Leading Scorer next Season

[Sam]

Top Candidates

Senior - Cade Davis - averaged 9.9 points per game and shot 39% from the field ( % three point range, scored over 20 points four times ;ast year

What he has going for him - most experienced and is the top returner scorer

What he has going against him - streaky shooter from deep, needs to continue to work on driving skills

Freshman - Cameron Clark - top 30 recruit, most "hyped" of this incoming class

What he has going for him - might be the most "talented" player on the team, very athletic and can score in a variety of ways (midrange, driving, offensive glass)

What he has going against him - is only a freshman and due to slight frame could have issues adjusting to the rough and tough Big 12

Sophomore - Carl Blair - Incoming transfer from New Orleans, 9.2 points per game on 40% Field Goal shooting (33% three)

What he has going for him - after Cade has logged the most minutes in Division 1 basketball.

What he has against him - Not sure how much of a true scorer he is, might be better in a complimentary role as a pass first point guard than a true number 1 option

Sophomore - Andrew Fitzgerald - average 4.8 points a game on 51% from the field

What he has going for him - A good mid range game and overall post package, most experience at Division 1 of any post player on OU's roster

What he has against him - Somewhat limited athletically, not sure how much a true consistent low post threat he really is at this time

Junior - C.J. Washington -Juco transfer who averaged 19.8 Points per game and shot 62% from the field

What he has going for him - Scored well at the junior college level, can score off putbacks given his motor on the offensive glass. Can hit the open jumper

What he has going against - a little undersized (6'7) for the college level, will his more back to the basket game be effective in big 12 play

Freshman - T.J. Taylor - Top 100 recruit that is a combo guard

What he has going for him - Can play the point or the two. Might be the most division one ready (body, polished) of all incoming freshman. Has shown the ability to score in traffic and shoot the ball well

What he has going against him - Still a freshman, might not start. How will he adjust to the bigger players in the lane. (my "sleeper" type pick for this)

 

[Oscar Uniform]

I hope somebody steps up and proves me wrong, but I chose Cade. I haven't done the math but I'm guessing he has more career D1 college basketball points than the rest of the team combined.

 

[Mr.B!!!]

Went with Washington. Think that he will get a bunch of hustle points off the boards.

 

[Edmond_Sooner]

This is one of the hardest polls ever...

It was hard going against Cade, he will be on the court a lot and has experience...could very well see him around 12, 13 a game and leading the team in scoring...

Couldnt go with a freshman or transfer...ended up going with Pledger (other)...I feel he will be much improved and the added playing time and sharp shooting will give him the opportunity to score, where i think i probably will be wrong is he is very one deminsional and other than a couple of games hasnt proven he can do it at this level.....

This team could very well have 3 or 4 guys hovering around 10 a game..

 

[Max Power]

For me it was down to Cade and Cam, and even though Cade is a Sr., college basketball is a sport where freshmen can shine from the beginning if they are the real deal. That's why I went with Cam

 

[SoonerDAZE]

If Newell is the starting PG for most of the year or gets most of the crunch-time minutes at the 1, he'll lead this team in scoring. Everything I've read leads me to believe his capacity for scoring is extremely high and is diverse in nature.

In a situation with no clear-cut, go-to guy offensively, a player controlling the ball is typically way more likely to be aggressive than those who play off the ball and typically only touch it within the structure of the offense.

That said, unless someone steps into that go-to role for us during the summer and the time leading up to first practice, I put my money on a guy like Newell. The guy has averaged 29.4 pts and 26.1 pts a game the last two seasons in high school and prep school, respectively.

Even if you're playing really weak competition, there is a mentality that goes into being a consistent volume scorer. He certainly seems to have that, as well as a fairly well-rounded skill set. If he gets major minutes, and until someone with a more big-time offensive game that better translates to long-term, high-level success (read: Cameron Clark) steps up; I say watch out for Newell as the leading scorer.

 

[sharp1]

Pledger is the only "proven" scorer of this bunch...Wait until you see him play with a pg that passes!

 

[sharp1]

Top Candidates

Senior - Cade Davis - averaged 9.9 points per game and shot 39% from the field ( % three point range, scored over 20 points four times ;ast year

What he has going for him - most experienced and is the top returner scorer

What he has going against him - streaky shooter from deep, needs to continue to work on driving skills

Freshman - Cameron Clark - top 30 recruit, most "hyped" of this incoming class

What he has going for him - might be the most "talented" player on the team, very athletic and can score in a variety of ways (midrange, driving, offensive glass)

What he has going against him - is only a freshman and due to slight frame could have issues adjusting to the rough and tough Big 12

Sophomore - Carl Blair - Incoming transfer from New Orleans, 9.2 points per game on 40% Field Goal shooting (33% three)

What he has going for him - after Cade has logged the most minutes in Division 1 basketball.

