Summer of 2015 basketball articles,

[ItSucksToBeACSURam]

I'm drinking the kool aid on our newcomers

Me too. I'm seven glasses in....

Sweet! Here's a few new brown n gold pitchers on me. Hell we might as well just start a party cause this shit is spiked with euphoria right now!! arty: arty: arty: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

Those dunks are fucking awesome!!!! Goddamn I love our hoops team! :dance: :dance:


CAN"T WAIT for this new season

I know! I can't wait. IS IT NOVEMBER YET?!?!?

 

[ItSucksToBeACSURam]

F ME. I cannot wait. As I am reading these articles, I am wondering one thing though. Our walk ons. Are they expected to play this year? Are they another group of Bentz-esque players meant to bring up the team GPA and play sparingly as seniors? Kelley and Averbuck played on elite traveling teams? Did I read that correctly? Are they good players that dropped off the radar completely? Could we truly have a rotation of up to 10 players seeing court time this year?

This team excited me more than last years team at this moment. I think the upside is insane. If these young guys can learn the defense between now and conference, with their obvious god given abilities to score, we may be better than last years team. I hate to say that, a huge reality kick to nads could be in my future, but I am far more confident this summer than I was last summer, even with Nance.

 

[LanderPoke]

I am excited about literally every one of the newcomers. The season's going to be a lot of fun and no pressure because no one expects anything from us.

 

[Cosmic Cowboy]

I am excited about literally every one of the newcomers. The season's going to be a lot of fun and no pressure because no one expects anything from us.

This is very true. A perfect position to be in heading into the season. I mean if we finished near dead last with this team I myself couldn't be that upset knowing this is a transition year, but something tells me that's NOT gonna happen. These dudes look hungry to replicate success and you know Adams is gonna be pressing these guys to compete his final year. This might be the start of the GOLDEN era. I'm happy the guys are gonna be under the hard work Shyatt umbrella with 0 fanbase expectations. I love that we are leaning towards building with a youth movement. If we recruit properly we might just reload at a rate we haven't seen before.

 

[BeaverPoke]

In this expected transition year the last thing other MWC programs want to see is us having success.
If we win big with only 1 senior on the entire team, people will know they are screwed for the next few years.

I don't know how good we will be, but the crowds should be good, we will win our 20 or so (at minimum), and see some great wins in the AA. We can bank on that.
But, if we get hot at the right time, or prove to have some more studs on the team than we thought, we could
end up Dancing again. We could have huge program success in a "down" year.
People will be scared of the 16-17 Cowboys, and every single season after that if we over-achieve this season.

 

[ItSucksToBeACSURam]

I definitely see this year as a re-LOAD versus re-BUILD kinda year. I think we'll be better than expected

 

[joshvanklomp]

I definitely see this year as a re-LOAD versus re-BUILD kinda year. I think we'll be better than expected

I agree, and a big reason why is something fans may not like to hear.

Shyatt runs a perimeter-oriented offense. Many times last year, people complained that the offense was spending too much time on the perimeter and not enough time for Nance post-ups. In reality, that is Shyatt's system. The positive side of that comes now, when we have to think about "replacing" guys. I don't think it will be as difficult to "replace" Nance on offense, because the system doesn't really run through the post. It goes through the perimeter where we actually added more than we subtracted IMO. The key inside will be defensively, where Nance and Cooke were two of the best.

 

[NowherePoke]

F ME. I cannot wait. As I am reading these articles, I am wondering one thing though. Our walk ons. Are they expected to play this year? Are they another group of Bentz-esque players meant to bring up the team GPA and play sparingly as seniors? Kelley and Averbuck played on elite traveling teams? Did I read that correctly? Are they good players that dropped off the radar completely? Could we truly have a rotation of up to 10 players seeing court time this year?

From what I have read, it sounds like Averbuck and Kelley will likely redshirt this year so I wouldn't expect them to play, but I wouldn't rule out them contributing sometime in the future. Bentz saw playing time in numerous situations and Shyatt played Watsabaugh a decent amount in his first year so Shyatt has shown he isn't afraid to play walk-ons.

In terms of their specific situations, they did both do a prep school year (Kelley at ELEV8 prep in FL, Averbuck at Suffield Academy in the northeast), but I think both had modest contributions at that level.

It appears to me that Averbuck is more of the classic walk-on in a player that is limited athletically but very high BB IQ (his father is a NBA scout and he has been around the game for a long time) that maybe has a future in coaching or some other aspect of the game. He has decent size (6'4") and is known as a shooter but in his highlights he has a really awkward hitch in his shot so not sure how well that translates.

I think Kelley has a better shot at being a contributor. His biggest problem is his size. I think the 5'11" that we list him at is generous based on the highlight videos I have seen. He doesn't have the measurements for D-1, but I think he might have the game. If you watch his highlights, you see a quick, smooth basketball player with a nice release from the arc and the ability to score in a number of ways.

 

[LanderPoke]

I definitely see this year as a re-LOAD versus re-BUILD kinda year. I think we'll be better than expected

I agree, and a big reason why is something fans may not like to hear.

Shyatt runs a perimeter-oriented offense. Many times last year, people complained that the offense was spending too much time on the perimeter and not enough time for Nance post-ups. In reality, that is Shyatt's system. The positive side of that comes now, when we have to think about "replacing" guys. I don't think it will be as difficult to "replace" Nance on offense, because the system doesn't really run through the post. It goes through the perimeter where we actually added more than we subtracted IMO. The key inside will be defensively, where Nance and Cooke were two of the best.

Good point, Van Klomp

 

[ItSucksToBeACSURam]

I definitely see this year as a re-LOAD versus re-BUILD kinda year. I think we'll be better than expected

I agree, and a big reason why is something fans may not like to hear.

