The true center is back in the Big 12

[thebigabd]

I dont think its been common in the Big 12 for awhile, but a lot of teams are going to play and/or start (probably) a true center this year.... All of these guys are going to be regular rotation players or starters in most cases.

Oklahoma: Orlando Allen (6'11'' 265)
Kansas: Cole Aldrich (6'11'' 245), Jeff Withey (7'0'' 225)
Baylor: Josh Lomers (7'0'' 280), Dragan Sekelja (7'0'' 250)
Colorado: Shane Harris-Tunks (6'11'' 240)
Texas Tech: Robert Lewandowski (6'11'' 240)
Nebraska: Chris Niemann (6'11'' 265), Brian Diaz (6'11'' 235)
Iowa State: Justin Hamilton (6'11'' 255)
Texas A&M: James Blascyk (7'0'' 235)
Texas: Dexter Pittman (6'10'' 295)

 

[BigTime]

That's some good height right there! Wow. Sucks to be OSU....

I'd add Pittman to that list. He is a true center imo.

 

[thebigabd]

That's some good height right there! Wow. Sucks to be OSU....

I'd add Pittman to that list. He is a true center imo.

Forgot about Dexter somehow, but we got him on there.

I havent looked, but I have to guess the Big 12 is one of the biggest conferences in the country.

 

[HoHum]

None of them besides Aldrich and Pittman have proven to be nothing more than size though.

 

[BigTime]

None of them besides Aldrich and Pittman have proven to be nothing more than size though.

Says the nervous osu fan!

 

[HoHum]

Nah. Teeng Akol's going to start going into beast mode this season.

 

[HoHum]

That was a a joke, by the way.

I saw him on campus a few times. Skinniest ankles I've ever seen.

 

[BigTime]

Nah. Teeng Akol's going to start going into beast mode this season.

He might turn into Longar Longar over night....you never know!

 

[thebigabd]

None of them besides Aldrich and Pittman have proven to be nothing more than size though.

Lewandowski had a really nice freshman season... I expect him to be a really nice player for Tech. Tunks should be good at Colorado, and Niemann might have started last year at Nebraska had he been eligible.

It will be interesting to see how all these players impact their teams.... Hopefully Big O can play good defense, rebound, and block shots.

 

[Dignon003]

Torin Walker has been better than Akol in the summer games.

I also think that Moses can hold his own against the majority of that list. Height isn't everything.

 

[thebigabd]

Torin Walker has been better than Akol in the summer games.

I also think that Moses can hold his own against the majority of that list. Height isn't everything.

Height isnt everything, but it certainly helps. We will see how OSU does on the glass this year, and how well Moses defends the above mentioned players this year.

 

[Dignon003]

Many of those players haven't played at all. Of the ones that have Moses racked up double doubles against several of those teams. We have a couple of guys with some height, they are lacking with experience (Walker) or with a lot of things (Akol)

Supposedly we have a potential transfer that will have immediate eligibility that will give us another post player. We'll see how that shakes out.

 

[thebigabd]

Many of those players haven't played at all.

-Hamilton was a starter for Iowa State
-Lomers was a starter for Baylor
-Aldrich was a starter for Kansas
-Pittman was a starter for Texas
-Lewandowski was a starter for Tech

I listed 9 teams in the Big 12 with a true center, and 5 of them return starters. The others will definitely be in the regular rotation this year. I expect Tunks (Colorado) and Niemann or Diaz (Nebraska) to start this year, which means 7 of the 9 teams listed will start a true center.

 

[Dignon003]

-Hamilton was a starter for Iowa State
-Lomers was a starter for Baylor
-Aldrich was a starter for Kansas
-Pittman was a starter for Texas
-Lewandowski was a starter for Tech

I listed 9 teams in the Big 12 with a true center, and 5 of them return starters. The others will definitely be in the regular rotation this year. I expect Tunks (Colorado) and Niemann or Diaz (Nebraska) to start this year, which means 7 of the 9 teams listed will start a true center.

I left Aldrich and Pittman out of my thinking. Moses outplayed those other starters. He's not going to match up to a guy like Aldrich or Pittman, I am certainly not saying that but he can hold his own against most of the others.

I would not be surprised to see OSU start a true center also and bring Obi off the bench. That was a big part of our late season run last year.

 

[BigTime]

Many of those players haven't played at all. Of the ones that have Moses racked up double doubles against several of those teams. We have a couple of guys with some height, they are lacking with experience (Walker) or with a lot of things (Akol)

Supposedly we have a potential transfer that will have immediate eligibility that will give us another post player. We'll see how that shakes out.[/QUOTE]

How will he have immediate eligibility? You aren't talking about the UCLA guy are you?

 

[BigTime]

Ahh, dig, I think I figured it out. Is it Matt Pilgrim from Kentucky? If so, he probably will be able to play right away, and he has a got a chance to be a really good player. That would be HUGE for your team.

Wow, well done by napoleon if true...

 

[Dignon003]

It's not done yet, but he was in Stillwater and there is a lot of smoke there.

 

[BigTime]

It's not done yet, but he was in Stillwater and there is a lot of smoke there.

Ford's connections with UK may give the pokes an edge. I actually hope you get him because I want our league to be really good, and with Pilgrim, OSU could possibly be as good as A&M would have been with Elonu. As long as you guys aren't as good as us....haha

 

[sys]

Lewandowski had a really nice freshman season... I expect him to be a really nice player for Tech.

he's more of a euro style big though. likes to face up.


i agree with the poster that said only pittman and aldrich are impact players in the big 12.

 

[DFWHoopster]

I am not trying to be a Baylor thumper all the time on here, but I think you have to include Ekpe Udoh in the impact big men. He's Baylor's best player- always picked first in pick-up games. One high school coach that worked Baylor's camp last week thought Udoh was the best kept secret in the country. Defensively he's a proven commodity (3 blocks per game at Michigan), but they think he's going to surprise with his offensive efficiency.

He's 6'10" with a 7'3" wingspan. And he is chiseled up- very strong. You have 5 impact big men in the big 12:

Brackins
Aldrich
Pittman
Udoh
Gallon

You also have a group of guys that play big but are in the 6'6" to 6'8" range- some of them could step up and be huge contributors in 2009. But it is likely that the only dominant big men performances are going to come from the above group.

Judge
Moses
Acy
Morris twins
James
Ramsey
Bryan Davis
Dufault
Singletary
McCray