Orlando, Wright, or Fitz?

[thebigabd]

Which player grabs the vacated starting spot? Why? How will they do?

 

[uberjamb]

Unfortunately, this is one of the most wide open questions ever. None of these players has shown the ability to start. The positive is that one or two may very well surtprise us. My guess? O and Wright will improve enough to form a decent tandem and with the addition of Fitz, they will manufacture an adequate post presence.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

I think Wright will get the starts at first. It will be his senior year, he'll have been in the program for 3 years, and he gives us the best rebounder/defender.

If he doesn't play well, others will get their chances.

I'm really scared about our post play right now. Wish we could have scooped up one of the better JUCO posts.

 

[Cheno]

I think Wright will get the starts at first. It will be his senior year, he'll have been in the program for 3 years, and he gives us the best rebounder/defender.

If he doesn't play well, others will get their chances.

I'm really scared about our post play right now. Wish we could have scooped up one of the better JUCO posts.

I agree with this. Except about the Juco post part. I think post play is a big question mark right now.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

I agree with this. Except about the Juco post part. I think post play is a big question mark right now.

There aren't any HS posts left that OU has a realistic shot at, that would definitely help us next year. Not to mention, adding another frosh would really through off the balance of our roster. Adding a JR would actually help balance it quite nicely.

And if you are making the JUCO's can't help argument, I'd point to KU last year. You landed one of the better ones, and Mario Little was certainly better than any big that will be on OU's roster next year, save Tiny, right?

 

[Krugerfan52]

None of the above. At least I wish we didnt have to choose one. I'd say right now Ryan Wright is the only one that Capels trusts to play more than a couple of minutes. But none of them have proven anything yet.

I'm hoping Fitz will be good enough, but I doubt it since he's a frosh and not a 5-star guaranteed starter like Warren and Griffin were.

I personally think that when the game is on the line, Capel will have these 5 guys on the floor any time he can.....TMG, WW, Crocker, Cade and Tiny. But that will only work vs 4-guard lineups like OSU, Baylor, Nebraska, etc

 

[AdaSooner]

I think Wright will get the starts at first. It will be his senior year, he'll have been in the program for 3 years, and he gives us the best rebounder/defender.

If he doesn't play well, others will get their chances.

TU, I agree 100% with both points.

I'm not as concerned as some about our post play next year. Sure, it would have been nice to have Juan's athleticism back next year to add more depth and experience to a young and relatively inexperienced front court. But I would want the JP we saw in the first four or five games after he came off of his redshirt, not the one who appeared to be lost at times toward the end of the season. Juan was not the same player everyone got excited about in January.

Everyone needs to remember, we're talking about a guy who averaged 6.2 points and 3.6 rebs in 18 games last season. He would have been penciled in as a starter, at best, with the eraser poised to make a change if he continued to turn the ball over with increasing frequency and fumble away opportunities for easy buckets.

Call me crazy, but my dark horse to take over the spot opposite Tiny later in the season is Andrew Fitzgerald.

 

[Krugerfan52]

I agree. I won't miss Juan's turnovers. I hope Wright starts and plays well. He seems like a good kid.

 

[SoonerMatt27]

Ryan Wright unless Big O gets in good shape. Wright is probably our most athletic post now..we lost a lot of athleticism..

 

[hoopsaustin]

i think fitz will start...

 

[Seymore Cox]

Ryan to begin, Fitz by season's end.

 

[boksooner]

It seemed like Big O was getting more pt than Wright at the end of the year, but I'm going with the dark horse candidate Big Baby Food Beau Gerber

 

[Sam]

Beau Gerber

 

[SoonerTraveler]

It seemed like Big O was getting more pt than Wright at the end of the year, ...

Agreed. It looked like Coach Capel developed more trust in "O" by tournament time.

Big "O" looked like he had lost some weight the last time I saw him up close at the Tip-In Club awards dinner. I hope this was a good sign. OU really needs him to become more dedicated and develop his game.

Maybe the light has come on for the big guy.

 

[BigTime]

This is going to be a wide-open race for the other starting post spot next to Gallon.

I can't help but pull for Orlando. He has worked extremely hard to lose nearly 40 pounds in less than a year to put himself in this position.

I would say that Fitzgerald has the most skills, Ryan knows the system the best, and Orlando has the confidence vote from Capel (see the end of last year).

If I had to guess, I would say that it will actually be Ryan Wright to start the season and Fitzgerald by the end of the season with Orlando getting plenty of minutes backing up Tiny.

I just can't see Orlando and Tiny playing down low together. Neither have the lateral quickness neccessary to stay with a typical power forward. We would have to go zone, and I don't think that is what Capel wants. Tiny has a chance to really improve on his lateral quickness between now and the start of conference play, so maybe I will be wrong by then....

It is certainly going to be an interesting race to watch unfold.