Oh where to start with this...
BK? As in Kessinger? Where have you been? They already said he is going to redshirt months ago. He hasn't even been cleared to fully participate in practice. That alone pretty much discredits everything you posted above, but since I am here.
"Gant and Kitchell will easily be replaced". Really? If your going to come on here with ridiculous shit like that you ought to explain yourself. Because the 3 guys that are replacing them have a combined experience of 125 mins total (or 3 total games) at the division 1 level. When the bio for the one guy with any experience reads "converted a conventional 3 point play vs. Wichita State
http://m.gosycamores.com/mobile/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=209519585&db_oem_id=15200 then you have got a long freaking way to go. To be clear I am not including MVS a natrual 3 as a replacement for Gant or Kitchell - sorry not doing that. Both of those guys were 4 or 5s and although MVS might play some 4 I'm not including him in this conversation. The fact of the matter is that for us to have a good season I think we are going to have to get a good deal of production out of the combo Niels, Murphy and Rickman. To come on here and proclaim that these guys will easily replace two guys who had solid Sycamore careers is not only disrespectful to them it is setting up the new guys for failure by creating unrealistic expectations.
So now that I have totally pissed you off and wasted my time back to sitting in a tree and waiting on a deer.
I'm not pissed... enjoyed reading your response. I don't mind explaining my thoughts in more detail – I just assumed most educated basketball minds understood where I was coming from and little explanation was required. LOL I hope you were sipping some bourbon while hunting...
BK – Yes – an unknown quantity this year due to red shirt? Also, this denotes he is an unknown quantity for next season also (for fans). I have seen him play several times so I “think” I know what he can do, but that is yet to be seen.
I think we are capable of winning every game we play this year. Will we? Heck no...
Regarding Gant and Kitchell, I love them as players and Trees... they were great for ISU. Their style of play was what it was and Lansing utilized their strengths and weaknesses very well IMHO. With the major ingredients of offense and defense returning from last season I think ISU is in a good position. The talent at 6'5” – 6'9” is pretty good. We are blessed with talent at the guard position, and I might add there seems to be unique talents at the guard positions that don't overlap much. This gives ISU some flexibility in subbing and game plans. Back to Gant and Kitch, well.... the 6'5-6'9” talent I mention bundled with strong guard play might render the ability to really stretch the defense – as Gant and Kitch did, but with more speed and agility. That's all... We lose some size but gain speed, especially lateral speed. Speed can really help secure good block outs, which will be needed. I see our 5 or center, whatever we wish to call him, picking up some trash and getting rebounds. Most of the scoring and defense will come from 1-4. The 5, and even 4, will have pressure taken off of him with good perimeter pressure, defending the movement (defending the movement will be key). You know, beating the man to the block, keeping the offense off their intended positions by a few feet, defending the cuts, and that keeps the offense out of rhythm. Murphy I think will do well when needed with his unique round-mound-of-bound build, Niels will do well, but there are a few other options even without them that we have this year. Please review the roster... I think we have 4 pretty solid players.... Last year's leading scorers and VS. Those guys can stretch on defense and offense... and look who is sitting the bench still if those 4 are potentially playing. I'm just saying the options are there and, yes, it would be nice to have Bell.... Being loaded at 1-3 and I say 1-4 with a strong bench at 1-3 gives us ability to keep the intensity level high the entire game. I think there are 10 players that can get some minutes and compete – which gives several options. I really don't think there is much comparison with last year's team and this years... They will be different out of necessity. I don't think we will need a great deal of production from Niels, Rickman and Murphy. We will need some production – but I see this team with much balance. Really, I need to get a definition on production. How do you mean that in the basketball world? Defense? Offense? Intensity? Intangibles? Intangibles don't exist in my mind – but to some they do. If I see it – I can measure it's importance.
FYI – I mention the “5” only for fun, a team isn't required to have a 5 or 4 for that matter. I can see us no taller than 6'6' on occasion. I can see us 6'1” - 6'6” most of the year with maybe Emondre, Niels, or the Round-mound-of-bound. The leadership of the main 4 can carry Emondre & Niels.
It will be interesting to see how we do against a talented 6'10” big. That will be interesting. Overall, what ISU lost - can be replaced.
I try not to get caught up in defining player positions... It's the coaches job to put a player in a position to create a positive outcome. For instance we can play 4 players 6'1"-6'6". Who is the 1,2,3,4? It's simple. It does not matter. Does our offense get designed for 1-5 players or for John, Roy, Larry, Ricky & Eddie? It gets designed for the players, not the positions... It gets design based on the conditions. Right? Maybe the foundation of the offense relies on 1-5 positions, but the coaches and players refine it to the benefit of a positive outcome.
I also don't think UE is getting the respect they deserve. They will be pretty good.
