Starting Lineup: Guyn, Cromer, AJ, Lufile, and Jurkin.

Bench: Desonta, Bello, Lester, Holley, Stokes, Petey, Banks, and Shemar.

There is 200 available minutes for all positions combined. I think Guyn, Cromer, AJ, and Lufile will average 25 mins and Jurkin will average 20 mins. The starters will combine for 120 mins a game, leaving 80 mins for the bench. I think the first two off the bench will be Desonta and Bello and they will combine for 45 mins a game. Lester will be the 8th rotation player and will get 15 mins a game. That leaves 20 available mins, primarily at the center position, and I think Holley and Stokes will take up those mins. That leaves Petey, Banks, and Shemar out of the mix, however, I think Shemar will most likely redshirt. I like Petey and Banks but who's mins do they take? What does everybody think?

(08-15-2015 08:54 PM)BlackBart Wrote:  Starting Lineup: Guyn, Cromer, AJ, Lufile, and Jurkin.

Bench: Desonta, Bello, Lester, Holley, Stokes, Petey, Banks, and Shemar.

There is 200 available minutes for all positions combined. I think Guyn, Cromer, AJ, and Lufile will average 25 mins and Jurkin will average 20 mins. The starters will combine for 120 mins a game, leaving 80 mins for the bench. I think the first two off the bench will be Desonta and Bello and they will combine for 45 mins a game. Lester will be the 8th rotation player and will get 15 mins a game. That leaves 20 available mins, primarily at the center position, and I think Holley and Stokes will take up those mins. That leaves Petey, Banks, and Shemar out of the mix, however, I think Shemar will most likely redshirt. I like Petey and Banks but who's mins do they take? What does everybody think?

Stokes has been only playing for like 2 years, not sure he wouldn't benefit from a redshirt.

Bucfaithful said Shemar is thin. He may need a redshirt and a steady protein diet.

Lester was hampered by an injury last year. I believe he will start and have a very good year. The coaches spoke very highly of him at the event in Unicoi.

My opinion, who starts is highly over-rated but it will not be a good sign if Wilson is in that group. The only thing near certain at this point though is that Guyn will be the PG. A lot can happen over the next 3 months.

So many possibilities with this team. In addition to a more prototypical lineup, we could play 'small ball' this year with Lufile at the 5, Banks/Wilson at the 4, etc. While I realize we've grown averse to small ball, we'll be able to do this season out of choice, rather than necessity.

With respect to the starting lineup, players will start to separate themselves - the proverbial cream will rise... - in due time. It's fun to speculate and see how the team will evolve related to rotations/lineups. While there are no guarantees, it seems to me that Guyn and AJ are locks. Then again, this time 2 years ago I was advocating for a redshirt for AJ. Who knows, Shemar or Toriano might be this year's AJ.

Exciting times.

Obviously its still very early and a lot can happen in the next few months but for once, we have 12 guys on the roster capable of having starter/significant rotational roles on the team, which is a good problem to have. However, there is simply not enough minutes to give everyone those roles.

If we are going to be a championship caliber team, 5-6 guys are going to have to separate themselves from the rest. Now that doesn't mean the remaining guys can't play a role in our team's success, it just means we need our top 5-6 guys getting more minutes than the rest. And please everyone spare me on the platoon system and 10 guys getting equal playing time, this isn't Upward Basketball. John Calipari said on The Herd that he made a mistake by using that system this past season and that he would never use again.

Lester won't start or get many minutes. Petey has looked really good in practice ( he needs to translate that to game play ), AJ has been a tiger in practice. Bradford, Banks have/are improving.

If Bello signs, he will get meaningful minutes.

Jurkin will start at one forward spot but the other upfront spot and backup roles are up for grabs.

Forbes has a lot of choices, but who gets playing time will come down to who rebounds and plays D.

(08-16-2015 06:30 AM)Just Buc Wrote:  My opinion, who starts is highly over-rated...

Uhhhhh. Unless I misunderstand, I think the starting five choice is HUGE.

I presume we'll hear something about Bello this weekend since classes start Monday?

