Next season

[thebigabd]

Read a LOT of "I trust Lon" posts.

WTSooner... any thoughts on the numbers I posted for Reaves above?

 

[skyvue]

Read a LOT of "I trust Lon" posts.

That's about neutral as one can get, if you're not prepared to predict failure for an incoming player -- it's basically one notch above "Let's wait and see." And it's about all one can say to another poster who is rushing to dismiss a player before he's even arrived in Norman (as some were doing).

None of us had seen these guys play much, if at all (including those who were denigrating them). Until we saw what they brought to the table, all we could do was trust Coach Kruger.

And I'll go out on a limb to say, given the situation the team was in, with the departures of Trae and McGusty, we were better off having those guys on the team than playing without them. Reynolds got our hopes up with his non-conference play, but we wouldn't even be in consideration for the tourney without his contributions and the same goes for Calixte.

They both have weaknesses in their games and consistency is an issue, but we were better with them than without them (assuming we didn't turn our backs on some stellar transfers in favor of them, and I'm not aware of that being the case). They were good teammates, from all reports, and comported themselves well and each of them contributed to some key wins.

 

[Eielson]

You remember it very differently than I do. Perhaps the naysayers were just louder, but I recall many more doom-and-gloom posts about them than positive ones. In fact, I don't really recall any particularly positive posts about either player. Let's-wait-and-see posts, yes (mostly in response to all the negative posts), but outright optimistic posts projecting either player to be a big boost to OU's prospects? There were very few (if any) of those.

http://ouhoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41991

http://ouhoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41986

http://ouhoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41990

 

[WTSooner]

WTSooner... any thoughts on the numbers I posted for Reaves above?

A little scary. I'll be honest, I don't know a ton about the kid, but I would have thought he had better numbers based on some of the comments I've read here.

Feels like he is going to start, but he may not be the sniper on the wing I was expecting. I think OU really needs either he or Williams to be pretty darn good if this team is going to take a step forward next year. Having both be that good would be even better.

 

[stormspencer]

I would love to model what Villanova does....they basically play 4 guards (2 ballhandlers and 2 wings) and one hybrid post-guy....at least that has been their formula over the last several years. But the caveat is, at all times, they have at least 3 guys on the floor (usually 4 guys) that can shoot the 3 AND break you down off the dribble. It takes very specific recruiting to build your team this way. And with the size and physicality in the Big 12, I don't know if that particular model would work that well (rebounding could continue to be an issue)....unless you recruited at least one elite player per recruiting period. Just my $0.02.

 

[AdaSooner]

Lets take a look at the game log on Reaves... High majors, ranked teams, or the NCAA Tournament.

6'5'' 180.. Averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds per game at WSU.

10 points against Marquette.... 0-1
2 points against Notre Dame..... 0.1
5 points against Baylor.... 1-1
5 points against Oklahoma State.... 1-2
5 points against Oklahoma... 2-5
5 points against Houston.... 1-2
10 points against Houston.... 0-0
2 points against Houston... 0-1
0 points against Cincy... 0-5
12 points against Cincy... 2-5
0 points against Marshall... 0-3

5.0 ppg and 26% 3pt shooting against high majors, ranked opponents, or in the NCAA Tournament in his sophomore year at Wichita State.

He really made his season in that sophomore year starting Tulsa on January 28th... In a 3 game stretch against Tulsa, Temple, and Memphis he scored 23, 20, and 22.... He finished pretty strong after that as well with games of 11, 12, 10, 11, and 13.

Does this information help anyone with expectation? Or do we still expect him to be a Big 12 level starter right away? Most of us have him automatically penciled in.

Knowing what I just found out about... I think its best if Alondes Williams turns out to be legit and Reaves is 6th man off the bench. That would make OU a better team obviously.

The key for me is how he finished his sophomore season. I think you could pick about any four years player you want and find that their best seasons were when they were juniors and seniors.

I have been high on Austin Reaves for three reasons. One, he’s a deadly shooter from three point range. Assuming his bio on Soonersports is accurate, he made 45% of the shots he took his last season at WSU and 42% the previous season. The shot sample was not limited either.

BIO
2018-19 (JUNIOR): Will sit out from competition as a redshirt after transferring from Wichita State...Comes to Oklahoma with career averages of 6.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists...Shot 82-of-182 (.451) from 3-point range while with the Shockers.

2017-18 (SOPHOMORE): In 33 games (11 starts) at Wichita State, averaged 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21.5 minutes…Shot 54-of-127 (.425) from 3-point range…During conference play averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 23.6 minutes…Led the American Athletic Conference in 3-point shooting.

Reason #2: Two sources I trust who have seen him play in practice tell me Austin is the best player on the team this season. I believe them.

