I went to practice yesterday for the first time and here are some of my takeaways. Maybe a little different than what some folks saw the other day in practice but mostly the same. I kinda put these in order based on who I thought had the best practice - again my eyes only, someone else might have seem it differently and admitidly it's hard to watch everything.
BScott: He made about everything he shot yesterday. I think we are going to see an imporvement again from him this year from the defensive side of the ball and I don't think he regresses at all offensively. A lot of truth to the idea that we are going to need him to score the ball - he is the only player on this roster right now who can score anytime he wants and a lot is going to be asked of him to just that. Still he can't over dribble and he has to make the extra pass sometimes because the defense is going to give him a lot of attention.
Clemons: Physically and mentally he is so far ahead of the rest of our guards. Based on what I saw yesterday I do not foresee JB taking minutes or a starting job away from Clemons at any point this season. Eve looked as good as anyone did, he did a great job penetrating and kicking to the wing - mostly Niels who was knocking down shots.
Niels: He made shots yesterday and that is what we are going to need him to do. I think he probably starts for Lansing early on at the 4 and probably keeps that position until/unless Kessinger fully emerges. I wish he gave us a little more defensively and on the glass than he does but I think he's going to get a big opportunitiy this year to make an impact.
Kessinger: Of the freshman that I saw yesterday he has the ability to make the greatest impact this season. As was reported this weekend he is crafty around the rim - I saw him make a couple really nice moves in getting to the basket. He didn't happen to finish on a few of the nice moves that he made but that didn't really take away from what I saw. He has bulked up quite a bit and put on some muscle. If I had to make any negative observation, he seems a little slow to me up and down the floor but we will see how it translates.
Barnes: I didn't walk away as impressed as some have been with Barnes. Don't get me wrong I think he is going to be a good one but I think he has quite a ways to go before he figures out how to play at this level. The game is really fast for him right now and he is making some mistakes because of that. I saw him make some poor passes that lead to turnovers and I saw him get ripped by Clemons just dribbling down the court to set up the O. JB can shoot the ball and get to the rim make no mistake about that. I just think physically and mentally he has quite a bit of work to do. Chances are he still backs up Clemons at the PG because we don't have anyone else who has emerged.
Murphy:It is going to be his job to lose this season. He had his hands on a lot of balls around the rim yesterday - wasn't always putting the ball in the basket but he was battling.
Rickman: Athletically is the best big man we have had in a long long time. He caught a pass in the lane yesterday cutting from around the free throw line took one step and dunked it really hard on someone - it brought a few people watching out of their seat in practice, it was a big ass dunk. The problem is he doesn't always look to finish that strongly, sometimes he just tries to tip it back or lay it up. I've never been able to dunk but if I was that athletic I'm pretty sure I'd look to dunk it every single time.
Bell: Think he has bought in to the team more than ever before. Glad to see him back as I had doubts that he would make it all the way back. I expect both Rickman and TJ will get a look at the 5 every game and Lansing will go with whichever one is playing good at the time. If I had a guess, we will see Rickman first off the bench at the 5 but that doesn't mean TJ isn't going to get a look. I'm not convinced that Bell isn't the best of the bunch, all 3 are pretty equal.
MVS: He made some shots yesterday which was nice to see. He also got beat defensively time and time again. I saw him get beat on cuts off the ball at least twice that lead to easy layups and I saw him get beat off the dribble a couple times. My guess is he will start the season at 3 but not sure he will be able to keep that job unless he just makes everything he shoots. All comes down to defense for him and it has nothing to do with effort - he just gets caught napping and he gets beat an awful lot.
Franklin: Pretty similar to what I said above. He tried to make things happen a few times off dribble drive but had nothing to really show for it. He's pretty athletic and handles the ball okay. I think those wanting him to be that 3rd scoring option for us better check those sentements at the door early on. Going to be a struggle for him at times I have a feeling - hopefully he can figure it out.
Claycomb: Give this walk-on a redshirt season and some time and he is going to play his way into a scholarship at Indiana State and it won't take long. That is as good of a walk on as you will see in the MVC. At one point during 5 on 5 we hadn't scored in like 10 consecutive trips and I asked Matt Renn sitting beside me if we had scored yet, about that time Claycomb caught a pass on the wing and made a 3 - Renn said now we have.
Paige: Man he seems like he is a really good team guy always helping the new guys out telling them where to be and what to do in a certain situation. Other than that he has never really impressed me. Simply said, he just doesn't make shots and you have to be able to do that at this level. He will find the floor at times but if he is the backup to Scott or Clemons this season it's going to be a long year.
Demonte: Had that deer in the headlights look most of practice. Knew he was on the floor but didn't notice him do anything good or bad for that matter. It's early and you got to give these JC guys to adapt to a new system. Just like individual workouts are one thing, practice is another and a game is a totally different animal. Hard to say which guys will thrive in that element and which ones will want to hide from it.
Deady: Is also a pretty good walk-on. They were running 3 on 2 fast break drill that they do every practice and he caught a pass on the block and threw a really nice behind the back pass to a cutting wing for a layup. Pretty impressive to see a redshirt freshman walk-on not be afraid to make that pass. I am not sure he ever earns a scholarship, but I wouldn't rule it out just yet either. He and Claycomb are as good of walk-ons as Indiana State have ever had and it's not even close.