I would assume so, hopefully we get an update on Cromer's status as well.

(08-21-2015 09:03 AM)Bucster Wrote:  I would assume so, hopefully we get an update on Cromer's status as well.

Cromer strikes me as much more important than Bello. He brings us scoring (19 ppg) and great long range shooting (107 makes on 46% from 3) that are in short supply on our current roster.

I've got concerns about Bello. Reputedly he has stunning athleticism, which landed him 2 years at Baylor (Big 12) and 1 at Missouri (SEC), where he got 10 to 11 minutes per game each year. Unfortunately, he’s never performed up to his perceived potential. His numbers have gotten a little worse every year: points went from 3.3 ppg to 2.4 to 1.8; shooting percentage from .479 to .453 to .381 (he rarely attempts 3’s); free throw percentage from .560 to .429 to .333; rebounds from 1.9 to 1.4 to 1.1. All of that in about the same minutes per game (10.3 to 10.9). That is the opposite of what you want to see in a career arc. The Bucs will be his 3rd school. Forbes sounds like a relentlessly positive guy. But sometimes the best deals are the ones you don’t make. http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/play...llo-1.html

Bello is a low cost buy - we've got the scholarship, and it's only for 1 year. But it's a bit of a long shot.

Deuce Bello and TJ Cromer are not found under the Student Search on ETSU's website. Which would tell me, if nothing more, that neither are processed as ETSU students yet. Meanwhile, Toriano Stokes, the most recent and confirmed signing shows as a student on the search.

Class starts Monday. There is maybe a 1 week window for late enrollees, and that's just a guess.

What is reasonable to expect of freshmen post players like 6’8” 230 Toriano Stokes? Here are some relatively similar players in ETSU’s recent past.

Andrew Reed 6’8” 200 and Brad Nuckles 6’9” 245 were forced into early service as true freshmen. A lightly built Isiah Brown, listed as 6’8” 200, redshirted. Toriano has more muscle, but less polish, than Reed or Brown as freshmen. Wingspan and reach may put him a little longer. Nuckles had more muscle and an extra inch, but probably less reach and athleticism.

Reed and Nuckles played a big role as true freshmen. Nuckles and Brown helped take teams to the NCAA's and terrific battles against Wake Forest and Pittsburgh.

Is Stokes far enough along to play a similar role? Or is a redshirt the smart call? Part of it is how ready Peter Jurkin and Nigel Holley are in the middle - in other words, how badly do we need to look for other options at the 5? And how well does Stokes perform in practice? How much can he really help us this year?

Based on video, I'd lean to redshirt. But we won't know until they take the floor.

A Reed Fr. 19.8 min., 5.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 t.o., 0.4 blocks
Brown R-f. 18.6 min., 4.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 t.o., 0.6 blocks
Nuckles F. 15.5 min., 5.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.6 t.o., 1.0 blocks

(08-21-2015 10:34 AM)shampoo Wrote:  Class starts Monday.

Really we should know Monday, then. If they aren't on campus, it's doubtful that they're coming, right?

I think new guys coming on Sunday. Stay tuned...

Good points of comparison, swvabucsfan

(08-21-2015 10:07 AM)swvabucsfan Wrote:  Cromer strikes me as much more important than Bello.

100% agree with you there. I might be way off base here but I feel like Cromer has the potential to lead this team in scoring this season. Didn't someone here post that Forbes made the comment that Cromer could start for Wichita State? Anyway keeping my fingers crossed that these guys make it here Sunday.

(08-21-2015 01:30 PM)swvabucsfan Wrote:  

(08-21-2015 10:34 AM)shampoo Wrote:  Class starts Monday.

Really we should know Monday, then. If they aren't on campus, it's doubtful that they're coming, right?

I will reserve judgment until a press story comes out, or end of 1st week of classes, whichever comes first. You can miss the 1st week and still make it into classes, I believe. But that would be pushing it and suggestive of an issue. Hopefully, they instead show up this Sunday like Captain suggests.

Cromer is in. Bello is 50-50 at the moment. The cut-off date for registration is SEPT 6