Here's how I see it right now.

PG...1. Bozeman 2. Foster. 3. III
2G...1. III. 2. Curtis Jackson 3. Cicic
3G...1. Garcia-Mendez 2. Davison 3. Cicic
F.....1. Courtney Jackson 2. & 3. ?
C.....1. Burton 2. Smith, Bails, Thornton, and Spuriel

The 4 & 5 positions are extremely doubtful at this time, since I'm pretty sure someone listed isn't going to be on the roster. Whether it's a current player, or a Juco signee, one has to go. It's pretty obvious Kelson is the odd man out among the guards. But who knows. Strange things could be happening of which we aren't aware. But I believe we'll be able to field a pretty good lineup when all is said and done.

(04-23-2009 08:25 AM)Dr. J. Wrote:  Here's how I see it right now.

PG...1. Bozeman 2. Foster. 3. III
2G...1. III. 2. Curtis Jackson 3. Cicic
3G...1. Garcia-Mendez 2. Davison 3. Cicic
F.....1. Courtney Jackson 2. & 3. ?
C.....1. Burton 2. Smith, Bails, Thornton, and Spuriel

The 4 & 5 positions are extremely doubtful at this time, since I'm pretty sure someone listed isn't going to be on the roster. Whether it's a current player, or a Juco signee, one has to go. It's pretty obvious Kelson is the odd man out among the guards. But who knows. Strange things could be happening of which we aren't aware. But I believe we'll be able to field a pretty good lineup when all is said and done.

I personally would put Cicic second behind III at the 2 spot. Curtis just hasn't impressed me at all so far. And I'd throw Neighbour into the 3G spot. Playing small forward would really let him take advantage of his guard skills and forward size. Plus, talk about matchup problems!

(04-23-2009 09:58 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  PG...1. Bozeman 2. Foster. 3. III
2G...1. III. 2. Curtis Jackson 3. Cicic
3G...1. Garcia-Mendez 2. Davison 3. Cicic
F.....1. Courtney Jackson 2. & 3. ?
C.....1. Burton 2. Smith, Bails, Thornton, and Spuriel

good lineup when all is said and done.

Experience will rule until someone beats them out. I assume those that played a lot last year will continue to until someone beats them out. And, it could happen. Needs to happen, in fact, if this is not a "waste" year.

PG: Bozeman, Foster, whomever
SG: III, Curtis, Cicic
SF: Garcia-Mendez 2. Davison 3. Cicic (who knows here)
PF: I say it is a toss-up here. Courtney has experience, but is too small.
C: Burton, Smith, Bails, jucos

(04-23-2009 11:04 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  PF: I say it is a toss-up here. Courtney has experience, but is too small.

I figure it is Courtney's to lose, but if we have five big guys, and none of them can beat out a guy who is 6-6, 200# at the power forward, we are wasting a lot of beef. Courtney is not even very big for a 3.

3G...1. Garcia-Mendez 2. Davison 3. Cicic


I've got Mike Smith, Courtney Jackson, and Wayne Burton up front unless and until someone beats one of them out.

I agree with Bozeman and Matt at the guard spots.

(04-23-2009 04:35 PM)Ynocpirt Wrote:  I've got Mike Smith, Courtney Jackson, and Wayne Burton up front unless and until someone beats one of them out.

I really think that is the best starting front line, but you would have to change around liberally because none of them can shoot from outside. If either of our points shows a spark for the 3, we could get by with it.

I think jim has it right but I could see neighbor making in to the 4 spot by ten games into the season.....

I'll Go 1- Bozeman
2- Mouzy
3- Garcia
4- Neighbour
5- Smith
with Courtney Jackson and Cicic in main the rotation

(04-23-2009 09:41 PM)Karl B Wrote:  I'll Go 1- Bozeman
2- Mouzy
3- Garcia
4- Neighbour
5- Smith
with Courtney Jackson and Cicic in main the rotation

From what Steve has said in the past, I think Courtney has a lock on the 4 position, unless a newcomer is so outstanding that we can't keep them out of the lineup. And I don't know why, but I just have a gut feeling Mike won't be back. I hope I'm wrong. If both Spuriel and Thornton qualify, then either Mike or Bails will be gone. That's the only scenario that makes sense. I would love to be able to redshirt both Cicic and Neighbour, but I don't think that's going to happen. We need shooters.

(04-23-2009 10:54 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  From what Steve has said in the past, I think Courtney has a lock on the 4 position, unless a newcomer is so outstanding that we can't keep them out of the lineup.

