has a tendancy to try to do way too much, particularly passing, after doing anything good) and his shot generally looks like it's being made by a man with no fingers. his good offensive games (i count three) result from wide open dishes and managing to shoot free throws as well as 80% of the guys at the local YMCA.
i think he's a good shot blocker but that's it. i hate to be so critical of someone who is obviously a great kid and a hard worker, but the talent and atheticism simply isnt there (MCD AA or not). truly athletic 6-10 kids tend to dunk the ball, even in traffic.
my MPG chart for next year assuming braswell is eligible (OK, my dream MPG since vern will undoubtedly get more minutes than this (starters listed first)):
5--Monroe (15) Braswell (13) Sims (7) Macklin (5) 4--Summers (13) Sims (11) Monroe (8) Braswell (5) Macklin (3) 3--Freeman (19) Summers (18) Monroe (3) 1 & 2 (interchangeable)--Sapp (26) Wright (26) Clark (16) Freeman (7) Rivers (5)
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lichoya68
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
OK YOUNGINS ARE HERE AND ARE VERY VERY GOOD cant wait GO HOYAS
Posts: 17,443
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Post by lichoya68 on Mar 25, 2008 5:21:34 GMT -5
we wil be just fine coach aint graduating just some great senior kids go hoyas
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Locker
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by Locker on Mar 25, 2008 5:40:45 GMT -5
If Greg Monroe is as good as a freshman as Jeff Green was -- a big if, admittedly, but within the realm of reason -- we'll be terrific. Let's see how good he is before establishing artificial ceilings on next year's potential.
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Dhall
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by Dhall on Mar 25, 2008 8:50:38 GMT -5
If Greg Monroe is as good as a freshman as Jeff Green was -- a big if, admittedly, but within the realm of reason -- we'll be terrific. Let's see how good he is before establishing artificial ceilings on next year's potential. Excellent point. While I am very reluctant to place value on incoming freshmen, sometimes they actually are good from day one. If any of Monroe, Sims or Braswell can be as good as Jeff his freshman year, or even DeJuan Blair from Pitt this year, that would make a big difference for us. Now if Monroe = Jeff AND Braswell = Blair, we are back in the running for the Big East Championship. Unlikely, but we can hope.
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theexorcist
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by theexorcist on Mar 25, 2008 9:01:31 GMT -5
If Greg Monroe is as good as a freshman as Jeff Green was -- a big if, admittedly, but within the realm of reason -- we'll be terrific. Let's see how good he is before establishing artificial ceilings on next year's potential. Excellent point. While I am very reluctant to place value on incoming freshmen, sometimes they actually are good from day one. If any of Monroe, Sims or Braswell can be as good as Jeff his freshman year, or even DeJuan Blair from Pitt this year, that would make a big difference for us. Now if Monroe = Jeff AND Braswell = Blair, we are back in the running for the Big East Championship. Unlikely, but we can hope. A few people I've talked about this with have made the comment that last year's team was much more fun to root for. For this one, ever since Roy taught Mr. Rice the Soulja Boy, it's always seemed more painful. You always knew that this team was capable of so much, and it was frustrating - to us and them - when they didn't thump people. I think that next year holds reduced expectations, and will be more enjoyable for the players and fans.
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Post by strummer8526 on Mar 25, 2008 9:04:28 GMT -5
Excellent point. While I am very reluctant to place value on incoming freshmen, sometimes they actually are good from day one. If any of Monroe, Sims or Braswell can be as good as Jeff his freshman year, or even DeJuan Blair from Pitt this year, that would make a big difference for us. Now if Monroe = Jeff AND Braswell = Blair, we are back in the running for the Big East Championship. Unlikely, but we can hope. A few people I've talked about this with have made the comment that last year's team was much more fun to root for. For this one, ever since Roy taught Mr. Rice the Soulja Boy, it's always seemed more painful. You always knew that this team was capable of so much, and it was frustrating - to us and them - when they didn't thump people. I think that next year holds reduced expectations, and will be more enjoyable for the players and fans. I agree, and I think part of it is that they were such great guys, we all wanted the best for them. It was impossible for us to feel happy FOR THEM if they didn't attain what they wanted to. To some degree, I think rooting for a team is easier when you're more emotionally attached to the TEAM (like last year) than to INDIVIDUALS (like this year, w/ everyone so much pulling for Jon, Roy, Pat, and Tyler).
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GIGAFAN99
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by GIGAFAN99 on Mar 25, 2008 9:17:05 GMT -5
If Greg Monroe is as good as a freshman as Jeff Green was -- a big if, admittedly, but within the realm of reason -- we'll be terrific. Let's see how good he is before establishing artificial ceilings on next year's potential. Excellent point. While I am very reluctant to place value on incoming freshmen, sometimes they actually are good from day one. If any of Monroe, Sims or Braswell can be as good as Jeff his freshman year, or even DeJuan Blair from Pitt this year, that would make a big difference for us. Now if Monroe = Jeff AND Braswell = Blair, we are back in the running for the Big East Championship. Unlikely, but we can hope. I'm probably the biggest freshman-hater on this board and if Monroe is anything close to his 900 highlight reels on Rivals and youtube, he's one of the best players in the Big East next year. Needs to bulk up to play in the league but he looks um...pretty good, yeah. Not a lot of limitations to his game let's say. I'll try to curb my enthusiasm until we see more.
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hoyaboy1
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by hoyaboy1 on Mar 25, 2008 9:43:38 GMT -5
I'm probably the biggest freshman-hater on this board and if Monroe is anything close to his 900 highlight reels on Rivals and youtube, he's one of the best players in the Big East next year. Are you sure his handle isn't too loose?
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