Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer >> OUHoops

[Seymore Cox]

Re: OUHoops >> Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer

You are assuming that Tiny won't work hard this offseason and drop even more weight and improve on his quickness. People forget that Tiny went from 365 to 290 in a year due to hard work. He will play a 4 at the next level, and with some hard work, he can play the 4 at Oklahoma next year. He has the jumper to be able to do so....

No, I don't think Tiny can play the 4. Not because of his weight. Even if he does shed weight, I don't know if he'll have the lateral quickness to defend that position, especially when you're talking about defending Moses, Singletary, Lebeauf, adn hte Morris boys. Not everyone can be a starter from day one. I wouldn't want to put those expectations on Aziz.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

Re: OUHoops >> Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer

There is no doubt IMO we have been burned by them more than we have been helped. Take away Quannas and Ace and you don't have many positives. Cya ya'll at the game tonight!

I'm sorry, but that is simply an untrue statement. The ones that were recruited to play major minutes, for the most part, have been fine. I'd argue that 60-75% work out exactly how expected, or better.

 

[Hollisp]

Re: OUHoops >> Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer

I'm sorry, but that is simply an untrue statement. The ones that were recruited to play major minutes, for the most part, have been fine. I'd argue that 60-75% work out exactly how expected, or better.

We agree on Q and Ace. So I'm guessing you are thinking Neal, Selvy, and Everett?...Taj(even though he had a drug problem and underachieved IMO) Ebi(awesome Jr year, senior year, not so much) I will agree they were nice players. I think we are close in our numbers when it comes to percentage. You may be 60, I am 40. So lets split it down the middle and say Juco's are a coin flip. My contention is that I'd rather have a "coin flip" as a freshman than a soph/junior. I just feel it is better for the program in the long run to have freshmen that you can redshirt and build upon than bandages in Jucos.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

Re: OUHoops >> Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer

We agree on Q and Ace. So I'm guessing you are thinking Neal, Selvy, and Everett?...Taj(even though he had a drug problem and underachieved IMO) Ebi(awesome Jr year, senior year, not so much) I will agree they were nice players. I think we are close in our numbers when it comes to percentage. You may be 60, I am 40. So lets split it down the middle and say Juco's are a coin flip. My contention is that I'd rather have a "coin flip" as a freshman than a soph/junior. I just feel it is better for the program in the long run to have freshmen that you can redshirt and build upon than bandages in Jucos.

Just look at the list a few posts above.

Now who didn't live up to expectations? Or who was suppose to be good, but was bad? Walker and Leary probably had unreasonably high expectations for what they were. Gray might have underachieved, but he was a still a darn good player, and would be the best post on this team, Tiny included. The argument everybody makes is that you can't find the stars in the JUCO ranks anymore. I don't completely disagree. But you can still go find those kids that can be your 2nd and 3rd best players, and you can positively go find your role players. There are JUCO kids making impacts all over college basketball. Every one of those players you listed are better than anybody Capel has recruited outside of the McD's AA's, and I'd argue production-wise, some of those JUCO's have been as good as a few of those MCDAA's.

It would be a huge mistake to forget the one recruiting "area" that has essentially put OU into two FF's.

 

[Hollisp]

Re: OUHoops >> Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer

Good points. I thought of the FF thing when I was at the game. But, again, I'd rather have a freshman.

 

[skyvue]

Re: OUHoops >> Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer

There have been awful lot of high-school players disappoint, flame out, or move on in recent years, too. That's one big reason our bench is so shallow. Jucos don't have a lock on falling short of expectations. I like to have our coach focus on four-year players, but right now, we need some quick help, and I have no problem with Coach Capel going after some key juco players if they can fill our needs. We can't be missing the NCAAs three out of five years -- we'll be off the national radar in no time. We've got to get back to the big dance next year (assuming we don't make it this season), and bringing in nothing but freshmen won't get us there. They can't be counted on to contribute right away.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Re: OUHoops >> Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer

I would think that they would compliment each other very well...but am curious as to the reasoning behind your opinion. Absolutely not a flame or otherwise, just curious.

Tiny doesn't have the lateral quickness to guard a 4. He struggling with the centers, who are really 4s on the next level anyway. I can't see Tiny defending anyone 18ft from the basket. I think alot of times we look at Tiny and see that he has some perimeter skills and can put the ball on the floor a little bit and that makes him a 4. However, that position is about matchups. Matching up against guys like Brackins is bad business for Tiny. I think Tiny needs to do the things that he excels at and then work his way out. He's a top level rebounder, he needs to do that. He needs to put himself in position to score off of teammates drive. He has good footwork in the post, but he holds the ball too long when he gets it. If he makes his move out of the catch he'll get more shots then what he typically does which is wait for the floor to balance off, step back and try to drive his man.

We also do a very poor job of getting him involved offensively. If I were him, I would shoot jumpers too, because that's the example that this team sets. We need to go to him early in the shot clock and play off of his ball reversal in the post. Basically, I feel that he's most effective offensively going towards the lane over his shoulder with a nice hook, A catch/dropstep/power dribble move, or a baseline spin. Those are things that we have saw a little bit out of him. Driving from 18ft out or non rhythm jumpers are not things I like seeing him do. That's what 4s do. Also, again, defensively, he's going to guard a guy better on the low post than a guy 18ft away prepared to drive baseline.

 

[supermachoman]

Tiny is a defensive liability at any position right now, it's just that he's slightly less of one at the 5. A guy like Ndaiye would help our team tremendously, even if it means reduced minutes for Tiny. He has a long way to go and a lot to learn before he's an effective all-around big man and as an OU fan I would prefer not to ride the wave of potential losses as he develops. One day after Ndaiye or somebody else like him has graduated, I think Tiny may be the guy and would be ready to show what he's got. In the meantime, let him learn how to play as a big man and not a guard, while someone else holds down the fort in the paint (even if that guy isn't a very talented scorer). That along with TMG and hopefully some other good wingmen will complete our team.

 

[drmouse]

Re: OUHoops >> Sooners in the hunt for JUCO 7-footer

Good points. I thought of the FF thing when I was at the game. But, again, I'd rather have a freshman.

yes but are there any 7 foot freshmen available

 

[playmakr]

Clearly, the coach's have read this board and particularly posts from thebigabd and have determined we need some immediate relief.