He said that, but it basically was a safe, meaningless statement. Of course it is his until someone beats him out. But if we are bringing in all these big guys just to let them rotate through the 5 spot, that doesn't make any sense at all.

(04-24-2009 07:14 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(04-23-2009 10:54 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  From what Steve has said in the past, I think Courtney has a lock on the 4 position, unless a newcomer is so outstanding that we can't keep them out of the lineup.

He said that, but it basically was a safe, meaningless statement. Of course it is his until someone beats him out. But if we are bringing in all these big guys just to let them rotate through the 5 spot, that doesn't make any sense at all.

There's no question that one or two will play some at the four, but we're talking about starting. One thing I noticed about Courtney.
He has a nice release on his 15 foot jump shot, and he's the type of kid who will work hard to perfect that shot. When he starts making those, to go with his ability to penetrate he'll has a chance to be really good.
Plus he's a relentless rebounder, and with a year in the weight room, he'll be even stronger in that area this year. I'm looking at him as a potential All League performer by his Junior year.

(04-24-2009 08:49 AM)Dr. J. Wrote:  with a year in the weight room, he'll be even stronger in that area this year.

If he is indeed going to play the 4, he needs to bulk up considerably. We have to have rebounding from the 4.

(04-24-2009 09:36 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 08:49 AM)Dr. J. Wrote:  with a year in the weight room, he'll be even stronger in that area this year.

If he is indeed going to play the 4, he needs to bulk up considerably. We have to have rebounding from the 4.

He does appear to be a hardworker and relentless rebounder. A couple of inches taller and he would be playing at a higher level. Maybe big enough to play the 4 in the Sun Belt. Offensive skills need a lot of refinement and he needs to learn to pass the ball (kind of like Bails). I would hope Spuriel or Thornton may be further along in their development. Really don't know much about them or what type of coaching they had in Junior college.

(04-24-2009 10:13 AM)mjs Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 09:36 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 08:49 AM)Dr. J. Wrote:  with a year in the weight room, he'll be even stronger in that area this year.

If he is indeed going to play the 4, he needs to bulk up considerably. We have to have rebounding from the 4.

He does appear to be a hardworker and relentless rebounder. A couple of inches taller and he would be playing at a higher level. Maybe big enough to play the 4 in the Sun Belt. Offensive skills need a lot of refinement and he needs to learn to pass the ball (kind of like Bails). I would hope Spuriel or Thornton may be further along in their development. Really don't know much about them or what type of coaching they had in Junior college.

It's not so much the height, but the reach. A 6'6" kid with a 7' wingspan can play taller that a 6'8" kid with a 6'8" wingspan, assuming they can both jump the same height. I don't know how long Courtney is, but he can jump, and he has a knack for rebounding the ball. He'll be fine at the four.

(04-24-2009 02:34 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  He'll be fine at the four.

How is he going to defend someone four inches taller and 40 pounds heavier?

(04-24-2009 09:36 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 08:49 AM)Dr. J. Wrote:  with a year in the weight room, he'll be even stronger in that area this year.

If he is indeed going to play the 4, he needs to bulk up considerably. We have to have rebounding from the 4.

Yeah, especially if you have 6-3 Garcia at the 3, which almost everyone on this board has him tapped to be.

(04-24-2009 02:37 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 02:34 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  He'll be fine at the four.

How is he going to defend someone four inches taller and 40 pounds heavier?

How many teams in the Sun Belt have a 4 that's 6'10" tall. Not very many. If they're that tall they're playing the 5. . I don't think he'll have a lot of trouble. He'll probably be 15-20 pounds heavier this coming season than he was last year. And he's pretty strong already. That's one position I'm not concerned about.

(04-24-2009 09:59 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 02:37 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 02:34 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  He'll be fine at the four.

How is he going to defend someone four inches taller and 40 pounds heavier?

How many teams in the Sun Belt have a 4 that's 6'10" tall. Not very many. If they're that tall they're playing the 5. . I don't think he'll have a lot of trouble. He'll probably be 15-20 pounds heavier this coming season than he was last year. And he's pretty strong already. That's one position I'm not concerned about.

It might be outside the box, but I still say Neighbour at the SF position. Look, the kid's 6-10, taller than any small forward in the country, I'd be willing to bet, PLUS he's got guard experience, so that makes him as good or better at shooting/handling the ball as anyone at the SF spot in the nation.

