Sam/Will question about Hield and Hornbeak

[Sooner23]

From what you've seen, do you think either of those two can come in and start next year? Basically meaning start over Blair?

 

[BoulderSooner]

amath is going to start next season

 

[DenverSooner]

I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination but I doubt either guy starts next season. They will not just be starting over Blair (a guy with 2+ plus years starting experience in D-1) they will also be starting over Cam Clark (a guy with at least 1.5 years starting experience).

If either does start it means they are really good.

 

[WTSooner]

amath is going to start next season

Maybe. Maybe not.

 

[zeptrey]

Maybe. Maybe not.

M'Baye not :clap

Get it Maybe...M'Baye...eh...yeah.

Seriously, you think he'll start over a solid 15 a game in Fitz or a 8 to 10 boards a game in Osby? I ain't so sure.

 

[WTSooner]

Seriously, you think he'll start over a solid 15 a game in Fitz or a 8 to 10 boards a game in Osby? I ain't so sure.

He is probably talented enough to start, but I don't think starting Fitz and Osby is our problem. How will they react if they are sent to the bench, either of them? Fitz will have been a 3 year starter, and Osby will have started all season.

I don't know. I'd like to see him come off the bench to start with. One, it will allow him to shake off the rust. Two, it will give us a little punch off the bench. If a few games into the season that isn't working, he can start then, if it makes sense.

 

[AdaSooner]

If M'Baye is as good as everyone who attends our practices have said, I can't see bringing him off the bench, unless Kruger feels it would be best to work him into the lineup gradually.

Sam has been quoted as saying that Amath may be one and done. Even if that's a stretch, which I doubt knowing how Sam operates, he's clearly too good not to play somewhere.

Who does he replace? Take your pick. I've also been told he can play the three or the four, post up down low and even play a back court position in a pinch if need be. That's some serious talent, folks! No way he doesn't start from the get go or shortly after the season begins.

 

[SoonerinNC]

From what I saw in the pre-season M'Baye is Osby with better shooting touch. Looked like he could play the three. He may switch between the 3 and 4 when they are giving Osby and Fitz a rest.

I don't see any of the freshmen starting but they could certainly play a fair amount.

 

[25mob]

From what I saw in the pre-season M'Baye is Osby with better shooting touch. Looked like he could play the three. He may switch between the 3 and 4 when they are giving Osby and Fitz a rest.

I don't see any of the freshmen starting but they could certainly play a fair amount.

If this is true than I say start M'Baye and Osby together because then OU could press more, rebound better and become more athletic.

Plus Fitz would bring some scoring punch off the bench and wouldn't be counted on to do to much more than that. 15 points and four rebounds is great off the bench but 15 points and 4 rebounds as a starter means you're more than likely going to get beat up against top tier teams on the boards.

 

[AdaSooner]

From what I saw in the pre-season M'Baye is Osby with better shooting touch. Looked like he could play the three. He may switch between the 3 and 4 when they are giving Osby and Fitz a rest.

I don't see any of the freshmen starting but they could certainly play a fair amount.

Agreed. Garyeb2 has reported on the practices he's watched since before the season began. He said sometime ago that M'Baye was the best three point shooter on the team...at least that's what I remember him saying. If I'm wrong, he can correct it.

But assuming for the moment that Sam and Gary are right, watch the M'Baye video below and then imagine a starting lineup of Amath at the three, Romero at the four and Fitz at the five. If Cam continues to improve and competes for one of those spots, it's a good problem to have. Now, add Henry to the mix and OU will have a long, ultra-athletic front court that can score and put a lot of pressure on defenses in a variety of ways.


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqchmn-g40Q[/ame]

 

[SoonerSpock]

I try to make 3-4 practices a month and their is no question M'Baye has the ability to start next year. He also has the ability to play the 3 and he is not one and done unless he wants to play in Europe.

I do not think he starts the season as a starter depending on how Lon uses him once eligible. It will be easier for him to start at the 3 and that is where I think he will mostly play. At least an inch taller than Osby and Fitzgerald but much lighter. He has the perimeter shot to play the 3 and I think he has the handles and can defensively play the position. Just a general observation as I have not focused on M'Baye with him being a redshirt.

He will be a great addition next year and is probably worth 2-3 victories on the season with what he brings to the table. Good athlete but does not run or jump like Clark. Have not observed him trying to penetrate from the perimeter. More catch and shoot.

 

[campbest]

He will not start at the beginning of the season, will likely move into the roll though.

 

[WTSooner]

I still don't think we'll see M'Baye, Osby, and Fitz on the floor much together, let alone starting together. Everything that makes M'Baye effective and efficient, goes out the window if you start/play him at the 3 IMO.

Now.....with Cam's struggles this year, and the fact that Hield and Hornbeak probably won't be starter-worthy on day 1, I won't completely throw this idea out the window. I don't think it's LK's first choice though, more of a last resort.

