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I generally don’t get too involved in the basketball discussions because frankly I feel am out of my league in regard to basketball in general and Monarch basketball in particular. However, a question has been kind of bugging me here the last couple of days, so I thought I would see what you guys think.

How do you think our recruiting successes will impact the team chemistry next year? All of the players on this year’s team suffered through the 5-win season, and then under the new coaching regime, they developed a pretty special bond that allowed them to overachieve beyond all expectations. Now they are all back (almost), and some key players from this year’s team are guaranteed to lose playing time (primarily forwards Ross, Ebondo and Taylor) although the guards will assuredly see some lost playing time also.

Should this be a concern? I would hope not, and probably it will not be a concern if the team is really successful as the season progresses. However, reduced roles and playing times can be problematic. What do you think?

30-0.

> 7,500/game attendance

I think that a good coach and coaching staff should be able to recognize the issue and work it out for the benefit of all concerned.
I think we have a good coach and coaching staff...

See UVA last year and what can happen when you put team first. To go from five wins to say, 23 wins in two years might just make you forget about your own stats.

I would bet last year's kids are just as happy about the new recruits coming in as anyone. Remember - they have been practicing with 3 of them all year long. The new 3 will be welcome additions. The kids know what they need and realize they need help. They also need some of the load taken off of them. My only concern is that we are going to hear complaining about too much substitution from the fans next season. We were very thin with a 7-8 man rotation last year. Rotating fresh players is a sign of strength and depth - especially with a young team. High school kids coming into a 30 game season can be overwhelmed. Managing player minutes over the season is the right way to go. Eventually, I hope we can return to the model of red-shirting players. We have had that forced upon us by transfers but long term I think that is the path to success for a top-tier mid-major.

Ross has got to be happy. He likely will not have to guard any of the brutes as he did this year. Also, seems like he will be able to play his natural position of forward (not center).

I think it will be very hard to keep Richard Ross off the floor the way he has developed. Even if he takes a break once and a while. He will play even stronger.

I think that next year's Monarchs will bear little resemblance in style or substance to this year's team or play. JJ has stated that he'll adapt his strategy to fit the players that he has available. Next year's team will be much bigger, deeper and have more offensive options than this year, most notably offensive post players.

Playing time will be more diffuse and since JJ seems to go with the hot player, the starting line-up will likely be fluid. One or two 2014 starters will likely lose that status, but not their relevance to the team. However, the biggest difference will be that the players will be in roles that exploit their strengths rather than being forced into roles that filled the team's weaknesses...Ross won't be playing post vs opposing centers, Bacote won't assume heavy PG duties, Palmore won't be defended by taller wing players without creating an exploitable mismatch and the necessity of Batten playing post players and big SFs will be gone.

Instead ODU will have a much more balanced inside-outside offense, but should still be strong on defense and on the boards. Fatigue and attrition should no longer be an issue and ODU could even institute a press.

In case you can't tell, I'm really looking forward to watching next year's team develop.

When our number 2 scorer leaves, guessing due to playing time next year. Its a reason to get excited.

(04-23-2014 12:29 PM)ODU AGGIE Wrote: [ -> ]I generally don’t get too involved in the basketball discussions because frankly I feel am out of my league in regard to basketball in general and Monarch basketball in particular. However, a question has been kind of bugging me here the last couple of days, so I thought I would see what you guys think.

How do you think our recruiting successes will impact the team chemistry next year? All of the players on this year’s team suffered through the 5-win season, and then under the new coaching regime, they developed a pretty special bond that allowed them to overachieve beyond all expectations. Now they are all back (almost), and some key players from this year’s team are guaranteed to lose playing time (primarily forwards Ross, Ebondo and Taylor) although the guards will assuredly see some lost playing time also.

Should this be a concern? I would hope not, and probably it will not be a concern if the team is really successful as the season progresses. However, reduced roles and playing times can be problematic. What do you think?

I don't think changing of roles of the returning players since a number of them played out of position roles anyway will be a factor. The only exception may be at PG but Palmore will probably have to improve his offensive game and foul shooting to sustain substantial minutes and yes two PGs can play at the same time during stretches of the game... i.e. Drew Williamson and Brandon Johnson...

However, with all of the new parts of the roster, the Nov./Dec. portion of next year's schedule will be an adjustment/learning period. As such, I wouldn't put together some killer schedule for the non-conference portion. It should be challenging but not killer. I would suspect by the conference schedule the team will have team chemistry and understand roles to have success just like this past season but hopefully on a bigger scale. So Nov. & Dec. will be a time of patience as the players learn what's expected of themselves and their teammates.

I want to thank the folks that responded. We seem to have a good consensus that my concern is unwarranted. I just hope that our core team can welcome the new guys and that JJ can seamlessly weave them into the existing fabric without losing any of the character of last year's team.

We aren't likely to have very many of the new players in the starting 5 at the beginning of the season. Freeman should start, but remember, he was on the team last season and should be ready to plug in. The 2 and 3 will likely be some combo of Bacote, Palmore, and Mosely... at least at the beginning. The 4/5 will likely be a combo of Ross, Taylor, Nik and Arledge. Arledge is new to the team, but he is still a veteren and Nik was on the team last season. The pieces that will come together more slowly are Talley and Douglas. Hopefully one of them emerges as a true starting SF, but I think that comes later. I hope the non-conference is challenging... which it should be with our preseason tournament and games against at least VCU and Richmond. I hope we get a couple more top 100 teams for the resume and a few cupcakes mixed in for experience.