Think of the matchup possibilities! Even just as a decoy! Neighbour too big for your SF? So they put a post man on him, enabling hm to either blow by him or dishing it to one of our biggies, who just got paired up with a smaller defender, since the big guy went to guard Neighbour. He out dribbling/shooting your SF? So put a guard on him and what happens? Takes him down low to post him up easily (in a man to man), or kick it out to a suddenly wide open III, or Cicic, or Bozeman, or Garcia, or Jackson, who just got an easier time getting open because that SF went to guard you in place of the guard they just put on Neighbour!

OR, just pair him straight up with a small forward, who will either be too small or too slow to be able to guard.

Why am i the only one thinking of this?

(04-25-2009 12:18 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 09:59 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 02:37 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 02:34 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  He'll be fine at the four.

How is he going to defend someone four inches taller and 40 pounds heavier?

How many teams in the Sun Belt have a 4 that's 6'10" tall. Not very many. If they're that tall they're playing the 5. . I don't think he'll have a lot of trouble. He'll probably be 15-20 pounds heavier this coming season than he was last year. And he's pretty strong already. That's one position I'm not concerned about.

It might be outside the box, but I still say Neighbour at the SF position. Look, the kid's 6-10, taller than any small forward in the country, I'd be willing to bet, PLUS he's got guard experience, so that makes him as good or better at shooting/handling the ball as anyone at the SF spot in the nation.

Think of the matchup possibilities! Even just as a decoy! Neighbour too big for your SF? So they put a post man on him, enabling hm to either blow by him or dishing it to one of our biggies, who just got paired up with a smaller defender, since the big guy went to guard Neighbour. He out dribbling/shooting your SF? So put a guard on him and what happens? Takes him down low to post him up easily (in a man to man), or kick it out to a suddenly wide open III, or Cicic, or Bozeman, or Garcia, or Jackson, who just got an easier time getting open because that SF went to guard you in place of the guard they just put on Neighbour!

OR, just pair him straight up with a small forward, who will either be too small or too slow to be able to guard.

Why am i the only one thinking of this?

Sounds good to me. Put Cicic at the 2, even with a small point guard, we still have one of the biggest line-ups in the country. Certainly the biggest of any midmajor.

(04-25-2009 12:34 AM)mjs Wrote:  

(04-25-2009 12:18 AM)eh9198 Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 09:59 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 02:37 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  

(04-24-2009 02:34 PM)Dr. J. Wrote:  He'll be fine at the four.

How is he going to defend someone four inches taller and 40 pounds heavier?

How many teams in the Sun Belt have a 4 that's 6'10" tall. Not very many. If they're that tall they're playing the 5. . I don't think he'll have a lot of trouble. He'll probably be 15-20 pounds heavier this coming season than he was last year. And he's pretty strong already. That's one position I'm not concerned about.

It might be outside the box, but I still say Neighbour at the SF position. Look, the kid's 6-10, taller than any small forward in the country, I'd be willing to bet, PLUS he's got guard experience, so that makes him as good or better at shooting/handling the ball as anyone at the SF spot in the nation.

Think of the matchup possibilities! Even just as a decoy! Neighbour too big for your SF? So they put a post man on him, enabling hm to either blow by him or dishing it to one of our biggies, who just got paired up with a smaller defender, since the big guy went to guard Neighbour. He out dribbling/shooting your SF? So put a guard on him and what happens? Takes him down low to post him up easily (in a man to man), or kick it out to a suddenly wide open III, or Cicic, or Bozeman, or Garcia, or Jackson, who just got an easier time getting open because that SF went to guard you in place of the guard they just put on Neighbour!

OR, just pair him straight up with a small forward, who will either be too small or too slow to be able to guard.

Why am i the only one thinking of this?

Sounds good to me. Put Cicic at the 2, even with a small point guard, we still have one of the biggest line-ups in the country. Certainly the biggest of any midmajor.

I'm not as concerned with having the biggest lineup, but the best. If that happens to be the biggest, that's great. But we're already inserting kids into our starting lineup who've been playing in not only high school leagues, but private school leagues. They might turn out to be great, but you can't expect most kids that we sign out of high school to step into D1 ball immediately and be a star. I'm looking for Cicic and Neighbours to be good backups this year. Kids like Garcia-Mendez, Davison, Spuriel and Thornton have spent two years at the Juco level. They're more mature, both physically and mentally, and should be used to a tougher level of competition. Let's give the high schoolers at least a year to acclimate to the D1 level. They'll obviously contribute this year, but let's not have unrealistic expectations at this point in their career.