A telling stat

[BigTime]

Cameron Clark (who started all 32 games last year) averaged 4.5 rebounds per game while shifting around the wing and even some post. Averaged 33 minutes per game.

Drew Fitzgerald only averaged 5 rebounds per game as our primary post player at just over 30 minutes per game.

CJ Washington averaged 3.1 rpg in only 12 minutes per contest.

What that tells me is that CJ is a guy who CAN rebound at this level (would be averaging close to 9 per game if he were playing as many minutes as Cam and close to 8 per game if he were playing as many minutes as Fitz. I assume that Washington will play even better this year (he needs to learn to not pick up "stupid fouls") as most JUCOs step it up during their second year.

Drew Fitzgerald has got to find a way to either increase his rebounding or at least make sure that he gets a body on the other team's best rebounder in which case we will need to gang rebound with guys like Cam, bird, and Osby.

Cam is a guy that I think has the opportunity/should get 6 boards per game with his athleticism (I am hoping at least one is a putback style dunk ala Johnnie Gilbert). I am looking for him to get serious with that role and to embrace it much like Cade and Crocker did during their upperclassmen years.

In short, rebounding may just do us in this year (I hope Osby can really help in that department).

 

[campbest]

Clark's rebounding was my biggest criticism of him last year, I know he was a freshman, but there were games where he was non-existent on the glass. A kid that athletic, gettting that many minutes, should be rebounding the ball at a higher rate.

In his defense, he did get better toward the end of the year but there was a time where he was pulling down three boards a game.

 

[AdaSooner]

Rebounding is mostly about wanting it more than the other guy. C. J. and Cade were the only players on last year's team who showed that kind of determination in going after loose balls and rebounds. Problem with C. J. is that he did not bring much to the floor on offense. If he has put in the time to improve his game on the offensive end during the off season, I think we'll see a lot more of him this fall.

I agree that Cam could have (and should have) been more of a factor on the boards last year. There is no reason whatsoever that a kid with his athleticism, quickness and hops should average a meager 4.5 rpg with that many minutes on the floor.

I have a feeling that LK will see to it that all of the returning players from last year's team learn to block out, rebound and play hard on defense, or find a comfortable seat on the bench and watch the game from a coach's perspective. At least I hope that's what we see this season. I, for one, am tired of watching scholarship athletes go through the motions like they don't have a clue about how to man up on D or block out on rebounds.

 

[garyeb2]

Clark's rebounding was my biggest criticism of him last year, I know he was a freshman, but there were games where he was non-existent on the glass. A kid that athletic, gettting that many minutes, should be rebounding the ball at a higher rate.

In his defense, he did get better toward the end of the year but there was a time where he was pulling down three boards a game.

I'm a big Cameron fan and don't want to knock him much. But, he did go quiet some on the offensive end too.

My thoughts all along were that he needed more coaching than he was getting. Not so much fundementals. But more someone defining his role for him and then insist that he fill it.

I don't think that will be a problem going forward.

 

[BigTime]

Clark's rebounding was my biggest criticism of him last year, I know he was a freshman, but there were games where he was non-existent on the glass. A kid that athletic, gettting that many minutes, should be rebounding the ball at a higher rate.

In his defense, he did get better toward the end of the year but there was a time where he was pulling down three boards a game.

I'm a big Cameron fan and don't want to knock him much. But, he did go quiet some on the offensive end too.

My thoughts all along were that he needed more coaching than he was getting. Not so much fundementals. But more someone defining his role for him and then insist that he fill it.


I don't think that will be a problem going forward.

Spot on post, gary.