2023-24 Roster

[hoyasaxa2003]

Sept 5, 2023 10:47:28 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

The fact that UVA says he could have played last year indicates that it was by choice that he didn’t play.

Did UVA say that, though? I don't recall seeing UVA itself making any statements. Some articles say he was going to redshirt, which tells us little because that could be by design (i.e., Dante/UVA wanted him to wait to save his year of eligibility) or by rule (rules forced a redshirt).

The old rules applied when Josh Smith transferred for example. He ended up getting a waiver, but in that scenario (which required waiting a season to play), I recall Smith would have had to wait until the first semester was over to play. BUT, Smith played in the Fall semester of that year, whereas Harris did not. So I am not sure, even under the old rules, Harris would have had to sit Fall 2023. At the time the Smith transferred happened, I had educated myself on the applicable rules, but I do not recall them with precision.

Bottom line: what this exercise has told us is that the rules are not clear. The NCAA really should issue guidance or add it as a question to their FAQ. Again, the lack of many mid-season transfers makes me think it's not possible, but it's unclear. When I briefly tried to look, I could not find any other mid-season transfers last year other than Harris. There had been rumors last December that Fardaws Aimaq was transferring from Texas Tech and would be eligible, but he did NOT transfer until the end of the season. So, his example doesn't help us either. But for what it's worth, when people were saying last December that Aimaq was eligible, he had not yet played at all that season. So, closer to the Dante Harris example, where someone doesn't play Fall semster.

With NIL dollars floating around, though, I just think that if you could transfer after 1st semester and play immediately, you'd have multiple people doing it to cash in. And that didn't happen last year.

[Lethal_Interjection]

[Lethal_Interjection]

[prhoya]

Sept 8, 2023 16:03:09 GMT -5 Lethal_Interjection said:

It’s a theme. I hope Ryan proves the doubters wrong.

[bluegray79]

Sorry -- out of some loop. What is the Blue Ribbon? Is there a way to see the whole thing? Can someone post or share it somehow?

Thanks.

[jackofjoy]

Sept 8, 2023 16:43:02 GMT -5 bluegray79 said:

Sorry -- out of some loop. What is the Blue Ribbon? Is there a way to see the whole thing? Can someone post or share it somehow?

Thanks.

Thanks for making me feel really old!!

[MCIGuy]

Blue Ribbon is out and I have interrupted my weekend biking activities to share with you what I can. Those familiar with this publication know that the REALLY HUGE breakdowns go only to the Pre-Season Top 25 teams. That said even the writing for those out f the Top 25 is more substantial than you can get anywhere else.

I will not give the full writeup. That would go against the rules and it would take too long. What follows are some of the most vital and interesting snippets:

Cooley found frustration during his transfer recruiting efforts.

“It was very, very difficult because we were also navigating the negative feedback we’re getting. ‘OK, how good are you going to be?’” he says. “If you want to see some of your big-name portal kids that everybody thinks are going to be really special, they had interest, but I don’t think they were coming based on what they felt how good we can be. So that’s what we’re dealing with.”

The new roster is a mixed bag. The Hoyas have no proven post presence. They don’t have what Cooley calls “a settle-me-down bucket guy”, not yet. Only two players on his roster weigh as much as 220 pounds. They have a veteran leader in Massoud, but Cooley lament, “We do have some church mouses in [the locker room] that don’t say crap…We’re going to have to teach guys to be vocal.”

“We’ve had some really good retreats together and bonding, but there’s no adversity. You’re not down 12 with 14 minutes to play at Connecticut. Can you win that game? You’re not up six at Creighton with three minutes left to play on the line for a 1-and-1. Can you make that a three-possession game? All those things come into play as you’re starting to build a team.”



The writeup is so up to date that it claims the Hoyas as only having THREE holdovers from Ewing’s team of last season. Of these guys Cooley says that he wants Heath and Bristol to be “tougher and more physical.”

Furthermore for all three he adds “they have to be accountable for production. I’m not just putting you out there just because you’re a good-looking guy. We’ve got to get more out of them. Ryan is a big presence. We’ve got to get him to believe in himself more, but he’s also got to put in the work. His body probably has changed the most since we got here. I think he’s reinvigorated and feels good about what we’re doing.”

