James, Buford, and Manyang

[pnkranger]

I really liked what I saw out of these three last night. They've got fresh legs and played hungry. If that's our core next year (with Woodard and Lattin), I'm pretty comfortable with that.

James, especially, has a calm demeanor and makes good decisions. He's deceptively quick and athletic. I wish Odomes could get some run so he could get a taste of conference play...

 

[AdaSooner]

Agreed. The players we'll lose after this season will almost certainly have a huge impact on our success next year. But, all is not lost with Lattin, Woodard and the three you listed here still around. Add some key pieces like Odomes, McNeace, McGusty, Freeman, Doolittle and Strong, and the cupboard will not be bare by any means.

 

[trevahoma]

With Ryan struggling like he was (and considering his nagging injury), Manyang should've gotten more minutes. He doesn't help much offensively, but he prevented offensive rebounds and there were no easy points around the basket.

 

[DenverSooner]

Agreed. The players we'll lose after this season will almost certainly have a huge impact on our success next year. But, all is not lost with Lattin, Woodard and the three you listed here still around. Add some key pieces like Odomes, McNeace, McGusty, Freeman, Doolittle and Strong, and the cupboard will not be bare by any means.

You forgot Grandstaff. He was a pretty big time recruit that has D-1 experience and will have practiced with the team for a year by the time conference play rolls around. I am excited for Strong but I actually think Grandstaff will be a more polished player next January.

 

[CMSOONER]

With Ryan struggling like he was (and considering his nagging injury), Manyang should've gotten more minutes. He doesn't help much offensively, but he prevented offensive rebounds and there were no easy points around the basket.

The only problem is AK fouls a lot. More PT will remedy this, but not against a KU, ISU, WVU caliber team. He needs to get as much run as possiblt against teams like OSU, Tech, TCU. Down the stretch ISU would have attacked AK and gotten to the FT line. I agree with more minutes, just not heavy minutes down the stretch.

 

[j2d2]

Odomes will get more playing time as he gets better defensively(I think that's his problem)).

 

[AdaSooner]

You forgot Grandstaff. He was a pretty big time recruit that has D-1 experience and will have practiced with the team for a year by the time conference play rolls around. I am excited for Strong but I actually think Grandstaff will be a more polished player next January.

You're right, since he will not be available until the second semester, I forgot about him. He will definitely be a nice addition to what should be a team with tons of talent and potential. Much will depend on leadership, because our experience will be somewhat limited. I'm hoping Jordan and Khadeem will fill the leadership shoes to some extent, with the possibility of one of our returning freshmen from this season playing a role as well. Christian James comes immediately to mind.

The only problem is AK fouls a lot. More PT will remedy this, but not against a KU, ISU, WVU caliber team. He needs to get as much run as possiblt against teams like OSU, Tech, TCU. Down the stretch ISU would have attacked AK and gotten to the FT line. I agree with more minutes, just not heavy minutes down the stretch.

Manyang still has a lot to learn on both sides of the ball, especially on defense.

He continues to move out to the top of the key sometimes to guard a player who is not a threat to score from deep. It's not so much what he does so much as how he does it. He gets down low like a leopard stalking a gazelle and rushes to a spot, making it too easy to shot fake and drive on him, which usually forces him to foul or be out of position to effectively block or prevent a shot.

Seems to me he should have learned not to do that by now. Then again, maybe there's a reason for it that I don't understand.

 

[Max Power]

You're right, since he will not be available until the second semester, I forgot about him. He will definitely be a nice addition to what should be a team with tons of talent and potential. Much will depend on leadership, because our experience will be somewhat limited. I'm hoping Jordan and Khadeem will fill the leadership shoes to some extent, with the possibility of one of our returning freshmen from this season playing a role as well. Christian James comes immediately to mind.



Manyang still has a lot to learn on both sides of the ball, especially on defense.

He continues to move out to the top of the key sometimes to guard a player who is not a threat to score from deep. It's not so much what he does so much as how he does it. He gets down low like a leopard stalking a gazelle and rushes to a spot, making it too easy to shot fake and drive on him, which usually forces him to foul or be out of position to effectively block or prevent a shot.

Seems to me he should have learned not to do that by now. Then again, maybe there's a reason for it that I don't understand.

at the Juco level more times than not you can get away with a lot of things by just being 7'0" tall. in the Big 12 it's not that easy. Most games from high school to know he was most likely at most facing 1 or 2 guys that could play on power 5 teams, and i would bet most of them were a lot smaller than him.

 

[BoulderSooner]

You're right, since he will not be available until the second semester

keep in mind that grandstaff can play on the first day after the first semester ends ...

dec 17th I believe .. he will only miss 6 or 7 games .. and he can play in the preseason games

 

[okhoops918]

This year is it for us.

Can't see us contending for conference next year. Possibly a tourny team but you don't lose one of the best rebounders in the country, the best SG in the country, one of the best PG/CG's in the conference, and our best 6th man and not take a big step back.

Our lineup next year will be:
PG Woodard
SG McGusty/Grandstaff
SF Odomes/James/Buford
PF Buford/Doolittle/Freeman
C Lattin/Manyang

That's not a bad lineup but we would need significant offensive improvement from Buford or one of the PF freshman to be good. Also you lose a ton of rebuonding at the PF spot.

Woodard has been playing less PG this year, does that hurt next year?

Odomes and james have looked decent but can we even really expect 1 of them to avg 10ppg? Much less be a significant offensive prescence?

Is Mcgusty a big time scorer enough to come in and avg 10+ppg? No idea. What about Grandstaff? He couldn't break the lineup on a average Ohio State team who struggles to score.

Woodard will be a nice stabilization but I honestly don't see him doing as well without Cousins and Hield.

 

[oudna]

Hopefully Strong and Jamuni can contribute.

Our lineup next year will be:
PG Woodard
SG McGusty/Grandstaff
SF Odomes/James/Buford
PF Buford/Doolittle/Freeman
C Lattin/Manyang

 

[BoulderSooner]

ou will be a top 5 team in the big 12 next year and make the dance with ease ..

 

[Zimwillett]

Hopefully Strong and Jamuni can contribute.

If healthy, Strong will definitely contribute. I also think James is a starter next year.

The biggest question marks are (1) who, if anyone, will emerge as a "go to" scorer; and (2) who will replace Spangler's physical presence down low. I think the scoring may be done more by committee. The post presence is a bigger concern to me. I like OU's bigs next year from an athletic standpoint, but I'm not sure any of them have the physical mentality you need sometimes.

 

[sperry]

I have faith that Kruger will whip the team next year into good form, but we will be relying on a lot of unknowns. I think we should be really good defensively, I'm just a little bit worried about where offense will come from (although getting Grandstaff at semester will help a lot on that front).

 

[DenverSooner]

keep in mind that grandstaff can play on the first day after the first semester ends ...

dec 17th I believe .. he will only miss 6 or 7 games .. and he can play in the preseason games

Not being available for the first 6 or 7 games might not be so bad, if OU can win them and get extra experience for other guys. He already got that experience and will have the experience of practicing against OU and Ohio State. He should understand the speed of D-1 ball.