Reason #3: He made seven three pointers in one half in a game the season before he left WSU. I don’t care who the Shockers were playing. The distance behind the arc is the same for every game.

Time will tell if he will start next season. He should have the advantage of being part of the team in practice this season. But, if he has to battle his way onto the starting lineup, I see that as a good thing.

 

[Sooner04]

I would love to model what Villanova does....they basically play 4 guards (2 ballhandlers and 2 wings) and one hybrid post-guy....at least that has been their formula over the last several years. But the caveat is, at all times, they have at least 3 guys on the floor (usually 4 guys) that can shoot the 3 AND break you down off the dribble. It takes very specific recruiting to build your team this way. And with the size and physicality in the Big 12, I don't know if that particular model would work that well (rebounding could continue to be an issue)....unless you recruited at least one elite player per recruiting period. Just my $0.02.

I'd love to see that as well. Unfortunately, we'll be scouring the JUCO ranks looking for the next 6-11, 195 lb. project we hope to turn into an elite "rim-protector".

I'm so sick of that crap. If I never hear the word "JUCO" again I'll be thrilled.

 

[thewez]

I don't know how Calixte and Reynolds can be considered disappointments when they were widely dismissed on this board before they ever arrived in Norman.

As for McNeace, I'm disappointed that he suffered an injury that ruined his senior season.

I just remember people saying they’d be scoring 30 points a game combined. I’d consider them disappointments based off of their contribution during conference season

 

[Eielson]

I'd love to see that as well. Unfortunately, we'll be scouring the JUCO ranks looking for the next 6-11, 195 lb. project we hope to turn into an elite "rim-protector".

Don't forget the part about being a complete stiff. At least McNiche had the athleticism to do it, but some of these guys...

 

[thebigabd]

I'd love to see that as well. Unfortunately, we'll be scouring the JUCO ranks looking for the next 6-11, 195 lb. project we hope to turn into an elite "rim-protector".

I'm so sick of that crap. If I never hear the word "JUCO" again I'll be thrilled.

So you never want me to post again?

 

[WTSooner]

I'd love to see that as well. Unfortunately, we'll be scouring the JUCO ranks looking for the next 6-11, 195 lb. project we hope to turn into an elite "rim-protector".

I'm so sick of that crap. If I never hear the word "JUCO" again I'll be thrilled.

The problem is the type of JUCO Lon typically goes after. He mostly has gone after project-type, undersized bigs. If he'd go after the more skilled guys, we'd have better success. I'm hoping Williams is a step in that direction.

 

[AdaSooner]

The problem is the type of JUCO Lon typically goes after. He mostly has gone after project-type, undersized bigs. If he'd go after the more skilled guys, we'd have better success. I'm hoping Williams is a step in that direction.

Agreed. I’m a fan of skilled juco players to fill specific needs. Williams appears to be thst type of player.

If Kur Kauth proves to be better than I initially thought, I might change my mind about tall, lanky jucos who can’t do much more than dunk and block an occasional shot. In the meantime, I’m standing pat on my position that I’m tired of projects of any kind, including the juco ranks.

No more projects! Please!

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Agreed. I’m a fan of skilled juco players to fill specific needs. Williams appears to be thst type of player.

If Kur Kauth proves to be better than I initially thought, I might change my mind about tall, lanky jucos who can’t do much more than dunk and block an occasional shot. In the meantime, I’m standing pat on my position that I’m tired of projects of any kind, including the juco ranks.

No more projects! Please!

No more super skinny anorexic post projects. Please and thank you!

 

[BCSooners]

Nanyang would've been good but had issues. That's the main issues I have with JUCOs is the baggage.

 

[mict085]

I don't understand how you don't think we will be better. Are we really losing much contribution? James plays a lot, but I don't think he's a game changer. I think we can agree Calixte, Reynolds, and McNeace have been disappointments.

I guess if you are down on Harmon, Reeves, Kuath, Hill and the rest then you could make that argument. I just have a hard time believing that group won't be an improvement on what we are losing

I said I thought we’d be better, just not that much. Everyone else around us is getting better too. So, even if we are better, we may not move up much in the standings.

 

[61sooner]

We're beginning to sound like Okie Lite Football, a team on the rise.

 

[skyvue]

We're beginning to sound like Okie Lite Football, a team on the rise.

When we've been a team on the rise for a half century, as they have, get back to us.

 

[BCSooners]

We're beginning to sound like Okie Lite Football, a team on the rise.

How's that?

 

[SoonerTraveler]

How's that?

Expectations. Somehow losing 11 conference games "exceeds expectations." That certainly sounds like "Okie Light."

 

[BCSooners]

Expectations. Somehow losing 11 conference games "exceeds expectations." That certainly sounds like "Okie Light."

Expectations for the current year. If you look at the whole year OU was pretty good, if you just look at conference then it wasn’t. The whole season matters.