Cooley is happy that Epps has been battle-tested as a freshman at Illinois. He also goes on to say “He’s made big shots, he’s made big free throws. We’ll be dependent on him to be a leader and finisher. Can he become a closer? You always need a closer at this level, whether it’s a bucket-getter or a free-throw shooter or a defensive stopper. Can he become Mariano Rivera?”

On Supreme Cook : “I call Supreme “The Terminator’. He doesn’t say much but he gets but he gets a lot done. We’ll play him at the five and four; he’s extremely athletic and versatile. I think he can go off the bounce a little against bigger guys…..He’ll definitely have the opportunity to play and get a lot of minutes.”

On Massoud: “He’s a stretch guy. I’ll play him at three positions – the 3, the 4 and the 5. But he’s going to have to rebound better, and he’s going to have to find a way to guard multiple positions. But I like what he’s doing. He’s clearly one of the leaders in the locker room right now.”

On Styles: “One of the better athletes I’ve coached, just athletically.” More: “ I think he can be a stud. We’re going to have to instill confidence in him….I think his best basketball is clearly in front of him. I’m glad we have him for multiple years.”

On Brumbaugh: Owns a “dynamic twitch”. "Will play on and off the ball, and can shoot, drive or pass". More : “I don’t know what he’s going to do when the bright lights come on, but I like what I see so far.”

On Fielding: “Coloey likes Fielder’s upside and that he has ‘really, really high aspirations for him in helping us re-establish this organization.’” More: “Because the Hoyas are lacking in size, Cooley says (maybe jokingly, maybe not) he’s going to ‘throw him out there and let him get his butt kicked in the Big East.’”

[MY NOTE] Interestingly enough this writeup gives Fielder a listing of 6’10 height and 220 pounds weight. Considering I pointed out how this same writeup claims that the Hoyas only have two guys in that 220 pound range, that would mean there is only one other than Fielder. Can that be right? I would have figured that both Cook and Mutombo were at that weight and frankly I would have assumed Fielder fell just short. I will await the official releases.

Also the writeup did mention Drew McKenna as a 6’8, 3-star forward who has committed to the Hoyas but “had yet to enroll by late August.” That is as close to an official update of McKenna since his commitment. And btw…3-star? Don’t do McKenna dirty like that. I should add I am of the belief McKenna’s upside is as high as any of the other players Cooley has brought in (and I love them all).

So that’s pretty much all I am going to share. My first main takeaway is that Gtown losing out on a number of those more high-profile transfer targets makes more sense after reading this. Certainly others will have their own different takes which may include that Cooley should have been a better salesman, but if most of these kinds wee only hoping to stay around one more season or even two, why not go elsewhere for better on-court success, even if the NIL money was at least the same.? The other thing that stood out to me were the remarks about Rowan. It would suggest that all that is lfet for Cooley to see is what he actually does in an actual college game.

[dense]

Hmm seems like Fielder will be playing some 5.

[prhoya]

Sept 9, 2023 12:53:47 GMT -5 MCIGuy said:

Blue Ribbon is out and I have interrupted my weekend biking activities to share with you what I can. Those familiar with this publication know that the REALLY HUGE breakdowns go only to the Pre-Season Top 25 teams. That said even the writing for those out f the Top 25 is more substantial than you can get anywhere else.

I will not give the full writeup. That would go against the rules and it would take too long. What follows are some of the most vital and interesting snippets:

Cooley found frustration during his transfer recruiting efforts.

“It was very, very difficult because we were also navigating the negative feedback we’re getting. ‘OK, how good are you going to be?’” he says. “If you want to see some of your big-name portal kids that everybody thinks are going to be really special, they had interest, but I don’t think they were coming based on what they felt how good we can be. So that’s what we’re dealing with.”

The new roster is a mixed bag. The Hoyas have no proven post presence. They don’t have what Cooley calls “a settle-me-down bucket guy”, not yet. Only two players on his roster weigh as much as 220 pounds. They have a veteran leader in Massoud, but Cooley lament, “We do have some church mouses in [the locker room] that don’t say crap…We’re going to have to teach guys to be vocal.”

