An Early Look At Next Years Bearcats-The Seniors
Posted by Dave Lewis April 3rd, 2010, 1:08 pm

Next Years team has a chance to be very different despite only losing two players. Vaughn and Toyloy averaged 30.5 and 15.7 MPG respectively. Together they accounted for a sizable chunk of the teams offensive and defensive statistics across the board. Replacing their production won’t be easy considering the youth of the guys who will probably take on most of the minutes.

The Seniors to be are mostly role players who provide the fanbase with more questions than answers. There are MAYBE 3 guys in the bunch who will start at some point next year.Keep in mind the ridiculous amount of starting combinations Mick threw out last season. I’ll start with them.

Seniors

Possible Starters

Ibrahima Thomas: As the year moved along I changed my mind on this guy. He has his flaws don’t get me wrong. I think Daniel Coats has better hands than he does and he doesn’t always use his size advantage. But, in the post season he showed he can play like a big. Rebounding on both ends. Altering shots and taking more high percentage shots. All signs he was listening to the coaches and wanted to get better. I think he will be a solid starter.

Darnell Wilks: There are a lot of questions to be answered before I’m willing to call him a starter. I’m not saying I want him to be I just think it could happen out of necessity. To me the scenario would be Bishop gone and Gates playing less minutes so Mick could institute a run & gun dribble drive offense. I think Wilks would flourish in a running style on the offensive end. He would have to show he can play better on D. Trapping effectively and using his athleticism to create turnovers.

Rashad Bishop: Will he be here? Nobody but Mick Cronin knows the answer to that one. If he is here he will most likely start. Again that depends on Mick. If Rashad is still on his naughty list despite being back he may have to earn his way back to major minutes and a starting job. Like my favorite sports talk guy Mo Egger always says though you always know what you’re gonna get from Rashad. Solid D, an occasional 3, A strong move to the basket once in a while, and a couple of games a year where he just goes off.

Role Players

Larry Davis: I know what his role is supposed to be. At any point in his UC career has he successfully filled that role? He is sloppy with the ball and a liability on D and has way to many bad games from deep to be a respectable 3 point threat. So somebody please tell me he won’t play more minutes with Deonta gone. Please?

Biggie McClain: Pop quiz hot shot. What do you do with the most overrated recruit in UC history. What do you do? Seriously? Cause I don’t know. I’m starting to wonder what he has on Mick to keep him on this team. Can any of you name a bigger bust who stayed here his entire career? I’d like to know who it is if not Biggie. With 2 big guys in the Freshman class I can’t see him gaining minutes even with Toyloy gone.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/shoutout/201...e-seniors/

First I want to say that anybody with a computer and a will to do so can be a blogger, and save us from them all.

1. Why is Big the most obverated recruit in UC hisory?
2. Daniel Coates does NOT have better hands than Ibrahima.
3. Write about five players? What in the world?

1. I wasn't impressed with Ibrahima at first either, but thought he got better as the season went on. I hope he continues to improve.

2. I wish Darnell would improve his defense, because I think offensively, he could give this team a huge boost. One of the better jump shooters on the team.

3. Wouldn't surprise me to see the other 3 gone.

To me the problems starts with the coaching. If he can't get his act together, I can't see much changing

Ummm... Lance? Cash? Parker?

(04-03-2010 10:51 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  Ummm... Lance? Cash? Parker?

They aren't seniors. Learn to read!

I know what the title is. My point was that this guy seems to be putting a negative spin on the team just because the seniors aren't that great. No question the meat of the team will be underclass.

(04-03-2010 11:06 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  I know what the title is. My point was that this guy seems to be putting a negative spin on the team just because the seniors aren't that great. No question the meat of the team will be underclass.

.....and if I'm Mick, that's the direction I go. Younger. The best players are the younger ones other than maybe Thomas and Wilks.

Lance will be a senior more or less, he's gone after next year.

Out of the bunch listed, only Thomas will do much, IMO. Davis and Biggie shouldn't even be on the team, and it sounding like more and more that Bishop is going to be sent packing.

(04-04-2010 12:04 PM)Kenyon#4 Wrote:  Lance will be a senior more or less, he's gone after next year.

Out of the bunch listed, only Thomas will do much, IMO. Davis and Biggie shouldn't even be on the team, and it sounding like more and more that Bishop is going to be sent packing.

Wilks could surprise us, he'll be getting plenty of PT with Toyloy and likely Bishop gone...he showed some great things in the BET. He plays solid defense (really effective as a trapper), hits the glass hard on both ends of the court, he's a finisher, and was our most efficient perimeter scorer. As long as Wilks limits his TO's he should have a good senior season.

(04-04-2010 12:24 PM)UCbball21 Wrote:  

(04-04-2010 12:04 PM)Kenyon#4 Wrote:  Lance will be a senior more or less, he's gone after next year.

Out of the bunch listed, only Thomas will do much, IMO. Davis and Biggie shouldn't even be on the team, and it sounding like more and more that Bishop is going to be sent packing.

Wilks could surprise us, he'll be getting plenty of PT with Toyloy and likely Bishop gone...he showed some great things in the BET. He plays solid defense (really effective as a trapper), hits the glass hard on both ends of the court, he's a finisher, and was our most efficient perimeter scorer. As long as Wilks limits his TO's he should have a good senior season.

The staff really used him effectively in the BE tourney and the NIT. They put him in great situations to be effective. As long as you don't put him in situations where he has to dribble he can be a weapon. He is definitely the best spot up shooter we have right now.

I think Bishop would have gotten the boot already if he was going to. Maybe Mick is going to decided after signing day.

(04-04-2010 05:02 PM)beck Wrote:  I think Bishop would have gotten the boot already if he was going to. Maybe Mick is going to decided after signing day.

I don't think Mick has done all his end of season meetings with the players and their parents yet.

(04-04-2010 06:04 PM)subflea Wrote:  

(04-04-2010 05:02 PM)beck Wrote:  I think Bishop would have gotten the boot already if he was going to. Maybe Mick is going to decided after signing day.

I don't think Mick has done all his end of season meetings with the players and their parents yet.

I believe the team banquet is on Tuesday, so you are probably right.

(04-04-2010 12:04 PM)Kenyon#4 Wrote:  Lance will be a senior more or less, he's gone after next year.

I would expect him to be gone, though there are rumors of a lockout/strike in 2011 which is why some of the guys were coming out this year who may not be ready. Could that keep Lance around to see his junior season? Probably not, but I'll feel much better when he is not in this year's draft.

(04-03-2010 11:06 PM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  ... My point was that this guy seems to be putting a negative spin on the team just because the seniors aren't that great. No question the meat of the team will be underclass.

He's doing it one step at a time. He already had a thread on Juniors. Now he's done the Seniors. I assume he'll have the Sophs in a different thread and maybe the Freshmen, although maybe not since he's probably never seen them.