On Paper Matchups: OU vs. Texas Tech

[thebigabd]

We are inching a little closer to basketball season, and with that, I (with help from others) have tried to do little previews of the Big 12 conference as we get closer and closer to the season. I figured I would start with OU vs. what is supposed to be the last place team this year, Texas Tech.

No detailed info will be given for OU, as we all know about OU's players. I went with what most think will be the starters.

Summary: If any team has more question marks than OU, it is Texas Tech. They have 4 new starters, a brand new coach, and are a total unknown. They had a 10 player recruiting class, and on top of graduating 6 seniors they lost Marshall Henderson who was all conference at Utah to legal troubles.

It's pretty much impossible to tell how Tech is going to look this year. They could be horrific, or they could end up being solid.

OU
Head Coach - Lon Kruger
PG: Carl Blair (6'2'' 206-senior)
SG: Steven Pledger (6'4'' 221-junior)
SF: Cameron Clark (6'6'' 197-soph)
PF: Romero Osby (6'8'' 237 -junior)
C: Andrew Fitzgerald (6'8'' 243 - junior)

Texas Tech

Head Coach - Billy Gillispie

PG: Javarez "Bean" Willis (5'11'' 175-Soph)
-Played sparingly behind John Roberson last year as a true freshman, but should take over the PG spot this year. Came in as the #74 player in the 2010 class, and had the reputation of being a great 3pt shooter. Here is a little video that shows that, but he didnt show much last year at Tech.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC23hR8GZ1k[/ame]

SG: Cameron Forte (6'6'' 1950-Freshman)
-Cameron Forte finished sixth nationally among high school athletes last season as he averaged an Arizona state record 36.3 points per game. Forte set the Arizona Class 4A single-game scoring record, when he scored 60 points in a single game on 26 of 36 shooting from the field and five of 10 from the line. The previous mark was 58 set in 2003. He also set the single-season mark with 1,051 points for the season.

No highlight vid, just a 9 second dunk video:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PEku-IFX7w&feature=related[/ame]

SF: Jaye Crockett (6'7'' 200-RS Soph)
-Showed flashes of being a very good player last year as a freshman, but played behind Mike Singletary so he didnt play a whole lot. Probably led the team with highlight plays though, and might be the best pure athlete in the league.

This video gives you a look at the athletic ability: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGjNo1HCgTM&feature=player_detailpage#t=55s

PF: Kader Tapsoba (6'10'' 215-Junior)
-Juco transfer from Tyler Junior College. Averaged 6.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game as a sophomore. The 3.6 blocks per game led his junior college league.

C: Robert Lewandowski (6'10'' 260-Senior)
-Averaged 9 points and 5 rebounds last year as a junior. Has been a pretty decent center in a system that does not suit him at all. Should improve in a more "grind it out" system that Gillispie will bring to Lubbock. Pretty good defender, good size, should be solid.

 

[luckyc1423]

We are inching a little closer to basketball season, and with that, I (with help from others) have tried to do little previews of the Big 12 conference as we get closer and closer to the season. I figured I would start with OU vs. what is supposed to be the last place team this year, Texas Tech.

No detailed info will be given for OU, as we all know about OU's players. I went with what most think will be the starters.

Summary: If any team has more question marks than OU, it is Texas Tech. They have 4 new starters, a brand new coach, and are a total unknown. They had a 10 player recruiting class, and on top of graduating 6 seniors they lost Marshall Henderson who was all conference at Utah to legal troubles.

It's pretty much impossible to tell how Tech is going to look this year. They could be horrific, or they could end up being solid.

OU
Head Coach - Lon Kruger
PG: Carl Blair (6'2'' 206-senior)
SG: Steven Pledger (6'4'' 221-junior)
SF: Cameron Clark (6'6'' 197-soph)
PF: Romero Osby (6'8'' 237 -junior)
C: Andrew Fitzgerald (6'8'' 243 - junior)

Texas Tech

Head Coach - Billy Gillispie

PG: Javarez "Bean" Willis (5'11'' 175-Soph)
-Played sparingly behind John Roberson last year as a true freshman, but should take over the PG spot this year. Came in as the #74 player in the 2010 class, and had the reputation of being a great 3pt shooter. Here is a little video that shows that, but he didnt show much last year at Tech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC23hR8GZ1k

SG: Cameron Forte (6'6'' 1950-Freshman)
-Cameron Forte finished sixth nationally among high school athletes last season as he averaged an Arizona state record 36.3 points per game. Forte set the Arizona Class 4A single-game scoring record, when he scored 60 points in a single game on 26 of 36 shooting from the field and five of 10 from the line. The previous mark was 58 set in 2003. He also set the single-season mark with 1,051 points for the season.

No highlight vid, just a 9 second dunk video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PEku-IFX7w&feature=related

SF: Jaye Crockett (6'7'' 200-RS Soph)
-Showed flashes of being a very good player last year as a freshman, but played behind Mike Singletary so he didnt play a whole lot. Probably led the team with highlight plays though, and might be the best pure athlete in the league.

This video gives you a look at the athletic ability: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGjNo1HCgTM&feature=player_detailpage#t=55s

PF: Kader Tapsoba (6'10'' 215-Junior)
-Juco transfer from Tyler Junior College. Averaged 6.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game as a sophomore. The 3.6 blocks per game led his junior college league.

C: Robert Lewandowski (6'10'' 260-Senior)
-Averaged 9 points and 5 rebounds last year as a junior. Has been a pretty decent center in a system that does not suit him at all. Should improve in a more "grind it out" system that Gillispie will bring to Lubbock. Pretty good defender, good size, should be solid.

Good read, thanks ABD!!

I for one cringe when i look at that starting lineup...I really hope blair, pledge, and fitz dont start together...our defense will once again be terrible

I know people dont like it but I think both pledge and fitz should come off the bench...fitz might be our best offensive person but he might be the worst defender and he is not a very good rebounder. Unless you move osby to the three spot I dont like fitz, pledger, and blair ever in the lineup together...we would be so slow

 

[WTSooner]

Good read, thanks ABD!!

I for one cringe when i look at that starting lineup...I really hope blair, pledge, and fitz dont start together...our defense will once again be terrible

I know people dont like it but I think both pledge and fitz should come off the bench...fitz might be our best offensive person but he might be the worst defender and he is not a very good rebounder. Unless you move osby to the three spot I dont like fitz, pledger, and blair ever in the lineup together...we would be so slow

So who do you want to start?

 

[luckyc1423]

lol I have no clue I was just making the observation that pledge, fitz, and blair in the game together makes for a terrible defense

Maybe this:
1) grooms
2) pledge
3) Cam
4) Osby
5) arent

Or this is good:

1) Blair
2) newell
3) cam
4) osby
5) fitz

If we want to go big (this isnt a starting lineup but a lineup I would like to see):

1) Blair
2) pledge/newell
3) osby
4) fitz
5) arent

we would have to play maybe a zone or something to make up for the lack of speed with that lineup