OU vs #5 Baylor 2 pm CST on ESPN+

[Stikboy]

Look, Cortez is a little more skilled (high basketball IQ) than I thought, but I feel even better about my comment that he isn't athletic enough to succeed at this level of basketball.

I'm not trying to bash the kid, but when you have his skill set and size, you can't be average at best in terms of foot speed. I'm not completely writing the kid off, as maybe they can work his butt off during the offseason and develop some of that needed speed, but that is generally something you come to college with, or never find.

He can probably be a solid backup for us, but if he is ever our starting PG, I just don't see that as a good thing unless his athleticism improves significantly. Again, props to the kid for being a really smart player and using that to make up for the lack of athleticism, but that only gets you so far when you are playing against talented teams. As seen by the number of deflected passes he's had in recent games.

I have two questions about next year's team:

1. Where is the pg play going to come from?
2. Where is the wing scoring going to come from (ie, it needs to improve)?

I was going to start a thread on next year, but I guess i'll just do it here. Let me say that I am ECSTATIC about Porter Moser and couldn't be more excited that he's our coach. I believe he's squeezing just about everything he can out of what he has. That being said, as much as i'm looking forward to seeing these guys compete the rest of this year, as I look at the roster and what's coming in... I'm having a hard time believing OU will be that much better next year. As many have said, and they're right, this team sorely needs a talent/size/athleticism infusion. Moser had a great recruiting class for it's size, two top 100 guards and a top international wing. But if Gibson and Harkless stay, does anyone think the more talented but younger guys will replace them?

PG--Cortes, Mason, Uzan
Wing--Gibson, Noland, Schroder
Wing--Harkless, Oweh
4--Hill, JGroves
5--TGroves, Rick? AK?

I think the new guys will be a much needed talent infusion but it won't really change much, besides the bench maybe. The starting five will basically be the same besides Goldwire. Many of these constant turnovers that are killing us aren't going anywhere. OU needs more physical bigs in a big way. Chargois, who OU is missing right now, will be gone. I like Tanner, but now that we've hit the Big 12, he is what he is.

It's almost like Moser needs a purge. He did what he had to do in his limited recruiting time to try to get "old" as they say but the talent level isn't what it needs to be. If COVID guys stay there aren't any schollies left. It's almost like he needs to purge some of the roster, fill it with a few more talented freshmen forwards/bigs along with maybe a portal big and just deal with growing pains...

Hey, that's why he gets the big bucks.. This isn't against Moser at all but I look at some of the athletes Tech and UT got when their rosters were overturned also, and I gotta admit i'm a little jealous...

 

[WTSooner]

I was going to start a thread on next year, but I guess i'll just do it here. Let me say that I am ECSTATIC about Porter Moser and couldn't be more excited that he's our coach. I believe he's squeezing just about everything he can out of what he has. That being said, as much as i'm looking forward to seeing these guys compete the rest of this year, as I look at the roster and what's coming in... I'm having a hard time believing OU will be that much better next year. As many have said, and they're right, this team sorely needs a talent/size/athleticism infusion. Moser had a great recruiting class for it's size, two top 100 guards and a top international wing. But if Gibson and Harkless stay, does anyone think the more talented but younger guys will replace them?

PG--Cortes, Mason, Uzan
Wing--Gibson, Noland, Schroder
Wing--Harkless, Oweh
4--Hill, JGroves
5--TGroves, Rick? AK?

I think the new guys will be a much needed talent infusion but it won't really change much, besides the bench maybe. The starting five will basically be the same besides Goldwire. Many of these constant turnovers that are killing us aren't going anywhere. OU needs more physical bigs in a big way. Chargois, who OU is missing right now, will be gone. I like Tanner, but now that we've hit the Big 12, he is what he is.

It's almost like Moser needs a purge. He did what he had to do in his limited recruiting time to try to get "old" as they say but the talent level isn't what it needs to be. If COVID guys stay there aren't any schollies left. It's almost like he needs to purge some of the roster, fill it with a few more talented freshmen forwards/bigs along with maybe a portal big and just deal with growing pains...

Hey, that's why he gets the big bucks.. This isn't against Moser at all but I look at some of the athletes Tech and UT got when their rosters were overturned also, and I gotta admit i'm a little jealous...

Agreed.

If we're going to see a much improved team next year, I think we're going to have to go find either a pg or a wing that isn't currently projected to be with us next year. That might mean moving on from Alston, Cortes, or even Harkless to free up a spot.

I feel decent about the rest of the team, but pg and finding a better scorer for the wing have to happen. After next year, the new infusion of talent should help start alleviating some of these issues.

 

[AdaSooner]

Look, Cortez is a little more skilled (high basketball IQ) than I thought, but I feel even better about my comment that he isn't athletic enough to succeed at this level of basketball.