“We’ve had some really good retreats together and bonding, but there’s no adversity. You’re not down 12 with 14 minutes to play at Connecticut. Can you win that game? You’re not up six at Creighton with three minutes left to play on the line for a 1-and-1. Can you make that a three-possession game? All those things come into play as you’re starting to build a team.”



The writeup is so up to date that it claims the Hoyas as only having THREE holdovers from Ewing’s team of last season. Of these guys Cooley says that he wants Heath and Bristol to be “tougher and more physical.”

Furthermore for all three he adds “they have to be accountable for production. I’m not just putting you out there just because you’re a good-looking guy. We’ve got to get more out of them. Ryan is a big presence. We’ve got to get him to believe in himself more, but he’s also got to put in the work. His body probably has changed the most since we got here. I think he’s reinvigorated and feels good about what we’re doing.”

Cooley is happy that Epps has been battle-tested as a freshman at Illinois. He also goes on to say “He’s made big shots, he’s made big free throws. We’ll be dependent on him to be a leader and finisher. Can he become a closer? You always need a closer at this level, whether it’s a bucket-getter or a free-throw shooter or a defensive stopper. Can he become Mariano Rivera?”

On Supreme Cook : “I call Supreme “The Terminator’. He doesn’t say much but he gets but he gets a lot done. We’ll play him at the five and four; he’s extremely athletic and versatile. I think he can go off the bounce a little against bigger guys…..He’ll definitely have the opportunity to play and get a lot of minutes.”

On Massoud: “He’s a stretch guy. I’ll play him at three positions – the 3, the 4 and the 5. But he’s going to have to rebound better, and he’s going to have to find a way to guard multiple positions. But I like what he’s doing. He’s clearly one of the leaders in the locker room right now.”

On Styles: “One of the better athletes I’ve coached, just athletically.” More: “ I think he can be a stud. We’re going to have to instill confidence in him….I think his best basketball is clearly in front of him. I’m glad we have him for multiple years.”

On Brumbaugh: Owns a “dynamic twitch”. "Will play on and off the ball, and can shoot, drive or pass". More : “I don’t know what he’s going to do when the bright lights come on, but I like what I see so far.”

On Fielding: “Coloey likes Fielder’s upside and that he has ‘really, really high aspirations for him in helping us re-establish this organization.’” More: “Because the Hoyas are lacking in size, Cooley says (maybe jokingly, maybe not) he’s going to ‘throw him out there and let him get his butt kicked in the Big East.’”

[MY NOTE] Interestingly enough this writeup gives Fielder a listing of 6’10 height and 220 pounds weight. Considering I pointed out how this same writeup claims that the Hoyas only have two guys in that 220 pound range, that would mean there is only one other than Fielder. Can that be right? I would have figured that both Cook and Mutombo were at that weight and frankly I would have assumed Fielder fell just short. I will await the official releases.

Also the writeup did mention Drew McKenna as a 6’8, 3-star forward who has committed to the Hoyas but “had yet to enroll by late August.” That is as close to an official update of McKenna since his commitment. And btw…3-star? Don’t do McKenna dirty like that. I should add I am of the belief McKenna’s upside is as high as any of the other players Cooley has brought in (and I love them all).

So that’s pretty much all I am going to share. My first main takeaway is that Gtown losing out on a number of those more high-profile transfer targets makes more sense after reading this. Certainly others will have their own different takes which may include that Cooley should have been a better salesman, but if most of these kinds wee only hoping to stay around one more season or even two, why not go elsewhere for better on-court success, even if the NIL money was at least the same.? The other thing that stood out to me were the remarks about Rowan. It would suggest that all that is lfet for Cooley to see is what he actually does in an actual college game.

Thanks a lot, MCI. Nice write-up! It’s pretty much what we’ve been thinking re: recruiting, but I’m glad to hear it from Cooley. As to Fielder, with 9 or 10 scholarship players, everyone will be thrown jnto the fire. I just hope he’s in tip top shape because he’ll need to work a lot on defense and have the legs to shoot the 3s. Finally, it looks like we have a great group of guys.