What he has against him - Not sure how much of a true scorer he is, might be better in a complimentary role as a pass first point guard than a true number 1 option

Sophomore - Andrew Fitzgerald - average 4.8 points a game on 51% from the field

What he has going for him - A good mid range game and overall post package, most experience at Division 1 of any post player on OU's roster

What he has against him - Somewhat limited athletically, not sure how much a true consistent low post threat he really is at this time

Junior - C.J. Washington -Juco transfer who averaged 19.8 Points per game and shot 62% from the field

What he has going for him - Scored well at the junior college level, can score off putbacks given his motor on the offensive glass. Can hit the open jumper

What he has going against - a little undersized (6'7) for the college level, will his more back to the basket game be effective in big 12 play

Freshman - T.J. Taylor - Top 100 recruit that is a combo guard

What he has going for him - Can play the point or the two. Might be the most division one ready (body, polished) of all incoming freshman. Has shown the ability to score in traffic and shoot the ball well

What he has going against him - Still a freshman, might not start. How will he adjust to the bigger players in the lane. (my "sleeper" type pick for this)

Amazing that Pledger wasnt mentioned, scored 18 in his last game, loooks great on the conditioning vid...Just wait

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Pledger is the only "proven" scorer of this bunch...Wait until you see him play with a pg that passes!

how is he proven? esp over Davis?:facepalm

 

[p230]

I am going to go with Cade. Experience is worth a lot.

 

[stoopified]

While Cade is the leading returning scorer,I do not expect him to be the leading score this season.While I admire Cade's hard work and hardnosed attitude he is NOT a gifted scorer.The only reason he ended up averaging ALMOST in double digits is because Warren and Crocker were either out or hampered by injury the last half of the season and the rest of the team was on autopilot.

Secondly if you look at Cade's career fg %,it is below 40% and his 3pt shooting is around 33%.If your leading scorer shoots at that rate,you are definitely in for a long season. Cade IMHO will finish the season and his career pretty much as it has been for most of his career: as the first or second guy off the bench.

AS for who will lead the Sooners in scoring,it is anybody's guess.The most likely person would be someone who is at least an average shooter(45% or above).Since our most highly prized recruits are perimeter players,those are the most likely candidates.Blair,Newell are pointguards and should by trade be pass first guys.Pledger based on his performance so far seems to be pretty much a spotup shooter and therefore an unlikely top scorer.That Leaves Clarke and Taylor and assuming one of them comes anywhere close to prep rating ,that would be my pick.I think Clark at 6'6 with driving ability and shooting touch is my best guess.

Wildcards abound of course,such as what if Ahmed is D-1 ready?Maybe CJ rebounds his butt off and scores a lot of putback points? What if Neal comes and shows why he was Gatorade POY for Oklahoma?Can Thompson play more than 1/2 a game? Will an in shape Fitz assert himself down low?Could Hardrick shock the Sooner world and impact this team?I hope all this happens but I have my doubts,I hope at least some of it happens but I don't see anyone in this paragraph as leading scorer material.All our posts (except Ahmed) are undersized and none have shown a strong lowpost game.

 

[thebigabd]

I know Cade is a good role player, and an asset to any team. But if he leads your team in scoring you are going to have the worst offense in the conference and win about 10-12 games.

 

[stoopified]

I know Cade is a good role player, and an asset to any team. But if he leads your team in scoring you are going to have the worst offense in the conference and win about 10-12 games.

Exactly.I said basically the same thing in my first post.Also I looked up Cade's exact career stats:Career fg% 37.5,career 3pt is 33.2%.

 

[SoonerDan74012]

I will hold off of my prediction until we find out that we will be playing basketball next year.

 

[Sooner Quick]

Cam

 

[stoopified]

I will hold off of my prediction until we find out that we will be playing basketball next year.

Based on what I've been hearing from the media that is a sad but VERY true concern.

 

[StatGeek]

Fitz

 

[BigTime]

Amazing that Pledger wasnt mentioned, scored 18 in his last game, loooks great on the conditioning vid...Just wait

I hope you are right, sharp. I really do.

I went with Cade. It will be his team, and he will add to his game just like he has every year that he has been here.

The race for second will be close though. I am going with Sam's sleeper (TJ).

 

[Sooner Quick]

I think Cade will probably start out the year and be our leading scorer for a lot of the year. If he gets better with his pump fake and drive he very well could lead the team all year, on a good team. Cade has improved great strides since he walked on campus and you know his Sr. year could show his biggest improvements of all.

 

[sharp1]

how is he proven? esp over Davis?:facepalm

Cades Freshman stats:
2007-08
Season TEAM G MIN FG FGA FG% FG3 FG3A FG3% FT FTA FT% PTS AVG
Oklahoma 28 371 31 97 32 19 69 27.5 23 23 100 104 3.7

Remember he played with Aj, Taylor Griffen oh and Blake...much easier for him to score or it should have been.

Pledger's Freshman stats:
2009-2010
Season TEAM G MIN FG FGA FG% FG3 FG3A FG3% FT FTA FT% PTS AVG
Oklahoma 30 367 60 161 37.3 44 130 33.8 22 26 84.6 186 6.2

So numbers dont lie, as freshman Pledger had a bigger impact on the team then cade...But played with a let say a different type of player...

Pledger had a higher 2 point fg%, 3 point fg% and a higher points per game average.

I also say Pledger did this soft and out of shape, imagine what he's going to do when yoyo's done...