I'll also add that it really doesn't matter who starts or comes off the bench between Osby, Fitz, and M'Baye. There are 80 minutes per game for the 4/5 spots, that is plenty of minutes to split up between them. I just worry about "losing" Fitz, mentally, if after 3 years of starting, he is sent to the bench. Both he and Osby will be seniors, so unless starting them simply isn't working for the team, I'm guessing that would be LK's preference.

 

[AdaSooner]

I agree that it doesn't matter who starts next season. I have always said that being on the floor when the game tips off is vastly overrated. The exciting part to me is that our front court will be at least four players deep with guys who are capable of starting at any point of the season. I don't know about Henry? But I like what he'll bring to the team in a back up role, even if he is not capable of competing for a starting spot.

 

[WTSooner]

I agree that it doesn't matter who starts next season. I have always said that being on the floor when the game tips off is vastly overrated. The exciting part to me is that our front court will be at least four players deep with guys who are capable of starting at any point of the season. I don't know about Henry? But I like what he'll bring to the team in a back up role, even if he is not capable of competing for a starting spot.

For the first couple of years, I see Henry as being an energy guy off the bench. A guy you can bring in to press/pressure with. A guy that will get the team going with hustle on the offensive glass, or a big dunk on a fast break. There is certainly a place for a guy like him.

It's certainly a good problem to have, having guys like Neal, Henry, Arent, and Cole fighting for minutes as the 4th and 5th bigs, rather than the 3rd and 4th bigs. We'll finally have enough talented guys that we can limit the minutes of the less talented kids, but we also have enough bodies that we can do some different things, and we have options if a guy is playing poorly, or gets injured.

 

[CoachTalk]

Talking to an Ast. coach a few weeks ago, M'baye is the best player in the gym. This wasnt just coach talk either. Hard for him not to start if the pattern continues.

 

[garyeb2]

It seems to me that when Osby was hyped as the best player in the gym last season. Some thought that meant that he would step in a be some game dominating monster. That isn't the case. But, as the season goes along, it is pretty easy to build the case that Osby probably is the best player on the team.

Same for M'baye. This season he is the best player in the gym. Most anyone that has seen him would concur. As next season rolls along, I'm pretty confident that most fans will come around to the same conclusion.

I don't think he is anything like Osby or Fitz. He is longer and leaner with a bigger wingspan than those two. He will probably always have less strength and with that, less ability to anchor a spot on the floor. But, he does have more mobility and range than those two.

I don't know what position he will play. But, if he does play something that can be labled as a #4 or #5. Then, that role will be vastly different than how Kruger is using Fitz and Osby this season. If this season's look is the template going forward, then M'baye looks more like a supersized Cam than he does a Osby or Fitz.

When he is on the floor, team defense will be better. Because he has the wingspan, lateral mobility, and height be be a good defender either inside or out. When he is on the floor he will be if not the primary scoring option, certainly, another scoring option. That sounds like starter material to me.

 

[DenverSooner]

The best thing about next season is it is clear OU will be a better team. Even if M'Baye is the 6th man, OU is a better team. OU will essentially have 7 guys that all deserve a lot of minutes, plus Neal, Hield, Hornbeak, Henry and Arent.

OU will have the players to go big or to run a four guard offense. If Pledger is colder than Alaska, Kruger will have options (I don't think Pledger will sit much but Kruger will have options). If Cam is playing bad but OU cannot afford to be small with both Grooms and Blair, Kruger will have options. He could try M'Baye at the 3 or a combination of Grooms, Pledger, Hield or Hornbeak. If Grooms has major foul trouble OU can play Blair at pg and still play two guards in Pledger and Hield or Hornbeak.

I don't anticipate a bunch of crazy lineups but Kruger is going to have a lot of options next season that he does not have this year. Things are looking good for OU's basketball future.

 

[scrybe]

I certainly don't presume to know things like "who is the best player on the team" or exactly what the starting lineup will look like next season. But I do strongly agree with a statement WT made: Fitz will continue to start next year in his senior season. The kid has earned it.

Fitzgerald, though he's got a great attitude and is a team player, gets down sometimes when he's not playing well or when he thinks the officials are squeezing him a little. I think it could adversely affect his play if he thought Kruger didn't have enough confidence in him to at least keep him in the starting lineup. As long as he's starting, I don't think Fitz would mind some of the other bigs getting some of his minutes.

Just my two cents.

 

[vbdad]

M'Baye is the best player in the gym. I can't imagine he won't be starting. I hope Henry and the two signees are able to get minutes.

I think Carl Blair and Tyler Neal will have a very difficult time seeing the floor except in mop up time. Clark also needs to pick up his game if he wants to contribute a bunch next year. At least he has the talent to play.