[bluegray79]

Sept 8, 2023 17:12:45 GMT -5 jackofjoy said:

Sept 8, 2023 16:43:02 GMT -5 bluegray79 said:

Sorry -- out of some loop. What is the Blue Ribbon? Is there a way to see the whole thing? Can someone post or share it somehow?

Thanks.

Thanks for making me feel really old!!

Hey -- just found it!  

[dariantownesvanzandt]

tick tock

[bluegray79]

Sept 12, 2023 10:41:00 GMT -5 dariantownesvanzandt said:

tick tock

Help a brother out -- what do you mean?

[TC]

Sept 12, 2023 11:29:23 GMT -5 bluegray79 said:

Sept 12, 2023 10:41:00 GMT -5 dariantownesvanzandt said:

tick tock

Help a brother out -- what do you mean?

He's being grumpy there's not an official roster released. People should use their words, it makes the message board more readable.

[guru]

Sept 12, 2023 12:22:31 GMT -5 TC said:

Sept 12, 2023 11:29:23 GMT -5 bluegray79 said:

Help a brother out -- what do you mean?

He's being grumpy there's not an official roster released. People should use their words, it makes the message board more readable.

I mean it is reminiscent of the old guard.

[kghoya]

Sept 12, 2023 13:13:37 GMT -5 guru said:

Sept 12, 2023 12:22:31 GMT -5 TC said:

He's being grumpy there's not an official roster released. People should use their words, it makes the message board more readable.

I mean it is reminiscent of the old guard.

Ronny wasn't the only problem.

[dariantownesvanzandt]

Sept 12, 2023 13:13:37 GMT -5 guru said:

Sept 12, 2023 12:22:31 GMT -5 TC said:

He's being grumpy there's not an official roster released. People should use their words, it makes the message board more readable.

I mean it is reminiscent of the old guard.

Meh. I can't nitpick the minor things that have remained the same when so much has already changed.

Honestly -- I don't care if the website ever gets updated, or if they provide some kind of official roster. I'm guessing at the very least they're dealing with some McKenna eligibility issues that are clouding the situation. Tre King had his issues, and that (and the subsequent posted roster) didn't get resolved until mid October.

I hope that's NOT ALL that's happening, i.e. there's an addition to the frontcourt of some kind. But it's getting late for that part of it -- and that's what the "tick tock" is all about.

Seeing Xavier & Providence pull last-minute replacement bigs - even if they were already in their pipelines - brought this all back up. Meanwhile we lost a presumptive starter (whose departure was an open secret all summer) from an already short-handed frontcourt. That was in the second week of August, and Cooley seemingly hasn't been able to bolster that lineup -- even at the back end with walk-ons.

I remain hopeful, but we're well into the eleventh hour here. Tick Tock.

[EtomicB]

This is a good drill could be even better by running a closeout at him but it's good stuff regardless

[dariantownesvanzandt]

guhoyas.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

[thedragon]

Sept 13, 2023 15:28:15 GMT -5 dariantownesvanzandt said:

guhoyas.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Six Walk-ons. Wow. Is that a Gtown bball record in the scholarship era DFW HOYA?

*I guess I should clarify that I'm assuming Bacote, Montgomery, Muresan, Assadallah, Kazur, Grant are walk on because they've either been reported as such or previously were. But it wouldn't be a shock if a couple got scholarships due to availability

[prhoya]

Sept 13, 2023 15:28:15 GMT -5 dariantownesvanzandt said:

guhoyas.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

15 players on the roster…just 5 (incl. Muresan) over 6’7”…

6’11”, 173 lbs, senior Muresan will have to contribute.

Without considering the SF (or 3) position, there are at least 80 minutes per game between C and PF. We have 5 front court players for those mpg.

Looking at those 5 players’ career stats, the most Massoud has averaged in a season is 24.3 mpg; Cook’s most was 26.2 mpg; and Mutombo tops at 11.8 mpg. Fielder and Muresan are dnp. That’s 62.3 mpg. Where do the other 17.7 mpg?

If Ryan is ready, I expect his minutes to increase to 17 mpg. Can Cook and Massoud handle more? Fielder and 6’11”, 173 lbs senior Muresan will need to provide the other 10 mpg.

Of course, this does not consider Cooley playing some four-guard sets or Massoud playing some 3 like Cooley mentioned.