I'm not trying to bash the kid, but when you have his skill set and size, you can't be average at best in terms of foot speed. I'm not completely writing the kid off, as maybe they can work his butt off during the offseason and develop some of that needed speed, but that is generally something you come to college with, or never find.

He can probably be a solid backup for us, but if he is ever our starting PG, I just don't see that as a good thing unless his athleticism improves significantly. Again, props to the kid for being a really smart player and using that to make up for the lack of athleticism, but that only gets you so far when you are playing against talented teams. As seen by the number of deflected passes he's had in recent games.

I have two questions about next year's team:

1. Where is the pg play going to come from?
2. Where is the wing scoring going to come from (ie, it needs to improve)?

Cortes was not at his best in that game. He was careless with the ball in traffic and Moser used the quick hook to get his attention. Like nearly every player on this team, he needs to hit the weight room to get stronger. This team is tough mentally, but they’re not tough physically.

Next year’s recruiting class includes a 6’ 5” PG out of Vegas, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Porter uses the transfer portal again to sign a more experienced guard, just as he did with Goldwire.

Next year’s class has a 6’ 7” kid from Germany that could be the answer to your question about scoring from the wing. That is, unless he decides to go the pro route overseas. By all accounts, he’s the real deal.

https://stormininnorman.com/2021/11...ooners-sign-three-elite-guards-in-2022-class/

 

[Stikboy]

Agreed.

If we're going to see a much improved team next year, I think we're going to have to go find either a pg or a wing that isn't currently projected to be with us next year. That might mean moving on from Alston, Cortez, or even Harkless to free up a spot.

I feel decent about the rest of the team, but pg and finding a better scorer for the wing have to happen. After next year, the new infusion of talent should help start alleviating some of these issues.

No way Moser is moving on from EJ. Moser loves his intangibles and defense even though he's a turnover machine. I like Cortes more than you. I think he could grow into more of a scorer. I agree OU needs more guys that simply that can make baskets. I think OU needs another big(a good one) and another big wing.

I do think the 3 signed guys can help, they all have size and supposed talent. But I just don't think they're supplanting the far less talented but more experienced guys OU currently has.

Also OU needs to upgrade their offseason strength training a notch!

 

[WTSooner]

Next year’s class has a 6’ 7” kid from Germany that could be the answer to your question about scoring from the wing. That is, unless he decides to go the pro route overseas. By all accounts, he’s the real deal.

https://stormininnorman.com/2021/11...ooners-sign-three-elite-guards-in-2022-class/

Long term I'm a fan, I'm just not sure he is the scorer we need next season to take a sizeable step forward. After that, 2-3 years down the road, yeah, I have high hopes for this kid. Hopefully he sticks around a few years.

I like all three kids in this class, just not sure any of them make the immediate contribution that I'm looking for next year in order for the team to be better.

 

[Darwin]

It not realistic to think one of our freshmen or signees will be a dominate guard next season. That is our biggest need plus a collective improvement in ball handling, passing and judgement. The collective improvement is realistic and should be expected next season, the dominate guard likely not. TG is not the problem nor the savior, though good guard play would make him more productive.

 

[Soonerinkc]

Alston…

I’m sure he’s a pretty good baller but my thought is moser is honoring the recruiting by bringing him to OU since he recruited him to Loyola.

Maybe not

 

[hoopsaustin]

No way Moser is moving on from EJ. Moser loves his intangibles and defense even though he's a turnover machine. I like Cortes more than you. I think he could grow into more of a scorer. I agree OU needs more guys that simply that can make baskets. I think OU needs another big(a good one) and another big wing.

I do think the 3 signed guys can help, they all have size and supposed talent. But I just don't think they're supplanting the far less talented but more experienced guys OU currently has.

Also OU needs to upgrade their offseason strength training a notch!

I am high on Cortes.

But i think the new guys will take some big minutes from people next year. I think some players will get the nudge to start their European pro careers IMO

I think you guys are writing off the younger players way too early.. i would have been fine with hield, cousins and particularly, woodard, leaving ou after their freshman years. They weren't amazing and then, boom

 

[Stikboy]

I am high on Cortes.

But i think the new guys will take some big minutes from people next year. I think some players will get the nudge to start their European pro careers IMO

I think you guys are writing off the younger players way too early.. i would have been fine with hield, cousins and particularly, woodard, leaving ou after their freshman years. They weren't amazing and then, boom

If you want to go back to those guys, I was always high on them. Yeah they had growing pains but I saw their potential. Heck, Heild and Woodard flashed immediately. I was even disappointed to see Hornbeak leave.

I wish Cortes was stronger and had a little more quickness but i'm willing to ride with him. He seems to be such a one trick pony right now and he needs to be more. I don't know what to think about Mason. Any judgement right now is probably unfair. Noland has shown flashes of great shooting and driving, but doesn't have any length whatsoever and I can't figure out what his ceiling is.

I hope you're right about the new signees. And, I hope Moser is able to add two or three more good ones in the right places.