Knight: Was hurt I suppose as he was doing some stuff on the side court. Not sure what the story is on this kid?? If you can't see the floor this season I am not sure you ever see the court. Lansing needs someone to backup Scott and Clemons and not one of the guys we have to back them up really excite me.
BScott: He made about everything he shot yesterday. I think we are going to see an imporvement again from him this year from the defensive side of the ball and I don't think he regresses at all offensively. A lot of truth to the idea that we are going to need him to score the ball - he is the only player on this roster right now who can score anytime he wants and a lot is going to be asked of him to just that. Still he can't over dribble and he has to make the extra pass sometimes because the defense is going to give him a lot of attention.
Clemons: Physically and mentally he is so far ahead of the rest of our guards. Based on what I saw yesterday I do not foresee JB taking minutes or a starting job away from Clemons at any point this season. Eve looked as good as anyone did, he did a great job penetrating and kicking to the wing - mostly Niels who was knocking down shots.
Niels: He made shots yesterday and that is what we are going to need him to do. I think he probably starts for Lansing early on at the 4 and probably keeps that position until/unless Kessinger fully emerges. I wish he gave us a little more defensively and on the glass than he does but I think he's going to get a big opportunitiy this year to make an impact.
Kessinger: Of the freshman that I saw yesterday he has the ability to make the greatest impact this season. As was reported this weekend he is crafty around the rim - I saw him make a couple really nice moves in getting to the basket. He didn't happen to finish on a few of the nice moves that he made but that didn't really take away from what I saw. He has bulked up quite a bit and put on some muscle. If I had to make any negative observation, he seems a little slow to me up and down the floor but we will see how it translates.
Barnes: I didn't walk away as impressed as some have been with Barnes. Don't get me wrong I think he is going to be a good one but I think he has quite a ways to go before he figures out how to play at this level. The game is really fast for him right now and he is making some mistakes because of that. I saw him make some poor passes that lead to turnovers and I saw him get ripped by Clemons just dribbling down the court to set up the O. JB can shoot the ball and get to the rim make no mistake about that. I just think physically and mentally he has quite a bit of work to do. Chances are he still backs up Clemons at the PG because we don't have anyone else who has emerged.
Murphy:It is going to be his job to lose this season. He had his hands on a lot of balls around the rim yesterday - wasn't always putting the ball in the basket but he was battling.
Rickman: Athletically is the best big man we have had in a long long time. He caught a pass in the lane yesterday cutting from around the free throw line took one step and dunked it really hard on someone - it brought a few people watching out of their seat in practice, it was a big ass dunk. The problem is he doesn't always look to finish that strongly, sometimes he just tries to tip it back or lay it up. I've never been able to dunk but if I was that athletic I'm pretty sure I'd look to dunk it every single time.
Bell: Think he has bought in to the team more than ever before. Glad to see him back as I had doubts that he would make it all the way back. I expect both Rickman and TJ will get a look at the 5 every game and Lansing will go with whichever one is playing good at the time. If I had a guess, we will see Rickman first off the bench at the 5 but that doesn't mean TJ isn't going to get a look. I'm not convinced that Bell isn't the best of the bunch, all 3 are pretty equal.
MVS: He made some shots yesterday which was nice to see. He also got beat defensively time and time again. I saw him get beat on cuts off the ball at least twice that lead to easy layups and I saw him get beat off the dribble a couple times. My guess is he will start the season at 3 but not sure he will be able to keep that job unless he just makes everything he shoots. All comes down to defense for him and it has nothing to do with effort - he just gets caught napping and he gets beat an awful lot.
Franklin: Pretty similar to what I said above. He tried to make things happen a few times off dribble drive but had nothing to really show for it. He's pretty athletic and handles the ball okay. I think those wanting him to be that 3rd scoring option for us better check those sentements at the door early on. Going to be a struggle for him at times I have a feeling - hopefully he can figure it out.
Claycomb: Give this walk-on a redshirt season and some time and he is going to play his way into a scholarship at Indiana State and it won't take long. That is as good of a walk on as you will see in the MVC. At one point during 5 on 5 we hadn't scored in like 10 consecutive trips and I asked Matt Renn sitting beside me if we had scored yet, about that time Claycomb caught a pass on the wing and made a 3 - Renn said now we have.
Paige: Man he seems like he is a really good team guy always helping the new guys out telling them where to be and what to do in a certain situation. Other than that he has never really impressed me. Simply said, he just doesn't make shots and you have to be able to do that at this level. He will find the floor at times but if he is the backup to Scott or Clemons this season it's going to be a long year.
Demonte: Had that deer in the headlights look most of practice. Knew he was on the floor but didn't notice him do anything good or bad for that matter. It's early and you got to give these JC guys to adapt to a new system. Just like individual workouts are one thing, practice is another and a game is a totally different animal. Hard to say which guys will thrive in that element and which ones will want to hide from it.
Deady: Is also a pretty good walk-on. They were running 3 on 2 fast break drill that they do every practice and he caught a pass on the block and threw a really nice behind the back pass to a cutting wing for a layup. Pretty impressive to see a redshirt freshman walk-on not be afraid to make that pass. I am not sure he ever earns a scholarship, but I wouldn't rule it out just yet either. He and Claycomb are as good of walk-ons as Indiana State have ever had and it's not even close.
Knight: Was hurt I suppose as he was doing some stuff on the side court. Not sure what the story is on this kid?? If you can't see the floor this season I am not sure you ever see the court. Lansing needs someone to backup Scott and Clemons and not one of the guys we have to back them up really excite me.
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