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(02-18-2021 02:07 PM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  Next year comes down to spring 2021 transfers. Personally I think UC can easily upgrade their talent with just an above average spring but really needs a monster class to get back into tournament contention.

Seriously if Dou, Gabe, and Harvey all left do you think it’s going be that hard to find role players better then what that trio gave UC this year. You need a stud scorer to replace Williams and one big then your roster is already in better shape.

Harvey was shooting 50% on the year. As a guard. Aside from the last game that made him quit where he didnt score, he scored 8,19,13,8,15 in those 5 games. I think Zachs offensive ability is going to be harder to replace than some want to believe. Especially considering these transfers are going to have to "learn the offense".

(02-18-2021 04:21 PM)coachpipe Wrote:  

(02-18-2021 02:07 PM)UCBearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  Next year comes down to spring 2021 transfers. Personally I think UC can easily upgrade their talent with just an above average spring but really needs a monster class to get back into tournament contention.

Seriously if Dou, Gabe, and Harvey all left do you think it’s going be that hard to find role players better then what that trio gave UC this year. You need a stud scorer to replace Williams and one big then your roster is already in better shape.

Harvey was shooting 50% on the year. As a guard. Aside from the last game that made him quit where he didnt score, he scored 8,19,13,8,15 in those 5 games. I think Zachs offensive ability is going to be harder to replace than some want to believe. Especially considering these transfers are going to have to "learn the offense".

As sports fans, we tend to act like a lover scorned when someone leaves our team. Maybe Harvey didn't quite live up to his top 50 billing, but he's still a really talented scorer and had the tools to be a good defender too. I think he could have been a 15 ppg guy by his senior year.

It's kind of gotten lost in the shuffle, but we're 5 and 1 since Mason Madsen started playing.

I really liked ZH and was looking forward to him taking the spotlight the next two years.

I’m still pulling for Coach Branden, but this lack of stability with the roster is not encouraging.

(02-18-2021 05:39 PM)dsquare Wrote:  It's kind of gotten lost in the shuffle, but we're 5 and 1 since Mason Madsen started playing.

I'm a fan of this "lunch pail" kid the more I see him play.

As for the comments above, I hope we don't lose anyone else before the conference tournament. One of you younger guys may need to suit up...

(02-18-2021 08:37 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(02-18-2021 05:39 PM)dsquare Wrote:  It's kind of gotten lost in the shuffle, but we're 5 and 1 since Mason Madsen started playing.

I'm a fan of this "lunch pail" kid the more I see him play.

As for the comments above, I hope we don't lose anyone else before the conference tournament. One of you younger guys may need to suit up...

I honestly believe that with the exception of Houston we're capable of beating any of the teams in our conference if we play well. Houston is a tougher deal, but the others particularly if we use Vogt well on the offensive end are winnable games from what i've watched. I'd like to see them finish strong, and i think that would help going into the offseason. Absent being so mentally drained from thisCovid season etc, i'm not a big fan of anyone who leaves during a year unless it's a business proposition. I see why a guy like Rap went to play for cash given the setup. However, when you're in the rotation, and you up and leave if it's really for playing time with 6 or 8 games after a school gives you a scholly, i think it's kind of bush. It's his business and you move on, but from what i saw he could use the extra work. Far from a finished product.

I was afraid that when Mason Madsen started playing a lot more that Harvey's minutes would drop. The way I look at it is those that opt out didn't have the heart to begin with. I want players that want to stay and learn through hard work. That is the BEARCAT WAY. I do hope Gabe Madsen decides to return eventually but Coach Brannen is going to have to bring in some players that can play Bearcat Basketball with toughness.

I love Harvey's game, I thought he had the potential to be a star in the next couple years, but quitting mid-season is apparently normal now. I don't entirely blame Brannen given the circumstances of the recruiting, but we certainly can't keep shedding players at this rate and expect to stay a competitive program. I still think we have the guys to finish strong and be a contender for next year, but my level of skepticism for the future has risen.

(02-18-2021 08:37 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(02-18-2021 05:39 PM)dsquare Wrote:  It's kind of gotten lost in the shuffle, but we're 5 and 1 since Mason Madsen started playing.

I'm a fan of this "lunch pail" kid the more I see him play.

As for the comments above, I hope we don't lose anyone else before the conference tournament. One of you younger guys may need to suit up...

Several football players were good BB players, like Alec Pierce. Let's go full "Barwin"

Losing Harvey is a major shot to my confidence in Brannen and the future of this program. It's absolutely insane how many players have just straight up quit on our team this season.

At some point, you have to admit to yourself that this is a coaching problem.

I think its more on the mentality of the players. Look at how many players have entered the transfer portal in football and find that the grass isn't greener on the other side. Take Brooks for example. What or who put it in his head that transferring before your senior season is a good idea.

Another example would be Samari Curtis. How many times did he change his mind or transfer? Now he's an average player at the University of Evansville?

(02-19-2021 08:27 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote:  I think its more on the mentality of the players. Look at how many players have entered the transfer portal in football and find that the grass isn't greener on the other side. Take Brooks for example. What or who put it in his head that transferring before your senior season is a good idea.

Another example would be Samari Curtis. How many times did he change his mind or transfer? Now he's an average player at the University of Evansville?

I would be fine with losing players as long as we had more coming in but, as of now, we have zero commitments. How many scholarships are we going to have to fill in the late signing period? It's going to be a tall order to land quality talent with so many holes to fill.

It's up to the coach to mold their mentalities and get them to trust in the process. JB hasn't done a good job of that this season.

