(05-28-2020 01:35 AM)holybovine Wrote:  

(05-27-2020 09:35 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(04-09-2020 02:28 AM)holybovine Wrote:  Hi guys,

So I know this type of speculation is obnoxiously premature. We are still seven months (at best) away from the start of next basketball season. We still have pieces to add to our current roster, and...who knows? We may have another transfer or two of our own depart.

That said I love basketball, and I am bored and have been thinking about this exercise anyway. Why not have a thread to continuously update our starting lineup and depth projections, even as they are constantly evolving?

Here’s my first shot. I’m sure we’ll be chuckling about this a few months from now. BTW — I’m not including walk-ons, and I’m only placing each player in one position. In reality we operate in the “positionless basketball” era, and many players play several positions. However, for this projection it is far simpler to assign players to only one position. It is my hope that this may give us a sense of where our roster needs may be.

PG: McBride - Spottsville - James
SG: Montero - Morgan - Dillard
SF: Groce - Gibson
PF: Binelli - Juco/Transfer - Pacheco
C: Love III - Juco/Transfer

So, a few things stand out. With the addition of McBride our PG position has pretty good depth. SG is extremely deep, as James can play there as well. Montero, Morgan, and Dillard can play the 3 with no problem, so the wing is deep too.

Our frontcourt is problematic. Binelli is fine as a “modern” 4, but we really don’t have anyone behind him. I’d like to see them get a rebounding-minded 4, since that would compliment Binelli well. We have no idea what we have in Pacheco. Love III will be a great contributor if healthy, but we can’t make that presumption. Someone else is needed, hopefully a more experienced player who can serve as a backup, and who can also help Love III manage his minutes.

Any thoughts or predictions of your own? Am I missing anything?

Cow, I am curious to where you and others have Lowder in this lineup? Does he usurp McBride’s standing?

Thanks for bumping this Ramy! I was thinking about reviewing my list to see how Lowder’s transfer could impact the rotation. I do think his acquisition clears up a few things...

Here’s my stab at it:
PG - McBride - Lowder - Spottsville
SG - Montero - James - Dillard
SF - Morgan- Gibson
PF - Groce - Binelli
C - Love III - Pacheco
Open Slot(s): One

First off I LOVE(!) Lowder, and think he’s our PG of the future. However, he only played 12 games for Holy Cross his freshman year, and we all know that Murphy values experience. Even if Lowder gets a waiver (I think he will, but not a certainty), Murphy will start him off slowly. McBride is more mature physically and will be ready to go from day 1. That said, I could see a scenario where by mid-season Lowder is starting at PG and McBride is at SG, particularly if Morgan continue to struggle shooting the ball. In that case, Montero could just start at the 3 and McBride could be the full-time 2.

I think another thing that the Lowder acquisition does is kick Chris James to SG for the long-term. This will be particularly important in 21-22 when Montero and Morgan are gone.

Also, it seems like Murphy is going to use a small lineup this year. I see Montero and Morgan as interchangeable at the 2 and 3 slots, which would bump Groce to the 4. I know he is undersized for this role, but he really has more of a 4’s game anyway. This would allow Binelli to come off the bench in an offensive gunner role, to which I think he is more suited.

I’m still scared about the 5. Love III is promising but hasn’t played extended basketball in a long time. We don’t know anything about Pacheco, other than the fact that he has a banger’s body. I would think that Murphy will get additional depth in the post with the last scholarship. I’m also half-expecting one of Spottsville, Dillard, or Gibson to leave...Just a gut feeling, no inside info. It will be an interesting summer.

What do you all think?