Can't wait...

(04-25-2014 07:18 AM)EverRespect Wrote: [ -> ]We aren't likely to have very many of the new players in the starting 5 at the beginning of the season. Freeman should start, but remember, he was on the team last season and should be ready to plug in. The 2 and 3 will likely be some combo of Bacote, Palmore, and Mosely... at least at the beginning. The 4/5 will likely be a combo of Ross, Taylor, Nik and Arledge. Arledge is new to the team, but he is still a veteren and Nik was on the team last season. The pieces that will come together more slowly are Talley and Douglas. Hopefully one of them emerges as a true starting SF, but I think that comes later. I hope the non-conference is challenging... which it should be with our preseason tournament and games against at least VCU and Richmond. I hope we get a couple more top 100 teams for the resume and a few cupcakes mixed in for experience.

I can see your point in regards to brand new starters, however, I do think Douglass is going to be a starter as well. He has the size the staff is clearly looking for and has the ability to make an impact right away. It will be interesting to see how the minutes are distributed now that a (almost) full compliment of players is available to the staff. That is going to be one of the challenges blending this team together. But I'm sure they will take that challenge any day of the week over not enough players to hold practice.

I'm in 100% agreement on the schedule. The non-conference portion should be tough and needs to be better than last year's version. Losses to good teams don't hurt there's no reason to fear dropping a couple to good teams at the beginning of the season.

I'd like to think JJ will get his bet offensive players on the floor as much as possible with very little regard to their "assumed" position. What I mean is Douglas can play PF and Freeman and Bacote can play multiple positions.


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(04-25-2014 08:32 AM)monarchoptimist Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-25-2014 07:18 AM)EverRespect Wrote: [ -> ]We aren't likely to have very many of the new players in the starting 5 at the beginning of the season. Freeman should start, but remember, he was on the team last season and should be ready to plug in. The 2 and 3 will likely be some combo of Bacote, Palmore, and Mosely... at least at the beginning. The 4/5 will likely be a combo of Ross, Taylor, Nik and Arledge. Arledge is new to the team, but he is still a veteren and Nik was on the team last season. The pieces that will come together more slowly are Talley and Douglas. Hopefully one of them emerges as a true starting SF, but I think that comes later. I hope the non-conference is challenging... which it should be with our preseason tournament and games against at least VCU and Richmond. I hope we get a couple more top 100 teams for the resume and a few cupcakes mixed in for experience.

I can see your point in regards to brand new starters, however, I do think Douglass is going to be a starter as well. He has the size the staff is clearly looking for and has the ability to make an impact right away. It will be interesting to see how the minutes are distributed now that a (almost) full compliment of players is available to the staff. That is going to be one of the challenges blending this team together. But I'm sure they will take that challenge any day of the week over not enough players to hold practice.

I'm in 100% agreement on the schedule. The non-conference portion should be tough and needs to be better than last year's version. Losses to good teams don't hurt there's no reason to fear dropping a couple to good teams at the beginning of the season.

If Douglas makes the starting lineup in November, I am not worried about his gelling. Those early season tournament games could be key in March and I have no doubt Jones will put in the lineup that gives us the best chance of winning. If it is Douglas, great. We haven't had a non-guard playing SF at ODU since Ben Finney graduated.

Guess you messed the comment from Jones saying we won't be playing a three guard offense next year very often! Why else, like DaBig said, would our 2nd leading scorer leave? The guards will be dropping from 120 minutes a game to 80. Freeman and Bacote are the only two to likely get more than 20 minutes a game. That doesn't leave a lot of minutes for the other 4 guards on the team.

As of now pencil in Arledge, Ross and Douglas in up front. Taylor is not a wing. He will back up Arledge and Ross, along with Nik. I hope Talley ready to back up Douglas.

(04-25-2014 12:12 PM)ODU True Blue Wrote: [ -> ]Guess you messed the comment from Jones saying we won't be playing a three guard offense next year very often! Why else, like DaBig said, would our 2nd leading scorer leave? The guards will be dropping from 120 minutes a game to 80. Freeman and Bacote are the only two to likely get more than 20 minutes a game. That doesn't leave a lot of minutes for the other 4 guards on the team.

As of now pencil in Arledge, Ross and Douglas in up front. Taylor is not a wing. He will back up Arledge and Ross, along with Nik. I hope Talley ready to back up Douglas.

Didn't miss the comment. That is exactly what we want to and will get to, but there isn't much organized practice time allowed before the preseason tournament starts to learn all the plays and get on the same page. We will play with the combination that gives us the best chance to win. If Douglas gels that quickly, it will be him, but Jones isn't Blaine and won't try to force something that isn't there just to fit a system. We'll see, but until I see Douglas or Talley being that good, I think our best chance is with Freeman/Bacote/Palmore since they have been playing and/or practicing together.

I think that we've given up on the tradition of the Blue & White preseason game.

But this is one year in which I wish it could be brought back.