Pick your starting 5

[BigTime]

Who should start for the Sooners from here on out iyo? (I am talking about for the majority of the Big 12 games, as there may be a couple of games in which a different lineup might be needed).

Mine

TMG
WWIII
Crock
Fitz
Tiny

Cade and Wright first guys off the bench. I also would really try and challenge both Pledger and Willis and see if either can amp it up defensively and overtake Cade.

 

[BigTime]

I just don't think the 4 guard look is going to work during Big 12 play. I don't want to use it unless we have to (ie Tiny gets 2 fouls in the first 5 minutes). I also like the fact that we have our three best rebounders in there together (Tiny, Crock, and Fitz), and we can bring a hustle guy off of the bench (Cade).

 

[FaithfulSooner]

I concur. You stick with this lineup and just keep building it up as much as possible. Cade is the first man off the bench. BOOMER SOONER BABY!!!

 

[SoonerfanTU]

I haven't seen anything that allows me to answer that question. No way I could commit to a lineup, today, for the entire Big 12 season.

Who I'd start next game?

Probably be your starting 5, but I'm basing that entirely off of games played this year. Sure wish I could watch a week of practices.

 

[BigTime]

I haven't seen anything that allows me to answer that question. No way I could commit to a lineup, today, for the entire Big 12 season.

Who I'd start next game?

Probably be your starting 5, but I'm basing that entirely off of games played this year. Sure wish I could watch a week of practices.

I feel really comfortable answering it myself. Yes, I haven't seen enough of Fitzgerald, but I have seen enough of Wright and Orlando to safely say that I would rather build on the future with a guy that can score in the post and has better hands and rebounding technique.

 

[daqman]

TMG
Willie
Ray
Fitz
Tiny

Put your most talented 5 on the floor.

 

[SoonerMatt27]

I will take Crocker over Ray starting anyday.

 

[soonertboy824]

i am a big believer that a good bench is very important to being a good team and you have to have a starting lineup that is solid and can keep the game close. heres what i think would be the most successful lineup

tmg
pledge
crocker
fitz
tiny

imo this lineup will give us solid defense for what we have. no matter the lineup we will never have a great defensive lineup on the floor. the thing with this lineup imo is you need to make tiny the focal point and he and tmg can run a two man game with the pledger and crocker being spot up shooters and fitz being a dirty guy on the backside. i think that we need to get tiny to draw double teams and kick to pledge who needs to get up eight or nine shots a game especially early.

then about 8 or nine minutes into the game you put in willie and ray at the guard spots and tell them to score the ball and you put in the best defensive lineup you can down low

 

[AdaSooner]

Since I think the numbers of minutes played is far more important than a starting five, I would go with TMG, WW, Tiny, Tony, Fitz, Cade, Pledge, Willis, Wright and Allen, in that order.

I would also make it clear that every spot in the rotation has to be earned. In short, force every player on the team to compete for playing time based on attitude and performance, and not on their reputation or ranking coming out of high school.

When someone proves himself worthy of more minutes, move him up in the rotation. Likewise, move a player down who demonstrates by his actions or in the way he's playing that he is not deserving of the minutes he received. This sulking because you think you got fouled on a shot attempt, walking away from the free throw line during a try, griping at your teammates and displaying an attitude that accomplishes absolutely nothing positive, simply has to stop!

 

[playmakr]

TMG
Warren
Crocker
Fitz
Gallon


I guess that is the same as Bigtime, although I think Pledger should play a lot more than Cade. Nothing Cade has done in his career defensively shows me he should play over Pledger.

 

[sooners78]

I just don't think the 4 guard look is going to work during Big 12 play. I don't want to use it unless we have to (ie Tiny gets 2 fouls in the first 5 minutes). I also like the fact that we have our three best rebounders in there together (Tiny, Crock, and Fitz), and we can bring a hustle guy off of the bench (Cade).

BigTime, i agree with you on this and your starting lineup

 

[Sooner79]

I agree with Ada here. I don't care who starts and in reality I think the backcourt rotation allows for 5-6 guys to get significant minutes. The problem is production in the frontcourt. If Tiny can't stay on the court then we'll continue to struggle defensively because the pressure is almost exclusively on the guards to prevent any penetration. He has to play smarter at both ends and maybe a productive Fitz helps with that.

 

[OUsky]

TMG
WWIII
Crock
Fitz
Tiny

Agree... of course the first guy not to hustle would be sitting the bench.

 

[NickZepp]

Just put 5 guys that can defend. I don't even care about positions. Worry about that later.

 

[SKSooner]

I just don't think the 4 guard look is going to work during Big 12 play. I don't want to use it unless we have to (ie Tiny gets 2 fouls in the first 5 minutes). I also like the fact that we have our three best rebounders in there together (Tiny, Crock, and Fitz), and we can bring a hustle guy off of the bench (Cade).

I agree, BigTime.

 

[SKSooner]

TMG
Warren
Crocker
Fitz
Gallon


I guess that is the same as Bigtime, although I think Pledger should play a lot more than Cade. Nothing Cade has done in his career defensively shows me he should play over Pledger.

I agree with your assessment of Pledger over Cade, as well.

 

[sybarite]

i am a big believer that a good bench is very important to being a good team and you have to have a starting lineup that is solid and can keep the game close. heres what i think would be the most successful lineup

tmg
pledge
crocker
fitz
tiny

imo this lineup will give us solid defense for what we have. no matter the lineup we will never have a great defensive lineup on the floor. the thing with this lineup imo is you need to make tiny the focal point and he and tmg can run a two man game with the pledger and crocker being spot up shooters and fitz being a dirty guy on the backside. i think that we need to get tiny to draw double teams and kick to pledge who needs to get up eight or nine shots a game especially early.

then about 8 or nine minutes into the game you put in willie and ray at the guard spots and tell them to score the ball and you put in the best defensive lineup you can down low

This is the best TEAM. I think I would use Cade in place of Pledger for now.

 

[SoonerGirl21]

I don't think Willie should be starting. He has such an attitude and is lacking the leadership to lead this team. I'm disappointed in him actually. I feel that a lot of the team's problems are because of him. Tiny sees Willie throwing an attitude and does the same thing. It's frustrating.

My starters:

Crocker
Davis
TMG
TINY
Fitz

I dunno how good of a line-up this is, but I think not letting Willie start for a few games and making him check his attitude will help a lot.

 

[sybarite]

I don't think Willie should be starting. He has such an attitude and is lacking the leadership to lead this team. I'm disappointed in him actually. I feel that a lot of the team's problems are because of him. Tiny sees Willie throwing an attitude and does the same thing. It's frustrating.

My starters:

Crocker
Davis
TMG
TINY
Fitz

I dunno how good of a line-up this is, but I think not letting Willie start for a few games and making him check his attitude will help a lot.

+1

 

[NickZepp]

I'm not exactly confident in TMG either. I wouldn't mind going with Willis over him. Have Crocker, Davis, Willis, Fitz, Tiny. Who cares who plays where. They just need to stop people.