Shyatt runs a perimeter-oriented offense. Many times last year, people complained that the offense was spending too much time on the perimeter and not enough time for Nance post-ups. In reality, that is Shyatt's system. The positive side of that comes now, when we have to think about "replacing" guys. I don't think it will be as difficult to "replace" Nance on offense, because the system doesn't really run through the post. It goes through the perimeter where we actually added more than we subtracted IMO. The key inside will be defensively, where Nance and Cooke were two of the best.

Good point, Van Klomp

This is a fantastic point. Very astute observation.

 

[CowboyCO]

Knowing Shyatt, we're going to see a lot of players in the fall. I see the starters as:

Josh Adams
Austin Conway
Justin James
Jordan Naughton
Alan Herndon

First off the bench: McManamen
Back up point guard: Washington
First Big off the Bench: Andrew Moemeka

Fighting for more than single digit time:

Lieberman
Barnes
Gorski
Dalton
Marshall

They key to playing time, as we all know - is defensive intensity. You don't play defense, then you don't get to play offense, either. Whoever will get up in someone's grill on the perimeter and learns the defensive switches will get the playing time, regardless of their age.

 

[LanderPoke]

I agree, CowboyCO, except I would switch Conway and Washington as well as Moemka and Barnes. Can't expect too much from the freshman this year.

 

[ItSucksToBeACSURam]

I see the starters and rotation as such:


Jeremy Lieberman (think playing internationally this summer is REALLY going to help him!)
Josh Adams (going to have a monster year)
Justin James (freshman POY)
Alan Herndon (big improvement from last season)
Jonathan Barnes (biggest improvement from last season)

Backup 1s: Conway (too good to not see significant time) and Washington
Backup 2/3s: McManamen (relishes the 6th man role, has hit some huge shots for the Pokes) and Gorski (Best pure shooter on the team)
First Big off the Bench: Naughton then Moemeka

Fighting for more than single digit time:

Washington
Kelley
Averbuck
Dalton
Marshall

 

[JimmyDimes]

With the depth we now have, I would expect Conway or Lieberman to redshirt.....maybe Gorski too. However, I also think Gorski and Lieberman could have break out years. They were the best two shooters on the team last year and shouldn't have freshman jitters next year. If I had to pick a starting 5 and rotation right now it would be:

Adam
Herndon
Marshall
Washington
Dalton

Bench:

James
Barnes
McM
Gorski
Lieberman
Naughton

redshirt:

Moemeka
Conway

 

[ItSucksToBeACSURam]

With the depth we now have, I would expect Conway or Lieberman to redshirt.....maybe Gorski too. However, I also think Gorski and Lieberman could have break out years. They were the best two shooters on the team last year and shouldn't have freshman jitters next year. If I had to pick a starting 5 and rotation right now it would be:

Adam
Herndon
Marshall
Washington
Dalton

Bench:

James
Barnes
McM
Gorski
Lieberman
Naughton

redshirt:

Moemeka
Conway

If I had to name one player that I think is 100% destined for a Redshirt season it would Moemeka. I think he has all the skill and potential but may need another year to round it all together.

 

[Bryoming]

You guys are off your rockers if you think that Shyatt won't give McManamen the start. He's been in the system for 3 years already, and has a few starts under his belt. Unless one of these freshmen REALLY impresses there's no way that McManamen starts the season on the bench.

 

[ItSucksToBeACSURam]

You guys are off your rockers if you think that Shyatt won't give McManamen the start. He's been in the system for 3 years already, and has a few starts under his belt. Unless one of these freshmen REALLY impresses there's no way that McManamen starts the season on the bench.

I would agree had Mac himself not said he would prefer to come off the bench. He prefers the role of 6th man. Take that with a grain of salt, I could convince myself that I like being a 6th man and not starting if that was the only opportunity I was given. Now that he's one of the leaders and has certainly put himself in a position to start, he may relish starting now instead. Who knows. He has earned the starting nod.

 

[NowherePoke]

Very interesting to see the different projected lineups. Shows what an unknown this year will be. Very exciting.

Here is my guess at the moment:

Starters:

G- Washington (So.)
G - Adams (Sr.)
G/F- James (Fr.)
F- Herndon (So.)
F/C - Naughton (Fr.) - I have no real idea in this spot

Bench:

G- Lieberman (So.)
G- Marshall (Jr.)
G/F- McManamen (Jr.)
F/C - Barnes (So.)


Everybody else would either redshirt or have limited minutes.

I really have no idea who will play in the front court other than Herndon, although I do expect to see some smaller lineups with someone like JMac technically playing the 4.

 

[seattlecowboy]

The only people that we know for sure that will be starting is Adams and Herndon. I can say for sure that Conway will not be starting. He is a very mart kid but has to learn a lot to be the PG of this team and no way is he going to be starting over Lieberman or Washington right now. It will take him sometime.

Of the freshman Justin James has by far the best chance at starting. Yes he is THAT good. I think he will to.

Mac could definitely start since it is his 3rd year in the program. You might see Shyatt use a couple of different starting line ups this year based on what the match ups are depending on the team we are playing that day. We could go smaller or bigger.

 

[seattlecowboy]

Very interesting to see the different projected lineups. Shows what an unknown this year will be. Very exciting.

Here is my guess at the moment:

Starters:

G- Washington (So.)
G - Adams (Sr.)
G/F- James (Fr.)
F- Herndon (So.)
F/C - Naughton (Fr.) - I have no real idea in this spot

Bench:

G- Lieberman (So.)
G- Marshall (Jr.)
G/F- McManamen (Jr.)
F/C - Barnes (So.)


Everybody else would either redshirt or have limited minutes.

I really have no idea who will play in the front court other than Herndon, although I do expect to see some smaller lineups with someone like JMac technically playing the 4.

I agree with this.