(02-19-2021 08:27 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote:  I think its more on the mentality of the players. Look at how many players have entered the transfer portal in football and find that the grass isn't greener on the other side. Take Brooks for example. What or who put it in his head that transferring before your senior season is a good idea.

Another example would be Samari Curtis. How many times did he change his mind or transfer? Now he's an average player at the University of Evansville?

I'm sure this is going to catch the ire of a few on here, but basketball players and football players are like comparing apples and oranges. Both sports have the transfer portal and both sports have made it such that a player can transfer without sitting out (in most cases). Its just simply out of control in hoops. Last year there over 900 players in the hoops transfer portal-- that's just insane, especially when you consider there are fewer players

What is it about basketball players that that make them more likely to transfer? Is it the AAU mentality? It is the fact that everyone of them think they are going to be playing professionally vs. football, where many of them realize the odds are they aren't going to make it to the NFL long term? Perhaps culturally the esprit de corps is more engrained starting in Pee Wee League... I don't know, would be interesting to theorize on a root cause.

I don't like the kids leaving but, man!, has it been a weird run for Brannen. With Covid happening at the end of his 1st year, he can't seem to get a break. I try not to be an excuse maker (you probably think I just made excuses) and he's earning a lot of money to coach and recruit to make the Bearcats one of the best teams. I like the recruits he has brought in and some turnover happens. Harvey hurts but players leave the best programs (they have left ours!). I like that Brannen's teams have improved over the course of the two seasons, even with tons of turnover (another excuse). I really would like to see what he and his staff can do with a "normal" off-season, a "normal" season and with "normal" recruiting periods. We (I) have to trust Brannen, his system and his recruiting and have faith he will be able to get us out of this funk. He and the team came together to put us in line for another tournament appearance last year. That seems unlikely this year however Brannen's teams appear to peak at the right time of the year, unlike past teams we have had. I'm not saying "don't complain" or "don't worry" about players leaving or a lack of '21 recruits. I care too. I also know its been a weird year for 18 year olds to leave home. Brannen has shown (me) that he knows his system, he knows the type of players he needs, he can adapt (see last season), he can recruit and he's going to be successful here. I also think his style of play is more conducive to success in March than we have seen in a long time here. Let's hope I'm right so I don't get railroaded for this post down the road. I know that I wanted to give coach Tubbs the benefit of the doubt after his 3rd year but I saw that I was very wrong early in his 4th...different thread and different topic though.

(02-19-2021 08:27 AM)Edgebrookjeff Wrote:  I think its more on the mentality of the players. Look at how many players have entered the transfer portal in football and find that the grass isn't greener on the other side. Take Brooks for example. What or who put it in his head that transferring before your senior season is a good idea.

Another example would be Samari Curtis. How many times did he change his mind or transfer? Now he's an average player at the University of Evansville?

Both of those guys changed schools because of coaching changes. Fairly standard.

As for the mentality of players, remember how Brannen made room for Harvey by nudging Hardnett out the door? Players aren't dumb. They see everyone else in college basketball looking out for themselves. The whole reason the transfer rules have been loosened is because it was so laughably unfair that the college kids were the only ones who had to abide by any commitment.

(02-19-2021 06:14 AM)UCbball21 Wrote:  Losing Harvey is a major shot to my confidence in Brannen and the future of this program. It's absolutely insane how many players have just straight up quit on our team this season.

At some point, you have to admit to yourself that this is a coaching problem.

In Harvey's situation i don't see that at all. He was a guy we got in very late on and were able to take a chance because of the coaching change and having scholly's available. Other than Rap who was struggling and got an opportunity to make money while it was looking more and more like his playing time was going to decrease if the season provided enough games who else have we lost? Gabe Madsen didn't look ready to play or contribute this year based on what we saw in a few games, and Lahkin was likely a red shirt regardless due to his knee, and we got him late as well. We've kind of settled into a rotation of 8 or 9 guys which is the norm in college bball. Harvey was part of that rotation so why you leave with a month left give or take is a head scratcher if it's bball related. Most of the drama has been with guys who really weren't at the core of the team and making it better for this season. Whether they would have been in the future is anybody's guess. Like i've said, it will be an very interesting off season, but i'm up for finishing strong. In spite of it's flaws, i like rooting for this team and i'd like to see KW finish strong. In spite of his struggles this season, he's a good kid and been a solid player for this team. He's still our overall best offensive player in terms of explosiveness and scheming to guard. We need him on the court and effecive.

I do question the recruiting rankings though more than ever. I think there are 15 or 20 guys annually who are heads above the rest. After that, whether the guys below that will contribute in the early ears is somewhat potluck. We've had guys much lower than "top 50" who are far more prepared than some of the higher ranked guys we've seen.

Nice comments from Brannen on the Harvey situation

https://twitter.com/Williams_Justin/stat...1965148163

(02-19-2021 05:29 PM)bcat1997 Wrote:  Nice comments from Brannen on the Harvey situation

https://twitter.com/Williams_Justin/stat...1965148163

It's interesting he wouldn't comment on him coming back.

Harvey is gone and now some of the other players will have to step up.

From what i hear, Viktor Lahkin has just started practicing after rehabbing from knee surgery so it will be interesting to see if he gets any minutes this year. I'd like to see him out there just to get some feel for his size and game. I'm not sure with the Covid year deal if not playing really gives him another year or not, but i'm guessing if he played in a few games it would not weigh on his eligibility. Probably being a foreign guy it doesn't matter as they typically have a limited amount of time before somebody is offering them a paycheck.